AI Experiment - what would happen if?

[5ergio]

Originally posted by dryden76:

has everyone heard about the football club who were bought by an online group, we could do that for real with fisher athletic........ change the name and find 11 un ambitious 16 year old superstar footballers and sign them up...... easy enough i guess.......

I was thinking about this one for a couple of weeks, especially when I heard that those guys managed to buy a club - Ebsfleet I guess - by paying just £35 a year. Why can't we? I mean it is just £35 a year to be an "OFFICIAL" Bandits Fan & even its co-owner

Still not thinking about the update, cuz if i think, i just go pessimistic

[Snr Sarg]

Guys, Ebbsfleet Utd cost £700,000 JUST to buy it, never mind the running costs. That needs 20,000 subscribers at £35 per head, as popular as this thread is (it is the best after all!), I really cannot imagine 20,000 Bandits fans putting their cash in???

Would love to be proven wrong....

[5ergio]

I'll be most definitely in for something like that and £35 a year is nothing compared to my affectionate bond to Bandits tbh On the other hand, that's just a sweet dream in my opinion also

[Wegason]

You know, I'm surprised noone has designed a Bandits Badge/Logo, or Bandits Kits... now that would be devotion

[grazman]

Sadly I have just spent the last 5 hours or so of my life reading this. What an amazing thread.

C'mon the bandidts

[ikarus]

Blimey just finished reading all this!! Cmon the Bandits!!!!

[PoopyPants]

Originally posted by Wegason:

You know, I'm surprised noone has designed a Bandits Badge/Logo, or Bandits Kits... now that would be devotion

I would if I knew how

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by chopper99:

Going back to the number of quality regens, it would be interesting to see how many 170+PA players there are in the game world now compared to day 1 of the experiment. Is it possible to check this in any way Kip?

I have no idea how many there were at the start of the game, but there are now the following numbers of players in the world:

190+ PA: 36

180+ PA: 194

170+ PA: 559

This might be interesting to track.

Report coming right up!

[williamshankley]

[Chilliconcarnie]

*glues himself to the screen*

*refreshes GQ every 10 seconds*

Cant wait kip.

There needs to be a best thread of GQ award.... even though this has been moved to C/SU/HG....

[deltablue]

Originally posted by kipfizh:

Report coming right up!

oh yes, come on bandits (closes eyes and tenses up)

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Season report

After a summer of strengthening, the Bandits fans were looking forward to a season of serious challenge – they believed the club ready to challenge for major honours, with the increased size and ability of the squad, and for the first team they hoped that their club would reach the promised land of the Champions League.

Of course, with all that optimism came concern – what if they fell in the Champions League qualifier? What if their squad was overly stretched by the unprecedented number of tough fixtures? What if a few of their relied on stars got injured?

The Champions League draw wasn’t kind – Levski Sofia were regular qualifiers for the group stage, often going beyond, and would provide quite the obstacle. But Gustavo Hernandez, on debut, opened the scoring in Bulgaria early, and went on to receive man of the match in a terrific 3-1 win. The home leg was trickier, and with Sofia taking the lead early in the second half the team began to jitter. But they never added to that lead, the Bandits going through 3-2 on aggregate. With the group stage reach, a reputation boost was now guaranteed.

The Premiership campaign, meanwhile, had got off to a poor start, with a 3-2 loss to QPR, but two wins and a draw got them right back on track before the Champions League proper kicked off. With the Bandits finding themselves seeded low, they found themselves in a deadly group, with 22 time winners Real Madrid and last season’s powerful quarter finalists Inter. Completing the group were Sporting, also regulars in this stage of the competition. The Portuguese side provided the first fixture of the group, at the Bandits’ magnificent stadium, with a win for either side almost certainly required to give them a chance against the group’s heavyweights.

But Sporting shocked the home fans by racing into a two goal lead, before the Bandits got back into the game in the second half. Despite the visitors going down to ten men, they managed to stubbornly defend their lead and leave the Bandits with an uphill task in the group.

Next up were Real Madrid in the Bernabeu, and with little expected, the Spaniards battered the new boys into submission, eventually running out comfortable 2-0 winners.

Domestically, things were going much better, three wins and three draws taking them up to fourth, before the critical double header against Inter. With the first match at home, they picked up their first point of the group in a 1-1 draw, and the tally was doubled in Italy with the same scoreline, Eduardo Castillejo unsurprisingly scoring for the Italians. While two points from four games seemed hopeless, Inter had only four after drawing every game, and Sporting had only picked up a solitary point since their win over the Bandits, so also lay just two points ahead of them.

A 3-0 win over Tottenham sent them up to second in the Premiership before a double header against Chelsea. First up was a League Cup tie, and the Bandits knocked the favourites out 3-1, before succumbing to a 2-0 loss in the league. However, two wins and a draw quickly followed, and after thirteen games they found themselves top of the table for the first time. An extra time League Cup win over Colchester put them into the fifth round, and with the Champions League dream still hanging by a thread, they travelled to Portugal for another critical encounter in high spirits.

Early injuries to Fabien Vincent and Tom Finley threw their plans into disarray, and Sporting all put ended their hopes of staying in Europe with an eventually comfortable 2-0 win. There was better news elsewhere – Real Madrid’s win over Inter kept the Italians on four points, within reach of the Bandits in the race for a UEFA Cup slot. Inter needed to beat Sporting to qualify for the next round, but a loss, coupled with a Bandits win against the now qualified Real Madrid would see the latter at least manage to drop down to the secondary competition.

But form was fading. A 3-0 hammering at Scunthorpe was followed by disappointing draws against Stoke and Morecambe, and with the legendary Madrid coming to England, they needed the performance of their lives. The match couldn’t have got off to a worse start, Real taking the lead in the first minute, but Paul Dove sent the home crowd into raptures with an equaliser three minutes later. But summer transfer target Wesley van Grinsven gave the visitors the lead ahead, and despite a much improved performance by the Bandits, it stayed that way.

Left with just two points from an admittedly difficult group, they were in truth outclassed. But that is no disgrace – Real Madrid went on to win the trophy, Inter reached the quarter finals before again meeting the Spanish giants and losing, while Sporting made progress in the UEFA Cup before losing to Barcelona. They will get their time again.

