cms186 Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 well actually there is more top quality players in the game atm, but a lot more players overall, so the percentage is less. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meitheisman Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 In the game today there is 10,218 players In Kipfizh's experiment there is 14,442 players. The % are all higher today than they are in the experiment too, re-read Berren's post and you'll see. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
koertvs Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 I think all the new sections are interesting, but only once in three, four or five years. otherwise you'll see every season the same world beaters, who are still playing awesome etc. etc. I think, after some seasons there have been more changes and it's more interesting to compare it to the previous update. Another point, in almost 30 years no excellent players have come through the bandits youth ranks, if you consider their facilities are top this is silly. It was said that the quality of your youth players was depending on reputation, if that's true it would be a little bit strange. For instance, in the last 10 years Ajax' youth academy has delivered 10x more great players then the arsenal or chelsea youth academy, but their reputation is higher, so in game the great players show up by arsenal or chelsea. I think in FM the teams who have a history of delivering good players have little or no advantage over teams who do not worry about their 'youth facilities' Or am I the only one who sees it this way? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonBlade Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Originally posted by Meitheisman:I think you guys both missed VonBlade's point (or I'm the one who didn't get it) Did I make things clearer? You made it clearer than I did. And you got it absolutely spot on. I realise why he wont appear in the famous players section. But as I know he exists merely by viewing his club, then the famous element of the player search is worthless. Or, of course, it should be impossible to see players in squads you haven't scouted. Which would suck mightily. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
(((((~NEWBROOK~))))) Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 I normally hate reading, basically anything. but i saw this thread, and its 22 pages and the title intrigued me i have spent the whole of my Friday night reading all 22 pages lol And have come to the conclusion that this is the best ever thread i have read on this site (used to have an old profile) Absolute brilliance Kept me wanting more and more and i am sad to see i have come to a current stop.This will defenatley be one of the first things i open up when i log into the site. C'mon you Bandit's and KUTGW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 VonBlade, sorry, you're right, I missed your point. I wonder then if the intention was the make the effort you take to examine the Brazilian third division club for young players synonymous with getting a scout to do that job for you in real life, i.e. you are looking at random clubs for players, which does mean you'll find 'non-famous' ones. As you say, it would be even more infuriating not to be able to see these players at all, maybe by looking at the squad you are effectively adding them to your scouting knowledge? I'm not sure if I'm putting this right, and I'm not even sure if I'm agreeing with what I'm saying, but that's what happens after a few But I think my point is - this way it's not including these players in the search could force you to make the effort equivalent to getting someone (as a manager) to examine that club. I don't think I'm making sense, but hopefully you can see what I'm saying Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 27, 2007 Author Share Posted July 27, 2007 P.S Season update coming tomorrow, nearly finished writing it up....... ..... and it's a good 'un Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
waz_nufc_awk Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Originally posted by kipfizh:P.S Season update coming tomorrow, nearly finished writing it up....... ..... and it's a good 'un When you say tomorrow do you mean today, i.e. after midnight like it is ........do you mean in the next 1 hour or so ------come on tell meeeeeee... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konquest Posted July 27, 2007 Share Posted July 27, 2007 Come on! Here in Canada, it's already "Tomorrow" in the UK... Gotta get my Bandits fix... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
(((((~NEWBROOK~))))) Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Well after reading this i spent the end of last night and the best of the early hours of the morning editing my database as set out in the challenge. But i am going to play the game, as me as manager. Just loaded it up and there are lots of teams interested in my players. Was this the case when you started yours kipfizh? Just in case i have edited something wrong e.g. reputation Transfer budget - £5 mil Wage Budget - £190,000 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonBlade Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Reputation should be 1 (one) for players and club. VB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watford_fc_4_lyf Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Newbrook, if you have copied the database then can you release it please? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
