Semi-Professional to Professional

I read in a thread somewhere that a semi-professional become a professional team. I believe the "Board" made them do it. Presently, I have the best semi-pro team in Scotland, but just can't get out of the 2nd Division as there always seem to be one or two pro teams that my team can't get past at the top of the table or in the playoffs. If I had a few more resources...

Just wondering under what circumstances a semi-pro team goes pro? Thanks.

For me, it's usually been after winning promotion to a league where all the other teams are professional.

The team i'm managing (SO Cassis-Carnoux, i like a challenge), have just turned pro after getting promoted. As far as i can tell this is about the only thing that controls it as any team that gets relegated seems to switch back straight away. (In the French leagues anyway)

I do remember teams from the Republic of Ireland changing from pro to semi pro and vice versa when I was managing in that league in FM08 but I haven't seen it yet in 09, although I am in the lower divisions of the Swedish league where all teams are semi pro.

As far as I am aware it depends on your situation both in the league and financially but it is automatically changed by the board without your input.

I could be talking complete garbage but i wouldn't have thought that the clubs financial situation would make much difference in FM world. I know that it should do due to cost increases etc. but my team is now in debt due to a stadium expansion and the change to Pro has happened anyway.

I think one key aspect is getting most of your players and staff on Full-Time contracts.

All those Part-Time contracts equal Semi-Pro.

Possibly, i did put most of my matchday squad and coaches as full time throughout the season....may have had some bearing...

You need some money to become professional. Actually you need a lot of money!

I had to get about US$1.7 million in China to turn pro.

You need some money to become professional. Actually you need a lot of money!

I had to get about US$1.7 million in China to turn pro.

Yeah, actually I think money does play a big part. I am not sure if reputation does either but I am not sure.

Though my board went ahead with it whilst £1,700,000 (ish) down due to stadium work? Maybe as the costs will begin to show over time the board will only announce it when it is sure the finances (long term) will cope? (as oppposed to needing one lump sum to do it)

Its to do with reputation, division playing in and finances, as well as specific rules for certain leagues. For example, League Two must be professional, and France has rules about remaining professional for only so many years after relegation to the National. Leagues where it is a mix tends to be by relative reputation and finances - for example, a team thriving the the Blue Square Premier thats making money may go pro to give the final push into the football league, whereas a team thats come down and is struggling may revert back to semi pro with the message of "so that the clubs long term survival can be secured".

In cases like Wales where professionalism is rare, I have no idea. I would guess that only TNS and Llaneli can revert back and even if you somehow won the Champions League (there's a challenge!) you'd stay semi pro since thats what the league is set as.

Thanks. Be successful seems to be the underlying thread to this thread.

In Scotland there are 12 teams in the Premier League, 10 in the First Division, 10 in the Second and 10 in the Third. There are 23 professional teams, so the team that gets knocked down to be the only pro team in the 2nd mops up and goes to back to the 1st without fail so far. I'm close to making the jump, but will need an upset in the playoffs to make it. If they make me pro then, I will re-post.

Success is much less to do with it than money.

I took over Torhout in the Belgian third division and shortly after (like, before the pre-season had ended) an Iranian tycoon bought the club. He pumped 13 million pounds straight into it and we were made professional that same day.

Keep in mind most second division sides in Belgium are only semi-professional and here we were the only professional club in the third division.

Needless to say, after that season where we finished 7th (tipped to come last) we went on to win third division the next season and then won second division the season after that (in our first season in second division).

My point is though, that we achieved pro status well before I'd achieved anything on the field.

Interesting...i'm guessing (so i'm probably wrong) then that my team HAD to change to pro once promoted to Ligue 2 in France (after a comment made by Oktober up there ^) even though we're...um....poor

I always thought you could force it to happen by giving your players full time contracts. I did that with Blythe and they turned Pro when 90% of the team accepted full time deals in 08 - i didn't have the cash to do that in 09 though.

Thats what i had originally assumed (hence all the FT contracts), but nothing ever came of it till promotion.

I'd say 95% of my players and staff are on full time contracts and i have gone from Amateur to semi-pro, but i can't get the club to go that final push to pro.

I've £600k in the bank and playing in the Irish prem and finished 2nd last season.

I'm guessing i need more in the bank before my club turns pro.

For example, League Two must be professional

Since when has that been the case?

100% of staff and players are full time now, and i have just under £1M In the bank.....no sign of turning pro yet!

I[m top of my league, have 1.2m in the bank and all my staff and players are on FT contracts but we're still 'semi pro'.

Its probably done at the end of a season like upgrades .. ?

Putting players on Full Time contracts has no impact on whether the club is turned professional. It's simply a reputation and cash thing.

Just turned pro after 5 seasons in the Prem with £1.3m in the bank.

im with sestao in spain division 3, i have given my players full time contracts all of them, also my staff,i have 2M pounds,all other teams are pro in my league but i am still semi-pro.

It has to be sustainable to run the club professionally, that's it basically.

The board will decide when to turn your club professional, not you.

It has to be sustainable to run the club professionally, that's it basically.

TBH I don't think its that intelligently managed, I think its just about club rep. reaching a threshold - usually tied in to a move up a division. As with coaching staff limitations.

Similar underlying issue for hugely successful clubs in minor leagues being trapped by the limits on league reps. Poor chap is having a similar issue I think.