FM13: Portsmouth FC - Still No Money, Still No Players!

[Ty]

Just read through the updates in here, see you're all getting on okay now, glad to see!

[rallav]

Iam 5 games into the season now and finally got 0 points.

My starting lineup:

GK: Turner

LB: Lee Naylor (Lichaj)

CB: Addo, Ertl (Webster, 7.31 rating)

RB: Stalteri (Lichaj)

BWM: Williamson (Addo, Ertl, Kane)

DLP: Zanetti (Buszaky)

LW: Scott Morrison (Harris)

AM: Howard (Buszaky)

RW: Piquionne (Harris)

P: Mpenza (Rodgers)

The old guys all got injured at the beginning. I lost 0-3 to Bolton in the League Cup round 2...

As far as the finances iam still concerned because there arent even talks about a take over...

[wisla_krakow]

Finished our first season back in the Championship in 11th.

It was a solid year - we started and ended very consistently, or should I say not losing games by crazy scores! Mid-season was a bizarre time, our form I felt was generally poor and 4-0 defeats just came out of nowhere. To put in perspective, we had about 5 or 6 defeats in the first half of the season (but were mid-table due to a lot of draws), then lost 10 of our last 23, but only about 2 or 3 in our last 10 games! So that mid-season crumble needs to be resolved, or at least our random ability to lose heavily with little to no warning. I had to juggle around our tactical instructions at this point, for most of the season we worked fine with a combo of Rigid/Balance/Fluid and Counter/Attacking. I'm glad we ended well at least (beating the teams we should have done, and only losing once to a team above us) so there's no need for serious rethinking over the off-season.

Player-wise, the CBs shone, particularly Scott Wootton who had the best average rating in the league of 7.75! He partnered Miquel or Dervite, who switched out when they had a few poor games, Miquel was the constant partner for our good run in the final 10-12 games though. Luke Rodgers top scored again with 20 in all competitions, but worringly only got 4 from mid-December onward...Platini with 15 was next closest, despite only being a "good League One player" Ashley Harris got 11 from AMC and Church at least got off and running with 5 in the end! Assists were fairly spread out this year unlike our League One season.

There won't be big changes - this was the long-term benefit I wanted from signing a load of players last summer. The main issue I've got now though is wages, I realised I overpaid a few (looking at you Gordon/Church/Persoons/Platini), and despite coming to a verbal agreement over reduced deals they all refuse to sign them, citing the reduced salary as a reason. Sadly I don't have an option to ask them to consider a pay-cut, only a termination! We're currently on £60k/week, when our "limit" is meant to be £57k/week which as a result means the board are being very stingy on wage offerings for future signings (currently £750 is the best I can offer).

Admittedly, I managed to agree deals for two players in April when I got the 3-month expiry reminders (Ryan Gauld from Dundee Utd and Adrien Trebel from Nantes) who both bolster my midfield. As mentioned earlier center-mid was by FAR by weakest area this season, along with full-backs and keeper. To put in perspective, all my CBs and my main STs all averaged well over 7, GK, full-backs and all other midfielders really did not! I don't play wingers currently but when a player as young and talented as Gauld was available I had to go for it, he had talks with Norwich and Burnley (who both won automatic promotion) in January but talks collapsed, so I was delighted to get him on a relatively cheap £1.5k/week. Trebel meanwhile is a CM, plays the role we currently have there and is a full star better than any other CM we have, and at 23 he's set for a long stay here.