(((((~NEWBROOK~))))) Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Yeah thats what got it down as. Loads and loads of teams are interested in the players which is no surprise. Just now waiting to see how long i can hang onto them for, and wondering if the chairman will eventually go over my head and sell them for me. Cheers VB Watford i am not sure mate as kipfizh said earlier in the thread he would release it after he had finished his experiment. So i doubt very much i will Any way if you want it that bad edit it yourself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Season 2035-36 Club report 2006-07, English Conference South - 1st, FA Trophy - Winners 2007-08, English National Conference - 7th, FA Trophy - Final 2008-09, English National Conference – 7th 2009-10, English National Conference – 9th 2010-11, English National Conference – 6th 2011-12, English National Conference – 18th 2012-13, English National Conference – 5th 2013-14, English National Conference – 1st 2014-15, English League Two – 21st 2015-16, English League Two – 21st 2016-17, English League Two – 6th 2017-18, English League Two – 6th 2018-19, English League Two – 7th 2019-20, English League Two – 6th, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – South Semi Final 2020-21, English League Two – 10th 2021-22, English League Two – 1st, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy - Final 2022-23, English League One – 13th, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – South Semi Final 2023-24, English League One – 11th, League Cup – Final 2024-25, English League One – 11th, League Cup – Semi-Final 2025-26, English League One – 18th 2026-27, English League One – 17th 2027-28, English League One – 14th 2028-29, English League One – 20th 2029-30, English League One – 1st 2030-31, English Championship – 14th 2031-32 English Championship: (Pos 10), P 46, W 18, D 12, L 16, F 71, A 64, GD +7, Pts 66 (Media Prediction: 22nd) FA Cup: 3rd Round League Cup: Final 2032-33 English Championship: (Pos 12), P 46, W 17, D 12, L 17, F 66, A 66, GD 0, Pts 63 (Media Prediction: 13th) FA Cup: 5th Round League Cup: 1st Round 2033-34 English Championship: (Pos 8), P 46, W 20, D 8, L 18, F 69, A 57, GD +12, Pts 68 (Media Prediction: 13th) FA Cup: 3rd Round League Cup: 3rd Round 2034-35 English Championship: (Pos 21), P 46, W 13, D 13, L 20, F 53, A 67, GD -14, Pts 52 (Media Prediction: 10th) FA Cup: 4th Round League Cup: 3rd Round 2035-36 English Championship: (Pos 2), P 46, W 21, D 11, L 14, F 64, A 49, GD +15, Pts 74 (Media Prediction: 21st) League FA Cup: 3rd Round League Cup: Quarter-Final The stunning nature of this year began before a ball had even been kicked – Phil Edwards put him stamp on the squad in spectacular style, spending just over 17m before the season started. Combined with hanging on to the vast majority of the existing squad, this meant that the depth and strength of the squad was at record proportions going into the season. The only worry was the lack of talent of the manager. Those fears were quickly allayed as the Bandits got off to a flyer, quickly establishing themselves at the top of the table, before settling into a playoff position for most of the season. With five games to go, their run of fine form finally took them to the summit of a very close table, but they still had to play Man Utd, who were breathing down their necks, and Swansea, who were second. It looked like two from three, but then it all went wrong. Two consecutive losses dropped the Bandits to fifth, with the next two fixtures being the tricky ones. But all of a sudden, they pulled a stunning performance out of the bag, hammering Man Utd 4-0 to leap up to third with two games remaining. Away to second placed Swansea in the penultimate game, they triumphed to hit the top spot again with one game left. Going into the final day against Bolton, who they’d lost to at the same point last season, they led Man Utd on goal difference, and Aston Villa by one point. At half time, things were looking good for the top two, with both leading and Aston Villa being held, but in the second half it all turned around. Both the Bandits and United were pegged back, while Villa stormed away to win their game. At the end, the Bandits were left hanging on and hoping, but their draw ended up good enough as United failed to press home their domination. So for the second consecutive season, the Bandits edge out their opposition on the final day, again by the virtue of a two goal advantage of goal difference. This is the first promotion they’ve gained without winning the league, with Villa pinching it on the final day, but given that their final day result could’ve slipped them into the playoffs, where they have a terrible record, they are unlikely to care. Edwards’ signings were spectacular successes – Ross Ellis came in up front, and scored 24 goals in a fine debut season, Italian defender Andrea Baresi was signed from rivals Villa and played well, but the real star was Frederic