AI Experiment - The Bandits, The Sheriffs and FM12

[DB1]

Hopefully the Bandits will invest well. Mclean shows a promising start to transfers in

[Lord Sidious]

McLean is playing for the Sheriffs, unless i am mistaken.

[G_D_K]

Expect a few of the Starletts to still be around --- so the Sherriffs won't (yet) be the stronger team I don't think. Hope the managers get some good talent replacements in for those that do leave!

[leonavich]

Bandits dropped some points, but every team will have an off day at some stage. Surprised that the bandits have won every meeting so far against the Sheriffs though. I think the fact that the bandits are not only loyal but love the team and play as a unit is helping them destroy Sheriffs game after game.

January will be an interesting window though. It looks like Bandits have a bit of pulling power especially with the high profile transfer earlier. 123 CA is going to be a solid player for the next few leagues.

[RSCA4Ever]

Finance and Staff

Finance

Barcelona and Real Madrid lead the way with the Sheriffs an impressive fourth with an estimated value of £227m. Weirdly, the Bandits are valued at just £18.25m, and are nowhere to be seen.

Is it possible that the Bandits stadium isn't owned by the club?

In FM11 I had a team that leased their stadium, many years later they decided to build a new stadium and the value went up quite a lot when it was done.

Maybe that can explain the difference.

[BuffaloPhil]

Is it possible that the Bandits stadium isn't owned by the club?

In FM11 I had a team that leased their stadium, many years later they decided to build a new stadium and the value went up quite a lot when it was done.

Maybe that can explain the difference.

You may well be right, I know that Poole Town (who were edited to become the Bandits) do not own their own ground, they rent from the local council, whereas Wimborne Town (who became the Sheriffs) do own their own ground. Kip's edited the grounds to be somewhat impressive IIRC but he may have missed that and those two points together could well explain the big difference in club values.

If that is the case, it will be interesting to see how that affects things, and whether the Bandits do ever purchase their ground or build their own stadium.

[DB1]

McLean is playing for the Sheriffs, unless i am mistaken.

Your right, oops, my bad

[Swolo]

You may well be right, I know that Poole Town (who were edited to become the Bandits) do not own their own ground, they rent from the local council, whereas Wimborne Town (who became the Sheriffs) do own their own ground. Kip's edited the grounds to be somewhat impressive IIRC but he may have missed that and those two points together could well explain the big difference in club values.

If that is the case, it will be interesting to see how that affects things, and whether the Bandits do ever purchase their ground or build their own stadium.

I tried a similar thing on my football manager 2012 making three clubs with massive stadiums, sugar daddies and the like, however the game for some reason decided that at the end of the season one of the three clubs went from 1.5 billion pounds, to 20 million pounds in value every time it was the end of the season, then once the season started up again, the value shot back up, so it could also be that the game just has a small malfunction. I hope though that it is due to something like the leasing of grounds, rather than a flawed valuing system.

[kipfizh]

Hello again.

Right, some answers. Firstly, there have been some transfers - I was somewhat fooled by the fact that the Bandits and Sheriffs are currently not bound by the transfer windows, which is why I missed a few transfers.

Bandits

We've already covered their sales up until the end of August, which included Centre Backs 1 and 3, Right Back 1, Left Back 1, Attacking Mid 1 and Strikers 1 and 3, but they have sold one more player since the transfer window closed. Remember Mike Anderson, one of their better centre halves who also popped up with quite a few goals from set pieces? Well, they sold him for £50k. Who do you think they sold him to? Go on, have a guess....

Sheriffs

Having somehow convinced the Bandits to sell them the very decent Anderson, the Sheriffs went out and splashed £550k on Sunderland's James McClean, who at 23 becomes their highest non-idiot CA player, with 123 (Hamilton is next with 109), along with a PA of 140.

Nice purchase.

Regarding the stadium ownership - a great deduction by RCSA4Ever - Sheriffs own their ground, the Bandits don't.

[kipfizh]

Season report – 2012/13 – January

Open the floodgates

The transfer window opened with a far increased interest in the starlets, with the Bandits facing a much tougher challenge to keep hold of them than normal. But before the carnage began, they were able to beat Hemel Hempstead 3-0 in the league to catch up one of their games in hand on the Sheriffs.

