[FM16] Cove Rangers: old school'ing our way to the top

Part of Gundo's FM16 European Adventure Challenge™.

About the club

Cove Rangers are a senior Scottish football club currently playing in the Highland Football League. They are based in Cove Bay, a suburb of Aberdeen and are set to play their football at Calder Park, having left their former home at Allan Park in April 2015.

Cove were formed in 1922 and played in the local amateur leagues until 1985, when they became a junior team. However, the club applied and were accepted to the senior Highland Football League in 1986, where they have played ever since. They have also racked up a formidable reputation in the lower rounds of the Scottish Cup, reaching the 3rd round three times. In 2001 they won their first Highland League championship – but even more impressively won the quadruple of Highland League, Aberdeenshire Shield, Scottish Qualifying Cup, and Highland League Cup.

In the 2007–08 season, Cove reached Round 4 of the Scottish Cup for the first and only time, beating Brora Rangers 7–0 (at Brora), Keith 3–0 and Edinburgh University 1–0 on the way, before losing 4–2 to Ross County.

However, that did not deter the south Aberdeen side from claiming their second ever Highland League Championship with a 3–0 home win against Lossiemouth on 3 May 2008.

Cove Rangers were one of the clubs preparing an application for entry into the Scottish Football League following Gretna relinquishing their league status on 3 June 2008. The other clubs were Annan Athletic, Preston Athletic and Spartans. Annan Athletic were eventually awarded the place, due to their superior facilities.

The club have started plans for a new stadium in preparation for a possible place in the Scottish League Two.

One of the club's most famous players is the young Scottish midfielder Paul Coutts who joined English League One club Peterborough United during the summer of 2008 for a nominal fee. Coutts won the clubs's young player of the year award for the 2008/09 season and has been touted for a call up to the Scotland U-21 squad by his former manager Darren Ferguson.

Allen Park, which is set to be replaced by a new ground, Calder Park, for the 2016/17 season.

I'm taking charge on June 20th, 2016, as part of Gundo's challenge.

Manager profile

Club overview

It's good to see that a squad exists. No doubt I will have a lot to do in the transfer market, but out of this lot someone will have to be half decent.

The plan is to employ a style that relies on physically powerful players, pacy wingers, target man / poacher combo up front. Old fashioned british wideplay is the dream.

Sounds interesting. Good luck!