A Europe-less remainder of the season began in earnest, with a thumping 4-0 victory at Barnsley, quickly followed up with a victory over title rivals Charlton. The improved form continued with an extra time victory over Morecambe in the League Cup quarter final, and a win over Arsenal to signal the end of the first half of the league campaign. At the halfway point, they were still top, with Chelsea, Sheff Wed and Charlton all challenging hard.

The second half of the Premiership began as the first had, with defeat by QPR dropping them to third, but a win and a draw got them back on track before the cups took over again. League One Oxford gave them an FA Cup scare, taking the tie to extra time in the replay before two Scott McDermott goals won it, and then it was the turn of the League Cup semi final against a powerful Charlton side.

A superb 2-1 victory in the away leg set the Bandits well on course for their fourth League Cup final, but then the second leg went horribly wrong. Charlton took a 2-0 lead in an impressive display, but Scott McDermott rescued the Bandits again with a goal four minutes from time. For the fourth time this season, they were headed to extra time, could they keep their perfect record going?

A Charlton red card in the first half of extra time put them on the back foot, but the match went to penalties, and it was to be the Bandits who prevailed 4-1 with a series of immaculate spot kicks. Having won the League Cup three years ago, they were back in the final.

Championship Fulham ended their FA Cup hopes in round four, but a win and two draws maintained their slender lead at the top of the Premiership. With only eleven games now left, the challenge was beginning to be taken seriously by the press, and with Stuart Davies’ men being praised for their fine season, they travelled to Wembley for their fourth League Cup final, against Sheff Wed, who sat just a couple of points behind them in the league.

The final got off to a terrible start, with Scott McDermott lasting only twelve minutes before being dismissed for a wild tackle. But with many neutrals worrying if that would ruin the spectacle, the ten men admirably controlled the first half, going into the interval scoreless. The second half began in much the same way, with Sheff Wed surprisingly dormant, and the Bandits deservedly took the lead through Juan Jose Sanchez four minutes after the restart.

Seven minutes later, Sheff Wed woke up, equalising before pressing the previously dominant side back. But they weathered the storm, and with twenty minutes to go, man of the match Barry Garrard popped up to score the winner, and send the Bandits into dreamland. The lead was comfortably retained, and they had rightfully claimed their second League Cup trophy in four years.

With players and fans buzzing alike, focus returned to the Premiership, which continued to be a very close four team race. A draw against Spurs led up to the crunch match at home to Chelsea, with the Bandits sitting two points clear of their rivals. A 1-1 draw changed very little, but wins over West Brom and Liverpool kept the lead at two points with seven games to go.

With Sheff Wed and Charlton faltering, it began to look like a two horse race, and Chelsea handed the Bandits a massive bonus, throwing away a two goal lead at home to struggling Barnsley to draw. But they couldn’t make the most of the slip, losing narrowly at Man City. With six games to play, the gap was down to a single point, although they still had a better goal difference. This one was going all the way.

With Chelsea still involved in the FA Cup and Champions League, the Bandits played twice more over the Easter weekend before their rivals got a game, drawing with Scunthorpe and beating Stoke to extend their lead to five points having played two games more. But with the pressure on Chelsea, they came from behind to beat Arsenal in the first of their games in hand, reducing the gap to two. Destiny was now out of the Bandits’ hands.

And it got worse at the weekend – they were unable to break down a stubborn Morecambe side reduced to ten men in the first half, drawing 2-2 to hand the initiative firmly to Chelsea. But the next day Chelsea lost at QPR, leaving them still three points behind with four to play, one more than the Bandits. With goal difference being a potential divider, the Bandits had +20 to Chelsea’s +18, but with the latter having scored more goals they would go top by winning their game in hand by two.

At the end of April, the press were divided. Chelsea were now out of all the cups, so both sides had only the league to focus on – Chelsea had the experience, but the Bandits had that extra win in the bag. The next weekend saw wins for both sides, the Bandits winning 2-0 against Barnsley, but with Chelsea hammering Portsmouth 4-0 they levelled the goal difference, so any win in their game in hand would now see them top. The Bandits were hoping for a slip, or for two massive wins of their own.

A slip then came, but it wasn’t from Chelsea. Charlton dealt the Bandits a potentially fatal blow in their penultimate match, winning 2-0, and leaving Chelsea with two games to find one win to take them top of the league for the first time in months. It looked grim, but this Premiership campaign was taking twists like no other, and on the Sunday West Ham beat the new favourites 2-1 to keep the race even.

The Bandits had one game to go, a home match against struggling Arsenal. Chelsea lay three points behind, with a game in hand and a better goal difference, but their run-in was tough. In the final week of the season, they would travel to fourth placed Charlton, who had beaten the Bandits only days earlier, before meeting fifth placed Sunderland on the final day. Stuart Davies’ old club would surely love to do him a massive favour.

So it was with bated breath that the Bandits squad gathered to watch Chelsea face their first hurdle. But the champions rose to the challenge, winning with a solitary second half goal. With one game to do, they were finally top, and the Bandits were playing catch up. One goal difference behind and goals scored also not working in their favour, they either had to hope for a Chelsea slip up, or win by two more goals than their rivals.

The media were loving it – the race was tight and exciting and there was a new team involved. The neutrals were cheering on the Bandits, but Chelsea had the experience. Who would win out? Both sides moved on to the final day, for one last battle.

In the eighth minute, the dream came alive, Tom Finley putting the Bandits ahead against Arsenal, and with the Chelsea match still goalless, the challengers got the bit between their teeth and attacked with free flowing vigour. Three minutes later, they doubled their lead, Michael Lancashire the scorer.

But before twenty minutes were up, bad news was coming from Stamford Bridge. Chelsea scored twice in three minutes themselves to race into a 2-0 lead, and with no more goals coming at either match before half time, the sides went into the break as they began the day, separated only by goal difference. The Bandits needed more goals, or a Sunderland comeback at Chelsea. Would they get their wish?

The Bandits pressed forward in earnest, while Chelsea waited for news, unsure as to whether they needed to extend or protect their lead. Time was running out, and fans the country over were looking glum, having hoped that Chelsea would be denied yet another title. And then with twelve minutes left, the season came alive again, with central defender Mustafa de Jong picking the perfect time to score his first goal for the Bandits, putting them into a 3-0 lead. A fourth goal, or a comeback strike for Sunderland, would give them the title.

As both matches entered the final stages, viewers around the country flicked between channels and listened intently to the radio. And then, with minutes to go, “There has been a fourth goal between the Bandits and Arsenalâ€. Who had got it?

