Back on Track? Starting with the Railwaymen, ending who knows where...

As the title suggests, my career has begun at Gresty Road, home of

Crewe Alexandra F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crewe Alexandra Football Club (/ˈkruː ælɨɡˈzændrə/ or /-ˈzɑːn-/) is a professional association football club based in Crewe, Cheshire, England. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they play in Football League One, the third tier in the English football league system, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.

The club was formed in 1877 and reputedly[1] named after Princess Alexandra, though some[who?] suggest they are named after The Princess public house in which the club was formed. They were founding members of the Second Division in 1892, but only lasted four years in the Football League. Since re-entering the competition in 1921 they have mostly remained in the lower divisions. Crewe's only major honour is the Football League Trophy which they won in 2013. They have also won several minor trophies, including the Cheshire Premier Cup and the Cheshire Senior Cup.

In recent decades the club has been associated with manager Dario Gradi, whose 24-year tenure between 1983 and 2007 made him at that time the longest-serving manager in English football; he had a further two-year spell in the role from 2009 to 2011. Gradi is known for focusing on youth development and promoting attractive, technical football. Notable players brought through the Crewe youth system include former internationals Rob Jones, Neil Lennon, Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson and Dean Ashton. Other notable players to have made their name at Crewe in that time include Geoff Thomas, David Platt and Robbie Savage.

This career is going to be a journeyman career, so expect to see regular job changes, with the aim being to improve a team and then move on. I am not setting any rules for this career, but I will declare that if the job at the team I support (Plymouth Argyle), or my country (Rep of Ireland) comes up, I will take it. I just want to have fun with this save, win trophies, and experience different clubs, different divisions, different countries and hopefully, international management.

Our squad looks a decent one for this level, especially given that we were only promoted to League 1 at the end of last season.

With some good business done during the transfer window, I'm confident we'll have a good season

And with left back Onismor Bhasera joining from Plymouth Argyle on 1st January, we're looking like a very decent League 1 team.

A decent start for the Alex leaves us well positioned in the league, but we go out of the cup on penalties.

Quite good, considering also you are 2 games under. Good luck.

The media prediction for us was 12th, and the board have asked for a top half finish. I won't take them up on any offer to raise that expectation level, as the fact that we've won only 1 of our last 6 games leads me to wonder whether a title challenge is sustainable. On current ability ratings we're an average League 1 side, but the potential is there to be a mid table Championship club without making any serious squad changes.

Good luck with Crewe had a good save with them on FM12. Always an attractive lower league club to manage with good facilities and excellent youth set up, possibly the best below championship level. Looks like you're doing a better job that I did getting out of league one, took me years!

If you're starting at Crewe you could end up virtually anywhere.

That's the plan Nobby_McDonald. I don't know how long I'll stay at Crewe, but it'll be until I've been offered something more tempting, or if I've taken them as far as I realistically think I could do. That might be 1 year, it might be 5. Who knows? But that's really the point. My last career was ended by a corrupt file, but I was looking for a new challenge anyway. The thing that excites me about this Crewe side is the potential ratings. Nearly all the squad are 4 or 4.5 star, rated as top Championship potential, so maybe if I can get out of this division in a season or two, there might be the possibility of being a good Championship club, providing we can keep the squad together. That's my biggest worry, as the wage budget is among the lowest in League 1, and would be easily the smallest if we went up.

A truly awful few months has seen us lose the top spot, and even fall out of the playoffs. If we hadn't already passed the 50 point barrier, I'd actually be worried about staying up. I can't put my finger on what's gone wrong, but the tactics we have used all season are no longer working. I was using a downloaded 4-4-2 (ModernWarfare), plus my own 4-1-2-2-1 and 4-2-3-1 formations, all of which have worked for me on previous saves. I'm hoping that by making a few little tweaks, we might be able to mount a more consistent challenge next season. My goal now has to be simply to finish as high as possible.

As an additional note, Onismor Bhasera has joined, started abysmally and then been injured. Lauri Dalla Valle's loan signing has been made permanent, though he has failed to hit the heights he managed during his loan spell.

As predicted, we missed out on the playoffs, but only due to another shocking run of results at the death

And the board have offered me a new 2 year contract, which I have signed. If we go up, I will stay the full 2 years. If not, I'll most likely move at the end of this season.

I was more referring to the railway station.

Best wishes. Lets hope this save keeps its integrity!!!

Best wishes. Lets hope this save keeps its integrity!!!

I sure hope so. So frustrating to put months into a save, only to have it go down the tubes. It had lost all my history in a data leak though, so maybe it was a good thing? Anyhow, the next update should be interesting as I've made quite a few changes to the squad.

Here is my current first team squad depth. I have only included the players who will constitute my core squad, although there are plenty of youngsters who have high potential and will be given game time to develop that potential.

A good transfer window, very pleased with my new additions, as well as managing to get my promising youngsters first team football.

Slightly disappointing start to the season, but still reasons to be optimistic

And as promised

Shortly before they appointed 74 year old Jim Smith, Plymouth Argyle Chairman James Brent released a statement saying he was flattered I'd applied, but that there was no way they could afford to pay the compensation for me. Looks like I'll have to wait for Jim Smith to retire, which shouldn't be too long away.

A really strange season so far. 8 defeats in the league before Christmas, but due to not having drawn any at all, we find ourselves top of the table. We need to put a consistent run together if we are to finish the job and clinch promotion.

I didn't expect to still be at Crewe by this point, but I am, and with no offers in the pipeline, will continue for now

Still well placed in the league, although not in the automatic spots, we seem to have developed an ability to draw games we were losing, but have also thrown away a win or two as well.

The League 1 table ahead of our most crucial match of the season. Win this one and we're in the driving seat for automatic promotion. Lose it and we're going to be in the playoffs, almost certainly

And this result arguably leaves all options open. Pleased, but we had chances to win

Defeat to Port Vale in the penultimate match, coupled with the fact that I disputed the decision not to award us a penalty, has led to me being given a touchline ban for our last game of the season. It's frustrating that I won't be able to clinch promotion myself, but I have faith my Assistant Manager will get as good a result as I would have. Win and we're up, anything less and we need favours

My assistant came through for me, as he oversaw a 1-0 home win against Carlisle, and Sheffield Wednesday's shock 1-0 home defeat against Hartlepool meant we not only went up, but did so as champions. I will review my position over the summer, but my gut feeling is that if I receive an offer, I'll go.

Well done topping the league.

Thanks Deltablue. I'm pondering whether to stay in my job as Alex manager while I apply for new jobs, or whether to quit and hope that makes me a more appealing candidate to chairmen not wanting to pay a release fee.

Decision made

I have decided to go as the squad, although full of potential, doesn't have enough current ability or financial clout to survive in the Championship, and with my contract expiring next summer, trying to negotiate an extension or find alternative employment whilst fighting a relegation battle might have been very tough.

After a few months out of work, and applications (unsuccessful) to a host of League 1 and 2 clubs, I finally received and accepted an offer from

The table on the day I have taken the job. I've been asked to reach the playoffs, which looks difficult

And my current squad

I have identified from looking at the squad that there are two distinct areas that need improving. As a matter of urgency I'm looking to recruit a goalkeeper and a striker, which I will hopefully be able to do within the budget constraints of the club. I may look to do this with loans if I can get better players in that way