Following that, the Bandits faced Colchester at home in the third round of the FA Cup, in a tie that was picked for television, perhaps unsurprisingly given how ruthlessly the Bandits had dispatched of their previous illustrious opponents.

And this tie appeared to be no different when the Bandits came flying out of the blocks, testing the Colchester keeper time and time again. But all attempts were resisted, and the match went into the break locked at 0-0. The second half followed a similar pattern, before Wayne Mason finally broke the deadlock, putting the Bandits ahead with sixteen minutes left. A single goal lead might have been cause for nerves, but in truth Colchester never looked like levelling, and the Bandits ran out 1-0 winners, outshooting their opponents 24-1 in another one-sided display.

But bad news was to follow – it was to be the final match for Centre Back 4, who joined Peterborough for £350k, and Defensive Mid 1, who moved to Serie A outfit Cagliari for £900k. Right Mid 1, who helped them to a 6-0 win over Bashley days later, then followed, joining Southampton for £875k.

The Sheriffs were having a different form of trouble. Lazy Idiot Str and Lazy Idiot Def both picked up stupid red cards, the latter being fined for his trouble, as their squad threatened to implode. But on the field, performances were still excellent – 7-2, 3-1 and 6-0 victories keeping them on top of the league, and ensuring that the ever depleting Bandits had to keep winning to stay in touch.

And that ability of the Bandits to win games was being stretched to the limit. Their very next game, away to Barwell, saw them come up against an excellent keeper, only for an own goal to hand them victory in the final minute. Following the game, the Bandits then suffered two more departures – Left Mid 1 moving to Denmark to join FC Copenhagen for £750k, and Centre Back 2 signing for Watford for £220k.

Still a strong side, they beat Weston-super-Mare 4-0 in their next game, before the crunch match with the Sheriffs arrived.

All had been quiet on the Sheriffs transfer front, and unlike their great rivals, they were growing in confidence, preparing for the big game with 6-0 and 8-0 victories in the league.

A potential decider

Going into the clash at the home of the Bandits, the Sheriffs remained eight points clear, having played three games more than their bitter rivals. The Bandits knew that they could still go top with victories in all three games in hand, so a draw would theoretically keep them in a good position, but dropping points was now so much more likely with the number of departures. Both sides knew that a victory could be a hammer blow for the other club.

To add to that, the form book had been reversed – it was the Sheriffs coming into the game on form, with the Bandits struggling with injuries and sales.

Despite this, the Bandits started the stronger, perhaps reminding their cocky opponents that they retained a 100% record in these meetings, and still had the players to make a difference – eight starlets still began the game, with only two idiots lining up for the Sheriffs. But it was Striker 4’s partner, Wayne Mason, who would break the deadlock, giving the Bandits a deserved lead at half time.

The Sheriffs came out for the second period with intent, perhaps aware that a defeat could spell the end of their title challenge, and as a result of their resurgence, Scott Hamilton levelled the match after 55 minutes. Both sides traded blows, with the Bandits still edging it, before the deciding goal arrived, just six minutes from time.

And once again, it was the Bandits that got it – Right Mid 2 slamming home and bringing him team within five points of the Sheriffs, still with three games in hand. It was cruel on the Sheriffs, who must now contemplate how they lost to their opponents for a seventh successive time.

Ending the month

The Bandits rallied after their victory over the Sheriffs, and won their final two games of the month, 8-0 at Frome in the Red Insure Cup and 5-0 at home to Brackley in the league. With just one draw all season, they end January with a 24-1-0 record, giving them 73 points from 25 games.

The Sheriffs also showed the ability to bounce back, winning 3-0 at home to Chesham in the Red Insure Cup and 6-1 against Chippenham in the league, but it would take a brave bet on them to win the league now. Their record is 26-0-2, giving them 78 points from 28 games.

The Bandits saw no further exits, and they are still left with ten starlets, although Striker 2 has been injured almost all season with a torn calf. They should have enough to win the league now.

The Sheriffs, somewhat oddly, sold Scott Hamilton to Sheff Wed for just £20k, an odd move given his 109 CA and impressive performances – the attacking midfielder had twelve goals already this season. However, they compensated by signing Jimmy Ryan on a free transfer from Scunthorpe – the 24 year old central midfielder has 95 CA and 119 PA.

