Managing non league clubs

I had huge success on FM08 with working my way starting in the conference south, yet when I started to do it this game, I just couldn't get going and often got sacked. Been a while since I tried this now I've been starting at big teams but want to again soon. I would like to know other peoples experience with this on 2010 though - is it a lot harder or was I just being a bit of a Glenn Roeder?

I found it pretty straight forward managing Luton Town in FM10.

3 straight promotions and in my 6th season I am looking at promotion to the premiership.

well thats a lot better than I ever did. I was managing the lowest of the low in conference south though, luton already have quite a big rep

i've got Merthyr to the premiership and won it and the CL. i found the the BSS and BSP quite easy as you can get L1/L2 standard players to join you, it was in L2, L1 and the championship i found harder. Strangely the prem was much easier.

i can help you, i usually start unemployed with no past experience. and usually the biggest under-achiever in the Blue-Square North/South offers me a job. what you do is, read your backroom advice. if it says you have a good first touch, or good passing, good pace, then you i usually play a wide, fast passing game. HOWEVER, you will not be successfull in the lower leagues if you dont create your own training resume. and give everyone a full time contract, and train them under this. (you can be successful without it but its harder) . this is because with you team running wide and passing the ball fast, the trainign will make them league 1 fitt, and all the other teams arent really that fitt because they are all part time. so in the end you just run the ball around them, and score. "i have done this with woking, and droyslden. taken them both to league one in 5 years and 7 years respecitvely. just make sure each time you get promoted to buy 3-4 players for the division and then look for loan and free agents.

hope this helps

I would try Luton if I were you. Its a good challenge thats not too hard either if you make the right moves.

Like thebaker I took a team all the way to the prem from BSS. This time the team is Boston Utd. I've taken the prem 4 years running won the CL and even did the fabled Quadruple one season.

I'll be looking at some of that advice

Especially you Ninian Park - always nice to see a fellow Cardiff fan

managing Luton is very easy and you will be jumping up the leagues, if you want a proper challenge try doing one of the mid table teams in the conference or conference north/south it will be much more challenging than Luton!

I have tried to start a low league game on this version as well and run into the same problems as the OP. I don't seem to be able to get the momentum going for a long term save, even if I get promoted up a division, I then get stuck in the next league until I have improved the squad again.

This version is much more realistic because of this, but I don't seem to be able to stick with it for the long haul.

Don't manage Luton, they only throw coins at you. Manage a mid table to lower playoff BSP side, I.E Rushden, Kettering, Wrexham. Much more pleasant clubs, apart from the middle one.

Its too easy. Now im topping premiership with Wootton Bassett Town after 12 years. Started in Hellenic League (10 level).

I found it pretty straight forward managing Luton Town in FM10.

3 straight promotions and in my 6th season I am looking at promotion to the premiership.

i never get luton out of the BSP in the 1st season and then it took me 3 seasons to get to league 1 who was you buying

with non league clubs i've found its always best to get players on FT contracts, makes a real difference. look to sign players good enough for the league above or even 2 leagues above.

if you think non-league is easy, then try an obsure division in a different country. The second division in Portugal, is split into three regions like spain, and has a ridiculous play-off system. even if you win the league, you play a play-off. try starting with the worst rep club out of alll the regions, and you will struggle. i was only aloud one coach, and i could only attract very poor players! took me 4 years to get to the vitalis, after losing the play-off twice before

I always pick Bath City in the BSS (though for FM11 it will be BSP :D). Usually the biggest difficulty is getting promoted the first season. But there are lots of good free transfers available who you can get to play for you, and who are way better.

Most often it is better to scrap half the initial squad as you can get others that are much better, and usually to a much lower wage than what you have at the start.

What I do the first season is to concentrate all efforts on promotion. Then once up, it should be a fairly smooth transition to full time contracts, and thus a much better training schedule.

For money arrange pre-season friendlies with high reputation teams. Filling the stadium once or twice can be good for keeping you afloat during the season.