Tragically for the Bandits, it was Arsenal. And with Tom Finley going off injured moments later, with all three substitutes used, there was no way back. Chelsea played out their two goal victory, and snatched the league by a tiny margin. It was a glorious season, but one that ultimately ended in cruel disappointment.

But as the fans reflected over the following few days, they began to take in how far they’d come. For the first time, they had competed in the Champions League, and also for the first time, they’d made a genuine challenge for the Premiership, which lasted right up until the final day. And to add to all of that, they’d won their second major trophy, winning the League Cup back after an excellent run through the competition.

Their reputation as a real Premiership force was now taking shape, and with automatic qualification assured to the Champions League group stages, they would once again be able to challenge for some of the best players around this summer.

While tinged with what might have been, there is no doubt that this has been another stunning season for the Bandits.

[kipfizh]

Honours: League Cup (2044, 2047)

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Season summary

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 – 10th, League Cup – Final

2032-33, English Championship – 12th

2033-34, English Championship – 8th

2034-35, English Championship – 21st

2035-36, English Championship – 2nd

2036-37, English Premiership – 17th

2037-38, English Premiership – 12th

2038-39, English Premiership – 15th, FA Cup – Semi-Final

2039-40, English Premiership – 11th

2040-41, English Premiership – 14th

2041-42, English Premiership – 13th

2042-43

English Premiership: (Pos 11), P 38, W 15, D 7, L 16, F 58, A 68, GD -10, Pts 52

(Media Prediction: 15th)

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: 3rd Round

2043-44

English Premiership: (Pos 6), P 38, W 16, D 9, L 13, F 47, A 47, GD 0, Pts 57

(Media Prediction: 14th)

FA Cup: Quarter-Final

League Cup: Winners

2044-45

English Premiership: (Pos 9), P 38, W 14, D 10, L 14, F 60, A 53, GD +7, Pts 52

(Media Prediction: 8th)

UEFA Cup: 1st Knockout Round

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: 3rd Round

2045-46

English Premiership: (Pos 3), P 38, W 18, D 9, L 11, F 55, A 46, GD +9, Pts 63

(Media Prediction: 9th)

Intertoto Cup: Qualified for UEFA Cup

UEFA Cup: Group Stage

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: 4th Round

2046-47

English Premiership: (Pos 2), P 38, W 19, D 13, L 6, F 63, A 40, GD +23, Pts 70

(Media Prediction: 5th)

League

Champions League: Group Stage

FA Cup: 4th Round

League Cup: Winners

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - Best and Worst

General

Stats

Finance Overview

New records:

Highest League Position: 2nd in Premiership (previous: 3rd in Premiership)

Highest Gate Receipts: 5.25m, League Cup Semi Final Second Leg v Charlton

Highest Transfer Fee Paid: 15.25m to Deportivo for Gustavo Hernandez

This season:

Best player – Paris, 7.35

Top scorer – Finley, 23

Worst player – Thompson, 6.34

The Bandits remained second in the rich list, behind Chelsea.

Rich Clubs

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - The ‘Ryan Morley’s of the world

Luke Hallett, 24, gained four more points of CA, moving on to 170, fourteen short of his potential. He has now broken into the England side, and is a regular there, but still isn’t for Chelsea, and he wants to be transfer listed. It is time he moved to a club that’ll give him regular football.

It seems that the Bandits may have got the best of Philip King. The Irish right winger, now 28, has been away from the club for a year, but dropped eleven points of CA to fall to a still impressive 166. He has played reasonably, but nowhere near well enough to justify the 30m that Chelsea paid for him.

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - Team analysis

Goalkeepers

Owen Paris (30, 155/156) managed to retain his place in goal, once again being the club’s best performer, but for once he had serious competition from new signing Liam Johnstone (27, 171/173), who also played admirably when called upon. The two mainly split the time, but more often than not Paris got the nod.

Bill Beckham (27, 156/161) found himself relegated to third choice, and spent most of the season on loan at Werder Bremen.

Summary: Paris is getting on a bit but still improving, and the signing of Johnstone gives him a fight for his place.

Genie Scout’s Suggestion: Liam Johnstone (GK)

Defenders

Chilean Luis Pizarro (32, 154/159) once again continued at left back, and continued to impress, but he lost another couple of CA points and needs replacing. His only cover is new signing Clive Thompson (25, 151/157), who struggled to settle at the club, playing poorly.

The strength in depth at right back is just as lacking, Steen Hansen (27, 159/172) continuing as first choice, paying solidly and again being backed up by Romain Delahaye (31, 142/161), who is fading in his 30s.

New signing Mustafa de Jong (26, 170/170) came in and impressed in his first season, shoring up their defence alongside another new signing, Sebastian Ernst (29, 161/165), who also performed fine.

Another of Davies’ signings, Alexandr Solovjov (31, 151/157), backed the pair up, but struggled a little, while last season’s first choice centre back, Thibault Pichet (26, 160/161), struggled to get into the team at all.

Phil Dixon (27, 151/157) and Charlie Morgan (34, 146/173), both former favourites, barely kicked a ball all season.

Summary: Both full back spots are incredibly thin, but at centre back they are superbly covered.

Genie Scout’s Suggestion: Luis Pizarro (LB), Steen Hansen (RB), Mustafa de Jong (CB), Alexandr Solovjov (CB)

Midfielders

Paul Thackeray spent the first half of the season as the Bandits’ first choice left winger, but when he was sold, new signing Juan Jose Sanchez (30, 157/157), who made a reasonable start to his career in England. Previous incumbent Roman Orlov moved into the centre, but the cover is poor.

On the right, record signing Gustavo Hernandez (28, 166/174), a 15.25m capture from Deportivo, held down a regular place, but although he scored some critical goals, his overall performances were poor. He arrival saw Barry Garrard (31, 150/169) drop to the bench, with the reserve losing eleven points of CA in a disappointing season.

Ukranian left winger Roman Orlov (30, 166/169) moved to the centre of midfield, but found it harder going in there, not reaching the heights of previous years. He was partnered by longtime regular Fabien Vincent (28, 165/181), who also struggled a little.

Behind them, Tim van den Berg (24, 157/157) had an appalling start to his Bandits career, while the fading Shaun Gibbs (31, 146/158) also struggled to make a decent impression.

Elsewhere, Adam Williamson (20, 146/189) remains a tip for stardom, rising 22 points of CA and staying on course to reach his enormous potential. He spent the season on loan at Gloucester, playing very well.

