It's... Ackter's Overall Best Eleven longevity challenge!

Hi there, and welcome to Ackter's Overall Best Eleven longevity challenge!

The challenge is simple - who can get the most total appearances in their overall best eleven. The best thing about this challenge? It can be done alongside pretty much any challenge you're already involved in if you so wish. Any version of FM is allowed.

All you need to do is post a screenshot of your overall best X1 screen and add up all of the appearances - the obvious (if slightly mental) aim, is to fill the screen with 1000+ appearance players. You're welcome to post, at the end of each of your seasons, an updated Best X1 screenshot and total.

So let's get this challenge started.

I'll open with my FM11 game from earlier in the year:

First X1 appearances: 6,710

Sub appearances: 3,543

Total Best X1 appearances: 10,253

And, as I will of course be taking part, my FM12 current:

First X1 appearances: 2,668

Sub appearances: 1,409

Total Best X1 appearances: 4,077

I like this but surely it should XI instead of X1?

It's my challenge, I can be annoying if I want. Shut up

I'm not criticising, just asking .

First X1 appearances: 2,957

Sub appearances: 1,519

Total Best X1 appearances: 4,476

2024 :O Wowsa Ackter, you are running away already, only up to 2014 in my game...I will definitely start posting this once this season ends so I can see how far away I am from catching your squad of long-termers.

I'm also glad to see that the overall 11 formation actually changes in this version

It changed for me in FM11, it just seemed to only change once you had used your new formation for more seasons than the old one, which sucked for my central mids, as I went from one with wingers to a narrow 4-3-3 and the centre mids & 3rd striker weren't in the formation for ages...

In my FM11 save I changed from that formation after about 15 seasons and it never updated

I want to know how you got to 2024 so quickly!

I play the game as if it was called Director of Football 2012

I'm guessing you play most games on commentary only?

Quite an interesting side challenge, I doubt I'll be able to compete with some of the appearance totals but I'll have a crack.

I'm guessing you play most games on commentary only?

Nope - I hire my assistant to be the team's manager, I'm there to build the team and help with picking the squad. I tend to pick the team most times and then holiday through the match.

Tooting & Mitcham best XI (FM11)

First XI appearances: 6192

Sub appearances: 4590

Total Best XI appearances: 10782

You're going to make me dig out my 2068 save aren't you?

Edit: Gaaaaaaaaah, I've deleted it when cleaning out my PC

I'll definitely pop in here once I start to build a squad that lasts for more than a season.

AD Parla Overall Best XI

First XI Appearances: 579

Sub Appearances: 136

Total Appearances: 715

Woohoo so two seasons in and I am only behind dafuge by 10,000 appearances...

Best I'm going to do:

First XI Appearances: 3428

Sub Appearances: 2117

Total Appearances: 5545

First X1 appearances: 3,299

Sub appearances: 1,535

Total Best X1 appearances: 4,834

Kind of an off topic question Ackter: Is it really possible to still holiday on match days? In the demo I couldn't holiday on a match date, which is exactly the reason why I didn't buy FM12 yet.

You can holiday on match days as long as you haven't submitted your team.

First X1 appearances: 3,638

Sub appearances: 1,638

Total Best X1 appearances: 5,276

This season has seen Vergara, Yazici and Di Cecco leave the club, so they will unfortunately not be adding to their tallies.

Players from that Best X1 still in my team:

Ismael (age 24)

Jose Bossi (26)

Pablo Gaitan (30)

Danny Banfield (28)

Rodrigo Guitierrez (24)

Mario (26)

This season has seen Vergara, Yazici and Di Cecco leave the club, so they will unfortunately not be adding to their tallies.

Players from that Best X1 still in my team:

Ismael (age 24)

Jose Bossi (26)

Pablo Gaitan (30)

Danny Banfield (28)

Rodrigo Guitierrez (24)

Mario (26)

Can you potentially lose one of those players with a better player from the XI, but with one who hasn't played so many games?

Yes, unfortunately.

I wish there was a longest serving X1, but this is all we have at the moment.

I now it's going to be hard to get Viviano knocked off there regardless of apps as anything over 7.2 is great for a keeper.

First X1 appearances: 975

Sub appearances: 310

Total Best X1 appearances: 1285

Good to have you aboard.

What's the make-up of your team like at the moment? Loads of youths ready for a massive push or just a bit of mix and match were possible?

I'm now at the stage where I'm starting to ship out all players that don't have my club favoured so I don't have to worry about them walking out on me on the verge of a record-breaking Best X1 appearance.

First x1 Appearances - 606

Sub Appearances - 292

Total Appearances - 898

Good to have you aboard.

What's the make-up of your team like at the moment? Loads of youths ready for a massive push or just a bit of mix and match were possible?

I'm now at the stage where I'm starting to ship out all players that don't have my club favoured so I don't have to worry about them walking out on me on the verge of a record-breaking Best X1 appearance.

Well it's still early days so I'm still mixing with the youth and experience really. i mean 6 out of the starting x1 don't play for me anymore!

