Mikenevo's [FM15+FM16] Keep It Close To Home Challenge

Challenge Explanation

The 'Keep It Close To Home Challenge' is a whole new challenge which has taking the challenge of keeping it English only to a whole new level! In this challenge you basically have to pick a County from the top 5 Nations and then pick a team from the county where you will base your challenge at. So for instance I will be picking 'Greater Manchester' as my county and 'Manchester United' as the club I will manage in this challenge. To put it into basic terms, you will only ever be able to sign players who were born in the 'Greater Manchester' area and only ever be able to use players born in the 'Greater Manchester' area from your youth system, with the exception of the players your club starts with.

It doesn't matter what club you start with, where it is situated and how big or how small the club is! Each club will have it's own challenges that you will have to face and even starting as one of the biggest clubs won't make it easy, having to face constant high expectations that these clubs have, whilst transitioning you squad to fit the rules of the challenge. Although there are no time limits with which your club should eventually become a County only team, it is expected that you should replace and offload any players from outside your chosen county at the earliest opportunity, even if it's Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo!

The Rules - Must be followed at all times!

You can only sign players within the county that your team is based in.

You can only use players in the first team from your youth system who were born within the boundaries of your chosen county.

You may use any players who already play for the club from the start of the game, but the aim is to bring in replacements for these players as quickly as you can and offload the originals.

You can only do this challenge within England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

When creating your manager, you MUST have a Nationality of the country you are managing in.

When creating your manager, you MUST NOT have a second Nationality.

When creating your manager, you MUST have been born in the city / town you are managing in, not just somewhere within the county.

When creating your manager, your favorite team MUST be the club you are going to manage and you can't have any additional favorite teams.

When creating your manager, you MUST NOT have any additional languages spoken.

The captain of your club MUST have been born within the city / town you are managing in, not just somewhere within the county. This is a requirement from the very beginning of the challenge.

You must load up all players based in the Nation you choose to manage in.

Additional Rules (Optional) - To add a little spice to the challenge!

You can only sign staff who were born within your chosen county.

Your Assistant Manager must have been born within the City / Town of your chosen club, not just somewhere within the county.

Be a LEGEND and forget about the whole county idea, take it to a whole new level and make it a City / Town challenge instead! (WARNING: Not for the weak!)

How to complete the challenge

Win the domestic top league (with a full squad of county players)

Win all top domestic cups (with a full squad of county players)

Win the Champions League (with a full squad of county players)

Win the Manager Of The Year award (with a full squad of county players)

Have a county player Footballer Of The Year (or it's equivalent) in your chosen country

Have a county player win the top goalscorer award in your chosen country

Have a county player win the World Golden Ball

Have a county player win the World Player Of The Year

Additional Challenges (Optional) - Do the impossible!

Have a county player (Goalkeeper) win the Best Goalkeeper award at a World Cup

Have a county player win the Best Player award at a World Cup

Have a county player win the Golden Boot award at a World Cup

Have a county player win the Goal Of The Tournament award at a World Cup

Become Manager of the National team and lead them to European and World Cup Glory (with a full squad of your club teams county players)

Take a club from the very bottom league in your chosen Nation and complete all challenges above!

Have your club full of county players before the start of the fourth season (You have up until the first competitive game)

Have your club full of county players before the start of the third season (You have up until the first competitive game)

Have your club full of county players before the start of the second season (You have up until the first competitive game)

Do this challenge in a Nation outside of the top 5 Nations!

Reserved for further use!!!

Nice idea for a challenge. I actually started a save as Newcastle using only Geordies. I got rid of pretty much the whole squad and struggled a bit.

Great idea for a challenge, may have a little play around with it until FM16 comes out. Certainly something i am keen to try on the new version.

I was thinking even if FM16 is coming out in just over a month, this gives us an opportunity to get a feel for the challenge and figure out the best ways to go about it. Obviously overhauling the entire squad straight away would be suicide, especially for a team challenging for the top half or the title, because it's highly unlikely that you can replace the players with sufficient quality straight away. As Manchester United I am finding it extremely difficult to start with because there really aren't that many great talents that have come out of Manchester.

To put it into perspective, the top 3 talents to come out of Manchester at this current time are Danny Welbeck, Danny Drinkwater and Phil Jagielka. Welbeck is obviously a no go to start with because he's just transferred away from the club, Drinkwater is someone who I will most probably sign with ease, but again Jagielka looks a no go as well because Everton want extreme money and at the age of 31, would it really be worth it?

Just one question: Why only the top 5 nations? Should be an even bigger challenge in a smaller nation...

Just one question: Why only the top 5 nations? Should be an even bigger challenge in a smaller nation...

