Inquiry: How do you turn your club professional?

For those who start their managing careers with a semi-professional team...

What steps do you take to encourage your board to make the jump to professional status?

I've tried with over 30 different teams and still haven't found the right strategy to make my team a professional one.

For those who start their managing careers with a semi-professional team...

What steps do you take to encourage your board to make the jump to professional status?

I've tried with over 30 different teams and still haven't found the right strategy to make my team a professional one.

i think it happens when you get to league 2, or thereabouts

am not sure though

I don't think there are steps to achieve the pro status, except promoting maybe.

My Solihull Moors indeed received professional status when promoting to the League 2.

However, I discovered that it is wise to give all the players you use and your training staff a full time contract. It doesn't cost more and they'll train the double...

Getting promoted to League 2 is the only surefire way to do it

Promotion is the key.

Out of interest, could you have a semi-pro team in League 2 or would the game automatically make the side professional upon promotion?

Of course, it's unlikely you'd do very well if you were a semi-professional team in the professional leagues but could it happen in theory?

My Kettering side are pro in Blue Square Premier, so I don't think its connected to playing league football.

if your board feel they have the money then you could be pro in bss or bsn depends on the finances aswell as your postion but id think you would be pro if you got to league 2

My finances are not good, so I don't think its that either.

Surely if you sign up all your players and staff to f/t contracts then you would become pro?

wouldnt advise taking players on FT if finances arent good enough could come back to haunt you should you get relegated or underperform financally

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neil220779:

My finances are not good, so I don't think its that either.

Surely if you sign up all your players and staff to f/t contracts then you would become pro? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No. Doesn't work like that.

In my current save, Burton, Weymouth, Stafford, and Histon all have "secure" finances in the BSP with more than 1.5M USD in 2010. All of those clubs are semi-professional.

In a previous save (on 07), I managed to get Montrose into SD1 but we were still semi-pro.

I wish someone could post some kind of official news. I would have thought some of the DAFUGE Challenge folks would know the answers for sure.

1.5m usd is still quite low its about 750k/800k would of thought they would need at least 1million pounds therefore 2mil usd but then again it could depend on many factors like facatlies,stadium income and expenditure

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Neji:

<STRIKE>Promotion </STRIKE> REPUTATION is the key. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fixed.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jimbokav1971:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Neji:

<STRIKE>Promotion </STRIKE> REPUTATION is the key. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fixed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think it is entirely down to rep, tbh.

In Gundo's challenge thread, one user stated that if you get £5,000,000 in the bank, you turn Pro.

I turned Pro with £1,500,000 in the bank, and 7 league titles in a row.

with my experience it takes a mix of things, secure finances to finance wages etc, enough income to stop the club losing vast ammounts of cash.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by McNeil:

with my experience it takes a mix of things, secure finances to finance wages etc, enough income to stop the club losing vast ammounts of cash. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Since i've turned pro, i've begun to hemorrhage money. From 12-15k gains a month to 80-100k losses a month.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by danielgear:

wouldnt advise taking players on FT if finances arent good enough could come back to haunt you should you get relegated or underperform financally </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can get players to go f/t on the same terms as they are on as p/t so it doesn't affect finances.

Maybe its simply a board's choice whether to go pro or not.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NepentheZ:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jimbokav1971:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Neji:

<STRIKE>Promotion </STRIKE> REPUTATION is the key. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fixed. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think it is entirely down to rep, tbh.

In Gundo's challenge thread, one user stated that if you get £5,000,000 in the bank, you turn Pro.

I turned Pro with £1,500,000 in the bank, and 7 league titles in a row. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think that it is exactky reputation that determines it.

We have determined it's not promotion.

We have determined it's not s pre-set financial point.

We have clarified it's not related to part-time full-time players.

We have clarified it's not related to success in Cup competitions.

The only thing that makes sense is that it is calculated by an amalgamation of all of the above and that is done by........ yep, you guessed it. REPUTATION.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it .

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neil220779:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by danielgear:

wouldnt advise taking players on FT if finances arent good enough could come back to haunt you should you get relegated or underperform financally </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can get players to go f/t on the same terms as they are on as p/t so it doesn't affect finances.

Maybe its simply a board's choice whether to go pro or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

NO you can't.

Your average player will demand a higher basic wage to sign a full-time contract than he will accept as terms of a part-time contract.

