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[FM11] FC United of Manchester Thread - The Red Rebels!

TacticalGenius

By TacticalGenius,
in Good Player & Team Guide

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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Football Club United of Manchester is a semi-professional English association football club based in Bury near Manchester who currently play in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, the 7th tier of league football. The club was formed in 2005 by Manchester United supporters following Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover which led to hundreds of supporters defecting from the club. They are affectionately referred to as "The Red Rebels".

FC United's first three seasons were successful, winning promotion each time. FC United entered at the tenth level of the English football league system (the second division of the North West Counties Football League) and they were confirmed as champions on 15 April 2006 and followed that up by being crowned as champions of Division 1 on 18 April 2007. The 2007–08 season saw them finish second in the Northern Premier League Division One North then gain promotion through the end of season play-offs. In 2008-09, they finished 6th out of the 22 teams in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, missing out on the play-offs on the last day of the season. They set themselves the target of winning the league in 2009-10, but instead went backwards, finishing 13th out of 20 teams. Currently in the 2010-11 season they lie 14th of the 22 teams in the same league, which has been renamed the Evo-Stik Premier Division thanks to a sponsorship deal with Evo-Stik. They played their first ever televised game away to Rochdale in the FA Cup First round proper on Friday 5th November 2010, winning 3-2 in stoppage time, thanks to a controversial goal scored by Mike Norton. The club agreed to move the fixture to Friday for television only because Rochdale is close enough for supporters to travel to on a weekday after work, with drinking time to spare, too! Had the tie been away to a club further away, the board would not have agreed. They will play Brighton away in the 2nd round.

During their first season (2005–06), they had the second-highest average attendance in English non-League football. Attendances fell in the next two seasons and they were the 97th best supported club in 2007–08. Their record attendance is 6,023 for a match against Great Harwood Town on 22 April 2006.

The club have played several overseas friendlies, each time as special guests of the host club, with their travel and expenses covered:

-At LOK Leipzig (Germany) in May 2006.

-In a 5-a-side tournament (Riesa, Germany) in January 2008 against several Bundesliga/2. Bundesliga sides.

-At VfB Marburg (Germany) in June 2008.

-At Djurgårdens IF (Stockholm, Sweden) in May 2009.

-At Bucheon FC 1995 (South Korea) in July 2009.

-Against a St. Pauli (Hamburg, Germany) historic XI (whose team included Ivan Klasnic) at their Millerntor stadium in May 2010.

-At Cliftonville (Belfast) in July 2010.

All of the above matches (except the 5-a-side tournament) were billed as equality/anti-racism/anti-fascism games.

The team is managed by the former Macclesfield Town player Karl Marginson.

Organisation

FC United is an Industrial and provident society. Membership is obtained by paying an annual fee of £12 to the club (£3 for children), but each member receives only one share in the club and is entitled to a single vote at meetings, regardless of the amount donated.

The club has an elected board of eleven members.

The club has two full-time employee positions: Andy Walsh as chief executive and Lindsey Robertson. Andy Walsh was heavily involved in the club's formation.

The club's manifesto includes the following core principles:

1.The Board will be democratically elected by its members

2.Decisions taken by the membership will be decided on a one member, one vote basis

3.The club will develop strong links with the local community and strive to be accessible to all, discriminating against none

4.The club will endeavour to make admission prices as affordable as possible, to as wide a constituency as possible

5.The club will encourage young, local participation - playing and supporting - whenever possible

6.The Board will strive wherever possible to avoid outright commercialism

7.The club will remain a non-profit organisation

The club accepts sponsorship but does not allow sponsors' logos to be displayed on the team's shirts. The club's main sponsor in its inaugural 2005–06 season was the Bhopal Medical Appeal and in season 2006–07 it was the Williams BMW Group.

Stadium

Since the club's formation, F.C. United have not had their own home ground. Instead, they share the ground with Bury F.C., using their Gigg Lane ground. On 25 March 2010, the club announced plans to build their own 5,000-capacity football ground in Newton Heath, the original home of Manchester United. The development will be located on the site of the current Ten Acres Lane sports centre and will cost £3.5 million, to be financed by public donations, a Community Shares issue and grant funding.

