Hardest player you've had to replace after promotion(s)

I'm at a bit of a crossroads in my current save. I've taken lowly Dartford from the BSS to promotion from League Two in three straight seasons, and am currently in the summer waiting for our debut in England's third tier. Now I've made it to League One I know it's a massive leap, so I'm anticipating a busy summer in the window, providing my board give me some cash that is!

I've been lucky with some of the signings I've made, having had 6 or 7 players who've made more than 100 league appearances, but there's one in particular who's been really special. I signed a 22 year old striker, who has gone on to become both the club's record league appearance holder (117) and record league goal scorer (78). That doesn't quite tell the whole story, mind. He's actually scored 102 goals for the club including cup ties, so he's been phenomenal. A three season legend then, and as you'd imagine, he's worshipped by the fans.

However, I'm convinced he's hit his ceiling, despite his 28 goals in League Two (37 in both BSS/BSP, for the record) and he'd have had more had he not missed the final 10 games of the season but I'm going to have the near impossible task of replacing him. I'm sure many of us have had this problem, so how long did it take to find the perfect replacement? And did you try and keep him at the club despite his diminished role, or did you risk the wrath of the fans and let him go? I think this one is doubly tough as he's only 25!

Come on, let's have some stories. Cheers.

anyone who plays in left or right back. hard position to find anyone of a similar standard cheap

yes. i took droylsden from BSN to prem. basically i aimed to spend a MAX of 3 seasons in each league until i reached the champ. because i believe there isnt much of a step up from BSP to League two. and if your a top League two side, then you can hold your own in League one.

got to League two. lost my two strikers for only £200,000 between them, and they got in 2 seasons 90 goals between them. so i looked at released players, found a wonderkid regen from arsenal, who signed. got me to the championship with 28 goals average a season (over 2 years) board sold him for £1m. had to try and avoid relegation on a shoe string budget so i used the money into wage and signed all old players with experience, keiron richardson, ect, the experience helped me survive and then next year i stormed the league

Febian Brandy.

Essentially took me from the BSS to the Premiership with Chelmsford City back in FM10, almost single handedly. He was just superb for my team, scoring 20+ goals a season every year. Then we hit the Prem and he just couldn't cut it, he got the odd goal (including a winner at Old Trafford from the bench) but he just wasn't up to it, his contract was running out, and I had to let him go. He left for France, playing for Metz but he never really made it there either. He was rotting in the reserves and retired, so I picked him up as a coach and he remained with me until I stopped playing that save.

I replaced him with a young regen from Newcastle called Jonny Hawkins, who went on to break all the club records, and was one of the best strikers I've had on FM. But even though he was the better player, and got my the Champions League and 2 World Cups, it'll always be Brandy I'll remember from that save.

I don't understand - are you going to release him as you've already decided he can't cut it, or is he not re-signing?

Proven form > attributes. I'd be at the very least giving him a chance if he's just bagged 28 goals in a promotion season.

I have a feeling it's gonna be Sandro or either Bale or Lennon - you might be suprised with Lennon but in 2018 there's a lack of good young wingers I mean I could go and spend big on Hazard or someone similar but I prefer to bring through youth whether my own or poached from other clubs. I'm also struggling to find any DMs with the attributes that Sandro has now, his physicals are pretty immense and his technicals & mentals are decent/good and he chips in with the old goal and assist from DM

I signed a Brazilian defensive midfielder called Frédson to Bradford in L2 and he performed very well for me all the way up to the Premiership. He was 32 years old at that time, so I thought things could only go down for him, so I let his contract run out. A very intelligent football player, so even at 2 and 1,5 star rating in PL he was one of my best midfielders anyway.

I concur with the idea that a player that performs well in a division below won't necessarily fail at the higher level even though his star rating is bad.

I'm at a bit of a crossroads in my current save. I've taken lowly Dartford from the BSS to promotion from League Two in three straight seasons, and am currently in the summer waiting for our debut in England's third tier. Now I've made it to League One I know it's a massive leap, so I'm anticipating a busy summer in the window, providing my board give me some cash that is!

I've been lucky with some of the signings I've made, having had 6 or 7 players who've made more than 100 league appearances, but there's one in particular who's been really special. I signed a 22 year old striker, who has gone on to become both the club's record league appearance holder (117) and record league goal scorer (78). That doesn't quite tell the whole story, mind. He's actually scored 102 goals for the club including cup ties, so he's been phenomenal. A three season legend then, and as you'd imagine, he's worshipped by the fans.

However, I'm convinced he's hit his ceiling, despite his 28 goals in League Two (37 in both BSS/BSP, for the record) and he'd have had more had he not missed the final 10 games of the season but I'm going to have the near impossible task of replacing him. I'm sure many of us have had this problem, so how long did it take to find the perfect replacement? And did you try and keep him at the club despite his diminished role, or did you risk the wrath of the fans and let him go? I think this one is doubly tough as he's only 25!

Come on, let's have some stories. Cheers.

I've gone exactly the same route (well, from BSN to League One) and have exactly the same dilemma. My striker is Damien Casalinuova - is he yours?

I kind of anticipated this last season - he'd been my top scorer in BSN and BSP by far but started to look limited in League 2. Thus i worked hard to nurture my two best academy strikers. At the beginning of the League 1 season it is a transition phase for us. Damien is a regular sub, ready to come on and use his experience when one of the young strikers is looking inconsistent. He's a fan and player favourite, so i'm certainly not going to get rid of him.

