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I can't think of a title pun, but I'm playing with Hall Road Rangers FC

CityAndColour

By CityAndColour,
in FM Career Updates

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Yeah it's an odd one. Probably something to do with the database I'm using but at least it makes the save more interesting. Plus none of them have gotten any further than the Conference anyway, so it's not like park sides are infiltrating league football!

Bartley Green were docked 10 points for going into admin and look odds-on for relegation, but that hasn't stopped them knocking me out of both cups and having 20+ shots against me in the league recently, just to add a postcript to the playoff defeat two seasons to go. I'll certainly be glad to see the back of them.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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As of 16 May 2019, Ghana are the number one nation in world football, the first time I've seen an African nation in top spot.

England are 13th, after spending most of 2014-16 in top spot, and are currently managed by none other than Henning Berg.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Hall Road Rangers FC - 2018/19 - Blue Square North

Hall%20Road%20Rangers%20FC.gif

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Final Standings

final201819.jpg

It was a poor end, but progress was definitely made this campaign. I stuck with my trusty 4-2-3-1 and managed to scrape together eight wins from the first 12, which put us top of the tree. Then we lost an incredible eight of our next nine games to plummet down the table, proving once more that my systems rely on morale and motivation and not any tactical nous.

I've been reluctant to change formation purely because it has brought the team so much success, but after a home loss to Alfreton I decided something had to be done. I had only two strikers in the squad, but they were both very good, so out came an attacking 4-4-2 which turned our season around. We ended up finishing second, mainly behind the form of our front two.

First leg of the playoffs was against Kidderminster at Aggborough, and we raced into a 4-0 lead inside the first hour, all but booking our place in the final, which we eventually did 5-2 on aggregate.

Unfortunately, while it was a very even final, FC Halifax took their chances where we didn't, and we went down 1-3 to extend our BSN stay to a fourth season.

Cups

FA Cup - We beat Pangea's Walton & Hersham before being knocked our in the 3rd Qualifying Round by Bartley Green.

FA Trophy - Bartley Green again, this time at home and again in the 3rd Qualifying Round. Thank Christ they went into administration and got relegated.

Key Players

James Saunders - I wanted a 20 goal striker and I got so much more than that. Despite missing seven of the first nine league games with a hip injury, he still notched 31 league goals at an average rating of 7.59. One of the best finishers I've ever managed; he literally put away everything inside 18 yards.

Won both POTY and the Golden Boot, set the club single season scoring records and also set the club record for fastest goal with

in 19 seconds against Altrincham.

Finally, just to give an idea of how lethal he was at the business end; at the start of March he had 15 league goals, a full ten behind the division's top scorer. He ended up winning that award by 32 goals to 30.

Júlio - After an indifferent start, he really excelled as a supporting striker and found his scoring boots towards the end of the season. Finished with 17 goals and 19 assists, and the second highest average rating in the league.

Paul Brennan - Was superb in a ball-winning role, ranking second in the league with 5.29 tackles per game, to go along with 252 interceptions. Also spent time at centre half and at left back when injuries demanded it.

Charlie Bah - Our most effective defender all season, and provided a threat at set pieces with his seven goals.

We hope you enjoyed your stay...

Despite being a club favourite and having made 261 club appearances, Ibrahim Willinton found himself transfer-listed by season's end after he was fined for a 5th time for poor performance. Contract is expiring and while he is 'determined to provde his worth to the team', he won't get that chance as I've lost all faith.

He looks great, but Kieron Madden was anything but in goal, and as the club's highest paid player, letting in almost every single shot from outside the box doesn't really justify that. Will not be renewed and has taught me a valuable lesson about making sure you have two reliable keepers in the squad.

Next season...

As long as Saunders is about, we need to be aiming for the league title. I hate playoffs, but I'm optimistic going into next season.

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2011/12 - Northern Counties East Premier - 3rd

2012/13 - Northern Counties East Premier - 1st (promoted as champions)

2013/14 - Northern Premier League Div. 1 North - 1st (promoted as champions)

2014/15 - Northern Premier League Premier - 4th (lost in playoff semis)

2015/16 - Northern Counties League Premier - 1st (promoted as champions)

2016/17 - Blue Square North - 5th (lost in playoff semis)

2017/18 - Blue Square North - 10th

2018/19 - Blue Square North - 2nd (lost playoff final)

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Pangaea

Pangaea

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FA Cup - We beat Pangea's Walton & Hersham before being knocked our in the 3rd Qualifying Round by Bartley Green.

*shakes head with stern look on face*

Sucks to be so close to promotion, but yet so far away. Hopefully can take that last step next season, provided the tactic works for you then too. I know a little about having to change tactics every now and then because we play like donkeys. Good luck next season.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Hope Saunders can fire you to top spot.

If he stays healthy I am confident, as his pace and finishing is far beyond what BSN defenders can handle.

Love this thread please keep updating! But what happened to Kumar?

He is still club captain, but not a starting XI player anymore. I also don't play with an AMC now so he is backs up central midfield.

Now it's Dudley Sports. :D

Yep. In this save, it seems the best way to ensure success is to not have a proper logo.

So close... again. Really bad luck to miss out via the playoffs; hopefully you can avoid them next season and go up in the automatic spot.