FM:

Team Information:

Nation: England

Founded: 2005

Status: Semi-Professional

Reputation: Obscure

Chairman Status: Loves the club

Legends: Karl Marginson

Icons: David Chadwick, Robert Nugent, Rory Patterson, Jerome Wright, Steve Torpey, Sam Ashton

Favoured Personnel: None

Fierce Rivals: Liverpool, Man City, Leeds

Other Rivals: Bradford PA, Flixton, Curzon Ashton, Man United

Finances: Okay

Average Ticket price: £11.00

Average Season Ticket price: £173.00

Season Ticket holders: 1250

Estimated Value: £150k

Continental Competition: None

Media Prediction: 21st

Squad Personality: Fairly Loyal

Captain: David Chadwick

Vice-Captain: Simon Carden

Expectations/Budget:

The minimum expectation is to 'attempt to avoid relegation' and the board will give you £6,000 transfer budget and a wage budget of £4,500 (£3,581 used) to do so. Of course, the higher you set the expectation, the more the budget increases:

Avoid relegation: £6k, £5k wage

Mid table - Promotion: £6k, £5.25k wage

Winner: £6k, £5.5k wage

As you can see, not much gained by setting the expectations high. I personally will be going with the minimum expectation - I want to know my job is safe whatever happens!

Kits:

fcumkits.png

To get the correct kits, you need to download this file: http://www.mediafire.com/?3lvbu2emnvtm6q1

The extracted folder goes in: Documents/Sports Interactive/Football Manager 2011/graphics/kits

(If graphics and/or kits do not exist in your FM11 folder, just create them)

Badges:

http://www.mediafire.com/?l94kt5evmut85h5

extract to: Documents/Sports Interactive/Fm2011/Graphics

You will also need to load all players from clubs in England, or use a retain players file:

Retain players file: http://www.mediafire.com/?706jaim4ttprck3 (based on Dafuge's Challenge 2010 retainer file)

Place in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2011\data\db\1100\edt

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\football manager 2011\data\db\1100\edt (for Steam users)

If using the patch, place it in:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2011\data\updates\update-1110\db\1110\edt

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Football Manager 2011\data\updates\update-1110\db\1110\edt (again, for Steam users)

There are three ways to play as FC United:

A) Download RTC's English Leagues file (NOT RECOMMENDED)

B) The holiday-retire-load method of promoting an unplayable team from the 7th tier:

1) Add yourself as an unemployed manager.

2) Go on holiday until 24th June 2011, SAVE, then go on holiday for one day.

3) Retire your manager.

4) Add a new manager (the one you'll use for the save) and look in the Blue Square North for FC United.

If FC United isn't there, reload the save on 24th June, holiday for one day and continue from step 3.

C) The save game -

http://www.mediafire.com/?4y74jf7v2jotmfb - 11.1 patch

http://www.mediafire.com/?0njoprp559n7rgl - 11.3 patch

Install to: Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2011\games

Leagues loaded:

England: BSN/BSS

Spain: Liga BBVA

Holland: Eredvisie

Germany: Bundesliga

France: Ligue 1

Italy: Serie A

as well as Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Portugal, Russia and Scotland all on view only. Top players on each continent loaded too. (11.3 patch has all European leagues on view only on top of the 11.1 loaded countries)

---------------------------------------------------

This is a club with an empty trophy cabinet and no history... Yet! Can you be successful enough to get them their own, new stadium which they desire?

Good luck, and enjoy the challenge of trying to become the Number One club in Manchester!

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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Players:

The starting squad at FC has a few decent players from the start. Some are terrible. I won't be telling you who to buy - you're the manager, you have your own scout...

KEY:

*** Good. Keep hold of him.

** OK as a backup.

* Poor. Get rid of asap.

The format is: Natural Position, Name, Age, Rating.

GK: Sam Ashton, 23 ***

GK: Zak Hibbert, 21 **

GK: Grant Shenton, 19 *

DR: Kyle Jacobs, 23 **

WBR: Richard Battersby, 31 **

DC: David Chadwick, 32 **

DC: Nick Swirad, 19 *

DL: Ludovic Quistin, 26 ***

MC: James Holden, 23 **

MC: Jake Cottrell, 21 ***

AMR: Carlos Roca, 25 ***

AMR: Chris Ovington, 19 **

AMC: Simon Carden, 31 ***

M/AML: Steve Torpey, 28 **

M/AML: Jerome Wright, 24 ***

ML: Scott McManus, 21 **

ST: Glynn Hurst, 34 **

ST: Ben Deegan, 22 *

ST: Mike Norton, 29 ***

ST: Jamie Mack, 19 *

I've given natural positions only as it was the easiest method of sorting the players. Looking at what we have though, I'd say a 4-4-2 is looking like the best option, which is what I was hoping for. Centreback and Central Midfield will need some cover bought/loaned in too. LB can be covered by McManus for the time being. As previously stated, a full squad/tactics analysis should be up by the weekend. Watch this space!

