AI League One team wins the FA Cup

Probably sad but when I am not playing FM I like to set it to holiday, I got to 2027 and started checking the various leagues and cups. I noticed that Shrewsbury won the FA Cup despite being a League One team, in the same season they lost to Crewe in the play-off finals. I have seen a Championship side win the FA Cup before but not a team from League One.

If a L1 side avoids tricky Championship opposition I can see how this could happen on FM12, proves how bad the cup selection system for Premier league sides truly is.

If a L1 side avoids tricky Championship opposition I can see how this could happen on FM12, proves how bad the cup selection system for Premier league sides truly is.

What is really pathetic about this is the even in the final Stoke City played a team of mainly under-18's. I guess it's more surprising that this doesn't happen more often.

Relegated to League Two and winning the FA Cup. That is one seriously schizophrenic season.

Of course, it's also utterly stupid.

By 2030 my save has seen a good number of Championship clubs winning the FA Cup & a couple of all-Championship finals, no L1 teams as yet.

Oddly enough in nations were the cup is given little or no importance there is a greater instance of the league title contending teams winning the competition.

Relegated to League Two and winning the FA Cup. That is one seriously schizophrenic season.

Of course, it's also utterly stupid.

Not sure if I was clear enough they lost the league one play-off semi-final.

It says 22nd in League One.

I guess that must be alphabetical order.

It says 22nd in League One.

I guess that must be alphabetical order.

Makes sense now, I should have said the screen shot was the start of the new season lol.

People defended Bolton winning the EPL 1st season when AI controlled in another thread so I doubt many will question this. It seems absurd that any team would rest players for an F.A.cup final. If this happened against full strength sides then it would be more acceptable IMO as long as it is a once in a lifetime thing.

People defended Bolton winning the EPL when AI controlled in another thread so I doubt many will question this. It seems absurd that any team would rest players for an F.A.cup final. If this happened against full strength sides then it would be more acceptable IMO as long as it a once in a lifetime thing.

I agree I could handle it and would enjoy seeing it if it was a one off with Shrewsbury some how beating full teams. For them to win it against a side that rests their first team players for the FA Cup Final is poor.

I've played against under 18's players in the Euro Cup semi final in my save in Wales. Must be down to rep which is pretty stupid.

Reputation is slowly ruining FM, most of what is flawed* in the game is down to how the rep model has been developed & linked with other aspects of the game, the sooner SI ditch the current system the better.

*team & tactic selection, managerial appointments, transfer dealings & general squad management, personal interactions.

Surly any match as important as an FA cup semi-final or final a team should play their strongest side. I can understand playing a mixture of youth and first teamers in the early rounds of the league cup.

If it is reputation at the heart of this, which I don't doubt, then the reputation of the cup itself should overule the reputation of the opponent when it comes to team selection. The AI should also recognize that the importance grows as the competition reaches the final stages so, as you say, youngsters are used mainly in the earlier rounds as IRL.

it happens often, the higher division team uses reserves and loses.

i have won league challange cup with east stirlingshire beating loads of SD1 teams, i guess its just luck and the fact they field weakened sides

Surly any match as important as an FA cup semi-final or final a team should play their strongest side. I can understand playing a mixture of youth and first teamers in the early rounds of the league cup.

If it is reputation at the heart of this, which I don't doubt, then the reputation of the cup itself should overule the reputation of the opponent when it comes to team selection. The AI should also recognize that the importance grows as the competition reaches the final stages so, as you say, youngsters are used mainly in the earlier rounds as IRL.

iirc the FA Cup has a low importance setting for Premier league clubs & this factor is increased if they are title/CL contenders.

In a previous version, I saw a non-league team reach the Scottish Cup Final and a non-league team not only win the Austrian Cup but then make the Quarter-Finals the following season.

Was the Scottish one when we had to deal with the super-grey's?

The Scottish Cup should never have this problem. For at least 10 clubs in the SPL and their fans the Scottish Cup is the big one (although this season is slightly different due to off-field matters).

The MLS cup has the worst example of this, all those teams should not being going out against the type of teams they are playing.

Judging by the club badges that means that 75% of matches in a single round were upsets or am I wrong? Are they large favorites?

Reputation is slowly ruining FM, most of what is flawed* in the game is down to how the rep model has been developed & linked with other aspects of the game, the sooner SI ditch the current system the better.

*team & tactic selection, managerial appointments, transfer dealings & general squad management, personal interactions.

Agreed, its outdated, and impacts negatively across a wide area. No idea how they implement a replacement model, but it needs to be a priority imo.

**veering off-topic**

A tweak downwards in the number of clubs reaching continental & worldwide rep would be a start, there are a few other ideas knocking about in my mind but as I do not mess around with the editor I'm not too familiar with the base mechanisms of rep.

**steer back on-topic**

I wish SI would make the cups more realistic as well. I manage Aston Villa where we are now the highest rep club in England but Man Utd decided to put a reserve team out against me in the FA Cup final despite the fact they had nothing left to play for in the season at that point (couldn't finish anywhere but 2nd and out of Europe). Surely they wanted a shot at some silverware right?

On the other hand when I managed Wrexham in the BSP, Liverpool put out their strongest side against me in the 3rd round even though it came at the end of the Festive fixture backlog and they could win with a back up team. In the 4th round they played Championship side Bristol City and put out a reserve/youth team and went out. None of this behaviour makes much sense to me?

There's an actual cup in the United States with teams outside the MLS or is that a custom database?

Sorry for the slight off-topic.

i had a look at reputation, Wolves finished 3rd, got into champions league in thier first season *shrugs* yet thier reputation is STILL lower then west ham?

i did face arsenal in the league cup final though, as man utd, they played full strength and still got thrashed.

There's an actual cup in the United States with teams outside the MLS or is that a custom database?

Sorry for the slight off-topic.

No custom database there is a cup that includes teams outside the MLS.

well FA cup semi chelsea 1-3 fulham chelsea played full strength and still lost. and i got west ham(?) so i guess it is luck as well.