anyone end up supporting the team they manage on FM

[C-Mon]

Whenever I've had a lengthy game with a given team, I always find myself having an odd sympathy towards them during their journey through the real footballing world. This also applies to certain players, if a guy that has been legendary for me on a save and does a good game IRL, I'll feel very...satisfied.

My biggest example would be the effect that managing Southampton F.C. back at FM10 had at me. I felt pretty happy seeing them bounce up to the Championship, and I can say that I'm really looking forward to seeing them back in the Premiership. Following Rickie Lambert in particular has been awesome, as he's been a steady performer for them since he arrived (although it doesn't compared to the 49 league goals he scored for me back in FM'10). Indeed, I'm considering ordering a Saints jersey for next season, as they will probably be the team in the Premier League that I'll be closest to being a fan of. All thanks to Football Manager.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

[Frankchickens1]

There is a story out there on the interwebs about a guy a few years ago who flew to see his FM team, in holland i think

[Le Tissier's Nose]

Yeah, the story about those guys above was awesome! They contacted the clubs beforehand and got the full VIP treatment if I r

I've also been to see a few teams IRL after falling for them on FM. Fiorentina and Banbury United spring to mind

Ps. Up the Saints!

[Nocuous]

I do think I've hated Chelsea all the more so in real life because of that ****ing 3-5-2 they used to use in CM01/02 which I could never figure out how to beat. It even had the likes of Leon Knight and Mikael Forsell regularly scoring against me.

[viiralx]

Yes.. I fell in love with Figueirense FC from Brazil and I ended up supporting them IRL.

There are a few other lover division Brazilian teams that has a special place in my heart as well thanks to FM.

[Macharius]

Due to Football Manager I've fell in love with several clubs that I check up on regularly. When I started uses other leagues aside from England and Scotland, in 04 I think. I turned into a proper Bayern Munich fan after a season managing them. (I didn't know much about Football in Germany then)

[Weezer]

I've done it the other way around I guess. Went to see a Skonto Riga league game whilst backpacking in the Baltics last summer and had an amazing time. So when I got home I downloaded a Latvian database and started a game as Skonto. Was very enjoyable as I turned them into a Champions League knockout stage team and won the Europa League a couple of times as well with a team full of amazing South American and African regens. Could never quite break into the Quarter Finals of the Champions League but it was a really enjoyable game that I played for 10 seasons until FM2012 came out.

[tottenhamfmo7]

Always!!! FM generally effects how/who I like on FIFA as well! xD

[achilles-the-victorious]

I started as a Serie C1A manager, whose favorite club is Inter (same as real life). However, when I got to the Serie A and my managerial career took off Inter were doing well, it was Juventus who were slumping, and gave me a call. It was a tough decision, but to go from managing the likes of Verona, Bologna, Cagliari, to actually being handed a transfer budget, and to be able to have the likes of Giorgio Chiellini at your disposal? I had to take it. 20 years on and Inter must still be regretting not bringing me in! I like to think I am no more sympathetic to Juventus now than before, but its probably not entirely the truth!

[Nobby_McDonald]

Although I have never been to one of their matches, I always look to see how Billericay Town are doing thanks to some epic saves with them on previous versions of the game.

[Motherlover]

How else would I decide which club I support in which country?

[Mr_Demus]

I have started following FC Lorient, IFK Norrköping and Poli Timisoara due to FM.

[g00n]

I have definitely started following a couple of teams due to playing with them in CM/FM (and Premier Manager, actually).

It started with getting Boston United as a random team in Premier Manager, and I have followed them ever since. I have soft spots for Crewe and Wigan after playing as them in CM1 and CM2 respectively, and along the line a couple more lower league English teams have joined in. Also, I keep a look out for results from Korean outfit Pohang Steelers when I get the chance - mainly in the Asian Champions League.

I like to think that I am the only one in Denmark with replica shirts from Boston United, King's Lynn and Weston-super-Mare.

[BuryBlade]

I started playing as Braintree Town in 2008 (purely because I wanted to start in the lowest league and their name stood out) and ended up getting them to finish 2nd in the Premiership after spending hundreds of hours on the save. I ended up writing to the club explaining how I'd never heard of them before playing Football Manager (and also how great they had done under my leadership!) and asked if I could buy a shirt from them. I still have my Braintree Town shirt today, though never had chance to go and see them yet... maybe one day.