By the same token the starting club captain (a DC) is now 38 and has no legs left. He also sits on the bench inspiring the troops. He's seeing out his career with us and hopefully will join the backroom staff. This isn't simply nostalgia on my part - I fear a squad morale hit if I'm too brutal with club icons.

I don't understand - are you going to release him as you've already decided he can't cut it, or is he not re-signing?

Proven form > attributes. I'd be at the very least giving him a chance if he's just bagged 28 goals in a promotion season.

No, I'm not planning on releasing him, but he's going to go from playing every week without fail (when fit) for three seasons, to playing a smaller role from the bench. I'm anticipating this being a problem for him, so I might be forced to let him go.

I've gone exactly the same route (well, from BSN to League One) and have exactly the same dilemma. My striker is Damien Casalinuova - is he yours?

I kind of anticipated this last season - he'd been my top scorer in BSN and BSP by far but started to look limited in League 2. Thus i worked hard to nurture my two best academy strikers. At the beginning of the League 1 season it is a transition phase for us. Damien is a regular sub, ready to come on and use his experience when one of the young strikers is looking inconsistent. He's a fan and player favourite, so i'm certainly not going to get rid of him.

By the same token the starting club captain (a DC) is now 38 and has no legs left. He also sits on the bench inspiring the troops. He's seeing out his career with us and hopefully will join the backroom staff. This isn't simply nostalgia on my part - I fear a squad morale hit if I'm too brutal with club icons.

No he's not, but I am still playing FM11 which I didn't make clear earlier. My striker is Thierry Makengo. I had to replace my 37 year old centre half last year with two young kids (one signed from Motherwell, the other one of the Man City academy players) which now means all of my 4 centre halves are 22 and below. Not ideal!

i'm doing the droyslden route, not having jamil adam is a nightmare.

but when it comes to replacing fergus bell that will be interesting, he is immence and looks to have potenetial to play a few leagues higher, and is only 20.

on my blackpool save i had sanogo, wilfired savic and cosic, areola all in first team football in the premier league, savic sangogo and wilfried all played in the championship with me, they are all under 25 still.

I signed a Brazilian defensive midfielder called Frédson to Bradford in L2 and he performed very well for me all the way up to the Premiership. He was 32 years old at that time, so I thought things could only go down for him, so I let his contract run out. A very intelligent football player, so even at 2 and 1,5 star rating in PL he was one of my best midfielders anyway.

I concur with the idea that a player that performs well in a division below won't necessarily fail at the higher level even though his star rating is bad.

Think there's been a little confusion here. I don't want to release him, I just need to strengthen after promotion, which ultimately means I'll be able to sign players better than him. It'd be foolish not to play those better players, which means Makengo will have to warm the bench. Unfortunately, his character suggests he won't accept that, so I'll ultimately be forced into letting him go, and as he's just become a club icon, I'm predicting a problem.

I'm not getting rid of him just because, I want to keep him if he'll accept a smaller role, but I just don't see it.

Stand by your man! I signed a newgen released from Spurs at the end of my first season and he's been consistently excellent as I've risen through the leagues. Last season another player took on the mantle of top goalscorer and I thought my old icon had reached his peak, but he's come back stronger than ever and is currently top scorer in the Champioinship. I'd have snapped your hand off if offered a million for him last January but now he's got his first Colombian caps and is worth £2.4m

Victor Zapata-Caicedo

yes. i took droylsden from BSN to prem. basically i aimed to spend a MAX of 3 seasons in each league until i reached the champ. because i believe there isnt much of a step up from BSP to League two. and if your a top League two side, then you can hold your own in League one.

got to League two. lost my two strikers for only £200,000 between them, and they got in 2 seasons 90 goals between them. so i looked at released players, found a wonderkid regen from arsenal, who signed. got me to the championship with 28 goals average a season (over 2 years) board sold him for £1m. had to try and avoid relegation on a shoe string budget so i used the money into wage and signed all old players with experience, keiron richardson, ect, the experience helped me survive and then next year i stormed the league

I've got Droylsden to the Championship - halfway through what I hope will be a successful promotion season! I'm pleased that the board seem very prepared to invest in developing infastructure, although it's going to take a long, long time to get them to a high standard. Here's hoping Premiership money gives us a major boost.

Febian Brandy

He was phenominal for MK Dons last season in my save - 40 goals in 46 games - but hasn't scored over 10 in any other season :/

You should get a replacement, but keep him on your team. I can't imagine that his wage is high, and who knows what will happen with your replacement! Maybe he will have trouble adapting to your team, maybe he won't perform, maybe he'll get injured. If you keep your current striker you'll have a proven striker who knows the club and probably has you as Favoured personnel, meaning hell play even harder for you. Heck, even if your new guy does perform, I'm sure he'll still be good enough for your bench.

Well, in the end I couldn't find a replacement who met all the criteria at an affordable price, so I've instead gone down the loan route. This year is about consolidation anyway, and I guess I'll see who gets the nod depending on form.

It's been tough for me with strikers, with one of the main 4 retiring (aged 38) another struggling for fitness (33) and the Makengo situation. The result has been two loan deals and a youngster!

I wouldn't worry about him being unhappy about moving down the depth chart. I find most of the time you can keep the first team whiners happy by throwing them in there for a few games then putting them right back on the bench for another couple of months until they pipe up again. If not just tell them you'll let them go at the end of the year (trying to sell players mid season sucks, never get good value for them, plus you leave a hole in your team). Yeah the fans will complain but they'll get over it, remember you'll be bringing in a replacement and so long as they perform the fans opinion on transfers will be balanced out by that.