The Academic Resurgence of Man Utd

After looking at CalumAlex's 'Manchester United Crisis Zone' challenge idea, I thought of setting up a challenge slightly similar to his, with some fundamental differences - hence why I have decided to open a new thread rather than spoil his own.

Basically the challenge is like so:

- Manchester United have been relegated to the Blue Square Premier division.

- They have been stripped of all players not brought through their own academy from at least the age of 16. They have all gone back to their previous clubs, i.e. Ronaldo and Nani to Sporting, Rooney to Everton, Anderson to Porto etc.

- The only senior players remaining are Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Ryan Giggs, John O'Shea, Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes. The only player brought back was David Beckham, because of my personal preference and to add just one more senior player to the mix.

- These players have all taken pay cuts and have signed contracts up to the end of the 2012 season

- All youngsters who are on loan on the 8.02 database have been returned to Manchester United.

- Man Utd have had a large reputation hit to 'Local'

- Man Utd have had all debts cleared and have been given a balance of £10million and have a large remaining wage budget.

- However you won't have much use for it as the major point of this challenge is that you must bring glory back to Old Trafford by only using players raised from your own academy.

- The only people you can sign from outside the club are British regens aged 16 or below but they must spend at least 2 years at the club before they can play for the senior side.

- You cannot use any 3rd party applications such as genie scout etc to help you with this challenge and screenshots will be required at the end of each season for proof.

I hope you will enjoy this challenge, I think I will and I think it is quite unique. If I get enough interest I will try and upload the database tonight, or you can have a save game if that is easier?

Thanks

Good idea IMO.

Thought out well and good presentation.

You have been paying attention to the rules

This Sounds Great...

How do I get the savegame??

Hi all

This is a link to the save game, it has a large database with only the English leagues loaded down to BSP, but all players from Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland and Rep. of Ireland have been loaded too.

Download Link

I hope you enjoy playing this challenge. Please post if you are intending to do this challenge, I would really appreciate to know that I'm not the only one doing it!

Thanks

I won't be taking part sorry

I thought I'd just say good luck to everyone and you haven't been ignored by everyone

I'm gonna give this a go - I imagine the first couple of seasons should be fairly simple...

@ Living_Legend - It would seem that way, the squad is definitely capable of reaching the championship. But there are still a few challenges to face, like keeping the players happy and stop them being sold over the top of your head - believe me it happens if you are not careful! Make sure you keep your eyes on the happiness of the squad, as in my practice run-throughs there have been many squabbles and if you are keeping these players for their careers then these are dangerous!

Heck, it wouldn't be fun if there weren't problems though...

I will give it a go....

Please let me know how you are doing

I would like to do this but mega upload is a problem for me. Can you upload it to somewhere else please?

@ Arthur Li, I have uploaded it onto rapidshare for you:

Download Link

Thanks for that.

Man Utd - Season 1 - Blue Square Premier

Squad

Transfers

Competitions

Blue Square Premier - 1st

FA Cup - lost 3rd Round v Chelsea

Setanta Shield - Winners

FA Trophy - Winners

Community Shield - Runners Up

Top Player Performances

Most Goals - Fraizer Campbell - 65

Most Assists - Lee Martin - 28

Highest Ave. Rating - Fraizer Campbell - 8.05

Player of the Year - Fraizer Campbell

Season Summary

As expected, the league was a walkover, though I was very disappointed that we twice let leads slip at the end to cost us the 4 extra points I wanted. Fraizer Campbell was superb, although it took him 10 games to score his first goal he just never stopped after that. We suffered quite a lot of injuries, with Beckham, Eagles and O'Shea missing for long stretches with serious injuries. They all happened at roughly the same time too, which really tested the depth of my very young squad. I am happy that I have managed to keep the whole squad together, although Fletcher, Brown, O'Shea and Evans have been unhappy for the majority of the season. All the youngsters are tied down until 2011 at the earliest so that is promising.

Aims for Next Season

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI>Win League 2 convincingly

<LI> Get to at least the semi-finals of JP Trophy

<LI> Claim some major scalps in League Cup & FA Cup

<LI> Maintain the squad as it is, with perhaps a few quality additions if possible

Thanks for reading

Nice results..

I Lost 4-2 i Charity Shield.

In the league I have 12-0-0 so far.

At the end I will show SS.

Btw does it have to be regens under 16 or can you sign players under 16 right from the start?

@ Arthur Li - I'm afraid you can only sign British Regens aged 16 or over

Sorry all, big mistake there! It is aged 16 or UNDER

COOL!!! Will download it A.s.a.p!! Can you buy foreigners or just domestic guys?