Sometimes you can get them on the same money but this is not a hard and fast rule, it is the exception.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jimbokav1971:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neil220779:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by danielgear:

wouldnt advise taking players on FT if finances arent good enough could come back to haunt you should you get relegated or underperform financally </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can get players to go f/t on the same terms as they are on as p/t so it doesn't affect finances.

Maybe its simply a board's choice whether to go pro or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

NO you can't.

Your average player will demand a higher basic wage to sign a full-time contract than he will accept as terms of a part-time contract.

Sometimes you can get them on the same money but this is not a hard and fast rule, it is the exception. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yea I agree here.

Sometimes i try to offer my £55 a week semi-pro player a pro contract for that amount, and they say they would prefer signing a semi-pro deal and decline. Bump those wages up a few quid to £120 a week, and they are more than happy to go Pro.

In my current save mentioned above, all those teams have a local reputation. Burton sits the best with good training, 1.8M USD, and a youth academy. Kidderminster, Kettering, and Torquay are all professional and all have a local reputation.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NepentheZ:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by McNeil:

with my experience it takes a mix of things, secure finances to finance wages etc, enough income to stop the club losing vast ammounts of cash. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Since i've turned pro, i've begun to hemorrhage money. From 12-15k gains a month to 80-100k losses a month. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

thats because the club uses up more money, think about it, behind the scenes employees needed to keep the club running all day every day, costing more money in bills leaving lighting, heating etc on longer. its normal to be gaining less money due to being a Pro side to a Semi-Pro

I don't mean reputation by local/national.continenta;/worldwide.

I mean a figure that is reached by an amalgamation of success in league games, Cup competitions, the signing of players, the reputation of players, the financial security of the club, the facilities of the club... EVERYTHING.

That;s what I think we have.

I think that there is a numerical figure for eputation, that triggers the clubs change, (either to or from professionalism), when it is reached either way.

I think I understand your point. Sort of like "old money" vs. the "nouveau riche"?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jimbokav1971:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neil220779:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by danielgear:

wouldnt advise taking players on FT if finances arent good enough could come back to haunt you should you get relegated or underperform financally </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

You can get players to go f/t on the same terms as they are on as p/t so it doesn't affect finances.

Maybe its simply a board's choice whether to go pro or not. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

NO you can't.

Your average player will demand a higher basic wage to sign a full-time contract than he will accept as terms of a part-time contract.

Sometimes you can get them on the same money but this is not a hard and fast rule, it is the exception. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well I must be lucky then, yes you can my friend, yes you can.

In my experience youth players get 55 a week, p/t players get more than that.

I wish I read this thread before putting my full Llangefni Town squad and staff on full-time contracts, expecting the club to go Pro and becoming as good as other Welsh teams like Rhyl, TNS, etc.

You'd think giving amateur players full-time contracts would have a good positive effect on them (considering this is now their full-time job!) but really there's nothing noticable.

Instead of competing against the top sides I'm way, way in the red (thusly bottom of the WPL) and have only recently decided to ask St. Pauli for help. £4k a friendly match with 2 arranged every week for the month of February (Anti-Fascist Action Month!). It won't cover all my debts or save my job but at least there'll be some nice Antifa graffitti in the North of Wales!

does turning the club status to semi-pro or higher up affect the club in any way? like the player who would want to join the club or attendance on match days??

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by fi3ryicy:

does turning the club status to semi-pro or higher up affect the club in any way? like the player who would want to join the club or attendance on match days?? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Generally, players would be more attracted to your club. However, if your wage bill is tight some of your current players may refuse to go full-time since they'd actually lose income!

One of the main benefits should be full-time training, but then again your facilities and coaching might render that rather unimpressive.

In my Vauxhall game, we turned pro at the mid of the fifth season, our first in League 2. From the first day, all players had full time contracts, I simply got rid of those who were not willing to sign them. I just wanted them to train seriously as I expected it to be relativly hard to do anything with Vauxhall... which turned not to be the case, mostly thanks to stupidly good Paul Taylor, speaking of which...

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by phnompenhandy:

One of the main benefits should be full-time training, but then again your facilities and coaching might render that rather unimpressive. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Paul Taylor at the start of game:

http://www.vitadei.hr/pt/before.gif

Paul Tayor at the end of fifth season:

http://www.vitadei.hr/pt/after.gif

Still with starting training facilities, and limited staff, so I'd say that players can definitely benefit from training