Newbie Q: club with no money and not even a full first team under contract

I'm new to FM games (played half a season on FM11 and now on FM12, just starting). I'm also not even particularly familiar with real world football.

I am playing a semi-professional team and half my team don't even have a contract with me. We have no money to spend, we're already in some debt.

What should I do to at least get a team under contract? It seems that the players with no contract won't even display the "current ability" / "potential ability" star ratings. Does this mean I should send scouts to look at my own players!?

Assuming I need to focus on raising money, does this mean I need to organise lots of friendlies, even when the season is going on? Or is that stupid/impossible?

What should my priorities be? What is the risk of all the non-contracted players disappearing? Or is that unlikely unless I start getting news items saying they are actively being scouted? Should I do an individual talk with each of them to see how they're feeling?

Let me know if I need to provide any further information.

You can arrange friendlies which generate income. Pick some higher teams. That will get the cash flow shifting in the right direction.

I think you need to sign some players first, the player's who aren't under contract sound like "greys" rather than real players. I've not got FM12 but I thought your assistant/coaching staff were more helpful than before? Have you tried the tutorial? apparently it's v.good for newbies

from the sounds of it, you don't have enough players, and the players you do have do not have current and potential ratings yet?

to solve the current player problems, you can offer the "gray players" on your team contracts, or you can scout out some free agents and offer them contracts if they're willing to come to your club. usually you can find a few that are decent enough.

as far as the ratings, i have not played LLM in this version yet, but it may be that your staff have not had enough time with your players yet, or that your staff are incompetent. might want to give it some time. or try clicking on the player, then going to the "reports" tab and seeing what it says there instead.

There is a new option for lower league teams to have players on non contract terms, they usually get appearance fees but no salary. Obviously they can leave at any time if they get an offer from somebody else. I'm in the same boat, I'm pretty much relying on youth players with a small core of players on a salary with a sprinkling of non contract guys. I doubt you are in a worse situation than me, I have a £350 a week salary budget...

Also if you are managing a semi-pro club in England which would mean you are in Blue square leagues, do make sure that you go as far as you can with FA and FA trophy. Those two competitions generate a lot of income for low league clubs.

I think you need to sign some players first, the player's who aren't under contract sound like "greys" rather than real players. I've not got FM12 but I thought your assistant/coaching staff were more helpful than before? Have you tried the tutorial? apparently it's v.good for newbies

Yes, I think they are indeed "greys": they do appear with the name in grey on some screens, though not on the tactics screen if I remember rightly.

I'll have a go at signing them, but I was assuming I wouldn't be able to with the clubs finances the way they are. I'll try that tomorrow and report back. When I played FM11 and the demo of FM12 I remember getting a news item near the start saying I could ask for more finances for certain things but I haven't had anything like that this time. Maybe it will pop up when I'm nearer the season start as I'm only in pre-season now. I'll also see if I can prod the board into doing my any favours.

You can arrange friendlies which generate income. Pick some higher teams. That will get the cash flow shifting in the right direction.

OK. But should I only do that between seasons? Presumably I'll knacker my players out if I try it when we're in competition?

For added info, I'm playing in Northern Ireland league (second tier, I think)... an area I have even less knowledge about than I do English football (I am born and raised in England). I am there because I started the game unemployed and no English teams were hiring. My division only has 14 teams so I guess that will give my players more time for friendlies than teams in the English Championship (the division I follow, being a Palace supporter, where there's 24 teams).

try clicking on the player, then going to the "reports" tab and seeing what it says there instead.

OK, will give that a go.

Those two competitions generate a lot of income for low league clubs.

Thanks. No FA cup in N.Ireland, but there is another cup competition to aim for so I'll try and see if there's any money in that.

do you have any staff and are they offering you any advice at all? I wouldn't sign "greys" when there are a lot of real players available on free transfers that would be much much better.

If you need staff, hire some... dunno where in FM12 but there'll be a jobcentre where you can advertise for staff.

Thanks. No FA cup in N.Ireland, but there is another cup competition to aim for so I'll try and see if there's any money in that.

There is an FA Cup, it's called the Irish Cup. You'll also be in the league Cup and possible at least one more depending on which club you are. But there won't be much money in them.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned that might be possible for you.

If you go to the board interaction and from what i remember under the Networking option there is a "trial day". If you select this and the board grant it you'll get four new squads full of trialists.

They'll play against each other and you'll be able to sign players from those squads.

It's like the national trial days you get asked if you want to attend but this one is just for your club.

For friendlies, yes play them out of season or during the international breaks if you get them in that league and that will raise money.

You could also try to renegotiate the contracts of your current players if you're desperate.