Semi-pro clubs and contract confusion

Ok, I am having real difficulties with how (and WHY) this works in the game.

Basically I play as Bath City, a Semi-pro club. Now there are some hard coded rules as to how my contract offers can be put together:

Full-time contracts: Can only be given to players with Squad Status: 'Key player' and 'First team'

Part-time contracts: Can only be given to players with Squad Status: 'Backup' and 'Rotation'

Non-contracts: Can only be given to players with Squad Status: 'Hot prospect' and 'Youngster'

Since I haven't been able to locate the Editor in FM12 (where is it?), I haven't checked whether this is specific to the club or all english semi-pro teams. Seems to be specific to Bath (as I tested Southport in BSP, and they don't have this limitation).

But I really, really dislike this hard coded "feature" (I thought it was a bug, and reported it http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/289101-Cannot-offer-part-time-contracts-to-existing-player?p=7363655#post7363655 : ... for several reasons.

1. As far as I know, there are no RL rules or regulations that make this how contracts are supposed to be made.

2. Even IF Bath City had instituted these rules this season (which they haven't), the hard coded nature of the feature, means that only by going Pro, will I ever rid myself of these limitations, which makes no sense to me. What if Bath got relegated to BSS?? .. would they still have to offer Full-time contracts to their first-team players??

3. There is NO documentation, neither in the Help, nor on ANY screens in the game (like Board screen or Contract screen) about these rules. I had to figure that out for myself.

Now I checked up a bit on Bath City's website, and it seems that during pre-season, they offered trials, and if they proved themselves, Non-Contract terms to the following players: Lewis Hogg (29 years old), Adie Harris (30 years old) and Luke Ruddick (21 years old). Link to Web page: http://bathcityfc.com/retained-list-published/

Only Ruddick would be able to get these terms, if he got Squad status of 'Youngster' or 'Hot Prospect'. The other two could only be offered part-time or full-time contracts. But Lewis Hogg still plays for the club, and one would presume that he does so on Non-Contract terms.

My bug report seems to have died, after SI came back with some arguments that this is how a semi-pro club would work. While I do agree that if I had the money, I would go partly full-time for important coaches and squad members, but it should not be hard coded that I can only offer these types of contracts. I should, as a manager, be able to decide this with the player, with the board supervising my wage budget.

If the board would make a decision to have contracts work this way, I should be able to petition them to change this, if I feel the need.

A semi pro club might have a handful of players on a (near) full time contract but it certainly would not be the whole squad. Considering that, it makes sense for them to be your better players.

A semi pro club might have a handful of players on a (near) full time contract but it certainly would not be the whole squad. Considering that, it makes sense for them to be your better players.

Yes, they might. But as it is now, my best players have to be full-time, as I can't offer them any other contracts.

In FM11, I would start offering full-time contracts as finances allowed to my best players and my staff. But this was on my own choosing, not some hard coded feature, that forces me to do that. Also why would a club want to give NC to their best young players?? .. so they can leave anytime they want? ... and there is no possibility to offer them anything else, unless I promise them to be at least back-up players.

I can't see why this would be a hardcoded and undocumented feature in the game. It seems to be implemented for "realism", even though it takes some of the fun out of it ... and it isn't really realistic (as proven by the fact that Bath offers Non-Contracts to older players too). I am not even sure if they actually have full-time players (which would be stupid, as they only have part-time staff).

I've not got FM2012 to check out for myself. Have you checked out the bug forum?

Well i can offer NC to players i select as back up for Stockport and have done at Forest Green Rvs