Thanks - I think we'll be there or thereabouts. Just need to find a keeper who is somewhat capable of using his hands.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Which link sorry? The database link in the OP?

Anyway will do a season review soon. In the meantime, my chairman's status has suddenly gone to "willing to listen to offers" after being "loves the club" for so long. Perhaps he's sick of putting in his own cash every month? Either way, he's been very generous with his budgets for this coming season, allowing me to sign a long-term target and several other good players, but I'll keep posted about the progress of any potential takeovers.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Premier League: Man City (Watford, Blackburn, Aston Villa)

Championship: Stoke; Southampton, Bolton (Sheff Wednesday, Derby, Nottingham Forest)

League One: Doncaster; Stockport, Crewe (Gillingham, Yeovil, Barnet, Cheltenham)

League Two Rochdale; Exeter, Scunthorpe, Bristol Rovers (Stevenage, Crawley)

FA Cup: Sunderland (West Brom runners-up)

League Cup: Man City (Liverpool)

Johnstone's Paint: Wigan (Aldershot)

BSP: Tamworth; Walsall (Salisbury, Gateshead, AFC Telford, Dagenham & Redbridge)

BSN: Dudley Sports; FC Halifax (Bartley Green, Corby, Stalybridge)

BSS: Lewes; Merthyr Town (Basingstoke, Havant & Waterlooville, Wealdstone)

FA Trophy: Merthyr Town (Hayes & Yeading)

Ryman Premier: Needham Market; Tonbridge (AFC Sudbury, Braintree, Hitchin, Hampton & Richmond)

Evo-Stik Southern Premier: Gloucester; London Lions (Weston-super-Mare, Ascot, Leamington, Haringey)

Evo-Stik Northern Premier: Gilford Park; Greenwood (Boston Utd, Bradford PA, Nantwich, Stafford)

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UEFA Champions League: Barcelona (Bayern Munich)

Europa League: Juventus (Paris Saint-Germain)

Super Cup: Barcelona (Sunderland)

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Thanks all!

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Anyway, the season started in quite an amusing way:

drawsallround.jpg

The team has started with fives wins and two draws from the first seven, to sit top of the table, thanks in no small part to Saunders, who has had the following start to his season:

saundersstart.jpg

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Just one other observation. I have brought up in this thread before the ridiculous scouting abilities of Colwyn Bay, and I know the seemingly non-existent home grown rules and scouting of the English-based Welsh clubs has been brought up in the bugs forum a few months ago. Check out the off-season recruiting of Colwyn Bay:

Miroslav Urbanek - Signed from Slavia Prague.

Jacob Beck - signed from Lyngby.

Peder Sommer - Signed from FC Midtjylland.

Ronny Daae Meyer - Signed from Vålerenga

João Bento Signed from Benfica.

All either Championship standard or the potential to be.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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January 2020 Update

jan2020.jpg

Solid enough. We were unbeaten through our first 19 league games, then predictably went on a run of three losses and two draws, before pulling things back with a terrific 2-0 win at Histon. I can't see us catching Colwyn Bay, given they have a squad that would probably be challenging for promotion in the Football League, and I've already played them twice.

Saunders still leads the way in the league with 18 goals and a 7.63 rating, but he's missed a few games with injury. The rest of the squad has been performing to the level I'd expect, however we have been crippled with injuries and suspensions of late.

Twice we've been put under a transfer embargo as talks with a "local businessman" take place, and twice these talks have broken down and the embargo removed within a matter of days.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Pretty much one every season. Gillford Park are now equal second with me, and I've just had a gander at their squad to discover plenty of players far too good for this level. I think some of the teams in this database haven't had their facilities set to the lowest standard, but it's too late to address that now.

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City2000

City2000

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Hopefully this will be the year for that promotion, seems it's been hard to find that consistency.

The Colwyn Bay thing seems a bit odd, it's a shame aswell as those playoffs are a total lottery, at least if they do win the league this year it gets them out of the way for next year.

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FCUtdWill

FCUtdWill

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Pretty much one every season. Gillford Park are now equal second with me, and I've just had a gander at their squad to discover plenty of players far too good for this level. I think some of the teams in this database haven't had their facilities set to the lowest standard, but it's too late to address that now.

A lot of the "new" created clubs in L10 have their youth facilities/coaching set to 10 rather than 0 or 1 at that level. So that's why you've got teams easily going up the leagues. Look at Loughborough Uni for example, they start in the Midland Alliance and can go far.

Keep up the good work, really like this :)

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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A bit of a sad update - my hard drive has died, and while I had back-up saves, they were all on the now defunct drive. I have a new laptop on the way anyway but I'm not sure whether to try and retrieve data from the old drive or just start a new save, probably with Uncle Ron's database.

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CityAndColour

CityAndColour

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Just old age I guess. It's been showing signs for awhile but I stupidly never backed up my saves externally.

New laptop is up and running and I've decided to start afresh, mainly because I had some issues with the database I was using (facilities being too good for many clubs, no regional cups, seasons finishing in June etc) so I'm going to start afresh with Uncle Ron's DB, which seems to be the most reputed.

Apologies to all who were following this, but I'll have a new update thread to follow.

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