Summary: It is incredible to think that the Bandits had such a fine season when their midfield played so poorly. A new left winger is required, while everyone else desperately needs to start playing properly.

Genie Scout’s Suggestion: Roman Orlov (LM), Juan Jose Sanchez (RM), Shaun Gibbs (CM), Fabien Vincent (CM)

Strikers

Star striker Tom Finley (26, 169/169) had another superb season, adding 23 goals to his already impressive tally, with 16 in 19 for England, a statistic made even more impressive by the fact that he usually comes off the bench.

Once again, he was partnered by Scott McDermott (29, 159/159), who despite dipping below an average rating of seven, managed another eighteen goals for the Bandits.

Paul Dove (26, 171/171) provided a superb option whenever either of the main two were struggling, managing twelve goals of his own in limited performances, while Michael Lancashire (26, 165/169) added eight in a season in which he found himself mainly out of favour.

Summary: While the four did not play as well as last season, they are still a set of deadly finishers.

Genie Scout’s Suggestion: Paul Dove (ST), Tom Finley (ST)

Last season’s shopping list:

Left Back – signed (Thompson)

Right Back – not signed

Centre Back – signed (de Jong, Ernst, Solovjov)

Right Winger – signed (Hernandez)

Centre Mid – signed (van den Berg)

The squad is still quite unbalanced – at right back they are struggling, while in central midfielder van den Berg was so poor that left winger Orlov had to move into the centre.

Summer shopping list: Left Back, Right Back, Left Winger, Centre Mid

Both full back slots still need strengthening, and with Orlov getting old and playing in the centre, a new left winger and central midfielder need to be added.

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - First XI Summary

GK: Paris (30, 155/156) – 7.35

LB: Pizarro (32, 154/159) – 7.06

CB: de Jong (26, 170/170) – 6.75

CB: Ernst (29, 161/165) – 6.85

RB: Hansen (27, 159/172) – 6.90

LM: Sanchez (30, 157/157) – 6.64

CM: Vincent (28, 165/181) – 6.64

CM: Orlov (30, 166/169) – 6.49

RM: Hernandez (28, 166/174) – 6.47

ST: McDermott (29, 159/159) – 6.97

ST: Finley (26, 169/169) – 7.07

Average age – 28.6 (up from last year’s 27.8)

Average CA – 161.9 (up from last year’s 159.4)

Average rating – 6.84 (down from last year’s 7.10)

Cause for concern. They may have had an outstanding season, but it is impossible to shake off the belief that they overachieved, doing just enough to win each of their matches without actually impressing. The performances level are down so sharply from last season, and although the group stages of the Champions League didn’t help, their Premiership average ratings are still considerably lower than last season.

That said, they nearly won the league, mainly thanks to a couple of star performers in the defence and a quartet of strikers who ensured that even with injuries the side were a threat going forward. So who knows what might happen if they start playing well?

The side is getting older, and money needs to be invested in youth. However, with Stuart Davies probably one or two years from retirement, he won’t be thinking too hard about the long term future of the club – he wants medals before he goes. What state will the squad be in when he leaves? Will the next manager have a serious rebuilding job on?

[kipfizh]

Competitions - Other stats

England reached the final of the World Cup, but having been comprehensively beaten by Scotland in the group stages, they lost the repeat match in extra time, Scotland going on to become world champions for the first time. The qualifying campaign for Euro 2048 is going well though – seven wins from seven, with 22 goals scored and none conceded.

Chelsea retained the Premiership, but it was a close run thing – the Bandits were so close to becoming champions for the very first time, only losing out on goal difference on the final day after both sides dropped points in the last few weeks. Once again, their position of second was a new record, and an indication that the side is still on the way up.

The three relegated sides were no surprise, but North London had a particularly poor season, with both Arsenal and Tottenham only missing relegation by the skin of their teeth. A new record was set this year, and it wasn’t surprising – with the league so tight towards the end of the season, the Bandits-Chelsea match attracted a record Premiership crowd of 138522.

Down in the Championship, Man Utd were once again just outside the playoffs, missing them on goal difference this time. The longer they stay down there, the harder it gets to return.

Liverpool claimed the FA Cup, beating West Ham in a penalty shoot out in the final, and it was a poor season for the romantic, with no side below the Championship making it past round four. The Bandits claimed their second League Cup trophy in four years with a win over Sheff Wed, despite being down to ten men from early in the game.

After last season’s all English final, normality was restored in the Champions League final, being once again a Real Madrid against Bayern Munich tie, for the fourth time in the last six seasons. And it was Real who extended their trophy record to 22 with a penalty shoot out victory. The Bandits made an impact in their first season though, setting a new average attendance record of 93706.

It was a good season for Spanish clubs in Europe, with Barcelona edging out Sunderland in the UEFA Cup final, also on penalties.

[kipfizh]

Player reports – the original Bandits

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 162, PA 170

Remains West Ham’s assistant manager, as they come seventh in the Premiership, but is fading and he clearly doesn’t love it there – despite thirteen seasons he still doesn’t list them amongst his favourite clubs.

Goalkeeper 2 – Retired from playing 27/06/2032

2032-, Tottenham (scout), CA 170, PA 170

2033-2034, Birmingham (assistant manager), CA 170, PA 170

2034-2042, Leeds (assistant manager), CA 169, PA 170

2042-2043, Leeds (manager), CA 170, PA 170

2043-2044, No Club, CA 170, PA 170

2044-2045, Arsenal (manager), CA 170, PA 170

2045-2046, No Club, CA 167, PA 170

2046-, Morecambe (manager), CA 165, PA 170

After Morecambe struggled early in the season, Goalkeeper 2 was hired, but took the team down from 14th to 19th, and relegation. Remains in charge but will be under pressure next season.

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

2035-2041, Tottenham (assistant manager), CA 110, PA 110

2041-2042, Tottenham (manager), CA 109, PA 110

2042-, England (manager), CA 93, PA 110

Took England to the World Cup final but lost out to Scotland. Remains undeterred and after four years in the job, decided to carry on and head towards the European Championships.

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

2035-2037, Chelsea (manager), CA 130, PA 130

2037-2038, Roma (manager), CA 130, PA 130

2038-2042, Chelsea (manager), CA 129, PA 130

2042-2043, No Club, CA 130, PA 130

2043-2045, Milan (manager), CA 126, PA 130

2045-, Barcelona (manager), CA 124, PA 130

Remains at Barcelona, and took them to glory with a UEFA Cup triumph. But despite going through the entire campaign unbeaten, he is under pressure and cannot see a future for himself at the club.