Out-going this summer is Lee Williamson (sadly he chose to take Harbour View's offer than accept the bids I had from Bury and Shrewsbury that would have seen him gone in January instead of 6 months later...), Darel Russell (been a nice bench option but at 34 I'll be looking for a younger back-up DM), Simen Brenne (despite my attempts to flog him early in Jan and bring in a younger AMC, he's been very useful, but I've got to be realistic and at 33 he won't repeat his job this year!) and hopefully Izale McLeod. I dropped the ball with Izzy. For some reason when I offered him a contract, I gave him over £2k a week. I really can't remember why now, but it was paramount to when Redknapp gave Lauren £40k/week, or Storrie gave TBH £37k/week four-year deal...he won't talk about a reduction, he won't mutually terminate, the board won't let me terminate as it'll cost £300k. He got a horror cruciate ligament injury and missed all of the season anyway, he's ruined as a player completely and is just mugging us of money now my own fault for giving him so much for reasons I cannot remember but gahhhhh!

So yeah, now just hoping I can get some more wage-cuts sorted (since we're £1.5m in the red, and have only profited this season thanks to a cash injection) then I can afford a few more faces. I didn't even have enough to bring in any loans this season (yep, even guys on £300 a week) so really that needs to change. That or the local business spend a little more money, as it's clear with just a few improvements we should make the play-offs. I sold Michalik in January to save wages and bring in cash to the club, but seems £300k and £2.2k wages saved were just a drop in the ocean! With Williamson/Russell/Brenne going we save about £7k, I'm going to try and get the latter to accept terminate now, free up the wage space and sign one or two more faces (mainly looking at GK, DM, CM, AM, ST, oh too many!) and we should be ok. Will be only around 20 men in the squad again though!

[Ty]

I read that whole thing, and the only bit that really made me laugh was giving Izzy £2k a week

I notice that every year the CB's are highest average rating, has been the same every season for me.

[wisla_krakow]

Yeah I enjoy a good ramble about my season I really wish I could remember when/why/how he got given so much. I assume it was when his contract was up in November and I was panic extending and just didn't look at his wage demands. 2 more years of him unless I/the DoF can fob him off!

And damn, there was me thinking I'd nailed my defensive instructions!

[Ty]

It is the same with all my friends as well. Steven Taylor averaging 7.8 over a season for his Newcastle squad and every single one of my defenders last season averaged over 7.3!

[pompeyfan]

Oh well, another attempt at restoring Pompey to greatness goes tits up, although this time I feel its a little unfair - it's season two and approaching the end of October and the club is sitting 13th in League One having lost once in the last 8 matches (although to be fair most were draws) and only 7 points off the play-offs spot the board want with a game in hand (even though they reduced my wage budget in the summer and I'm even struggling to get in loans) and they sacked me:( No warnings, no comments, board approval has been between satisfied and pleased, it just came out of the blue:(

[wisla_krakow]

It is the same with all my friends as well. Steven Taylor averaging 7.8 over a season for his Newcastle squad and every single one of my defenders last season averaged over 7.3!

Yeah I probably should have figured there was something a little off about their ratings since we were barely keeping any clean sheets...but then it seems the whole Championship leaked goals!

Well Brenne and Russell have been released early, and with the board giving me £59k/week wages and £130k transfer budget for next season, I've juggled this so there's £6k spare in the wage bill. Should mean I can get at least two new signings (AMC replacement for Brenne and then either a DM/CM or ST), hopefully three and we'll have a good base to attack the play-offs.

Will mean O'Hara, Medway, and regens Weale (AMR) and Stabb (ST) will get called into the first team squad, they got a few games last season so the youth are very important to my prospects! Adam Webster is coming along very nicely ("good Championship player" currently, "good Premier League player" quality, now a natural at LB and CB) while despite Ash seemingly nearing a peak (still got 2* to fill but at best he's going to be a "good Championship player") he puts in good performances at AMC so he'll be good competition for that position. With a Scotsman and Frenchman already signed on, I'd like to get a few more English lads as new signings, one of Luke Freeman (scored 25+ goals last two seasons for Stevenage) or Max Clayton (good youngster from Crewe) would be great, their contracts are up but really I'm hoping they get released as I can't afford the compo!

[wisla_krakow]

Knew the DoF would be good for something - he managed to convince Izzy to terminate his contract for half the fee he would take from me

[wisla_krakow]

Triple post warning!

