Did it for realism - would you have done the same?

When the 11.3 patch came out, I started a Journeyman career taking over Banbury United from the English Southern Premier League (8th tier) I started unemployed with Sunday League rep and applied for any job going.

I'm now in my 4th season, and 2 promotions in 3 years sees my team in the Blue Square Premier - although we're still a part-time team with very limited resources and a wage budget of just 5k! Bank balance is £87k - this would be in the red if we hadn't received nearly £200k for playing away to Derby in the FA Cup 3rd round. I personally am on a £600 p/w contract (started off at £180 p/w)

Anyway, we're 2nd in the BSP and look good for the playoffs (Grimsby are runaway leaders)

Suddenly - a bigger team came in for me. Crewe Alexandra. They're bottom of League 2 but only 4 points off safety. This being a Journeyman career, I am treating it as if it were real life (to the extent I actually asked my girlfriend what her thoughts were on moving from Oxfordshire and up north to Crewe!)

I've done well with Banbury and feel capable of bringing them league football next season, and Crewe, despite being a "bigger" team - could well swap places with us and get relegated to non-league. But if it were real life - what would the real crux of the matter be? Money of course! They had offered me £900 p/w - that's a 50% pay-rise.

What I did was delay the offer for a week - went to my board and requested a new contract. They were only willing to up my pay by £25 to £625 p/w if I extended it by a year - however, they WERE willing to match £900 p/w as long as it was only until the end of the season - ie. The length of my contract was not changed, just the amount.

I accepted this and turned down the Crewe job. I appreciate the idea of a Journeyman save is to move around clubs, especially when a bigger team comes in for me, but I genuinely believe I would have done the same thing had it been real life. I've got an affinity with Banbury now! I just hope I can get them into the Football League and earn a contract extension.

(As a side note, we slipped a little in form straight after this and I wonder if it had anything to do with delaying the Crewe job offer by a week - did my players get concerned about my loyalty, the fact I was considering another job? But we've bounced back with a 1-0 win over York and hopefully things can start going well again now.)

My question is - with such little resources, I could really have done without upping my contract to £900 p/w - but I wanted realism and in reality of course I would do whats best for me and my family. Would you have done the same, or saved the pennies? Or even taken the Crewe job??

Realism all the way for me - I would have taken the Crewe job!

My career has been an upward curve rather than staying at small clubs.

Hungerford > Workington > Accrington > Bristol Rovers > Watford > Portsmouth > Peterboro.

I find it very unrealistic to take one team through 7 or 8 promotions.

Not sure I would have taken the Crewe job even though I also play the same way as you.

Money was improved, club was bigger but being in the relegation zone would have been the sticking point especially as you seem to indicate you are quite well on in the season.

I would have stuck with Banbury for a bit longer on the basis that if Crewe were offering you a job chances are other teams in a safer/better position would be in the near future as well.

For realism's sake I love the fact that you asked your tiny club for a pay-raise! I don't know if I would have done what you did but it's realistic that a manager wants to stay where he is currently, especially if he likes it and the club is on the way up, and most importantly, if he can't get a better deal somewhere else.

Realism all the way for me - I would have taken the Crewe job!

My career has been an upward curve rather than staying at small clubs.

Hungerford > Workington > Accrington > Bristol Rovers > Watford > Portsmouth > Peterboro.

I find it very unrealistic to take one team through 7 or 8 promotions.

That's interesting and I take your point, I doubt I'll be able to take them up 7 or 8 promotions though! It's only due to Crewe's current circumstance I stayed at Banbury - I don't harbour any false hopes of Premiership football at our tiny stadium...

I notice you've only stuck to English jobs - have you loaded any leagues from abroad as well?

I would have stuck with Banbury for a bit longer on the basis that if Crewe were offering you a job chances are other teams in a safer/better position would be in the near future as well.

That's pretty much my thoughts entirely!

For realism's sake I love the fact that you asked your tiny club for a pay-raise! I don't know if I would have done what you did but it's realistic that a manager wants to stay where he is currently, especially if he likes it and the club is on the way up, and most importantly, if he can't get a better deal somewhere else.

Yeah that's what I mean - a lot of people on here say they sign for £1 p/w just to help the finances out - but that's not realistic at all - they might manage a financially sound football club but they'd be homeless with it!

I notice you've only stuck to English jobs - have you loaded any leagues from abroad as well?

France

Germany

Italy

Portugal

Holland

Russia

Scotland

Spain

Argentina

Brazil

Only had a little interest from some top division Russian sides and second division Spanish.

Currently with Peterboro in the Prem, so am staying where I am for now!

Sounds good. Would love to read about your rise from Hungerford through to Peterborough Utd - you should start a Career Update thread

Incidentally, I was looking through your started threads to see if you already had one - and I stumbled upon this. That steady rise through the leagues shows anything is possible for my Banbury side haha!

Sounds good. Would love to read about your rise from Hungerford through to Peterborough Utd - you should start a Career Update thread

Incidentally, I was looking through your started threads to see if you already had one - and I stumbled upon this. That steady rise through the leagues shows anything is possible for my Banbury side haha!

I'd forgotten about that!

That was back in FM10. AI-controlled Bashley getting quite far.

Nothing quite as similar this time around.

i play along those lines i try and get as much money as possible from my club as a manager would in real life, my mate manages chelsea (who he suppored for years) and his FM contract is £1P/W as he would rather keep the money, me i prefer to go down the slightly more realistic route like yourself and if im offered another job i ask the board to at least match that wage offer, and so far im on £190k a week as sunderland boss, and i expect a pay-rise next season too

I find it very unrealistic to take one team through 7 or 8 promotions.

Unrealistic maybe but damn good fun!

This one of best Threads i've read on here for a while. Well congrats on what you managed so far. I think probably would have done simliar thing as yourself.

I agree on playing realistic and the wages i get paid. Current Game i have to managers one in charge of Arsenal and trying break records etc and bring through Youth and new talent.

Other is Journey man Manager, Which currently in charge of Blackburn got promoted from Championship and finished 5th and Won FA Cup following season in Preimiership. Also Managed Burnley and Fulham got promoted from Preimiership with. After Burnley promtion moved Shaktar for two season winning league and local cup twice. Also Managed Roma when they struggly but could not stop them getting relegated. So mix bag back of Success for that manager.

I don't believe for one second you have a girlfriend.

Yeah that's what I mean - a lot of people on here say they sign for £1 p/w just to help the finances out - but that's not realistic at all - they might manage a financially sound football club but they'd be homeless with it!

Depends on your past. A new manager who has played the game might well be very comfortable financially for the rest of his/her life and can afford to temporarily defer compensation for the greater good of his club.

Banbury? Oh dear, near my old neck of the woods. My cousin even used to manage Banbury. Board would never give you the money in real life to compete, cut and run

Heh mine too