Need some advice on money issues.

Well first off... First time poster here... and Football Manager 2012 is my first foray into football management in any form.

I've been playing lower level leagues since I like the challenges that they offer... so my questions have to do with lower league clubs in general.

Question 1. How do you make a profit in a lower league club? Every single club I've tried, I've always been fairly deep in the red... despite trimming wages... Is there something i'm missing out on doing?

Question 2. Is it normal for all lower league clubs to have horrible attendance when a new manager takes them over? Or am I imagining that? And is there anything I can do to remedy that besides putting together 3 or 4 good seasons.

Question 3. What is a loyalty bonus? Is that an up front signing bonus? or something that's paid out every year as the contract continues?

Question 4. Why does every single player want ridiculous raises? I can sometimes manage to get them down to something reasonable... but really what's with the damn fools wanting to double their wage when they're backup players I've only used like twice?

I'm currently playing Gateshead in the Blues Bets Premier Division and I've come across something a little odd while trying to re-up the players I want to keep. About 3/4 of them only seem to want non-contract offers... even though they're currently on contract. I had one situation with my goalkeeper who only wanted a non-contract... so after 3 attempts and 2 weeks left on his current contract (which runs out mid-season) I gave it to him... then another club made him a contract offer... and THEN he was willing to make a regular contract with me... and he only ended up getting a small raise. This a bug?

Anyways thanks in advance for any and all help.

P.S. - I'll leave with this opinion... I'm a Canadian, so a huge hockey fan, honestly don't really know much about soccer at all... but the whole relegation and promotion stuff you folks got going on in that sport is really really bizarre to me. Love it!

Question 1. How do you make a profit in a lower league club? Every single club I've tried, I've always been fairly deep in the red... despite trimming wages... Is there something i'm missing out on doing?

Organise friendlies. As many as you can.

Question 2. Is it normal for all lower league clubs to have horrible attendance when a new manager takes them over? Or am I imagining that? And is there anything I can do to remedy that besides putting together 3 or 4 good seasons.

Just realised you from canada. Lower leagues dont really attract as many people as higher leagues. As you progress you should see an increase in attendance which will require you to request a bigger stadium.

Question 3. What is a loyalty bonus? Is that an up front signing bonus? or something that's paid out every year as the contract continues?

It is paid out over the time the player is at the club.

Question 4. Why does every single player want ridiculous raises? I can sometimes manage to get them down to something reasonable... but really what's with the damn fools wanting to double their wage when they're backup players I've only used like twice?

You can usually reduce the wages by offering them different clauses. Normally on my games players resign for an extra 2k or 3k (on a 70 to 100k wage)

I'm currently playing Gateshead in the Blues Bets Premier Division and I've come across something a little odd while trying to re-up the players I want to keep. About 3/4 of them only seem to want non-contract offers... even though they're currently on contract. I had one situation with my goalkeeper who only wanted a non-contract... so after 3 attempts and 2 weeks left on his current contract (which runs out mid-season) I gave it to him... then another club made him a contract offer... and THEN he was willing to make a regular contract with me... and he only ended up getting a small raise. This a bug?

Sounds strange but no idea.

Anyways thanks in advance for any and all help.

P.S. - I'll leave with this opinion... I'm a Canadian, so a huge hockey fan, honestly don't really know much about soccer at all... but the whole relegation and promotion stuff you folks got going on in that sport is really really bizarre to me. Love it!

Keeps the leagues fluid and competitive I guess.

As a fellow Canadian, I must admit to being perplexed why you'd buy this game if you don't "know much about soccer." This game does require some soccer knowledge. Still, hope you enjoy it and maybe we can convince you to become a soccer, or football, fan. Maybe I'll see you at a Toronto FC game down the road. :-)

The promotion/relegation thing is part of what makes European football great, and I'd wish they'd put it into the MLS sometime.

Welcome to the game. Would say choose big team first to get feel of the game and knowing your way around. Your best bet is to read the rules.

Promotion and Relegation makes leagues more intreasting and means gives smaller Teams like Swanasa for exampler getting into the Priemier Divison. Suggest reading up on football (soccer to you) and get some knowledge about players and english names.

Also use the Tactic, Traning, Good Player forums to help you out.

You should find everybody willing to help if you get stuck.

As a fellow Canadian, I must admit to being perplexed why you'd buy this game if you don't "know much about soccer." This game does require some soccer knowledge. Still, hope you enjoy it and maybe we can convince you to become a soccer, or football, fan. Maybe I'll see you at a Toronto FC game down the road. :-)

I bought this game without really knowing much about soccer, but I was curious since this game gets such rave reviews and sells so well. Two years later, I now read a lot of articles on two different football sites, I listen to the Guardian's and SI's football podcasts, watch plenty of football on TV, and when I can manage it, go to games as well. I've gone from total disinterest to being a little bit mental, tbh.