@slammerinho - As you will see in the posts above you, you can only sign BRITISH regens aged 16 or under

Just started, whats with the 8 different sponsorship deals?!

I'll report back with how I get on....

feck, forgot to ask are Republic of Ireland regens allowed? Not British but Utd have always had a great history of Irishmen playing for them so imo should be ok, but up to yourself jacky, you set the ruels!

Damnnnnn Played 1-1 at Aldershot. Have 14-1-0 in the league so far.

ill do this latre, looks interesting.

Good to see lots of people taking this on!

@gerardpique - Republic of Ireland regens are allowed as long as they fit the age restrictions.

Man Utd - Season 2 - League 2

Squad

Competitions

Coca-Cola League Two - 1st

FA Cup - lost 3rd Round v Liverpool

League Cup - lost 1st Round v Scunthorpe

Johnstone's Paint Trophy - Winners

Top Player Performances

Most Goals - Fraizer Campbell - 61

Most Assists - David Beckham - 30

Highest Ave. Rating - Fraizer Campbell - 7.81

Player of the Year - Fraizer Campbell

Season Summary

Once again, the league turned out as expected, I was disappointed with our defeats, but the occasional slip-up can be tolerated when the rest of the season is full of good performances. Once again Campbell showed his quality with another exceptional return, though young Fagan scored 9 goals in the last 4 games of the season so maybe back-up is there in case of a serious injury. I have been much luckier with injuries this year, as the only major injuries were to Scholes and Heaton, and Gibson and Amos really matured this year so they weren't missed. Once again there has been no transfers out, which pleases me, and a few of my new signings could turn out quite special if my scouts reports are accurate. Next season could be the last for the old guard of Neville, Giggs, Scholes and Beckham as their stats are now starting to decline quite considerably, but I'm really working on trying to convince them all to stay on as coaches when they eventually retire. On a personal level, I have become quite an in-demand manager, as at Christmas I was offered both the MK Dons and Chesterfield jobs, and at the end of the season I have been linked with numerous Premiership jobs, mainly Sunderland and Charlton. Of course I have rejected them! Onwards to League 1!

Last Season's aims revisited

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> Win League 2 convincingly (ACHIEVED)

<LI> Get to at least semi-finals of JP Trophy (SURPASSED)

<LI> Claim some major scalps in League Cup & FA Cup (FAILED)

<LI> Maintain the squad as it is (ACHIEVED), with perhaps a few quality additions if possible (TIME WILL TELL)

Aims for Next Season

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> Challenge for promotion

<LI> Try and retain JP Trophy

<LI> Claim some major scalps in League Cup & FA Cup

<LI> Preserve the squad at its current level

Proof of Legal Transfers

Transfers

Cummins

Harris

Kennedy

Sheridan

Sparrow

Webb

Whyte

Thanks for reading

Hi all, Now I'm just having a thought on whether the transfer policy of this challenge should be lifted slightly, as i know that it is much easier to sign players once they turn pro at 17 than when they are 16 or younger.

What I am thinking is that maybe the restrictions can be relaxed periodically. I reckon that when you reach the Championship, you are allowed British regens up to the age of 18 , and then if you can survive one season in the Premiership, then you can sign any regens up to the age of 18.

What do you all think of that? Will it make the challenge too easy?

Ive downloaded the file, but its not working for me? Could someone please tell me where exactly to put the folder???

thanks in advance

no its fine, got is sorted.

Originally posted by jackyb1989:

Hi all, Now I'm just having a thought on whether the transfer policy of this challenge should be lifted slightly, as i know that it is much easier to sign players once they turn pro at 17 than when they are 16 or younger.

What I am thinking is that maybe the restrictions can be relaxed periodically. I reckon that when you reach the Championship, you are allowed British regens up to the age of 18 , and then if you can survive one season in the Premiership, then you can sign any regens up to the age of 18.

What do you all think of that? Will it make the challenge too easy?

i think it makes it a bit better.

go for it

Are we allowed to buy British regens U18???

From other teams I mean

@Alster and everyone else.

I have decided these are the rules for transfers

BSP to League 1 - can only sign British regens aged 16 and under

Championship - 1st Season in Premiership - can only sign British regens aged 18 and under

From 2nd CONSECUTIVE Season in Premiership - can sign regens of any nationality aged 18 and under

You can sign them from any team which houses them

Hope that clears things up for everyone!

Super

Finishing today with 28-2-0 in the league. Drawn Newcastle at home in the 5. round of the Fa Cup.

Still in the 2 small cups.

I'm going to give this a shot.....looks good

For what patch this works?