I would have thought the idea of doing it in a bigger nation was difficult enough, but I tell you what, i'll add that in for you on the Additional Challenges!

This challenge seems very interesting, I like it.

I've decided to go with Brescia from the region of Lombardy in Italy.

Wish me luck.

This challenge seems very interesting, I like it.

I've decided to go with Brescia from the region of Lombardy in Italy.

Wish me luck.

Best of luck and keep us updated

I haven't done much yet in my save, but here is what I've got so far...

20 year old CB - Tyler Blackett (Manchester) - He's going to be a good backup defender for the future, but that's all he can possibly be really.

21 year old CB - Tom Thorpe (Manchester) - He's not far behind Tyler Blackett and given he's still only 21, if he can reach his potential he will have a good opportunity of staking a claim as a starting CB in the future.

23 year old RB - Kieran Trippier (Bury) - Once we manage to get another RB at the club for backup, Trippier will replace Rafael and has the potential to be a very good RB for the club. He has cost just £10mil

19 year old CM - Ben Pearson (Bolton) - Ben has huge potential and will almost certainly become one of the best CM's in the squad in the coming years if he works hard.

33 year old CM - Leon Osman (Wigan) - The idea is for Leon Osman to replace Marouane Fellaini in the squad. Despite his age, he can still do a decent job at this level and given my past experience with Fellaini, the shoes shouldn't be too difficult to fill. Fellaini is leaving on loan to Everton with a view to a permanent move come next season.

18 year old CM - Josh Harrop (Stockport) - Unfortunately he is a bit like Blackett in that he will never become more than just a backup player.

17 year old AML - Demetri Mitchell (Manchester) - This players future impact is very much unknown and it will all depend on how he develops his key attributes. With the system I plan to use, even those players who don't look great can actually be made to look good in this system.

16 year old AMC / ST - Marcus Rashford (Manchester) - This guy is the future of this squad without a doubt and has the most important role to play. He is currently being tutored by Robin Van Persie in the hope that he can follow in his footsteps.

20 year old DL - Andy Kellett (Bolton) - Currently on loan and I am in the process of signing the player. He has decent potential and given our shortage in the left back position, he may well start the season at left back if nobody else arrives!

19 year old MC - Joe Rothwell (Manchester) - I have doubts about this lad and his potential, but he's a Manchester lad and will be given every opportunity to prove himself. Currently out on loan for the season.

21 year old ST - Will Keane (Stockport) - Will probably be a decent backup striker for the future. Currently out on loan for the season.

Best of luck and keep us updated

With a very busy schedule for the next few weeks and the time it will take to sort out my squad, it might be a while until my 1st season's over. If I don't post in a bit it's not because I'm giving up the save

With a very busy schedule for the next few weeks and the time it will take to sort out my squad, it might be a while until my 1st season's over. If I don't post in a bit it's not because I'm giving up the save

Not a problem at all, you should always play at your own pace I've barely started my save yet and your right, it does take a while to sort out the squad!

Does look hard to be honest with Manchester as there aint much talent there, I mean the 3 best players in that area are Welbeck, Drinkwater and Jagielka, you might have a decent squad for Prem mid table but nowhere near title contenders and your board will sack you, would London be easier as I want to start a save like this and was thinking of Man Utd.

Also do you keep the players you have if they aint from Manchester in the first season or try sell as many as possible.

Would it be better to quantify the amount of time you have to stop using your inherited players, for instance your first season? Apart from anything else this might give those starting in the top division a chance to win something before the catastrophic 'this is a local club for local people' second season.

@Ronaldo Beckham, You can use the players you inherited, but the idea is to move them out as quick as you can within reason. For instance, I've signed Kieran Trippier as a replacement for Rafael, but I can't move Rafael out yet as I need a backup RB as well. Once I've signed the backup RB, Rafael will be sold, but only for the right price.

@Vikeologist, I wish it was that simple to be honest, but what happens if these players don't want to leave or clubs don't want to buy them. If you want to do it that way then that's totally fine and I'll even add it to the Additional Challenges section for those who love an impossible challenge.

I've added in 3 additional challenges for those who love a real challenge, but it's up to you which one (if any) you go with...

Have your club full of county players before the start of the second season (You have up until the first competitive game)

Have your club full of county players before the start of the third season (You have up until the first competitive game)

Have your club full of county players before the start of the fourth season (You have up until the first competitive game)

You may have non-county players in the squad, but it doesn't mean that you have to play them

I would have thought the idea of doing it in a bigger nation was difficult enough, but I tell you what, i'll add that in for you on the Additional Challenges!

I am plenty occupied with my Thisted save in the FMCU forum for FM15, but for 16 I think I might just try this challenge in Denmark. Only five "counties" / regions, but still, a fifth of a small and crappy talent pool is even smaller and crappier...