Leroy, signed for 6m from Man Utd following the relegation. The left winger added pace and skill to the previously weak midfield, and threatened all season, becoming a favoured club player almost immediately. The Bandits reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup, beating Newcastle on the way before losing to eventual finalists Chelsea. In the FA Cup they got nowhere. The Bandits have made it to the big time – they are in the Premiership. Let the fun begin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Player reports Goalkeeper 1 – Retired from playing 03/07/2032 2032-, Sunderland (scout), CA 170, PA 170 2033-2034, Liverpool (scout), CA 170, PA 170 2034-, West Ham (assistant manager), CA 170, PA 170 Remains West Ham assistant manager, although they have a poor season, finishing eighth. Goalkeeper 2 – Retired from playing 27/06/2032 2032-, Tottenham (scout), CA 170, PA 170 2033-2034, Birmingham (assistant manager), CA 170, PA 170 2034-, Leeds (assistant manager), CA 170, PA 170 With Leeds being his favoured club, he is unlikely to leave anytime soon, and this is the case as the team start off extremely poorly. They do recover to finish sixth though, and clinch the League Cup. Left Back 1 – Retired from playing 30/06/2030 2030-2031, Scunthorpe (fitness coach), CA 110, PA 110 2031-2034, Tottenham (assistant manager), CA 110, PA 110 2034-2035, Tottenham (coach), CA 110, PA 110 2035-, Tottenham (assistant manager), CA 110, PA 110 Regains his spot as assistant manager at Spurs, where they are forced to make a late climb out of the relegation zone, finishing 17th. Right Mid 1 – Retired from playing 25/04/2026 2026-2027, Aston Villa (youth coach), CA 130, PA 130 2027-2035, Chelsea (assistant manager), CA 130, PA 130 2035-, Chelsea (assistant manager), CA 130, PA 130 His first season as full manager of Chelsea cannot be deemed a success, as they finish trophyless and fourth in the league. His managerial ability certainly doesn’t seem to match his playing brilliance. Centre Mid 1 – Retired from playing 02/07/2030 2030-2032, Liverpool (youth coach), CA 110, PA 110 2032-, Reading (coach), CA 110, PA 110 Remains at Reading, showing no signs of wanting to move on, as they finish 13th. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Other stats England qualified for the European Championships in the same way that they always do – winning all their games and not conceding a single goal. They’ve got a tough group though this summer – Serbia, Italy and Spain await. Arsenal, bizarrely led by ex-Bandits coach Gary Perry, had a stunning season, firstly winning the Premiership by six points after leading all season. Man City and Scunthorpe were the surprise challengers, with West Ham, Chelsea and Leeds all having uncharacteristically poor seasons. Liverpool flirted with relegation all season long but escaped towards the end. Premiership Arsenal also won the FA Cup, beating Portsmouth in the final, in a season where no side from below the Championship made it to the last sixteen. It was a mainly shock free year. Leeds beat Chelsea to the League Cup, while Championship Man Utd’s run to the semis was marred by their breaking of the worst discipline record, as they picked up ten yellows and four reds along the way. Arsenal completed a stunning treble, beating Real Madrid in the final to win their third consecutive Champions League and along the way break a record that surely no-one will surpass. In three years, they have won the Champions League undefeated, and now are on a run of 37 games without slipping up in the world’s toughest club competition. An incredible feat. In other records, Janne Backlund’s five goal haul for Hamburg in a qualifying round against Domzale was a new record. Porto beat Juventus in the UEFA Cup, hosted by the Bandits, but it was players from other clubs that broke records this season. Sergey Victorov, Russian starlet, scored twelve goals as Spartak Moscow made it to the semi finals, while Tenyo Ganchev’s eight assists couldn’t get CSKA Sofia past the second knockout stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 English Teams and Managers Premiership 1. Arsenal (+1), Gary Perry (63, 79/114) (new manager) 2. Man City (+8), Ian Taylor (62, 90/107) (new manager) 3. Scunthorpe (+13), Oliver Hand (62, 95/120) 4. Chelsea (-3), by Right Mid 1 (46, 130/130) 5. Sunderland (P), Paul Robinson 46, 120/120) 6. Leeds (-), Peter Flynn (61, 105/118) (new manager) 7. QPR (+1), Andy Mason (60, 99/120) 8. West Ham (-5), Stefano Fiore (61, 112/130) 9. West Brom (-), Phil Whitney (63, 96/120) 10. Portsmouth (-3), Michael Bates (59, 99/106) (new manager) 11. Sheff Wed (+6), Steve Brackstone (61, 93/120) 12. Newcastle (-8Stuart Belford (62, 73/99) (new manager) 13. Reading (+3), Adrian Whitbread (64, 125/150) 14. Derby (-9), Lee Bailey (54, 120/120) 15. Coventry (P), Chris Swailes (62, 89/120) 16. Liverpool (-3), Turgay Tufan (41, 156/156) (new manager) 17. Tottenham (-5), Paul Moore (53, 120/120) 18. Chesterfield (-7), Jeff Forsyth (48, 154/154) 19. Birmingham (-5), Ian Goodison (63, 115/130) (new manager) 20. Charlton (P), Tony Yates (41, 107/107) I think the kindest thing I can say about Gary Perry is that he’s experienced, but what an end to his career he’s having. With new managers coming in though, the current top three clubs all have managers with CA under 100. So expect Chelsea and Liverpool especially (now that Tufan’s jumped ship from Portsmouth) to have much improved seasons next time out, and don’t expect Man City and Scunthorpe to stay up there. Promoted from Championship 1. Aston Villa ®, Liam Marsden (51, 120/120) 2. Bandits (+19), Phil Edwards (59, 104/120) 4. Stoke (+10), Danny Gamble (49, 120/120) Just look at who came up with the Bandits……one D. Gamble. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Summary Well that was a turn up for the books. Phil Edwards bought some superb talent into the club, and he took the youngsters left by Gamble, moulded them into a team, and took them to the Premiership. This season has proved conclusively that the Bandits are no average team. Make no mistake about it, the only reason they are in the Premiership now is their financial status – in trouble, they were able to splash the cash and buy their way up. Of course, it wasn’t quite as simple as that, and I’ll be honest, I doubted Edwards’ ability to either sign the right players or bed them in well, but he’s done an admirable job and is now a Premiership manager. Check out the squad and team analysis to see just how good his signings were – suffice to say that he managed to acquire a couple of players far too good for the Championship. So the question is – what happens now? If he’s willing to spend 17m before a Championship season, what will he do this summer? He has, potentially, a couple of hundred million pounds at his disposal, as he always has, but now, as a Premiership team, so many more players will be willing to flock to the club, knowing that with the right arrivals, they could finally challenge for European places or even trophies. Just how much spending are we going to see? For the first time though, the Bandits will have other big spenders in their league. There are plenty of Premiership clubs with the ability and will to spend big money on players, and competing with that will be a new experience. And amusingly, Man Utd didn’t get promoted, the Bandits staying ahead of them on the final day, and then they lost in the playoffs. So it’s another season in the Championship for the fallen giants, and in time their star will fade. They need to get back up, and quickly – can they? The team that did win the playoffs, and therefore joins the Bandits in the Premiership, was Stoke, managed by Danny Gamble, case aside just over a year ago. Under his leadership, Stoke managed the double over the Bandits this season, how will next season go? And how will the Bandits fare against the legend that is Ryan Morley? All former Bandits are struggling in their coaching roles, perhaps those that retired will be best remembered? The Premiership had an odd look about it this season, with new contenders in Man City and Scunthorpe. However, I don’t expect those teams to remain up there with the managers they have, and in truth, Arsenal dominated a poor field, winning the treble. But under an aging and fading Gary Perry, are they going to be the next to slip? I expect Liverpool to fight back next season, as Turgay Tufan is one of the brightest prospects in management right now – the 41 year old has bags of ability, and now he has a club able to spend the money he surely can spend wisely. England continue to dominate qualifying campaigns for tournaments, but their group for the European Championships this summer is a tough one – how will they do? See, now I just want to finish this report so that I can see what happens this summer…. Bandit’s former manager watch Justin Edinburgh has retired. Steve Brackstone took Sheff Wed up six places to 11th in the Premiership. After missing out in the playoffs last season, Gery Perry’s Bolton were 18th in the Championship when they sacked him. They ended up dropping to 19th. Then, bizarrely, he was hired for the vacant role at Arsenal, after Danny Overson had jumped ship to Milan. He took them to the treble, in a stunning finish to the season, and despite not appearing to be a particularly great manager, now has a truly great job. Dean Glover has retired. Martin Lawton took Blackburn up to fourth in League One, but lost the playoff final with a goal two minutes from the end of extra time, to Colchester. Danny Gamble used all his managerial ability to take Stoke up from 14th to fourth in the Championship, and then triumphed in the playoffs. He will join the Bandits in the Premiership next season, having clinched a double against them this time around. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Bandits squad General Stats Finance Overview Interested Players Unsurprisingly, the number of players interested in joining the Bandits took a large leap with their promotion to the Premiership, improving last year’s record of 7720 to a new high of 8352. This should certainly enable the signings of many more stars this summer. Although there are some excellent players now in the Bandits squad, I would hope that by the start of the season they have the makings of a new team. Top 20 in Squad (sorted by CA) Name, Pos, Age, CA-PA Ellis, AM/F C, 25, 157-157 – new signing Baresi, D RC, 26, 156-168 – new signing Wade, GK, 24, 156-164 (+1) Leroy, AM L, 25, 156-156 – new signing Harris, DM, 25, 150-157 (-1) Holmes, D LC, 24, 150-155 (+3) O’Neill, ST, 26, 148-148 (+1) Hutton, ST, 26, 148-148 (0) M Nicholson, DC, 25, 147-153 (+4) Watt, AM C, 30, 133-135 – new signing McKenzie, MC, 35, 132-148 (-10) Miguel, D/WB L, 30, 129-134 – new signing Abbott, GK, 35, 128-133 (0) Rowland, AM R, 23, 120-134 – new signing Tomlinson, ST, 24, 120-120 (0) Johnson, AM L, 25, 119-119 (0) Leary, ST, 28, 119-119 (0) Stevens, D/WB RL, 30, 118-125 (-5) S Nicholson, AM R, 32, 116-136 (-11) Haynes, DM, 31, 114-132 (-3) Players in last season’s top 20 who have left the club: Spellman, GK, 31, 150-150 Stephenson, DR, 22. 