Centre Mid 1 – Retired from playing 02/07/2030

2030-2032, Liverpool (youth coach), CA 110, PA 110

2032-2039, Reading (coach), CA 109, PA 110

2039-2040, No Club, CA 108, PA 110

2040-, Yeovil (coach), CA 105, PA 110

Seems to have settled as Yeovil’s coach, as they rise six places to eighth in League Two.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis - Teams and Managers

Premiership

1 (1). Chelsea, Turgay Tufan (52, 152/156)

2 (3). Bandits, Stuart Davies (64, 70/113)

3 (2). Sheff Wed, no manager

4 (7), Charlton, Brad Ryan (63, 101/120)

5 (6). Sunderland, Matthew Sadler (45, 131/131)

6 (4). Liverpool, Neil Angus (60, 133/137) (new manager)

7 (5). West Ham, Joel Lynch (59, 104/113) (new manager)

8 (11). Aston Villa, Ian Hare (51, 118/120)

9 (15). Leeds, Brian Soares (54, 72/74)

10 (10). QPR, Allen Mortimer (53, 111/114)

11 (16). Scunthorpe, Terry Arthur (59, 95/114) (new manager)

12 (P). West Brom, Adam Pullen (53, 120/120) (new manager)

13 (P). Man City, Danny Gamble (60, 101/120) (new manager)

14 (14). Crystal Palace, James Reynolds (49, 105/106)

15 (8). Barnsley, Gary Doyle (49, 120/120)

16 (9). Arsenal, Adam Pearson (58, 103/109) (new manager)

17 (12). Tottenham, Wayne Heard (53, 117/120) (new manager)

18 (P). Portsmouth, James Ainslie (41, 120/120)

19 (13). Morecambe, Goalkeeper 2 (57, 165/170) (new manager)

20 (17). Stoke, Lewis Flanagan (55, 135/138)

Tufan helped Chelsea retain the Premiership, while Stuart Davies, aided by some liberal spending, belied his poor CA to take the Bandits up to second. Sunderland and Liverpool remain in the top six with excellent managers, while Leeds are surprisingly improving under the apparently weak Brian Soares.

Three decent managers got relegation, so watch those three clubs next season – they might be coming straight back up again.

Promoted from Championship

1 ®. Derby , Mark Nicholson (45, 119/119)

2 ®. Wycombe, David Chandler (53, 102/102) (new manager)

5 (19). Newcastle, James Morgan (52, 128/130)

Nicholson takes Derby straight back into the Premiership, while Chandler comes in and does the same thing. Newcastle have a very talented manager as well, so the Premiership could be a strong place to be next season.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis - Reputation

(league position in bold)

1 (1). Chelsea (1) – 9639 (-134)

2 (2). Sheff Wed (3) – 8539 (+194)

3 (3). Liverpool (6) – 8255 (+130)

4 (4). West Ham (7) – 8028 (+202)

5 (6). Bandits (2) –7952 (+619)

6 (5). Sunderland (5) – 7794 (+389)

7 (-). Man City (13) – 7708 (-116)

8 (11). Charlton (4) – 7467 (+477)

9 (8). Arsenal (16) – 7360 (+68)

10 (9). Aston Villa (8) –7354 (+98)

11 (10). QPR (10) – 7332 (+129)

12 (-). West Brom (12) – 7260 (-25)

13 (7). Tottenham (17) – 7240 (-67)

14 (12). Leeds (9) – 6972 (+31)

15 (15). Barnsley (15) – 6938 (+504)

16 (13). Scunthorpe (11) – 6782 (+7)

17 (17). Crystal Palace (14) – 6525 (+313)

18 (14). Morecambe (19) – 5901 (-837)

19 (-). Portsmouth (18) – 5814 (-926)

20 (16). Stoke (20) – 5551 (-738)

Promoted sides

Derby – 6770 (+744)

Wycombe – 6229 (+731)

Newcastle – 6719

Chelsea mostly maintain their phenomenal reputation thanks to another Premiership victory, although the rest of the top four close in on them slightly. Their lead over the rest of the league is still over a thousand points, however, so they will take some catching.

The Bandits get a large reputation leap after appearing in the Champions League for the first time, and the rise above Sunderland despite their UEFA Cup final appearance boosting their reputation. After Man City in seventh, there is a gap down to the rest of the league.

Looking nearer the bottom, Barnsley’s impressive survival pushes their reputation up further, but all three promoted sides look in danger of slipping straight back down again.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis – Team Ability

(league position in bold)

1 (2). West Ham (7) – 74.71 (+0.25)

2 (5). Liverpool (6) – 73.29 (+1.46)

3 (1). Chelsea (1) – 72.64 (-1.92)

4 (3). Arsenal (16) – 71.59 (-1.23)

5 (7). Tottenham (17) – 71.34 (+0.34)

6 (9). Sunderland (5) – 71.32 (+0.90)

7 (-). Man City (13) – 71.29 (+1.13)

8 (6). Aston Villa (8) – 70.83 (-0.71)

9 (10). Leeds (9) – 70.80 (+1.04)

10 (4). Bandits (2) – 70.56 (-1.96)

11 (8). Sheff Wed (3) – 70.42 (-0.35)

12 (-). West Brom (12) – 69.73 (+0.82)

13 (16). QPR (10) – 68.66 (+2.07)

14 (14). Scunthorpe (11) – 68.04 (+0.60)

15 (15). Charlton (4) – 66.43 (-0.48)

16 (13). Morecambe (19) – 66.04 (-1.91)

17 (17). Crystal Palace (14) – 66.03 (+0.15)

18 (-). Portsmouth (18) – 65.85 (+2.16)

19 (18). Stoke (20) – 65.47 (-0.09)

20 (19=). Barnsley (15) – 64.82 (-0.20)

Promoted sides

Derby – 67.28 (-1.62)

Wycombe – 64.49 (-0.53)

Newcastle – 69.64

West Ham become the best side in the Premiership by some distance, but fail badly, only coming seventh in the league, while Liverpool also build a strong squad but finish outside the Champions League places.

The Premiership itself was fought out by Chelsea, who fell in skill badly but still retained the league, and the Bandits, whose aging squad suffers the worst rating hit in the league.