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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Tactics:

I'm not going into detail, as in my opinion, lower league management is more fun and rewarding if you find things out for yourself. But this is what I am using:

Tactic-1.png

To be honest, realistically, only a 4-4-2 and 4-5-1 are viable tactics in the Blue Square leagues. Though it is your game, play it as you see fit ;)

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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Great OP. Definitely going to be my first long term game! Can't wait to crack on come Friday! Looking forward to your squad update. Will you be doing this on Friday to?

I hope to, it depends how long it takes of holidaying, saving and reloading it takes for FCUM to come up to the BSN...

Thanks for your comments on the OP guys, it's my first real attempt at a club thread, and seeing as the guy who did last year's one disappeared shortly after making it, I thought I'd take it upon myself to make it this year, especially as I was one of the most active (and successful!) participants within it ;)

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fcunitedfan

fcunitedfan

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TacticalGenius, are you going to be starting your game with just english leagues and top players loaded, or are you going to load up more leagues? I'm thinking I may load up more leagues so I have more players in the database on my FC United save.

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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TacticalGenius, are you going to be starting your game with just english leagues and top players loaded, or are you going to load up more leagues? I'm thinking I may load up more leagues so I have more players in the database on my FC United save.

I really don't know, because I did fancy a shot at Dafuge's Challenge again, but I do like a big database to choose from...

@ Everyone: I have my copy of FM11, have installed via Steam, so no playing until Midnight (or until the patch is released, anyway). But I do have access to the editor, so full squad list and positions will be up shortly!

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fcunitedfan

fcunitedfan

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Guess who just got his copy of the game from his local game shop (points at self)! I had to ask the shop assistant (a friend of mine) if they had a copy in, as there weren't any on the shelves. I've started holidaying for a season, with the bigger European countries, Brazilian leagues, MLS, and a couple of other countries loaded. It's just reached January 2011, which took about an hour to get to. When I get FC United promoted to BSN, I'll save the game and upload the file somewhere for others to use if needed.

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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Guess who just got his copy of the game from his local game shop (points at self)! I had to ask the shop assistant (a friend of mine) if they had a copy in, as there weren't any on the shelves. I've started holidaying for a season, with the bigger European countries, Brazilian leagues, MLS, and a couple of other countries loaded. It's just reached January 2011, which took about an hour to get to. When I get FC United promoted to BSN, I'll save the game and upload the file somewhere for others to use if needed.

Good idea, although it won't be of much use to many ~(myself included)~ without the patch and German national team fix...

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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Not the best squad list... Where is Martin Parker and Karl Munroe? Where is Lee Neville and Nicky Platt? McManus is a DL and has played DC all season there for us, hope he can play there. I know these players may have joined only this season, BUT they all came before Hurst joined.

I'd say CB was our best position in real life, along with MR and up front. As we have Munroe, McManus and Parker who've all looked good, plus Chadwick our talisman!

EDIT: obviously not criticising your post, glad there is an FC one, but I'm unsure as the standard of research if that squad list is 100% correct.

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fcunitedfan

fcunitedfan

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Not the best squad list... Where is Martin Parker and Karl Munroe? Where is Lee Neville and Nicky Platt? McManus is a DL and has played DC all season there for us, hope he can play there. I know these players may have joined only this season, BUT they all came before Hurst joined.

I'd say CB was our best position in real life, along with MR and up front. As we have Munroe, McManus and Parker who've all looked good, plus Chadwick our talisman!

EDIT: obviously not criticising your post, glad there is an FC one, but I'm unsure as the standard of research if that squad list is 100% correct.

I used the editor to search the players you named, as I am currently holidaying on the actual game. Martin Parker doesn't exist in-game. Karl Munroe is a free agent who, according to the editor, was an FC United player in 2010 but played no games for the team. Lee Neville is playing for Salford City. I've never used the editor before now, so not sure what other info I could give.