146-161 Tillen, DC, 21, 131-148 Hatch, DR, 32, 127-148 Bevan, D/WB R, 21, 126-134 Devlin, AM RC, 29, 119-119 Players in last season’s top 20 who have dropped out of the top 20: None While the squad strength doesn’t, on paper, appear to be much stronger, the secret lies in those top few players. Ellis had a remarkable first season, playing up front and scoring hatfuls, Baresi was solid at the back, Wade was awesome in goal, and Leroy terrorized the division from the left winger all season. Their weakness was their midfield, and will it still needs improvement, the signing of Leroy especially gave them a whole new dimension, and the combination of his goals, and his bringing out the best in the strikers, is a major factor in their promotion. Which is a wonderful irony really, given that he was signed from Man Utd, who he therefore prevented from getting promoted with his performances. As far as sales went, Tillen was a good prospect but not a first teamer, so Stephenson was the only top player to leave, and he was replaced by Baresi. CA of X or above: 190 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 180 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 170 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 160 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 150 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 6 140 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 5, 5, 6, 10, 9, 9 130 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 5, 8, 10, 13, 10, 11 120 : 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 2, 2, 6, 6, 7, 5, 5, 12, 13, 14, 18, 16, 15 110 : 0, 2, 2, 3, 2, 6, 7, 6, 6, 7, 8, 7, 7, 9, 10, 10, 12, 12, 13, 13, 16, 23, 25, 23, 24, 21, 22 100 : 2, 4, 7, 7, 6, 13, 13, 12, 13, 13, 16, 12, 12, 12, 16, 16, 19, 21, 20, 18, 24, 31, 32, 28, 30, 29, 27 90 : 7, 11, 10, 9, 10, 16, 17, 15, 15, 20, 22, 16, 15, 17, 20, 22, 29, 33, 26, 24, 29, 32, 36, 31, 33, 31, 28 80 : 13, 14, 13, 13, 16, 21, 21, 18, 16, 21, 26, 20, 22, 21, 26, 26, 34, 36, 32, 31, 33, 40, 40, 33, 34, 33, 30 70 : 19, 22, 21, 20, 22, 27, 25, 19, 23, 25, 30, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 35, 39, 38, 35, 37, 42, 43, 36, 37, 36, 33 60 : 26, 26, 25, 23, 24, 32, 30, 24, 26, 30, 32, 26, 28, 28, 38, 33, 40, 44, 41, 37, 40, 45, 45, 38, 43, 37, 38 50 : 30, 31, 31, 26, 26, 35, 33, 28, 32, 34, 35, 30, 32, 34, 42, 37, 43, 46, 43, 42, 44, 49, 49, 45, 47, 43, 42 Most of the numbers are quite consistent, with the possible exception of a few dropping by one or two, but the key difference is right at the top, where the number of players with CA 150+ doubled from three to six, and it was that quality that propelled the Bandits into the big time. Now let’s hope that some of the elusive zeros from 160 up are filled. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Best and Worst New records: Highest League Position: 2nd in Championship (previous: 8th in Championship) Highest Gate Receipts: 3.6m, League Cup QF v Chelsea Highest Transfer Fee Paid: 6m for Frederic Leroy (previous: 4.9m for Bobby Mackie) Total Transfer Spending: 17.25m This season: Best player – Wade, 7.60 Top scorer – Ellis, 24 Worst player – Stevens, 6.74 The Bandits climb back above Chelsea to fourth in the rich list. Now they are in the Premiership they have the capability to spend some of those riches. Rich Clubs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 The ‘Ryan Morley’s of the world 25 year old Ryan Morley has nearly hit his potential, rising another four points of CA to reach 184, just two short of his maximum. The forward scored 24 goals for Chelsea this season, and extended his superb international record to 25 goals in 22 games, as he continues to help England thrive. He is still forced to fight for his place in the England setup despite his astonishing record, but will hope to play more than a substitute’s role in this summer’s European Championships. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Team analysis Goalkeepers James Wade (24, 156/164) has a tremendous season, playing a major part in the Bandits’ promotion by performing with an average rating of 7.60. The Bandits, as a result, had the best defensive record in the division. His Championship average of 7.65 was the highest by any player in the league. Rob Spellman has now been sold, so Ben Abbott (35, 128/133), the veteran stopper, is now his backup. Although the Bandits now have ten keepers on their books, most are hopeless reserves and youth prospects, the only one of note being Carl Bowden (17, 71/147). Summary: Wade is a superb keeper, and can perform in the Premiership, but a new backup is required now as Abbott is getting very old. Defenders Martin Stevens (30, 118/125) remains the first choice left back because Ricky Holmes (24, 150/155) is being forced to play in the centre. Miguel (30, 129/134) is a decent left back, but at the same age as Stevens isn’t going to add a lot. There was a straight swap at left back, with the sale of Stephenson, and the signing of Andrea Baresi (26, 156/168). His performances have been decent, but unspectacular, and he will need to improve if he is to continue in the Premiership. Behind him, Norman Prunty (22, 110/135) provides cover, but will never be a good enough player to play as a first choice. Matt Nicholson (25, 147/153) and Ricky Holmes (24, 150/155) continued their central defensive partnership from last season, and impressed throughout the whole season. While these two are probably adequate in the Premiership, the lack of cover for them is worrying. The Bandits were fortunate that the pair stayed injury free this season. Summary: Their defence had the best record in the Championship this season, so they are certainly doing something right, but they need a new centre back to allow Holmes to move back to the left. Even then, they’ll need another centre back at least. Midfielders Finally, the Bandits signed a decent left winger, paying Man Utd 6m for the service of Frederic Leroy (25, 156/156), and what a signing he was – ten goals, twelve assists and an average of 7.45 in his first season. Last year’s first choice, Aaron Johnson (25, 119/119) provides cover. Scott Nicholson (32, 116/136) is still the first choice on the right, but his CA dropped eleven points this season and he needs replacing before the Premiership season starts. A potential replacement is Michael Rowland (23, 120/134), who was signed last summer. Matthew McKenzie (35, 132/148) continued in central midfield, even though his CA was rapidly dropping, but after Colin Harris (25, 150/157) had been so poor for the last few seasons, the manager saw sense and gave McKenzie a new partner. That man was Jack Watt (30, 133/135) and he had an excellent debut season, averaging over 7. However, with both players in the 30s, and Harris not fitting into the formation, they need new players, and there is next to no cover. Summary: Last summer, they needed an entire midfield, this year the essentials are just one central midfielder and one right winger. They need cover beyond that too, but those two would be a good start. Strikers Rob O’Neill (26, 148/148) won his first team place back this season, after being in and out last time round, and proved his worth again, playing superbly and scoring 21 goals. But his achievements were dwarfed by those of his new strike partner, Ross Ellis (25, 157/157), a 2.9m signing from Swansea, who ended up with 24 goals and an average of 7.47. Craig Hutton (26, 148/148) provided excellent cover, chipping in with twelve goals, mainly from substitute roles. Summary: The strike trio seem like a talented bunch, and all with time on their side. If it weren’t for the promotion, I’d say they were fine here. Last season’s shopping list: Left Midfielder – signed (Leroy) Right Midfielder – not signed Central Midfielder – signed (Watt) Central Midfielder – not signed Striker – signed (Ellis) Excellent stuff from Edwards. Summer shopping list: Centre Back, Right Midfielder, Central Midfielder, plus a Premiership squad Three obvious holes in the side, but the whole lot needs strengthening if they are to bridge the huge divide between the Championship and the Premiership. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 First XI Summary GK: Wade (24, 156/164) – 7.60 LB: Stevens (30, 118/125) – 6.74 CB: M Nicholson (25, 147/153) – 7.09 CB: Holmes (24, 150/155) – 6.88 RB: Baresi (26, 156/168) – 6.74 LM: Leroy (25, 156/156) – 7.45 CM: Watt (30, 133/135) – 7.07 CM: McKenzie (35, 132/148) – 6.89 RM: S Nicholson (32, 116/136) – 6.86 ST: O’Neill (26, 148/148) – 7.17 ST: Ellis (25, 157/157) – 7.47 Average age – 27.5 (up from last year’s 25.8) Average CA – 142.6 (up from last year’s 140.7) Average rating – 7.09 (up from last year’s 6.87) The ability of the first team has crept up a couple of points, but the average rating has shot up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Ones to watch Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow: Marian Badea (19, 111/189), who can play anywhere on the left side of the pitch, is currently playing for Gloria, in Romania, and has a price tag on his head of just 5k. With no reputation, he will have to prove himself in the small leagues first, but he could have a big future. Similarly, Slim Sellami (try saying that quickly) (16, 76/188) is playing in Tunisia, but has the potential to become huge. Yet to break into his local team, can he make it? Closer to his potential is Pereira (19, 147/187), Chelsea’s Portuguese defensive midfielder, currently on loan at Celtic and starring. Expect big things from him in the next few years. Previous tips Carlo Lupo (20, 176/198) is improving fast – still at Milan, having chosen not to move to Chelsea, the centre back is now a regular starter and has appeared for Italy. Toni Halonen (20, 172, 187), the Finnish centre back, has now joined Chelsea and is fighting for a place in their star studded line up. Patrick Schmidt (29, 159/184) has gained 20 CA points this year, and has