At the other end, Barnsley still have a very poor side, but again comfortably avoid relegation, whil perhaps Charlton were the biggest overachievers.

Newcastle have a strong looking squad for next season, but Wycombe are in danger of going straight back down.

Overachievers : Bandits, Charlton, Barnsley

Underachievers : West Ham, Arsenal, Tottenham

Title Prediction ; West Ham to surge back and take the league (I said this last year)

Relegation Prediction : Barnsley to fall, along with Wycombe and Scunthorpe

[kipfizh]

Around the clubs - Man Utd watch

Man Utd rose one spot to seventh in the Championship, but missed out on the playoffs on goal difference after losing on the final day of the season. They have now spent the last twelve seasons out of the Premiership.

With their debt now cleared, their value is on the rise again, moving up from 83m to 87m.

Reputation – 5106 (+129) (11th in Championship)

Exceeding expectations for two seasons running means that United’s reputation begins to rise again, as they jump two places up in their league to 11th.

FM Genie Scout Rating – 63.68 (+2.16) (10th)

With transfer funds now at their disposal again, United were able to strengthen their side and rise from 20th to 10th in the order of talented teams in their division, with an excellent rise in ability. If they keep this going they may one day return to the Premiership.

Finances – 19.0m (+6.5m) balance (1st), 9.8m (+9.8m) transfer fund (2nd)

Last year they were the second richest club in the league but had no transfer fund. With that balance maintained, as they became the richest club in the Championship, their funds returned, and with a healthy kitty of 9.8m they moved to improve their squad.

[kipfizh]

Summary

What a season. So close to their first Premiership title, the ultimate feeling was one of disappointment, but on reflection, it was nothing short of stunning. Their first Champions League campaign, albeit one that ended with only two points from six games, another League Cup triumph, the second major trophy in their history, and their highest ever league position ever.

Their reputation has made huge strides this season, thanks to the Champions League campaign, and with automatic qualification assured this time around, they will get at least as far again.

I hate to put a dampener on things, but I can’t help but feel that the Bandits are overachieving at present. Only listed as having the tenth best side in the Premiership, Stuart Davies is doing wonders with the resources at his disposal. But his transfer market ability is still poor, so the squad itself isn’t getting stronger, in fact it might be going the other way. With him on the brink of retirement, what will a new manager do?

That said, they were challenging for world stars last year, and with their reputation so much higher, some star names could conceivably arrive this summer.

Chelsea retained the Premiership and their enormous standing in the game, while Spain dominated European competition, Real Madrid showing the Bandits that it was no disgrace to go out to them.

Left Back continues to take England through international competitions, but Goalkeeper 2 is having a torrid managerial career, having now experienced relegation from the top flight.

Bandit’s former manager watch

Justin Edinburgh has retired.

Steve Brackstone has retired

Gary Perry has retired.

Dean Glover has retired.

Martin Lawton has retired.

After Ben Clayton had been sacked by Man City, Danny Gamble took the reins, with the club in 17th place in the Premiership. He improved their fortunes, finishing 13th.

Phil Edwards has retired.

Ben Clayton was fired by Man City on their return to the Premiership, with the side 17th in the league. Without him, they finished 13th, while Clayton is yet to find himself another job.

[kipfizh]

World View - Ones to watch

Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow:

Graham Thomas (16, 107/198) is a young centre back at Aston Villa, and with a high CA for such a young man, has a real chance of becoming a superstar for England in the future. He is yet to make his first team debut.

Francisco Javier Rua (18, 95/192) has a tougher job to reach his potential, but the young Spanish left winger is at a big club already in Valencia, but may have to wait a while for his first team opportunities.

Previous tips

Carlo Lupo (31, 180/198), the Italian centre back, is now seriously fading, losing ten points of CA, but he has another scorching season for Milan, his only blemish being six red cards, perhaps as the pace of the game gets away from him.

Toni Halonen (31, 167/187), the Finnish centre back, loses six more points of CA, but after a career of substitute appearances at Chelsea, finally becomes a regular at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League in his first season there.

Patrick Schmidt (30, 165/184) the German right sided player, drops a massive 17 CA points this season as age catches up with him, and finds himself falling out of favour with Valencia as a result.

Marian Badea (30, 166/189), the Romanian left wing back, loses another two points of CA, but once again plays well for Real Madrid.

Pereira (30, 166/187), the Portuguese defensive midfielder, continues his decline, falling twelve points, but has an excellent season for Bayern Munich nonetheless.

Aleksandras Stazys (29, 171/186), Lithuania’s left back, is already faltering, loses ten points of his CA, but made a big move from Inter to Valencia in a part exchange deal worth around 15m. After his poor attitude led to substandard performances at Inter, he plays only five times for his new club, starting well but getting booked in every match.

Tony Allison (27, 179/192), the winger and forward, surprisingly lost two CA points at a young age, but continues to impress at West Ham.

Barry Low (28, 173/195), the attacking midfielder, will never reach his peak, losing five points of ability at only 28, but he continues to play reasonably for West Ham, if not particularly impressively.

Ronnie Blundell (26, 183/195), the central midfielder, improved again, moving up two CA points. It is unlikely he will reach his massive potential, but he is playing very well for Real Madrid after moving out to Spain last year.

Hugues Guichard (25, 195/195), the French striker, remains at the peak of his ability, and may stay there for a few more years. The undoubted world beater played superbly for Bayern Munich again, scoring another 27 goals.

Bjorn Strand (24, 190/193), the Norwegian striker, continued to improve, adding three points to his total, getting him to within touching distance of his potential. Once again, he was awesome, scoring 24 goals for West Ham at an average of 7.73.

Ante Bacic (25, 189/189) the Croatian central defender, remains at his peak, and after the sale of Stazys, who he did not respect, he flourishes, averaging 7.55 for Inter.

Henrik Berg (24, 172/188), the Norwegian left winger, gained another three points of CA, and made his big move to Inter, the Italian giants paying Aston Villa 13.5m for his services. He has started fairly well for his new club.

Luke Hallett (24, 170/184), the centre back or central midfielder, gained another four points on his slow march towards his peak, but he remains at Chelsea, stuck in a squad rotation system that doesn’t suit him. With an average of just 6.27, he wants to be transfer listed.

Umit Abdulkadir (22, 188/199), the Turkish striker, made further strides, gaining five points of CA to leave him approaching the 190 mark at only 22. He will surely go on to become the best player in the world, but after much interest last summer he stayed at Trabzonspor, where he unsurprisingly shone. He has nine goals in as many games for Turkey, and has recently signed a new four year contract with his home town club. Surely he must leave soon?