@slammerinho - It works for the latest patch (8.02)

Competitions

Blue Square Premier - 1st

FA Cup - lost 5rd Round v Newcastle

Setanta Shield - Winners

FA Trophy - Winners

Community Shield - Runners Up

Top Player Performances

Most Goals - Fraizer Campbell - 73

Most Assists - David Beckham - 41

Highest Ave. Rating - Fraizer Campbell - 8.22

Player of the Year - Fraizer Campbell

How do I post SS... I've finished with 44-2-0 in the league.

Just take screenshots of the match result screen, that will suffice.

These are the screenshots which are required:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> Final League Table

<LI> Match results screen of any cup finals you win

<LI> Transfer history screen

<LI> Profile screens of all players signed to prove that they are within the rules.

You can include any other screenshots you please.

This is how to post screenshots:

<UL TYPE=SQUARE> <LI> While in FM, press the 'Prt Sc' button (usually next to F12 on your keyboard).

<LI> Open an image editing program such as Paint and paste the image

<LI> Save the file as a JPEG

<LI> Upload the image to an image hosting website such as Photobucket or Imageshack

<LI> Post the direct Url to the image here.

Damn lost Fletcher and Simpson. Gill accepted offers on both of them..

I'm up for this, how do we know who is an Under 16 Regen and who isn't?

@thezogsageordie - As far as I know, all regens come with face-gen images on their profile, and you will be easily capable of seeing their age si you know whether you can sign them or not

Or You could check the players historie. If the player has joined the game in the year 2008 and forward. Then he is a regen.

Just one thing i've remembered:-

One more screenshot is required (though not until at least 2 seasons in) - and that is a screenshot of a signed player's player history. This is to prove that they have spent 2 seasons at your club before you have played them in competitive matches!

My SS of the first season:

[/ Won

[/ Won

[/

[/

@Alfster - I shall try to correct your screenies for you

FA Trophy

Setanta Shield

Squad

Blue Square Table

No Transfers?

Man Utd - Season 3 - League 1

Squad

Competitions

Coca-Cola League One - 1st

FA Cup - lost 3rd Round v Charlton

League Cup - lost 2nd Round v Aston Villa

Johnstone's Paint Trophy - lost semi-final v Tranmere

Top Player Performances

Most Goals - Fraizer Campbell - 55

Most Assists - Darren Fletcher - 15

Highest Ave. Rating - Daniel Galbraith - 7.55

Player of the Year - Fraizer Campbell

Season Summary

Last Season's aims revisited

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI> Challenge for Promotion (SURPASSED)

<LI> Try and retain JP Trophy (TRIED BUT FAILED)

<LI> Claim some major scalps in League Cup & FA Cup (FAILED)

<LI> Preserve the squad at its current level (ACHIEVED)

[b}Aims for Next Season[/b]

<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI> Top-half finish

<LI> Try and go past 3rd round of both FA Cup & League Cup

<LI> Preserve the squad at its current level

Proof of Legal Transfers

Transfers

Douglas

French

Leslie

Thanks for reading

Whoops - forgot this!

Season Summary

A great league season again! I was worried that I would struggle this year with my first two games resulting in two 3-0 defeats, but the team rallied well and we went on a 20 match unbeaten streak in the league to help us climb up to the top spot, where we remained for the rest of the season. Fraizer Campbell is just an assassin, he is still scoring goals for fun despite the reduction in quality of the service. I would not be surprised to see at least Giggs retiring in the close season, and its starting to become difficult to give the ageing stars considerable game time, but I have managed to convince them all into considering coaching when they retire. I am not too optimistic about next season, and if we manage a top half finish then I will be more than satisfied. Roll on the Championship!!!

Great results. Congra. on ones again retaining the 1 place.

My transfers went throw on the first of juli. So I will take them with on my second season update.

Could you please show me who to make the SS correct.

I've got my first Premerleague skalp. Beating Ipswich away 3-2 in the 2nd round of League Cup.

Great challenge this one. If anything because it gives you that early 2-season feeling of being a great manager.

I'm at Christmas in the first one, and rather ashamed to say - out of the FA cup to League 1 opposition (Crewe)

I'm getting goals galore though and not conceding many. In fact, at the time of typing I've played 24 league games and conceded no goals.

Will obviously keep everyone up to date, and provide information at the end of the season

Tiny trifling issue: Giving Sheffield United a dubious promotion to the Premier League AND UEFA cup football is a tad generous isn't it?

@Frankles - I know it may be a little generous, but I fall on the Sheffield United side of the whole Tevez saga from last year so I felt compelled to recompense them (plus it made editing a bit easier!)

That I can forgive I suppose. And nice to see my hometown team of Oxford playing League football too.

Just lost Scholes, Giggs and Beckham to injury so the next few games could be interesting. Neville's freshly back in training though.