How To Cope With 'Hitting The Wall'

I am approximately 10 years into a save with Lowestoft FC. I have taken them from the depths of being unplayable at the start of the game through to mid-table security in the Championship. All good you might think, why isn't he happy with his lot, god knows the Lowestoft board and fans are!

I'm currently in the 4th season of Championship football and I really thought that this would be the year that I would be pushing for promotion or the play offs at least. A 7-0 opening day win at Stoke seemed to back up my pre-season confidence and this was followed by some solid form up until Nov/Dec that left me within a point of the play off positions.

But....... injuries and loss of form kicked in and in January I now find myself stuck back in mid-table drudgery with 6th place a very long way off and looking further away with each game. I am losing the will and motivation to carry on my mission of getting to the Premier League. It isn't helped by the club being very short on cash, 2020 is my first season in my new 9500 capacity stadium and I will still struggle to finish the season with anything near a positive bank balance.

What do you do when your club's progress seems to 'hit a wall'? Any suggestions gladly welcomed....

One suggestion (although it may take a few more seasons) is to become a selling club. I had a similar experience with bringing a lower club up the leagues, and the way I managed to finally break into the Premiership was that I found a player on a free that I signed with the view to him being a Key Player. However, he did not do the business for me, and offers came in the next season for him for a few million. This gave me enough to build the club, make a few key signings as I ploughed it back into the wages rather than transfers, and that allowed me to push for promotion.

Take a risk by changing your tactics and try and make significant changes in the transfer market. Clearly your players have reached their highest level, you're gonna have to change things and be brutal to get ahead.

Just leave for greener pastures

Unfortunately without money or the chance to make more money there's just so much you can do before you have to say goodbye and move on.

I agree with m-platt. Also, can you upload that save please?

You've done very well in your first decade, the best and most obvious advice would be "keep going!" It sounds like you're only a couple of good signings away from a regular play-off spot, so get scouting for some good free agents that could improve your team.

As the great philosopher Mr David Brent once said, "Once you're facing in the right direction, all you have to do... is keep on walkin'"

Thanks for the advice everyone

I think it will be a case of combining all the things mentioned above. I am reluctant to break up my team too much (must be a loyalty, nostalgia thing) but maybe it is the right time for an overhaul. As much as I don't want to see my prized jewels go, the money could fund a new revolution that may finally allow me to make that final step up.