Sergey Sergienko (23, 182/193), the Russian central midfielder, gained four points of CA, and moved again, from CSKA to Inter for a massive 17.5m. He has started reasonably at his new club.

Reiner Helbig (21, 178/199), the German defensive midfielder, saw his CA rise by six, and he also made his second move in a year, staying at Leverkusen for just one season before moving to Chelsea to an emormous 30m. He hasn’t impressed for them yet, but scored on his international debut.

Leonardo (20, 171/185), the Brazilian striker, climbed another five points this season, but remained at Internacional, where he is too big a fish for the pond.

Peter Schulz (22, 184/188), the German striker, impressively gained another nine points of CA, to move to within four of his potential at only 22. He had another fantastic season for Hamburg, scoring 25 goals.

Gary Cooper (21, 172/182), the English centre back, gained five more points, and became the first choice at Arsenal, although he is unsettled there and considering his options.

Fabrizio Bucci (21, 177/199), the Italian striker, is marching at speed towards his massive potential, gaining a stunning 21 CA points this season. He had an astonishing season, scoring 37 goals at an average of 7.74. With 22 points still to gain on his ability, he is a frightening prospect.

Joe Galloway (20, 159/190), the English left back, gained 13 points of CA, but is struggling to get a regular game for West Ham.

Guillaume Charton (20, 171/194), the French goalkeeper, gained eleven more CA points, but after averaging 7.53 in a stunning season for Auxerre, and making his international debut, he is joining Lyon at the end of the season.

Juan Perez (17, 120/194), the Mexican right winger, continued his steady improvement, gained fifteen more ability points, and moved from Atlante to Chivas for 22k, before becoming a regular at his new club.

Aaron Lomas (18, 120/198) the English striker, gained 22 points of CA and remained at Scunthorpe, where he is still to make his debut.

Primoz Kercmar (18, 108/190) the Norwegian defensive midfielder, gained only eleven points of CA this season, and has not yet started a game for Fredrikstad.

[kipfizh]

World View - World beaters

Spanish striker Eduardo Castillejo (27, 198/198) gained the final four points of CA he required to hit his peak, and become the best player in the world. Unlike Maia, the previous incumbent, he deserves the plaudits, consistently putting in stunning performances for Inter. His 27 goals came at an average of 7.77, while his record of 28 goals in 20 matches for Spain is remarkable. He scored against the Bandits in the Champions League this season.

Eduardo Castillejo

Hugues Guichard (25, 195/195), the French striker, remains in second spot, and is as deadly as ever for Bayern Munich, adding another 27 goals in a fantastic season. Big and fast, he is a handful for anyone.

Hugues Guichard

Former top Bjorn Strand (24, 190/193) is a newcomer to the list, coming in third place, and he completes a trio of dangerous strikers in the world beaters section this season. The Norwegian scored 24 goals for West Ham at an average of 7.73, and is becoming a true star.

Bjorn Strand

Two former tips, Ante Bacic and Umit Abdulkadir, may make this list next season, as their CAs are 189 and 188 respectively, but with Maia’s CA falling eighteen points to 181, and Lupo’s another ten down to 180, these three are the only 190 CA players in the world right now. Europe should be a freescoring place.

[kipfizh]

World View - Distribution of 180+ CA players

The clubs

Inter – 4 (-0.5) (198, 189, 187, 182)

Chelsea – 4 (+1) (185, 184, 183, 180)

Valencia – 4 (-1) (182, 181, 181, 180)

Bayern Munich – 3 (-) (195, 184, 181)

Real Madrid – 3 (+1) (188, 183, 180)

Milan – 3 (-0.5) (181, 180, 180)

West Ham – 2 (-1) (190, 180)

Arsenal – 2 (-) (184, 182)

Trabzonspor – 1 (-) (188)

Liverpool – 1 (-) (188)

Tottenham – 1 (-) (185)

Hamburg – 1 (+1) (184)

QPR – 1 (-) (183)

Roma – 1 (-) (181)

Schalke – 1 (+1) (180)

Veracruz – 1 (+1) (180)

Total – 33 (+2)

The number of star players climbs again, this time to 33, although only three of those have hit the 190 mark, the rest are between 180 and 189. Inter, Chelsea and Valencia now all have four players, while Schalke, and Veracruz of Chile enter the list for the first time.

The leagues

England – 11 (-)

Italy – 8 (-1)

Spain – 7 (-)

Germany – 5 (+2)

Turkey – 1 (-)

Chile – 1 (+1)

Total – 33 (+2)

Not much change this season, with few of the stars moving around, but Germany progress with five stars, and Chile appear on the list for the first time. If Abdulkadir doesn’t leave Trabzonspor soon, Turkey may yet have the best player in the world.

The nationalities

France – 4 (-)

England – 4 (-1)

Spain – 3 (-)

Italy – 3 (-)

Germany – 3 (+1)

Portugal – 3 (-)

Norway – 1 (-)

Croatia – 1 (-)

Turkey – 1 (-)

Holland – 1 (-)

Nigeria – 1 (-)

Czech Republic – 1 (-)

Russia – 1 (+1)

Argentina – 1 (-)

Romania – 1 (+1)

Chile – 1 (+1)

Peru – 1 (+1)

Scotland – 1 (-)

Brazil – 1 (-1)

Lithuania – 0 (-1)

Total – 33 (+2)

The big nations all have the spread of best players as usual, but Chile, Romania and Peru are newcomers to the list.

[BenArsenal]

Scotland world champions!

Not as unlikely as you think.

[kipfizh]

As requested, the five best players from Denmark are:

Steen Hansen (27, 159/172), who is currently first choice right back at the Bandits.

Jesper Christoffersen (32, 159/167), who is a fading left or centre back who has been at Aston Villa for years.

Jacob Madsen (24, 157/189), a stunning prospect among many at West Ham. The left back spent last season on loan to Piacenza, and has a big future.

Nicklas Johansen (20, 155/179), another player with real potential, is a striker owned by Brondby and already capped by Denmark.

Lasse Vigh (25, 154/164) is Tottenham's first choice left back.

Looking at PA, Madsen and Johansen are the best two by miles.

[homerjnick]

Gutted they lost the Premiership on the last day due to goal difference!

[williamshankley]

So near yet so far!