You may have non-county players in the squad, but it doesn't mean that you have to play them

The issues that you will find there is that whilst your trying to buy the best players possible, if those you are trying to replace won't leave or can't leave, it could put a strain on your finances. It's not impossible though I would like to think I could manage to move everyone out before the start of the 4th season though.

Ok so you've got me playing my Newcastle save again...I've never played a non-local! Actually just spotted a mistake, I signed Curtis Nelson who is from Newcastle-under-Lyme...

I'm now going to scour the talent in the metropolitan county of the Tyne & Wear as well as the historical country of Northumberland.

Despite starting this save back in April, I've managed to adhere to all the conditions of the challenge, so that's pleasing

*EDIT* just realised that I actually started this save in February, so it's not even on the latest patch! I may start again, possibly with a different club. I' also doing the Ultimate Challenge, so I will be dovetailing the two.

Actually considering about giving this a go. However, would you not need to load all players of nationality as well? Would that be allowed?

Actually considering about giving this a go. However, would you not need to load all players of nationality as well? Would that be allowed?

Yes I think that is what is meant by it (load all based in nation and nationality).

I have been re-thinking my approach to this. Would it be possible to have it as a challenge where you can take players from a region rather than one singular county? It would of course need to be a recognised region. As a Suffolk lad born and raised, now living in Norfolk and working in Cambridge (I support Cambridge United too) I would love to give this a go with Ipswich (where I was born) but signing players from just Suffolk is extremely restrictive. I would like to open it up to East Anglia (Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, North Essex) if possible?

So I started this off last night but didn't get too far. Established through my own knowledge and Google which youngsters are from Nottingham. I've offered them new contracts even if they may not become good enough. In terms of first team players I have one player who is from Nottingham or the surrounding county. That is Kelvin Wilson. I've had a look on the free transfer list for players from Nottingham and Mansfield and so far I've only been able to find Julian Bennett and Jermaine Pennant who I would entertain signing for my first team. The latter isn't interested in joining . In terms of players who are with other clubs, there are a few. Players like Tom Huddlestone, Wes Morgan, Lewis McGugan etc. However, none are currently interested in joining.

Just having a look through the editor to see if there are any more areas that fall under the Nottingham/Nottinghamshire boundary that are included in FM. The one free transfer who I would have loved to have signed would have been Jermaine Jenas but he's now retired and I've asked him to join as a coach.

Actually considering about giving this a go. However, would you not need to load all players of nationality as well? Would that be allowed?

Yes, you need to load every player from that nation to give you the best chance of finding talent

Yes I think that is what is meant by it (load all based in nation and nationality).

I have been re-thinking my approach to this. Would it be possible to have it as a challenge where you can take players from a region rather than one singular county? It would of course need to be a recognised region. As a Suffolk lad born and raised, now living in Norfolk and working in Cambridge (I support Cambridge United too) I would love to give this a go with Ipswich (where I was born) but signing players from just Suffolk is extremely restrictive. I would like to open it up to East Anglia (Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, North Essex) if possible?

If you want to do that, it's totally fine. I'll add it in as a Easy version for those who would prefer it, but to still be part of the thread.

So I started this off last night but didn't get too far. Established through my own knowledge and Google which youngsters are from Nottingham. I've offered them new contracts even if they may not become good enough. In terms of first team players I have one player who is from Nottingham or the surrounding county. That is Kelvin Wilson. I've had a look on the free transfer list for players from Nottingham and Mansfield and so far I've only been able to find Julian Bennett and Jermaine Pennant who I would entertain signing for my first team. The latter isn't interested in joining . In terms of players who are with other clubs, there are a few. Players like Tom Huddlestone, Wes Morgan, Lewis McGugan etc. However, none are currently interested in joining.

Just having a look through the editor to see if there are any more areas that fall under the Nottingham/Nottinghamshire boundary that are included in FM. The one free transfer who I would have loved to have signed would have been Jermaine Jenas but he's now retired and I've asked him to join as a coach.

Don't forget, you don't have to have it all set up in just 1 season. I've heard that the staff you have has an effect on the players who come through the youth ranks, so I'd consider removing all foreign staff and looking for staff from the local area. I've even gone as far as making sure my assistant and head of youth development are both from Manchester. I think for some clubs it you will have to rely on the youth system as there just aren't enough players of quality like you say.

I'm slowly doing things but there are some good free staff out there who I kind of want to get snapped up now before they move onto better things.

Currently got offers in for Jermaine Jenas, Chris Fairclough and Michael Johnson.

Unfortunately being Nottingham Forest doesn't help as Fawaz doesn't want to change one of the job philosophies.