[snootyjim]

How much are the Bandits paying in rent for their stadium then? Did you give them any expansion potential in the future or are the stadia already at the limit?

Could result in them taking fairly different paths in a few seasons to come, although I'd expect them to be so strong financially that it makes little obvious difference.

[G_D_K]

A lot of starletts left (as expected) --- but still a good core to finish the season with. Expect all but one or two to be gone by start of next season. Good showing by the Bandits in both cup and league---they should be able to finish the league off with what they've left. Not sure they'll be able to advance any further in the cup (guess it depends on draw)---but they've surely exceeded expectations there already.

[yugo23]

I still hope we can see the Bandits lift FA Cup trophy. Will the Sheriffs ever win game against the Bandits? :confused:

[7Bestie7]

It would be funny if the Bandits ended up having the far superior record between the two teams but the Bandits were the more successful.

[magicmastermind124]

Of course, the Level 7 & 8 file uses realistic transfer rules and so there is no transfer window below Level 5 of English football.

[leonavich]

Surprising that the Sheriffs just cannot seem to get a break against the bandits! But as a Bandits fan, I'm glad

Of course, the Level 7 & 8 file uses realistic transfer rules and so there is no transfer window below Level 5 of English football.

I love having these extra leagues, though I have the same file but noticed that competitions like the Alan Boon cup after the first season start to have premier league teams in it. Have you noticed this happening yet Kip?

[5ergio]

Get in! So many starlets leaving, even letting Anderson go to the arch rivals, and still just 5 points behind with 3 games in hand! We should finish this league with no dropped points from now on and try to build a strong squad for the next season as we are surely going to lose the rest of the starlets by august latest.

[aldojags]

Just found this thread, had a quick read through the previous versions, absolute quality! The first version was epic, just skim read random pages, but supreme effort mate, good on you.

Can't believe they went 50+ seasons with no fa cup or league! Anyways, will be following this version from now on, looking forward to it!

[kipfizh]

How much are the Bandits paying in rent for their stadium then? Did you give them any expansion potential in the future or are the stadia already at the limit?

Could result in them taking fairly different paths in a few seasons to come, although I'd expect them to be so strong financially that it makes little obvious difference.

Not sure on the cost, but both clubs have massive expansion capacity. I'll look into costs at the end of the season, but I agree - their financial strength means it probably matters little.

[kipfizh]

I still hope we can see the Bandits lift FA Cup trophy. Will the Sheriffs ever win game against the Bandits? :confused:

Well, they will have another chance in the Red Insure Cup quarter final, where they have been paired together.

[kipfizh]

Get in! So many starlets leaving, even letting Anderson go to the arch rivals, and still just 5 points behind with 3 games in hand! We should finish this league with no dropped points from now on and try to build a strong squad for the next season as we are surely going to lose the rest of the starlets by august latest.

It does feel a little like the Bandits are hanging on - it might not seem like it but the drop in quality will soon be stark. So far, starlets have been replaced with starlets, and then a handful of other players. But now for every starlet that leaves, there is no-one to replace them. The next year might see some changes.

[kipfizh]

Just found this thread, had a quick read through the previous versions, absolute quality! The first version was epic, just skim read random pages, but supreme effort mate, good on you.

Can't believe they went 50+ seasons with no fa cup or league! Anyways, will be following this version from now on, looking forward to it!

Wow - that is some commitment, reading through all of that! The FM087 one was a bit epic - and a tale of never quite making it.

[kipfizh]

Surprising that the Sheriffs just cannot seem to get a break against the bandits! But as a Bandits fan, I'm glad

I love having these extra leagues, though I have the same file but noticed that competitions like the Alan Boon cup after the first season start to have premier league teams in it. Have you noticed this happening yet Kip?

Not so far. The database updates are brilliant - great work by those involved.

[magicmastermind124]

Surprising that the Sheriffs just cannot seem to get a break against the bandits! But as a Bandits fan, I'm glad

I love having these extra leagues, though I have the same file but noticed that competitions like the Alan Boon cup after the first season start to have premier league teams in it. Have you noticed this happening yet Kip?

There were some problems with the initial releases but they have since been patched. Sorry if it affected your save.

[leonavich]

There were some problems with the initial releases but they have since been patched. Sorry if it affected your save.

