Returning Loan Players & Squad Numbers

Just a small bug bear...but when I send a player out on short term loan, when he returns he no longer has a shirt number assigned. If I then pick him for the squad I have to assign him a number. Often in this situation, I have forgotten what number he was previously, meaning he (probably) ends up with a new shirt number for that season, which I think is unrealistic. In real life, whilst it is highly unlikely that many fans will have opted to have the name and number of a fringe player who would be considered for a short term secondment printed on the back of their shirt, if a player's number changed for no good reason, there would be unhappiness amongst fans who had shelled out money on now defunct merchandise.

Essentially, I think that a player's shirt number should be remembered on returning from a short term loan, unless it had already been reassigned.

(It is a minor grievance, I know, but a grievance nonetheless)

It's a minor issue but I feel you have the right to air your concern. Maybe they could add another column into the squad numbers menu - much like the "Preferred Number" column but this one would say "Previous Number".

I disagree with this. When Liverpool bought Aquilani for £20m, it was assumed he would be an important part of the team and had the number 4. Maybe people bought replica shirts with this number, I couldn't say. Then they loaned him out, bought Raul Meireles and gave him the number 4, whilst Aquilani was still on the books.

Joe Cole got the number 10 shirt but has been loaned out. In the game I buy a new AMC, Ganso, who has a preference for number 10, which is good as this is what I'd like to give him anyway. At the moment I can do this because Cole is out on loan, but if your idea comes in then number 10 is effectively locked until Cole leaves the club, or the end of the season when I re-assign numbers.

but if your idea comes in then number 10 is effectively locked until Cole leaves the club, or the end of the season when I re-assign numbers.

I said "Essentially, I think that a player's shirt number should be remembered on returning from a short term loan, unless it had already been reassigned."

If you reassign the number that's fine...but it would not be logical for a player to be assigned a number at the beginning of the season, go out on loan, return and end up with a different number despite his original number still being available. As Jambo Steven said, it can be as simple as another column or even a message on his return:

"PLAYER X has returned from his loan spell with TEAM Y. His shirt number is ??. If you wish to assign him a new number, please use the options below"

or

"PLAYER X has returned from his loan spell with TEAM Y. His shirt number has since been assigned to PLAYER Z, would you like to assign a new shirt number to PLAYER X?"

Seems like a lot of work for something that you should be able to remember anyway if you know your squad well enough.

If you can't remember it, then does it really matter if Joe Nobody had 36 before loan and comes back to be given 38? It's not like the fans in-game pay any attention to it, nor the players.

"I disagree with your idea because of this and this"

"Actually you'll see I addressed your points already, you just didn't read it properly"

"Well....it's a stupid and pointless idea anyway"

Classic forumming!