moved from Gelsenkirchen to Valencia. The right sided player has transferred his tremendous form to his new club. World beaters Ivan Kovac (29, 194/194) has taken over as the highest rated player in the world by CA. The Barcelona midfielder is just ahead of Jamie Harris (27, 193/193), Milan’s Welsh striker, and Gerardo Robles (25, 192/197), Inter’s Mexican forward, who is likely to take the top spot soon. Bizarrely, last season’s winner, Franck Camus (29, 176/198) dropped a massive 20 CA points in a shocking season for Chelsea, where he averaged a pathetic 6.05 The top Englishman comes in twelfth, and that is overworked Liverpool goalkeeper Nicky Bailey (30, 186/186), and the second Englishman? Ryan Morley (25, 184/186), who sits sixteenth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sufc-Ownage Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Woooooooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! Thanks Kip for an awesome update! Finally a premiership club, lets hope the bandits spend big and take on the might of the premiership!!! /me starts a Conga line in celebration Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreaded Walrus Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 I'm still loving the "Ones to watch" and "World beaters" sections. You have no idea how excited I am about the next update now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lufbra Bantam Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Excellent update as usual. I'd be interested in seeing a Bandits section of the "ones to watch" section. Are there any other prospects in the squad other than Bowden? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Watford_fc_4_lyf Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 /me starts a Conga line in celebration I will join the line Brilliant kip, the new man in charge is proveing himself! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpion g Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Hooray the bandits . I've been following this expiriment from early on, waiting for the bandits to reach the premiership. They finally have Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TB36 Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Great to see the bandits finally in the Premiership. Really looking forward to seeing how Phil Edwards leads them in the next update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AB-forever Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Agree with Dreaded Walrus, Lufbra Bantam and TB36 Finally in the Premiership Eagerly awaiting next update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
VonBlade Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Wow What an update. The Bandits finally reach the lofty heights of the Premier League. In, considering their starting position, double-quick time. All the new features have bedded in wonderfully and provided a thoroughly interesting report. Squad depth is absolutely the biggest gap between the EPL and Div1. If the Bandits get lucky with injuries they should survive. If they get a rash of them they could rival Sunderland. Thrilling stuff. Amazing what a new broom can do, even if it's a broom that appeared useless. Come on you Banditos! VB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiosmee Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Hey Kip, great postings as ever. Great to finally see the bandits in the promised land. I'm also pleased to see the mighty Iron challenging for the Premiership. Could you post some info on Scunny? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmitch19 Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Hi Kip - been reading this and lurking for ages and I have to say its brilliant. You were asking last week about ideas for new sections - Now the Bandits are in the Premiership, I'd like to see a piece on how the Prem has changed from the one we know today. So for example, what clubs have what facilities, stadiums size etc, what teams are the England squad playing for (I assume most still come from the prem), whats each teams average attendance etc. Thanks for a great read. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wwfan Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Originally posted by kipfizh:Ones to watch Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow: Similarly, Slim Sellami (try saying that quickly) (16, 76/188) is playing in Tunisia, but has the potential to become huge. I'm assuming he will bulk up with an Italian sausage diet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreaded Walrus Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 Yes. Less tuna, more sausage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