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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The problem is, at this level, one researcher covers a whole league (more often than not, several leagues) rather than a single club. And what with players changing teams several times a year it is very hard to keep track of for every team.

If you can, sign up to be FC United's researcher. I'd do it, if it wasn't for the fact I'm an Arsenal supporting Londoner :rolleyes:

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fcunitedfan

fcunitedfan

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Yeah probably do that unless the patch fixes it. How good are they in the editor? Should strengthen our squad somewhat :p

No idea lol. I don't know how to find out how good someone is using the editor. Give me 30 minutes or so, and I can take screenshots and PM them to you.

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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The problem is, at this level, one researcher covers a whole league (more often than not, several leagues) rather than a single club. And what with players changing teams several times a year it is very hard to keep track of for every team.

If you can, sign up to be FC United's researcher. I'd do it, if it wasn't for the fact I'm an Arsenal supporting Londoner :rolleyes:

No there is actually an FC researcher! I've offered to do it previously, but I'm sure the current guy is capable, I guess there is just some mistake.

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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Is there any kind of screenie any of you want of FC United, when I've gotten them to the BSN? I'm in mid-May now, so can start continuously reloading very soon. I bet I'm sitting here reloading for a good few hours lol.

Hopefully be quick enough if we've got a good reputation! Good luck with that, I'm so excited to get a game started myself when the patch comes around :)

PS: Screenies of Carlos Roca, Scott McManus and Jerome Wright would be good!

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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I doubt the patch will change much tbh.

But the players look to have more scope to grow in this version, many seem to have double PA over CA, so some of them at least should last until the BSP, maybe even backups in npower L2.

I've always struggled to develop the lesser players as no one with take them on loan and play them. Obviously because there is no lower league. But I've seen good growth before in our 20-22 year olds, especially Sam Ashton last year.

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fcunitedfan

fcunitedfan

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The rep has had a sizeable bump in FM11 over FM10, so it will be much easier. Not easy, but easier.

I hope so. I sat there for about 3 hours trying to get them promoted in FM10, only to find that there were saves posted on this forum with them already promoted lol.

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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I've always struggled to develop the lesser players as no one with take them on loan and play them. Obviously because there is no lower league. But I've seen good growth before in our 20-22 year olds, especially Sam Ashton last year.

I used Sam Ashton as 1st choice until I got promoted to the CCC, and used him as a backup until the Premiership. True story.

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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I used Sam Ashton as 1st choice until I got promoted to the CCC, and used him as a backup until the Premiership. True story.

I think the fact he was an ex-Bolton goalie (as in he was at Bolton for quite a while) gives him a large PA. He deserves it though, last season he was brilliant.

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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I have no idea what tactics to use when I finally get to play them this year. Any thoughts on a good tactic, from people who played lower league teams in the FM11 demo?

Depends on the squad and who you can get.

If you can get a good CB pairing then I'd go attacking with two wingers in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. However, depends on how you want to play :p

I've always found, boring though it may be, that using a 4-5-1 is good to get to the actual league. As long as you have either a quick striker or a big target man who can knock in goals it can work a treat with a side of weaker players.

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TacticalGenius

TacticalGenius

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I'm going 4-4-2, deep, long and direct.

Keep it simple in lower leagues, as the players aren't good enough for anything too fancy. Got me UCL and Premiership glory last year, can't see why this year should be any different.

BTW, who here uses their scouts to find players, rather than player search? If not, I suggest you do - it's much more rewarding.

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fcunitedfan

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I probably won't change the current team much, unless there's a player who's way below par. I'll try the 4-5-1 and see how far that gets me. In FM10, I seem to remember playing my first couple of seasons with a lone, pacey striker. It worked well, as I was unbeaten in the BSN, and won the BSP quite comfortably as well.

I'm going 4-4-2, deep, long and direct.

Keep it simple in lower leagues, as the players aren't good enough for anything too fancy. Got me UCL and Premiership glory last year, can't see why this year should be any different.

BTW, who here uses their scouts to find players, rather than player search? If not, I suggest you do - it's much more rewarding.

I used only scouts up until League One, where I thought what the heck, and went player search crazy lol.

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hozhoz

hozhoz

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BTW, who here uses their scouts to find players, rather than player search? If not, I suggest you do - it's much more rewarding.

I think I may start doing this. I've always wanted to try it but given in. In the lower leagues, I'm always tempted to find free players that are really fast/strong/good at set pieces!

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