Will be Another interesting Summer

[Harv88]

devastating to lose out on the last day of the season, hopefully next season will be the year of the bandits!! also and im sorry if this has already been asked but is there a chance of actually getting the save game?

[kipfizh]

Now this is interesting.

At the beginning of the 2047-48 season, Stuart Davies announces that this will be his last year in football.

Also, Goalkeeper 1 comes home, returning to become the Bandits assistant manager after staying at West Ham so long.

Being groomed for the job, do you think?

[chopper99]

Hmmm, that is interesting.

As pleased as I am to see one of the original Bandits finally return I'm not sure I'd want him to be manager. None of the other ex-bandits have done that well in management, which could be a product of the low ambition attributes they were given.

Any chance of a screenie of GK 2's attributes at some point?

[williamshankley]

Goalkeeper 1's screenshot would nice too see!

I predict finally fulfilling potential if He does get the job!

[deltablue]

argh, so close. still next year will be our yeat, I can feel it.

[chopper99]

Obviously I mean can we have a screenie of GK 1's attributes

[coldkohmew]

Go bandits go!!!

Final Target:world club champs!!!

[Mravac Kid]

Originally posted by kipfizh:

Now this is interesting.

At the beginning of the 2047-48 season, Stuart Davies announces that this will be his last year in football.

Also, Goalkeeper 1 comes home, returning to become the Bandits assistant manager after staying at West Ham so long.

Being groomed for the job, do you think?

OMG!

This is very, very interesting news... with his mental stats (I assume they're about the same as when he was a player) and CA/PA, he may take Bandits to unseen heights yet.

I am very excited by this turn of events...

[Wanson]

Originally posted by Mravac Kid:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kipfizh:

Now this is interesting.

At the beginning of the 2047-48 season, Stuart Davies announces that this will be his last year in football.

Also, Goalkeeper 1 comes home, returning to become the Bandits assistant manager after staying at West Ham so long.

Being groomed for the job, do you think?

OMG!

This is very, very interesting news... with his mental stats (I assume they're about the same as when he was a player) and CA/PA, he may take Bandits to unseen heights yet.

I am very excited by this turn of events... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

The big problem with the Bandits former superstars is their lack of ambition. If Goalkeeper 1 becomes manager will he be able to motivate the team to be champions or would he be happy being a perennial also-ran.

[Chilliconcarnie]

Awww no way!

Heres hoping for next season

Im quite frankly surprised its taken this long for a former bandit to come back... you would have thought they woudl have returned sooner....

[Number 7]

So close.. c'mon Bandits!

[AB-forever]

Originally posted by kipfizh:

As requested, the five best players from Denmark are:

Steen Hansen (27, 159/172), who is currently first choice right back at the Bandits.

Jesper Christoffersen (32, 159/167), who is a fading left or centre back who has been at Aston Villa for years.

Jacob Madsen (24, 157/189), a stunning prospect among many at West Ham. The left back spent last season on loan to Piacenza, and has a big future.

Nicklas Johansen (20, 155/179), another player with real potential, is a striker owned by Brondby and already capped by Denmark.

Lasse Vigh (25, 154/164) is Tottenham's first choice left back.

Looking at PA, Madsen and Johansen are the best two by miles.

Thanks!!

So it's just like IRL

I kind of hope that the Bandits buy Nicklas Johansen

Goalkeeper 1 coming home!! I hope his low ambition won't harm the club if becomes manager...

KUTGW!!!

[Mravac Kid]

Originally posted by Wanson:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mravac Kid:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by kipfizh:

Now this is interesting.

At the beginning of the 2047-48 season, Stuart Davies announces that this will be his last year in football.

Also, Goalkeeper 1 comes home, returning to become the Bandits assistant manager after staying at West Ham so long.

Being groomed for the job, do you think?

OMG!

This is very, very interesting news... with his mental stats (I assume they're about the same as when he was a player) and CA/PA, he may take Bandits to unseen heights yet.

I am very excited by this turn of events... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>The big problem with the Bandits former superstars is their lack of ambition. If Goalkeeper 1 becomes manager will he be able to motivate the team to be champions or would he be happy being a perennial also-ran. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

They were given top mental stats, which includes determination, influence and consistency. They may not actively pursue a managing job, but once they have one they'll do their best to do it right. And the keepers have by far the highest CA and PA of all the staff in the game.

[crewe_york]

Great to see the Bandits doing so well.

I was wondering that because of Englands failure to qualify for Euro 2008 and the supposed lack of depth of the english team due to fact that to many foreigners are playing in the premiership, how is the premiership in the 2040's concerning foreigners or is it mostly english players playing in the premier league?

[FlownCanary]

Awww! Unbeleivable! Bandits got screwed! I call shenanigans! Nah, I'm just gutted we lost! Never mind, With GK 1 coming home I would love to see him become manager but I have to echo what others have said and hope he doesn't harm the club rather than help it. Are the bandits down as one of his favourite clubs? It would probably help if they were? And as a quick question, who is the most obscure player in the squad, like nationality wise? Do you have any players from like Turkmenistan or really far abroad?

Can't wait for next season!

[Marky Mark!]

Hey Kip, great work, keep it up.

Disapointing to see the bandits miss out on goal diference, but with GK 1 returning to the side I'm hoping he can take over and guide the side to glory whilst the squad is still in its peak.

Also, given there was mention of how long the updats take you (they have grwon considerably since the first few), I personally skim over the 'world view' updates, and think that not much would be lost (and a bit of time saved by yourself) if they were cut from the updates. Of course Im sure other will disagree!

[earmack]

I've noticed the (bandits game) premiership teams have quite low 'team ability' In my 07 game with Barnet in the championship I had a team ability of 68 and that was only the 5th highest in the league. The best premiership teams had 78 or so (about 4 of them did). This was in 2012. Does this mean the quality of the players in the database drop significantly over time?

[blowcrapup]

Originally posted by Marky Mark!:

Hey Kip, great work, keep it up.

Disapointing to see the bandits miss out on goal diference, but with GK 1 returning to the side I'm hoping he can take over and guide the side to glory whilst the squad is still in its peak.

Also, given there was mention of how long the updats take you (they have grwon considerably since the first few), I personally skim over the 'world view' updates, and think that not much would be lost (and a bit of time saved by yourself) if they were cut from the updates. Of course Im sure other will disagree!

I agree I just skim over the "world view" section or skip it all together.