I'll join in

After 7 seasons FM2012

First XI appearances: 2097

Sub appearances: 555

Total Best XI appearances: 2652

around 3-5 players still adding in Season 8, not a bad start, but still climbing the divs so highish player turnover. Will post again in a few seasons.

I could never do this challenge well. Too much squad rotation for me.

I'll join in

After 7 seasons FM2012

First XI appearances: 2097

Sub appearances: 555

Total Best XI appearances: 2652

around 3-5 players still adding in Season 8, not a bad start, but still climbing the divs so highish player turnover. Will post again in a few seasons.

After 10 Seasons - 3 Seasons later.

First XI appearances: 2718

Sub appearances: 876

Total Best XI appearances: 3594

6 are still with the club coming into the 2022-3 season -

Schuster with 301 appearances still has 2 years of contract but is valued at 750k, I may need that money very soon.

Kirton (438) is desperate to leave,also with 2 years to run. Valued at 450k.

Taylor (141) is likely to have a full season in goal.

Schofield (172) is now only really a good backup.

Ironside (125) could have a full season if I can't get a good loanee.

Hollis (185) could also have a full season if I can't get a good loanee.

Finances could send them away, however stagnation in League 1 - 2 relegation dog-fights, and an 8th - has probably helped the XI total increase.

I think I may actually start again soon. Kinda feel like a non-Newcastle save for a change.

After 10 Seasons - 3 Seasons later.

First XI appearances: 2718

Sub appearances: 876

Total Best XI appearances: 3594

6 are still with the club coming into the 2022-3 season -

Schuster with 301 appearances still has 2 years of contract but is valued at 750k, I may need that money very soon.

Kirton (438) is desperate to leave,also with 2 years to run. Valued at 450k.

Taylor (141) is likely to have a full season in goal.

Schofield (172) is now only really a good backup.

Ironside (125) could have a full season if I can't get a good loanee.

Hollis (185) could also have a full season if I can't get a good loanee.

Finances could send them away, however stagnation in League 1 - 2 relegation dog-fights, and an 8th - has probably helped the XI total increase.

Well that was a disaster, Schuster ended up being valued at 1.8M, but I had a stupid 250k release clause in his contract, similar with Kirton, lesson learnt there. The others all sodded off within a couple of seasons, I won't get near the giddy heights of Ackter / Dafuge anytime soon. And certainly not near getting 1000+'s. I currently have no players in the Top XI.

On the plus side, this is my most successful save since getting Colchester (they were bottom div team back then) to 6th in Premiership in CM00/01 I think.

After 13 Seasons - 3 Seasons later.

First XI appearances: 2825

Sub appearances: 1021

Total Best XI appearances: 3846

I think I may actually start again soon. Kinda feel like a non-Newcastle save for a change.

You got sacked? ;-)

Nah, I just felt I'd gone about the challenge badly (that and the first set of pictures look ***** thanks to FB's uploader).

Started a game with Dortmund, got bored within three months so have started a new game with Newcastle now

This is hard for a team that I've brought up from the bottom to the top, because obviously whenever I get promoted, players move on as they're not good enough for the higher level. But my team currently has:

FIRST XI: 2,491

SUBS: 1,032

TOTAL: 3,523

My Arsenal FM11 save is significantly better, though:

FIRST XI: 5,319

SUBS: 3,344

TOTAL: 8,663

I'll keep my Harrow save updated here every few years.

First x1 Appearances - 816

Sub Appearances - 399

Total Appearances - 1215

2012/2013

Fabozzi is 17

Vrsaljko is 20

They could be two heavyweights in this list for a long​ time.

2033's team:

First XI: 2,583

Subs: 1,055

Total: 3,638

Thought I might join in with my San Marino Youth Only Challenge save:

From end of 2030 season:

First XI: 2,914

Subs: 1,082

Total: 3,996

2037

First XI: 2,984

Subs: 1,308

Total: 4,292

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/649875346867586028/E0083726A52E882D5C06E054D252FBFDC8333DCF/

2038

First XI: 3,131

Subs: 1,378

Total: 4,509

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/648750789818768239/58DAA53F2D08941E21EB2006535A17FADA6B5CF0/

2039

First XI: 3,318

Subs: 1,466

Total: 4,784

http://cloud.steampowered.com/ugc/649878131807850795/40BA6EBE44F449C0F8CC5298F0C9FD1F67EC354A/

And I've lost all of my saved games with yet another system re-install

I'll have to start this again, again.

Ackter, in your 1st picture in the starting post, how has Amauri, your keeper, amassed 600 appearances and 69 goals?????? Is he some kind of Roderigo Ceni??? Is he real???

2036

First XI: 4,028

Subs: 1,425

Total: 5,453

Almost 1,000,000 score now aswell.

Ackter, in your 1st picture in the starting post, how has Amauri, your keeper, amassed 600 appearances and 69 goals?????? Is he some kind of Roderigo Ceni??? Is he real???

Yes and no, he was a generated player.

He had 17 or 18 for free kicks iirc, had him taking all of my free kicks and penalties.

Here he is.

First XI 6941

Subs 2910

Total 9851