[cerud]

I started playing as Braintree Town in 2008 (purely because I wanted to start in the lowest league and their name stood out) and ended up getting them to finish 2nd in the Premiership after spending hundreds of hours on the save. I ended up writing to the club explaining how I'd never heard of them before playing Football Manager (and also how great they had done under my leadership!) and asked if I could buy a shirt from them. I still have my Braintree Town shirt today, though never had chance to go and see them yet... maybe one day.

This is awesome and pretty much identical to me I began playing Worldwide Soccer Manager 08 (as it was called in Canada back then) and began with Braintree Town too. I never wrote to them for the shirt (but now wish I did ). I still follow them to this day and was delighted with their promotion and league title in 2011.

[macdab55]

Personally I started supporting CS Louhans Cuiseaux because of a save with them in FM10 and Seattle Sounders from FM11.

[Bababui]

Ive loved Millwall and their passionate fans because of the poetry of FM.

[La Furia Roja]

haha, yes I have..

I have fallen in love with my FM Club so much that I am flying abroad to watch them!

[Herter]

I became a Real Madrid supporter in 1998 after managing them in CM (cant remember which version it was)

Hala Madrid - CAMPEONES! CAMPEONES!

[Le Tissier's Nose]

I like to think that I am the only one in Denmark with replica shirts from Boston United, King's Lynn and Weston-super-Mare.

Haha, I think that's a pretty safe bet

[Le Tissier's Nose]

I have fallen in love with my FM Club so much that I am flying abroad to watch them!

Just amazing......

[Anti Spiral]

I keep an eye out for Tonbridge Angels, which was my most successful save on FM. Wouldn't say I support or follow them and I have no intention to go and see them. But FM definitely made me interested in them.

[Swiifteh]

My non-league career with Sheffield F.C. I'm from Sheffield and I thought it was a good idea to manage them on Football Manager. I'm a season ticket holder at Leeds, but I sometimes go to a Sheffield game from time to time. Good stuff.

[jb10billion]

AFC Telford
AFC Wimbledon
Torino
1860 Munchen
Sant Andreu

All because of FM.

[Jolanthustrel]

I follow Wigan because of a save I had with them. I was also rather disappointed to learn that the Icelandic team I'm managing at the moment has been relegated and I'll not be able to play them again next year.

[lawd]

Yeah because of a Boca save I did many ears ago, I now wach all the games I can find and own a few strips. I tend to start following irl any side I have enjoyed a save with in FM. Dortmund, Porto, Inter being the ones that stick out for me.

[Jops14]

Although I have never been to one of their matches, I always look to see how Billericay Town are doing thanks to some epic saves with them on previous versions of the game.

Hahaha yes! Ive just taken them from the BSS to the prem and have now edited them onto PES, i have a strange love for that football club now too.

[RBKalle]

Not really...

I usually play one long-term save with my favourite club, and even in journeyman saves I tend to accept jobs only at clubs I sort of like already, or I just don't stick around long enough to get attached to the new club.

However back in my Premier Manager days I had great saves at Halifax Town and Stockport County, which became my lower-league proteges.
Indeed I could rekindle my "affair" with one of those old favourites...


P.S. also Rosenborg being featured in Sensible Soccer probably influenced my "choice" a bit, but it was more like a happy coincidence than the key factor in my long-term fandom

[Campbells]

Udinese
Hinckley
Verona

All in one epic 09 save.

[Unknown Hacker]

I now have an irrational hatred of Colwyn Bay after they beat me in the playoffs... Does that count?

[Robsy1990]

Yeah, the story about those guys above was awesome! They contacted the clubs beforehand and got the full VIP treatment if I r

I've also been to see a few teams IRL after falling for them on FM. Fiorentina and Banbury United spring to mind

Ps. Up the Saints!

Amazingly, the two teams I support fanatically are Southampton and Fiorentina. Neither the product of an FM romance though, Saints because they're my local and la Viola because I loved their kit when I was a wee boy, as well and Rui Costa and Batistuta. Went to my first Fiorentina game a few months back; although we got tonked 3-0 by Napoli it was still amazing. By the link you put it looks like we were sat (or stood!) in pretty much identical places! Can't wait to go back next season, hopefully fighting a bit further up the table...