No it's fine! absolutely love it! About 13 years into a save using it atm. Can't wait to see how the Bandits pull through it and if any other teams come up with them though... I'll be following Harrow very closely!

[kipfizh]

A sneak preview, as I'm having a busy week so being a bit slow with the season report.....

February

With the transfer window finally shut, the Bandits in particular could breathe a huge sigh of relief that they had enough starlets remaining. Whether many will last beyond the summer is another question, but they could be optimistic that this season, at least, should be a success.

Before the league campaign got back underway, they had the small matter of a fourth round FA Cup tie at home to Championship side Derby. Having dispatched of previous cup opponents with disdain, they were confident of adding another scalp, and duly raced to a 3-0 lead inside half an hour in another stunning performance.

Derby rallied after the break, piling pressure on the Bandits goal and pulling one back, but their first half horror show was too much to recover from and the Bandits marched on to the last sixteen, matching the Sheriffs run from the previous season.

Wins continued to arrive in the league, although not by the same crunching scorelines as before – 2-0, 2-0 and 5-0 were still comfortable enough, while suggesting that the squad wasn’t quite as all conquering as before. However, it was still excellent form to take into the Red Insure Cup quarter finals, where they would once again face their fierce rivals.

The Sheriffs were also maintaining good form, winning 4-0, 5-0 and 5-0 in the league to maintain their narrow lead over the Bandits, and the impressive record of having only dropped points to their rivals. But with seven defeats out of seven against them, the Red Insure Cup was yet another hurdle to overcome. Could they finally get one over the Bandits?

Cup clash

Both sides fielded strong teams – the Bandits lining up with eight starlets and the Sheriffs putting out four of their remaining idiots. Once again, the Bandits started the stronger, and it was no surprise to see Striker 4 put them ahead before the break.

With anger in their ears at half time, the Sheriffs perked up, and when Rory Horlock equalised with 25 minutes to go they scented blood. They pressed and pressed but were then hit by a sucker punch – Right Back 2 firing the Bandits back into the lead with just eight minutes to go. It seemed that another defeat would be on the cards, but for once the Sheriffs did not lie down, and when Lazy Idiot Mid levelled the tie three minutes later, the Bandits realised that this was to be a bigger battle than usual.

After seven defeats within ninety minutes, the Sheriffs had finally done what they had never managed before – hold their fierce rivals to a draw, but this one wasn’t over, and the game moved into extra time.

The Bandits reasserted their authority in the added thirty minutes, but couldn’t make their dominance pay, and the cup tie drifted towards, and eventually into, a penalty shoot out in ront of 57526 manic fans.

The Bandits went first, Williams scoring, before Lazy Idiot Mid cancelled him out. Right Back 2, who thought he had won the tie in normal time, then watched in horror as his effort flew wide, before Nelthorpe handed a 2-1 advantage to the Sheriffs.

Attacking Mid 2 squared it up, before Lazy Idiot Def crashed his effort against the crossbar to bring the sides level again. The Bandits then took the lead with Farrell’s penalty, combined with Pickup’s penalty being saved, and they led 3-2 with one kick left to go.

Defensive Mid 2 stepped up to win it……and saw his penalty saved by Lazy Idiot GK, giving Horlock the chance to send the shootout into sudden death. He sent Goalkeeper 1 the wrong way, but his kick slammed into the post and stayed out. The Bandits were through, and the Sheriffs were crushed once again.

Never had the Sheriffs come so close – hitting the woodwork twice in the shootout was a cruel blow, but once again they had to deal with being beaten by their rivals. Would they ever defeat them?

Ending the month

The Sheriffs once again showed an impressive ability to bounce back from disappointment, beating Stourbridge 4-0 to end the month well, but not only did they have to deal with the pain of losing to the Bandits in the cup, they had to watch on as their rivals had another big tie, in the FA Cup fifth round, again at home to Championship opposition.

Brighton were the visitors, and started brightly, before the non-league juggernaut flexed their muscles again, with two goals from Striker 4 putting them ahead before half time. Brighton knocked on the door many times in the second half, but only managed one shot on target, and the Bandits moved on into the quarter finals, and a massive home tie with holders Arsenal. They had been drawn at home in all six rounds of the competition proper, as well as two of the four qualifying rounds.

A 5-0 win at Weymouth days later kept them in touch with the Sheriffs, as the season rolled into March.