13th July and we've completed our signings for the season ahead. Again we've overspent on wages (£4.5k over!), but we have a 22-man first team squad now and one that should be able to fight for promotion. Here's how we're looking going into this season (I'll put new signings fees/where they came from in brackets).

GK: Sammy Bossut, Connor O'Hara

RB: Paul Caddis, Moustapha Dumbuya

LB: Adam Webster, Ben Gordon

CB: Scott Wootton, Ignasi Miquel, Dorian Dervite

DM: Koen Persoons, Gauthier Mahoto (Le Mans, Free Transfer)

CM: Conor Clifford, Brian Howard, Adrien Trebel (Nantes, Free Transfer), Jed Wallace

AM: Ryan Gauld (Dundee Utd, Free Transfer), Florent Mollet (Dijon, Free Transfer), Ashley Harris

ST: Luke Freeman (Stevenage, £20k), Michel Platini, Simon Church, Luke Rodgers

We've got good cover in all positions, only areas we could get caught out is if we get a few defensive injuries but we've got a few youngsters at LB/CB I can call up/bring back from loan if need be. We're well stocked in midfield now which was our weakest area last year, finally I'll have options if Persoons, Clifford and Howard are having poor games! No doubt you've noticed I've brought Mahoto back to the club, he didn't want a lot and I'm going to train him to become Persoons replacement when his contract expires at the end of next season (he'll be 32 then). Our midfield certainly has more of a French feel now but it's a lot stronger and that's the main thing. I got my man up front, even if I had to spent £20k in the end. I managed to stall him on signing until his contract expired, at which point Stevenage dropped their price demands (he had £150k compo so that was a no-go!), sadly he's the reason our wages went over as he wanted £6k but for a man who has scored nearly 60 league goals in the past 2 seasons and at just age 22, he'll be here for a good few years. Rodgers got an extension but in hindsight I probably would have been fine releasing him, hopefully he can get a few more goals for the club before leaving next summer.

[Ty]

Portsmouth Update 2016/17

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

League

This my main focus this season, and it showed.

At one point during the season, we went 21 games won in a row (the start) but then as the season went on, we picked up a few losses and draws. Absolutely delighted to have won the league, but absolutely devastated by our early exit in the Champions League.

Transfers

In

This season wasn't about buying loads, but instead buying quality.

Wilshere was the first bit of business I brought in, £33m from the struggling to get 4th Arsenal. I wanted more quality to the CM, so Wilshere was my first option after seeing his quality display for England in the Euros. [screenshot]

I brought in Sneijder on a free, mainly to cover Oscar at CAM and to perform in the big games.

My next 3 signings in the summer was three 5* potential regens. The first was a Polish CDM Kadzinski, who has the perfect attributes for a DLP. The second was a Brazilian striker Valdivia who would be a perfect AF. The third was an English CB Sheppard from rivals Southampton, absolutely quality attributes for a young CB and he constantly improved over the season.

[Kadzinski Screenshot]

[Valdivia Screenshot]

[sheppard Screenshot]

My final signing came in January. The big one.

Fierro came in for £45m from Tottenham, who had only just signed him a few months previously. He was tearing up the league and scoring for fun (finished the league top scorer with 17 for Spurs and 13 goals for me I think). The perfect attributes for a poacher.

Out

This was basically a clear out of 'average players' that the club no longer needed.

FA Cup - Capital One Cup - Champions League

As our focus was definitely the league, I was still very disappointed with our performances in the cups.

Knocked out of the 5th round of the FA Cup to Arsenal, knocked out of the 4th round of the Carling Cup to Spurs.

After winning our Champions League group without losing a game, we got knocked out in the last 16 to Leverkusen. Which I personally thought was going to be an easy game.

Next Season?

I want to bring in a massive signing and do a lot better in the Champions League. The league will be my focus as always, other domestic cups aren't really that interesting to me. I will never intentionally go out of them, but I will play weaker sides in them.

