Past player experience

I know this has probably been asked before so I apologise. I have done searches but couldn't really find anything that answered my queries.

I want to start a new unemployed career game but I want to have a change from starting at the very bottom as an ex-semi pro or lower. My wish is to start as an ex-pro that has spent his career lingering around the lower division in England (L1 and L2). The problem is that setting myself as ex-pro seems to tell the game I was on the verge of being in the England team and ex-semi pro sets me at a level below the Conference South. I want somewhere in between.

I considered starting a game with 'automatic' but the manual just says that means no past experience and I figured that would give me the same prospects as an ex-semi pro.

It takes me ages to load up a game with the number of leagues I like to play with so I thought it couldn't hurt to ask on the forum. I have started a game as an ex-pro but I immediately get offered the Watford job and I find myself wondering if this fits in with what the player I described would get as his first managerial choice.

So I guess I am asking for other forum members experiences on managerial settings. Can I set the game to the level I desire or do I have to limit myself? Can I limit myself without bigger teams coming in for me early and having the media astonished I turned down the Premiership?

Any feedback would be greatly received.

You raise an excellent point. I don't think you have any control other than those few manager-history options. You're right, there is a huge career gap; maybe SI could take note for FM10. Add it to a wish-list.

I had this thought when selecting my manager Exp and then noticing the Caps/goals on my profile, i think the possible addition of selecting a basic background from you playing days could be a good shout.

Like what position you played, where you played, what level you performed at etc.

Being able to make yourself anything from a former top class internationalist to a League One main stay & anything inbetween, would be benefical to many users.

Thanks for the replies. I think what we need here is one, or maybe two, more increments:

Ex-international;

Ex-senior division pro;

Ex-lower division pro;

ex-senior non-league (pro/semi-pro);

ex-minor football (semi-pro/amateur)

ex-sunday league (amateur).

Essentially it would just raise the rating scale of experience from 4 to 6.

Being able to assign the position you played at would be very welcome and could easily tie in with training schedules and how certain players react to you. If I said I was a goalie then I might get a bonus to keeper training, for example.

Definitely something that needs looking at. I shall have to add it to the wishlist.