I'm going to have to re-consider who I would like to be tbh. I may well be Mansfield Town and just aim to select people from Mansfield. I'm not sure yet.

I've decided I'm going to be Blackpool. I'll be looking to base my signings on;

I'm not overly sure on the area but would that be right mike?

I might start this challenge soon and either be Swansea and pick players from there or close to them or might start as Celtic or Rangers, any reccomendations of clubs to be with decent area to choose players from that aint been chosen already in here, also can people if they have the time post career updates on the careers update forum so I have something to read as my life is boring lol.

Also if anyone wants to talk to me about FM, the challenge or chat about footy in general then feel free to add me on Steam, my Steam name is either boydy1984 or boydy123.

Infact, I've done a bit more research and I'll be selecting players from the following areas which are on FM;

Blackpool, Blackburn, Burnley, Preston, Morecambe, Chorley, Accrington, Ormskirk, Lancaster, Clitheroe, Fleetwood, Skelmersdale, Bamber Bridge, Burscough, Kirkham, Bacup, Colne, Nelson, Rawtenstall, Padiham, Barnoldswick and Lytham St Annes.

I am just starting this challenge myself. Looking to start as Leeds and sign players potentially from the whole of Yorkshire, as I am unsure on the map you used above but Yorkshire is one county, which multiple Ridings. I am also unsure on whether Great Manchester classes as a 'county', but that debate is for another thread!

The key to this is surely to develop your academy as much as you can? I imagine the lesser club you are, the more time you will be given. Looking at Leeds, I might struggle as the chairman seems to be of a nut job. However their reputation is fairly good, academy isn't bad and they don't have ridiculous expectations to start with.

I might do similar to you City1904 and be Rotherham and concerntrate on players from South Yorkshire area, so that is Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham and the little towns,villages near it.

That's one of the reasons I chose Blackpool. Whilst it's difficult. I'm hoping I can find enough talent that will keep us up until we can start bringing through our own decent Lancashire talent. However, whilst there seems to be some good players around, they all seem to be playing for better clubs.

Some interesting choices here. As I will be doing an East Anglian challenge, I have decided that from the very first competitive game I will only field East Anglian players. always wanted to do this, but my worry was that if I only did Suffolk there simply aren't enough players. I've made 23 signings and sold pretty much the whole team.

Who's your best players then SMP ?

That's an interesting call to sign 23 players straight up. I don't have the balls to do that straight away. My biggest issue is the talent that is around the Lancashire area is either with someone else and too expensive or there isn't any. Hopefully that will change soon enough.

Who's your best players then SMP ?

That's an interesting call to sign 23 players straight up. I don't have the balls to do that straight away. My biggest issue is the talent that is around the Lancashire area is either with someone else and too expensive or there isn't any. Hopefully that will change soon enough.

I will do a Christmas update, likely to be soon. Here's my transfer activity (notice I've only included the cash/claused transfers, I released a load of non-local youth players)

https://i.gyazo.com/485c36407dd79eba91ccbabf4897b6ad.png

So the biggest names I brought in were Chris Martin and Liam Trotter. There are a few others I'd like to bring in but they are ex-Norwich and are at bigger clubs so it may take a while. I already have Darren Ambrose at the club, as well as some decent youngsters in Teddy Bishop and Matthew Clarke.

By the way, this is East Anglia:

£7m for Luke Chambers .

I want to start again and I will. Not sure who I am going to be though.

Yes very happy with that deal even though it was only £2m up front. I think that a London club would be a good option. I just fancied my own local challenge otherwise I'd have done that. I also have Todd Kane coming in at the end of the season for £1m, currently at Forest.

I think it varies tbh. Nottingham hasn't really got that many good players. Especially ones that Forest can afford.

Yeah I am iffing and arring about who to be, I was thinking either Hull, Rotherham, Bristol City, Rotherham, Doncaster, Scunthorpe or Norwich and try go for players in their areas, what do you suggest guys ?

Hmm how about a Yorkshire club? Or Newcastle? I semi-started there already. Unless you go East Anglia like myself I wouldn't recommend Norwich as Norfolk itself have developed very few players.

Edit: A West Midlands side could be good?

Yeah might be Leeds actually.

I was thinking West Midlands but it didn't interest me enough.

I'm thinking of being Plymouth. Devon's a fairly big place and a there should be a lot of players to choose from.

Leeds I think is a good shout - nice story as well. Bringing back the glory days with a bunch of local lads.

Devon is a big place but along with Cornwall is sparsely populated and isn't known for developing smashing football players. Pretty sure Plymouth is in Cornwall though - perhaps you could do a West Country challenge? Devon / Cornwall combined?