[Ty]

I have already spent £146m in the 2017/18 season, but I hit January and I am blessed with this;

[wisla_krakow]

Cheeky bugger, my wage budget is £62k/week oh how I long for 2016 and the final CVA payment to go out.

[Ty]

My team is crazy, my front line is crazy. My strike partnership of Fierro and English regen Woods is unstoppable. I am at January 4th, Woods has 34 goals and Fierro has 27.

Fierro

Woods

---

Just had a £110m bid for Gotze accepted.

[Ty]

He has signed!

[Ty]

Gotze is perfect for the CAM (AP) role in my squad.

[pompeyfan]

I'm a glutton for punishment so I'm going to start yet another Pompey game, so I'm asking those who have been successful so far how, how did you set pompey up from the start? formation? pitch size? team instructions? playing style? specific instructions? As whatever I try fails miserably and I can't get any consistency - well winning consistency, I can manage losing consistency no problem:(

Cheers

[Ty]

I'm a glutton for punishment so I'm going to start yet another Pompey game, so I'm asking those who have been successful so far how, how did you set pompey up from the start? formation? pitch size? team instructions? playing style? specific instructions? As whatever I try fails miserably and I can't get any consistency - well winning consistency, I can manage losing consistency no problem:(

Cheers

The formations I used are in the OP, never really messed around with team instructions etc. too much until I got into the Prem using proper tactics.

--

My next update will be huge, the 2017/18 season was mega

[Gandy]

The formations I used are in the OP, never really messed around with team instructions etc. too much until I got into the Prem using proper tactics.

--

My next update will be huge, the 2017/18 season was mega

Pretty sure I can ruin it for the plebs ..

[Ty]

Hey, I don't go in your West Ham thread and cause havok!

[Brett_PFC]

Hello

I have just started at Portsmouth

[wisla_krakow]

Welcome!

Luke Freeman's £6k a week wage fully justified as he scores the winner in the South Coast Derby :cool: 1-0 win takes us top of the league after 5 with 13 points, beat two teams relegated from the Premier League last season as well in those games (the lot down the road being one of them!). Into the Carling Cup 3rd Round as well, Ashley Harris doing surprisingly well as an emergency Deep-Lying Forward with Platini being injured (he's top scorer with 4 goals, although 3 have come in the Carling Cup, averaging over 7.5).

[Brett_PFC]

I've started with 2 wins and a draw with a win over Swindon who must be promo favourites. Managed to get in Zanetti, Hulse, Goalie Cerny from QPR, Lichaj, Tunnicliffe. Most of the ones you lot mention above either will not come or with the villa lot Villa wanted them playing higher up. Only released harley at mo which could make October and contract renewals difficult.

Had a message about a fans takeover and one about local businessman - nothing more than that though

[Ty]

Hello

I have just started at Portsmouth

Glad to see a new face!

Welcome!

Luke Freeman's £6k a week wage fully justified as he scores the winner in the South Coast Derby :cool: 1-0 win takes us top of the league after 5 with 13 points, beat two teams relegated from the Premier League last season as well in those games (the lot down the road being one of them!). Into the Carling Cup 3rd Round as well, Ashley Harris doing surprisingly well as an emergency Deep-Lying Forward with Platini being injured (he's top scorer with 4 goals, although 3 have come in the Carling Cup, averaging over 7.5).

Oh I have heard good things about Freeman before, good to see he is delivering for you. £6k a week seems steep though!

I've started with 2 wins and a draw with a win over Swindon who must be promo favourites. Managed to get in Zanetti, Hulse, Goalie Cerny from QPR, Lichaj, Tunnicliffe. Most of the ones you lot mention above either will not come or with the villa lot Villa wanted them playing higher up. Only released harley at mo which could make October and contract renewals difficult.

Had a message about a fans takeover and one about local businessman - nothing more than that though

Looks like you could have a strong team this season, good start! How on earth did you get Zanetti to join League One Didn't know he went that low.