[sthptngomad76]

I've also held a vendetta against Enfield because of the inexorable failures I had against them with virtually every lower league team I played with in CM 01-02. They would pull out amazing results time and time again me to win the Conference title, then would be denied promotion at the end of the season because their ground was never up to scratch (a little known feature of that game).

I felt like throwing a party when the b____ds folded IRL a few years ago.

[dmacgreg37]

I've recently gotten back into football after a few years away from following the game. FM 11 is my first time playing a FM game. I follow Arsenal but after playing a few years with them, it was too easy. I decided to play as a team a few levels down in England (as that's where most of my football knowledge is) and picked Southampton in League 1. I'm so loving my save that I've never played FM12, even though I purchased it several months back. I am now in 2017 in the Premier League with Southampton. I won L1 and then 2nd in Championship my first 2 years. I got my team into Europe (UEFA Cup) the last 2 years - 1st through Carling Cup, 2nd through League Position. Thinking this could be the year we make Champion's League. This has made me follow Southampton this year quite a bit and am very excited to see them in the PL next year.

[cressers]

i know alot will obvouisly manage the teams they support.

but for the others do you ever have a really fun save with a team that you end up rooting for them when you see the weekend results ?

[RonnyDonny]

I remember back in an early 2000s game I managed FC Koln before podolski was in the team and I managed to get them to the budesliga against all odds in first season, then finished 5th in first top flight season.

Since then I have always had an interest in the team.

[La Furia Roja]

Has FM teams ever had an effect on your real life allegiances <- Quite a similar thread running here, might interest you

and my post I have fallen in love with my FM Club so much that I am flying abroad to watch them!

[cressers]

...well... that is amazing.

[Keioel]

I'm a huge AS Roma fan in the Italian leagues but thanks to this game I've become an ardent supporter of Alma Juventus Fano, love that plucky little team!

[Mr_Whippy]

I did support Darlington, but we all know have they've gone..

[Redbyrd]

Whenever I've had a lengthy game with a given team, I always find myself having an odd sympathy towards them during their journey through the real footballing world. This also applies to certain players, if a guy that has been legendary for me on a save and does a good game IRL, I'll feel very...satisfied.

My biggest example would be the effect that managing Southampton F.C. back at FM10 had at me. I felt pretty happy seeing them bounce up to the Championship, and I can say that I'm really looking forward to seeing them back in the Premiership. Following Rickie Lambert in particular has been awesome, as he's been a steady performer for them since he arrived (although it doesn't compared to the 49 league goals he scored for me back in FM'10). Indeed, I'm considering ordering a Saints jersey for next season, as they will probably be the team in the Premier League that I'll be closest to being a fan of. All thanks to Football Manager.

Has anyone else ever experienced this?

Yes. And it was because I more or less randomly decided to play Southampton in my first FM game which was also FM 2010. On the other hand, I never could get Lambert to perform that well for me in the Championship or the Premier League. Same is true of Davis their (our?) goalee. It will be interesting to see if their ratings rise in FM 2013 or if they don't pan out in real life in the BPL.

[james_wilko]

Quite fond of Brossuia Monchengladbach thanks to an enjoyable, albeit short, save I had with them on FM. Ended up catching a game or two on ESPN and now tend to look out for them.

[Kriss]

I've merged two very similar threads here.

[telV7]

The first team I played on FM was Cheltenham, on 08 iirc, and I think at the time they were in League one. Having no idea about football or FM they were my initial learning curve. I followed them quite keenly, and also went and bought the Club replica strip as well. I still check to see how they are doing quite regularly, and maybe this year they will go back up via the playoffs .

[mistahc]

Yes, as a kid in London about 20 years ago I had a great save as Brighton and Hove Albion and led them to glory.

I moved to the South Coast town about 9 years ago and I'm now a season ticket holder.

Does that count?

[Chris Ritchie]

Vaguely related - I remember an ex-SI staff member (who may or may not choose to reveal himself) getting the name of his best newgen on the back of his Arsenal shirt