The Lazy Boys Title for an FM15 Journeyman Career

SRL88's FM15 Journeyman Career

Oh how I have missed this type of save!!

Now, you may be thinking that I am back way to early when Beta has only just been released, but I have been testing the game now for a couple of weeks and I was genuinely considering continuing my save from then throughout FM15, but then you guys would have missed out on my updates.

So therefore I am back with a new career, early on and pumped up to write about it. I'm looking forward to this, so here, we, go...

Steven Longstaff

So who am I?

Well, I start the game as a 35yo unemployed retired ex-regional footballer, born in Bishop Auckland, who is looking for his first job in football management.

So a new feature to FM15 this year for those who don't know is the ability to set your own attributes based on your coaching qualifications and past playing experience.

I've decided not to go with the lowest of the low, but I'm also not taking the biscuit either, so I have given myself a National A Licence and also as a past professional footballer at a regional level. I have also offset my 'Style Focus' so I am more of a tactical manager as I enjoy that side of the game a lot more than the training side which I genuinely leave to my assistant.

My Save

This is an England only save. I have no ambition to move anywhere else and I aim to enjoy my time in England (and some Welsh clubs maybe) with my main ambition to win as much as I can, whilst also hopefully managing Liverpool at some point.

I will also be holidaying until October 6th 2014, ensuring that I won't have that first transfer window available to me and the season will be underway and I have to pick up the crap from where a club has failed.

Well it is November 2nd 2014 and this is one of a few job interviews, but it is the one which stands out for me.

Also approaching me for an interview are Conference North/South sides Tamworth, Staines, Bromley and Worcester

I most definitely attended the interview and I am hopeful that Wrexham could be my first venture into management.

Excellent news.

Just two days after my interview I have been approached by Wrexham to take over as their new manager. I was also approached by Tamworth but they didn't stand a chance alongside this offer.

The club currently sit eleventh in the league after eighteen games and just six points off the play-off's which the board expects. That shouldn't be too much of an issue to meet their expectations.

Two other expectations from the board is that I restore harmony within the squad as it had dropped radically during the previous manager, and also to work with a Director of Football.

SRL88's Career - New Club - Wrexham F.C

So just a month after returning from holiday after my retirement from football and completing my coaching badges, I am in employment with Welsh side Wrexham. It makes for a good challenge and it is one I am delighted to have taken up.

Club Name: Wrexham F.C

Nickname: The Red Dragons

Year Founded: 1864

Status: Professional

Stadium: The Racecourse Ground (15,500 capacity, 10,500 seated)

With the club marking its 150th year in existence I can understand the pressures I am under to succeed. Maybe that is something the previous regime couldn't handle and that will be another task I have to come to terms with.

SRL88's Career - Wrexham F.C - November & December 2014

Vanarama Conference

November Results - Since my Arrival

With the club and the players still getting used to my management I really couldn't have asked for a more positive start with us going through my first month in charge unbeaten.

My tenure got off to the best possible start with an excellent performance away to Woking. We didn't start to brightly but soon started finding our feet and just after the half hour mark the first goal of my regime was scored to give us a lead that we took into half-time. Just three minutes after the interval a brilliant free-kick from left-back, and captain Neil Ashton doubled our lead before a penalty just past the hour mark made it 3-0 and secured the win. We traveled to a (at the time) struggling Braintree side but our performance was a contrast to the one which opened my reign. Despite taking the lead in the game pretty early on that was as good as it got really with our performance somewhat subdued which allowed for them to level the game in the second half as we had to settle for a point, something which was probably a little fortunate. Having fallen behind against Altrincham we battled back really well to grab a hard-earned victory. We leveled the game before the interval and five minutes before the hour mark we turned the game round with a really well-worked goal. We had to defend deep at times as the game wore on but we sealed the win late on from a corner to give us the three points. It was once again a case of coming from behind against Kidderminster but doing so away from home was even more impressive. Right on half-time we equalised to make it 1-1 on the night and the same player who scored then (Louis Moult) gave us the lead just a minute into the second half. Two goals in four minutes (73 and 77) made it 3 and 4-1 to give us an excellent win. I was left disappointed with a draw against Aldershot having put in a brilliant shift. We took a deserved lead in the second half but failed to double our lead and hang on as they scored a very undeserved goal.

December Results

Our form from November continued into, and throughout December as we made massive strides in the league to climb into the Play-Off spots.

We played out a draw, our second in a row against Bristol Rovers to leave me disappointed and expecting a difficult month. That wasn't the case at all however as we were on fire against Dover. A goal in the opening minute set us on our way and we didn't look back from there as we put a further four goals past them in a commanding win. The only disappointment was that we conceded in the final ten minutes after switching off. From there it was another three wins, but also three clean sheets, the first of which came at home to Dartford. An early own-goal gave us the lead and a little over ten minutes later we doubled our advantage. Dartford did cause us a few problems but less than ten minutes after the break any nerves were wiped away with our third goal on the night to seal the win. An early Louis Moult brace away to Southport put us in firm control of the game with another two goals in quick succession in the first half giving us a four goal lead. The game was effectively over at that point as we played out the remainder of the game in comfortable fashion. It was another own-goal at home that game us the lead against Forest Green and a player in form, Elliott Durrell made it 2-0 not long before the break. We had some nerves in the second half but a late goal made it 3-0 as we picked up our third win on the bounce.