[Ty]

Just got in from training myself, so when my hands warm up from after a shower and food... I'll attempt to do this mammoth of an update (lots of pictures etc).

[Brett_PFC]

offered 2k a week for Zanetti and he came - not sure how the board allowed me to do that as I was 1k over wage weekly budget but they did lol

just got in Jesse Lingard from Utd aswelll and have bid a season long loan for Mamady Sidibe from Stoke

[Brett_PFC]

Doh looks like I might get the fans takeover - transfer embargo enforced

[wisla_krakow]

Oh I have heard good things about Freeman before, good to see he is delivering for you. £6k a week seems steep though!

Yeah had to battle him down to that with clauses as well needed a big signing though up front and it's helped, he's only got 7 in 16 (3 assists too) but 4 of them have been in 1-0 wins, so he's earning the points. Was the last signing I planned to make, but tempted by Rob Green and Ji Dong-Won being on a free...could always go big or go home in the promotion stakes!

We're 2nd after 16 games, with 32 points. Went on 9 games unbeaten before losing 2-0 at Brighton, form has been quite mixed since then (lost 4-2 at home to 16th placed Ipswich when we were top, then won 1-0 at 6th placed Forest?!) but we're gaining more points than we're dropping, think Brighton are the only top 6 team we've lost against, either drawn or beaten the rest. Been very useful having these extra midfielders as Persoons/Howard picked up a few injuries, had plenty of cover this year which is why I think we're up here and not mid-table again. Got a few players spitting out dummies - Ben Gordon and Muzzy Dumbuya at the back and Simon Church up front, I'm waiting for them to realise that no-one wants to sign them so they should pipe down and concentrate on their work. Dropped them all from the squad for my latest game home to Birmingham, called up two young lads from the academy (regen RB and regen ST), the young ST came on after 85 minutes for his debut, and scored less than a minute later! Simon Church had scored no league goals in comparison...things looking good though, we've got the squad to keep our form up over the season (I hope!).

Brett_PFC - Interested to see how Lingard gets on for you, I wanted to sign him after getting promoted to the Championship but the board wouldn't spare the wages so I missed out (same with Tunnicliffe actually who it seems you've also signed!).

[Ty]

Lingard didn't get chance for me

I ruined him.

[Brett_PFC]

Fans have taken over, no money. Busaky won't sign new contract and I cannot afford Howard, Williamson. Lying 6th now with 4 wins and 3 draws and 1 loss. Could be in abit of bothernsoon though if players leave

[JBC#1]

Really annoyed was enjoying my Portsmouth save, into Feb of the 1st season and was lying in the playoffs and then i turned off my laptop by accident when it was saving so all that is gone now i dont know whether to start again with pompey or maybe try rangers - dont know if I have the heart to start over again with pompey

By the way lads if you can get Junior Agogo he is free at the start of the game, get him!! he is 32 but a monster in an advanced forward role due to his pace and strength, wins a lot of aerial duels aswell! got me 22 goals by feburary

[MrPompey]

Well Season 1 I was taken over and given about 50K to spend on players. Season 1 was a struggle and I had half a time of players on season long loans and just escaped relegation

Season 2 was more loans including Macheada from Man Utd and a few amazing free transfers. Clubs expectation was to achieve as a minimum a play-off place. I personally thought that unrealistically high. Anyway after a sticky start bedding in players I eventually ended up getting promotion in season 2, Barnsley as Champions and Bournemouth as play-off champions.

Season 3 - No real money invested and a n expectation of a mid table place...we will see

[wisla_krakow]

Reached mid-way point and we're second in the Championship (third season), on 43 points. Cardiff can draw level with us if they win their game in hand but our GD is much much better.

We've been unpredictable in where we've picked up points (not on the game now but I hazard we've gained far more points away from home than we have at Fratton!) but the important thing is we've got 9 more than we had at this stage last season. Sunderland are running away with it, 5 points clear with a game in hand so I think we'll be fighting for second, we've got a good enough squad to get there.