follow the blind Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 wow cant wait fo th enext update, theyre finally in the premiership. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJ234 Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 another great update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 man, kip, this is awesome, keep it up!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrishunt1212 Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 \O/ Wow!!! Promotion at last Can't wait for the next update KUTGW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chopper99 Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Great to see the Bandits finally make the Prem. I've been following this from day one and whenever I log onto the forums this is the first thread I check, to see if there's been an update. So excellent work Kip for keeping me interested in one thread for god knows how many months now and cheers for keeping it going and keeping the quality of updates so high. Come on the Bandits!! How far can they go? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meitheisman Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 As everyone else I'm thrilled to see that the Bandits finally made it to the EPL. Very good update again Kipfizh. I have a small request if you don't mind could you please post a screen shot of James Morley. He's about 15th in the list of interested players for the Bandits, valued at 4.4 mil pounds. I was actually wondering if he was Ryan Morley's brother Hopefully the Bandits spend a lot of money this summer and become one of the best teams in the world asap, I can't wait already! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCFCtillidie Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Am amazed at how many strikers are at the top of that interested list Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 Lufbra Bantam: Nope, no others, I'll mention any good ones. VonBlade: Interesting you should say that about squad depth, Phil Edwards appears to think the same - rather than buying a few stars, he's set about making sure there's loads of 140-160 players in the squad, rather than just a handful. Meitheisman: Here you go, he's not that good though. James Morley LCFCtillidie: Strikers are always worth more, and it's sorted in that way Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kipfizh Posted July 31, 2007 Author Share Posted July 31, 2007 Season update has been written as we go along this time, and here's part one --- As predicted, the Bandits went on a spending spree in the summer, although interestingly, Phil Edwards decided against buying a few star players, in case they were injured, and instead set about purchasing a squad – he bought no-one with CA above 160, but filled at the squad between 140 and 160 instead, so that although the first team didn’t match up against most of the league, they had the strength in depth not to be crippled by a few injuries. To give you an idea of how heavy their transfer activity was, take a look at this: Transfers In The season started extremely well, and after ten games they were sitting comfortably in mid table, but then the league really kicked into gear, and their defence struggled to hold up. Throughout the season, they conceded four goals on four occasions, and were smashed 5-1 in the FA Cup by Birmingham. Halfway through the season, after a series of losses, they fell into the relegation zone, the memory of their promising start of a few sneaked victories long behind them. Eleven games without a win put them in huge trouble until they finally beat West Ham in February, but they spent three months in the drop zone before popping their heads out with six games to go with a win over Derby. A 4-0 hammering by Sunderland brought them back down to earth, before a win over Spurs raised them out of trouble again. But the run-in was tough, and losses to Liverpool and Chelsea saw them enter the final day once again with plenty to play for. This time, they were in a worse position than ever before – every time previously, they’d been looking to hold on to a position going into the final day. This time, their appalling goal difference, a sign of how difficult they were finding the league, left them in the relegation zone, behind Aston Villa, who had come up as champions ahead of them last season. Once again, it was a last day fight, but there would be no way the Bandits could survive if Villa won. The fixtures weren’t kind – Villa were up against mid-table QPR while the Bandits were up against Man City, just one point off a Champions League spot and fighting hard. The omens looked bad. Would this be their first relegation? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeccyMatt Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 I'm all for the on-the-run season updates kip but please please please... what happens next! You've done it again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamshankley Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Oh the lack of a real managerial talent seems to have finally hit the team! Stranger things have happened on Final day of the season however! Even if the R word is achieved surely we are more poistioned to make an immediate return back into the big time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdy123 Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Love this thread. Great read Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 Come on! That's just mean! How could you leave it hanging like that! *sobbing* Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaryLawn Posted July 31, 2007 Share Posted July 31, 2007 So many memories of losing 6-0 at Fulham on 'Survival Sunday'! C'mon Bandit's! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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