FA Trophy North 1st Round

We were expected to pick up a win against lower-league opposition and did just that with a win.

We had to bide our time in the game as a much-changed side took their time to get going but just after the break we took the lead. Just two minutes later our advantage was doubled and we were cruising, but some sloppy defending allowed them back into the game. We were forced to battle from there as they tried to level things but sealed the win in the final ten minutes to seal our passage.

We enter the Second Round proper now and have been given a draw against fellow Conference side Kidderminster.

SRL88's Career - Wrexham F.C - January 2015

Vanarama Conference

After a brilliant two months we continued our form into the new year as we climbed the table and see ourselves right up there with the leaders.

We put in a cracking display on New Years Day at home to Southport. All of the hard work was done in the first half with a goal after just ten minutes followed up with two goals in as many minutes late in the first half as we eased to a 3-0 win. Our next performance was against a Gateshead side up there with us in the table where we played our an entertaining draw. Both sides went for it but we cancelled our each others threats for the majority of the game. I expected things to finish goalless having watched the game, but Gateshead took the lead with fifteen minutes remaining but credit to my players we kept battling and just six minutes later we leveled up the game up to grab a valuable point. Despite facing a struggling side in Telford we were forced to stage a second half comeback, even after taking an early lead. After scoring we played really poorly up until the 60th minute but then began to click and three goals in 22 minutes saw us overturn the deficit. Crusing at 2-0 away to Eastleigh we weren't in any trouble at all and really should have eased through the game, but I brought off three of my big guns and it came back to bite me as we collapsed late on to draw the game 2-2. The month rounded off with an important win which saw us close the gap on Torquay to one point thanks to an early second half goal.

FA Trophy Second Round & Second Round Replay

After two games Kidderminster can say they are the first team to inflict 'defeat' on us, albeit by penalties.

We fell behind early in the second half of the original tie despite dominating and leveled the game up soon after. We had numerous chances to go on and win it but failed to take them as the game went to a replay. In a stunning first half which saw six goals we were 4-2 up at the break and looking good for victory, but conceded two goals in the second half as we failed to hang on for the win. After an extra period we couldn't hold our nerve and exited the competition.

Transfers

Transfers below the Red Line's occurred during the January window

There were three transfers in each direction and those exiting were all signed in the summer during the previous regime. Mark Wright was the first departure. He never managed a game under me and at the age of 32 he wasn't going to be either so I was pleased when Barrow took him off our hands. Another player who never featured under me was Blaine Hudson who left for Hednesford on loan and was joined a couple of days later by a departure on loan in the form of Nick Rushton

Aaron Lennox - A much-needed signing as our on-loan goalkeeper departed in January so he is a direct replacement.

Alex Jakubiak - A brilliant signing for the club in truth. Versatile and quality come with him.

Ben Tozer - A massive capture for us really as we were in need of a centre back.

SRL88's Career - Wrexham F.C - February 2015

Vanarama Conference

Another superb month as this form since my arrival just keeps going and we now sit top of the league going into the final nine games of the season.

We made it successive 1-0 wins in a row away to Nuneaton thanks to a single goal from Jordan Evans. It was an excellent counter attacking goal which gave us the win after defending a corner one minute, and putting the ball in the back of their net the next. We didn't play that well but did enough to ensure a hard-fought win. Our next two encounters were a case of good attacking play mixed with poor defending, but we managed to take six points from six. I expected a tough game against a good Barnet side and we got that, but took the lead after just three minutes. The game swung this way and that and the score was level at 2-2 at half-time. Just five minutes later we were back in front and ten minutes later we made it 4-2 but conceded just moments later as our defence flapped once more. We pressed forward once again though and forced an own-goal to give us a really big win. We made another quick start against Welling but it was a similar story. We trailed at the break in this game after conceding two really bad goals. A few stern words seemed to do the trick and we leveled things just after the interval. As with the game against Barnet we pressed forward and made it 3-2 in the 72nd minute, but this time our defence tightened up and we hung on for a vital win. A clean sheet was massive in our final game of the month as we eased past Dover, putting three goals past them to ensure we sat at the top of the table.

Double Awards for Wrexham

I've made one extra signing which has came in March. The reason for it is injuries in the side leaving us without a back-up striker. Lee should fit that bill until the end of the campaign.

I am thrilled with our form up until this point and 24 games unbeaten is something worth shouting about.

SRL88's Career - Wrexham F.C - March 2015

Vanarama Conference

We're still unbeaten but to be honest, this was my worst month of my management so far.

We played out a blinding game with Chester but it wasn't something I needed. I would have been pleased with a 1-0 win but our defence showed their frailties once again. Louis Moult was the hero for us in a goal-fest game as he bagged himself a hat-trick. Our game against Altrincham was an own-goal fest as we took an early lead through one, only to concede one ourselves before the interval. Both sides went for the victory but it was us who forced it when we retook the lead through another own-goal before scoring a further two from the penalty spot to give us a hard-fought win. Another goal-fest followed against Lincoln which left me disappointed. We had to come from behind three times in the game which really disappointed me, but credit to the players for fighting back on each occasion. A poor performance rounded the month off which saw us lucky to come away with a goalless draw, but a point which takes us closer to promotion.