Luke Freeman really kicked on from my last post, from 7 goals in 16 league games to 16 goals in 23 league games! Great form, would love him to get 30+ in his first Championship season. Gauthier Mahoto and Dominic Mollet proving very good signings as well, didn't expect the former to be keeping Persoons out of the DM position quite so soon.

[Brett_PFC]

I feel sick - I offered James Beattie a contract

mpenza has agreed to sign and i have also tried to get a korean dude

I have just let Williamson go - for how he is performing I just cannot justify 5k a week - these are tough decisions a manager will face in his fledgling career, only time will tell if its the right move

[wisla_krakow]

Williamson declined very quickly for me, barely played at all in the second season (admittedly part of that may be due to being in the Championship and dealing with a higher level of football). Howard is a must-keep though, still starting for me now aged 31 and rated well!

[Brett_PFC]

Beattie has accepted but I put the deal with Mpenza on delay - which one to sign.....Beattie said he is looking fwd to working with supremo Brett lol ! Scummer !

Howard isn't playing well for me - where you playing him ?

Well signed Beattie aswell and got rid of Compton - also signed Lee Naylor

Got hammered by top of the league Brentford 5-2 but Busasky has signed a new contract as has Howard

[wisla_krakow]

I play him in the LCM position as a "Deep-Lying Playmaker" set to Support, works nicely, he sometimes plays as a Ball-Winning Midfielder on the other side when need be. Don't use him often at AMC but he got a lot of games there as an "Inside Forward" on Support when I was in League One.

[Brett_PFC]

Struggling now - been beaten in last 5 aways and drawing far to many games

[Brett_PFC]

just lost n the fa cup 1st round away to stockport from the blue square premier - don't know what to do now, nothing is working

another heavy away defeat 3-0 to carlisle

[chnffc]

Hi,

Reading through this thread convinced me to start a Pompey game and i'm loving it so far. After a couple of weeks my new chairman became Adam Pearson (Ex Hull in real life i think), 250K was put into transfer funds which I put straight onto the wage budget which didn't even get it level, still overspending by about £500. I started searching for loans where I didn't have to pay any fee or percentage of wages. I managed to pick up Keeper Radek Cerny from QPR, left back Ben Davies from Swansea and 2 strikers, Sidibe from Stoke and Callum McManaman from Wigan.

After a pretty dreadful pre-season and not really knowing what tactics to use the season began with a 4-0 loss in the Carling Cup to Leyton Orient and a 3-0 defeat to Notts County in the opening league fixture. At this point I looked at the amount of quality midfielders at my disposal and decided to play them all. This meant a very narrow formation with the following starting XI

GK Cerny

RB Dumbuya

CB Gypes

CB Webster

LB Davies

CDM Russell

RCM Williamson

CM Busaky

LCM Howard

ST McManaman

ST Sidibe

There was an instant turn around in results and managed to beat Sheffield United and Preston in my next 2 games. The midfield were keeping the ball very well and both strikers were finishing off chances with deadly effect. Moving into October I was in 10th place in the league but I was at the dreaded stage of contracts running out. Key players Williamson and Howard would not accept my terms and left the club. I let Harley, Michalik, Rodgers, Eastwood and Mcleod leave the club as none of them were in my starting XI and I though their wages could be spent elsewhere. Thompson, Compton and Walker did sign on and I was quite happy as they were all on contracts under 1K and were useful backup.

To replace my outgoings I picked up the following free agents, M. Sidibe, Damion Stewart, Tom Soares, Herold Goulan and Darius Vassell. David Prutton also became my 5th loan signing from Sheffield Wednesday. With the different players in my midfield I stuck to the same tactics I had been having success with.