[aldojags]

The Sheriffs need a sport psychologist they just cannot beat the Bandits, they're terrified of them!

[5ergio]

That win after extra time is a good sign for the future. I am not afraid of playoffs now

[Nikopol]

Dude. I just saw this subforum for the first time and saw THIS. This is just awesome. I love how much work you put into all the overviews/stats and summarys. Really great stuff here!

[godsjobsagoodun]

Home to Arsenal in the quarters finals! What is the capacity and the record attendance for the Bandits so far Kip? Great work!

[yugo23]

Who else is in the quarter finals? We want Europe next season!

[Lord Sidious]

Dude. I just saw this subforum for the first time and saw THIS. This is just awesome. I love how much work you put into all the overviews/stats and summarys. Really great stuff here!

If you have not checked out the original experiment I highly recommend you do. Still the greatest thread ever posted on these boards.

Oh and this one is the only one that could challenge it's dominance

[leonavich]

Sheriffs must be unable to contemplate what they need to do! They just can't beat them ... I like it!

Europe is still a long way away, though if they can beat Arsenal at home, it will be a very real possibility... and also show what level of football this current crop is capable of. Imagine they can stay together until they reach higher CA's?! immense.

Can't wait for the full update! Bandits for Europe and promotion!

[Kenco]

Kip you are such a tease with that little update!

Brilliant as ever though.

[alex.s]

Have just caught up and I cannot wait for the next update. Brilliant stuff.

[OnTheLevee]

Lurked through the first two threads years back. Great read. Must admit though that I have always supported the Sheriffs. Can't help but cheer for the underdog club and their team of misfits.

[Spart]

This is one of the best experiment threads i've seen in ages - I don't know how I missed the previous versions of the Bandits vs Sheriffs story. Great stuff!

I wonder if the Sheriffs will overtake the Bandits once newgens flood both team's squads, improving the mentality of the team compared to the idiots.

It'll be interesting to see how the two boards compare. Could the Sheriff's chairman stats make him more likely to sell the club off to more productive owners?

[kipfizh]

Thanks for all the compliments folks - the season update is not far from completion now.

[yugo23]

Nice to here, kip. Just when I was about to post that this year experiment was maybe too ambitious, considering it will take many years for the Bandits and the Sheriffs to even reach Premier league.

[TheGreatTraveler]

Great experiment indeed. Really enjoying it. Hope the Sheriffs make it to the PL first, personnally!!

[StewartJRobertson]

Just found this. As a huge fan of the original experiment i cannot tell you how excited i am to have the bandits back.

Hoping the updates come thick and fast. Great to have you back Kip. KUTGW

[Monkey_Pill]

After a long absence from the forums I am delighted to find the new experiment up and running upon my return, excellent work Kip .

For me, the interest is in the clubs more than the starlets/idiots. I want to see how far the clubs can go, what players they sign and who is the more successful.

[Mravac Kid]

I can't help but feeling sorry for the Sherriffs... to come so close, and still not managing to fulfill their lifelong dream of defeating the Bandits.

But I also can't help but feel a little proud of them for managing to keep the Bandits at bay until the shootout.

I can't wait for the rest of the season, it's been a fantastic ride so far, and the inevitable moment of facing the world at (player-wise, at least) even odds draws closer and closer...

[leonavich]

Makes you wonder how long the Bandits can hold on in the tussle with the Sheriffs. The difference is surely but slowly evening out and as a Bandits fan, I'm hoping the team strengthens when the time comes for the remaining starlets to depart. They have got a handy lead early on in the stakes though.

Can't wait for the update!

[crewe_york]

Can't wait for the update of this! Check the thread everyday just incase I miss something

[deltablue]

Finally seen this is back! Amusing seeing the low CA of the Bandits manager, even when not compared to Phelan. Plucking a random guy off the street would have been more productive.

[Spart]

Where can I order my Bandits replica shirt for the next season?

...shameless bump in the hope of an update. I'm craving news!

[G_D_K]

I'm missing my bandits

[Thrar_XX]

I remember reading the original thread some years back, then today I stumbled onto the 2009 remake. Reading through that one, it brought me here. Great stuff!

Ok, I spent close to 6 hours reading the two threads - but hey, it's weekend!

[Biscotti]

I suspect the dreaded Real Life has eaten Kip If so, he shall be mourned