I am now into the early part of December and have risen to 6th in the league, still in the johnstone's paint and into the 3rd round of the F.A cup. My team is as follows,

GK Cerny

RB Dumbuya

CB Gypes

CB Webster

LB Davies

CDM Goulan

RCM Prutton

CM Russell

LCM Busaky

ST McManaman

ST Sidibe

Bench

Sidibe

Ertl

Stewart

Soares

Walker

Harris

Vassell

Others

Thompson

Butler

Compton

Thompson

Grant, Wallace, Wheeler and Colson are loaned out.

Very happy with how things are going at the moment, I have been lucky with injuries as I do have a small squad. Continuously on the lookout for new players and just offered a contract to Jose Baxter as his contract is nearly up.

Any suggestions would be great, Cheers

[pompeyfan]

Started again, but this time bringing in different players mainly due to the embargo not being lifted till well into august meaning I missed out on getting in Anderson, Etheridge, Lichaj, Meyer as they all got snapped up before I could try for them. On the plus side the takeover went through in early August and I was given 475k to spend of which the majority went into increasing the wage budget and on the recommendation of one of the coaches I'm trying a 4-5-1 formation (very wide, largest pitch size, passes down both flanks).

As for the playing squad - Darel Russel was let go, and Jon Harley chose to leave but I've retained the rest for now and will hopefully get them on lower wages in October, additions to the squad are Redek Cerny (G) from QPR, Callum McManaman (AM(RL), ST) from Wigan and Frederic Piquionne (AM®, ST) from West Ham all on season loans with no wages, Christiano Zanetti (DM, MC) and Samajl Suljevic (DM, AM©, ST) on frees and I paid £100k for Nathan Luscombe (AM(L)) from Hartlepool. I'm currently 3.4k under the wage budget of £37k, but hope to get it even lower when the contract renewals start in Oct and I might release 1 or 2.

My 1st choice team is:

G Cerny

DR Dumbuya (FB)

DC Michalik (CD)

DC Gyepes (CD)

DL Webster (FB)

DM Zanetti (DM)

CM Howard (DLP)

CM Williamson (BBM)

AMR McManaman (W)

AML Luscombe (W)

ST Piquionne (P)

Early results have been mixed, out of both cups but 12th in the league at the end of Sept.

Any suggestions for changes welcome.

[Moomin Grecian]

Finished my first season and lost in the Play Off final to Coventry! Gutted as I went on a fantastic run to nearly get 2nd place but two bad results at the end of the season meant i had to settle for the play-offs.

I managed to sign Bebe (Ex Man Utd winger, originally signed by them for £7.5M!) on a free transfer for only 1.7k per wk wages. Also got Adam Le Fondre, Leroy Lita and Jamie Mackie on loans, who all impressed. Le Fondre was immense, scoring 14 goals in 15 games, including four on his debut in a 7-1 home win against Sheffield United!

So on to season two and i really want to try and win L1 if possible.

Not got much of a transfer kitty with only 50k to spend and 39k per week on wages.

Players out were:

Eastwood - Mansfield on a free

Ertl - Mansfield - 10k

Josh Thompson - Derby County - 130k

Buszaky - Released as didn't really perform last season and was a high-ish earner

Howard - Inverness CT - Free. Again a high earner

Williamson - Bury - 40k. Didn't really do it and was a high earner

Russell - Released

Gypes - Went to Debrecen on a free. It was a shame as he did well for me but wanted 4k per week and that's too much for a player of his age.

Michalik - Free. Again he did well but wanted over 4k so couldn't afford to keep him.

Grosso - Free.

In came

Leon Cort - CB, free from Charlton

Andre Abougou - CB, free from Middlesbrough - Looks an absolute steal

Vermijl - LB, free after his release from Man Utd

Sam Hutchinson - RB, free after his release from Chelseas. Delighted with this signing as he initially wanted 9k per week but held off and in the end got him for 2k per wk.

Ryan Tunnicliffe - CM, free after his release from Man Utd. Very good young player.

Neil Danns - CM, free from Leicester. Good experienced player.

Craig Eastmond - CM on loan from Arsenal

Joe McKee - 65k signing from Bolton. Is definitely one for the futur and has a 20 stat for passing and 19 for creativity. He will be a star of the future.

Thorgan Hazard - LW/ CAM on loan from Chelsea. Brother of Eden Hazard and is very good for L1.

Alex Marrow - CM/ RB - Free from Crystal Palace

Sanchez Watt - LW, free from Arsenal

Jordan Slew - CF on loan from Blackburn - Has been prolific so far with 8 goals in 8.

Rudy Gestede - CF on loan from Cardiff City. Has also scored plenty and looks good.

Roland Bergkamp - CF on a free after he left Brighton. Cheap back up

Pedro Moutinho - CF on a free. Used to play for Falkirk in SPL.

Overall i am pleased with my signings as many of them will improve and make a lot of money in the future and will also do well if I get promoted. Matthew Bates is worth 1.2M and Bebe will tear the league up.

Currently lying fourth and just lost my 1st game but fully expect to improve over the season.

[muhaimin]

Hello!! I am starting on Pompey right now! I am putting my Monaco save aside ATM.

[muhaimin]

Halfway through the season.

Current Standing : http://imageshack.us/f/41/sstanding.png/

Transfers in / out : http://imageshack.us/f/248/stransfers.png/

And finally, there have been 2 changes in ownership but not tycoons!!

[wisla_krakow]

The Championship Play-Off Final, 2015. Portsmouth vs Southampton.

We really dropped off second half of the season - we had 43 points by the mid-way and ended with 75, we gained less points in the second half of the season than we did in our first season back in the Championship! No surprise we ended 12 points off the automatic slots, and lost 3rd to Southampton late in the season. It was frustrating but it meant if we would potentially avoid them until the Play-Off Final...

We got Swansea in the Semis, and despite playing poorly once again in the away leg we won 2-0, before a bizarre 4-4 home draw with a Luke Freeman hat-trick. Southampton drew at Blackburn 3-3 before demolishing them 5-0 at home, setting up a South Coast Derby in Wembley! It was going to be tricky, they were regularly scoring 4-6 goals a game in the second half of the season while we fired blank on many occasions (a lot of 0-0 draws and 0-1 defeats). Adam Webster (now a "good Premier League left-back") was out injured, young regen RB Abu Readings (pretty sure he was 2.5* PA going into this season, now 2* CA and 4.5* PA) was also injured, Ashley Harris on the bench. One academy product would start - 15 year-old striker Toby Shearing, who came through the academy in March. I'll get a link for him later, but a long story short he's 5* potential (leading Prem), 15 in Finishing and played 4 games, scored 1 goal going into this one.

Make that 2 in 5 he scored early, then Michel Platini came off the bench to score his first goal in over 13 hours to seal it! I'm ecstatic we shut the hot-scoring team of the league out, and yes, beating our rivals at Wembley to go back to the Premier League is the best way to go up! A massive sigh of relief too as I thought we'd lost our promotion chances after a poor second half of the season, thankfully we rallied when it mattered in the play-offs and go up on the back of a massive, massive derby win.

[Ty]

What a way to go up Wisla In style against Southampton!

Hopefully the chairmen will give you some money to help you stay in the Premiership!

[muhaimin]

Got promoted to Championship and it is ridiculous that the expect me to achieve mid table finish with a very very small budget!

Transfers : 86.66K

Wage/wk : 30.16k/wk

[Ty]

I don't think I have anyone left in my first team that earns less than £50k pw, and you have to have a whole team on £30k

[muhaimin]

HAHAH! don't do this to me man! Right now I am sooo frustrated with the board! HAHA!

My signings so far :

And I have just signed Danish Internation GK, Stephan Andersen.

[Ty]

Either way, those are some solid signings!

Lingard definitely becoming a Pompey favourite signing for most players now Be interested to see how El-Hadji Diouf does. I use to love him back in 01/02 era, but now I thoroughly dislike him