forameuss Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 February 1500 Up. I think I reached 2000 on my previous save, but doubt I'll reach that total here. Still, that's a huge number, and when you consider I've won 78% of them, it's been quite a fruitful partnership. Talking of fruitful partnerships, VDD extended his contract for another four years. Delighted to be keeping him on, he is a player who is absolutely crucial to us, and will command a huge fee if he ever leaves. Not that he's going to. Nope. Lincoln Results We won the Premier Cup after a physical battle with Gibraltar United, but it's the Champions League result that the eye gets drawn to. That would've been a great result had we been in Turin, but unfortunately we were at home. Two away goals, and only a single injury time reply from Nicao gives us any hope as we travel to Italy for the second leg. We're still in it, but we're circling the drain to be honest. Six games to go in the league, and with a game-in-hand we're still a point ahead. It'll come down to the final league match between us and United. If we lose that, things could get interesting. Next Month And we won't have to wait long to find out, as we face United in late March, just four days after - hopefully at least - returning triumphantly from Turin. Would a defeat there turn into two though? Our season hangs on those two games in my opinion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenbroncitis Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Loving this career. It just gets better and better. Nice to see you get a good bit of competition in the national league. Hopefully you can win a few trophies with Belgium too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter_Morgan Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Good luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBeckham Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Absolutely unstoppable in the league there! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truegunner Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Great CL and Europa wins! I am also really liking the progress from the Gibraltar teams I'm very sure you can turn around the tie against Juventus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 March Lincoln Results No better place to start than in Turin, as we somehow overturned the 2-1 defeat at home, and then went the entire distance and beyond. 12-11 on penalties, with everyone on the pitch getting a successful penalty before Coulibaly missed his, and Boxhill won it for us. Back in the 2nd minute it certainly didn't look like it would end like that, as Juve took the lead. It didn't make a massive difference, apart from us now needing two to take it to extra time rather than two to win. But all's well that ends well. Into the quarter finals we go, and I'd obviously like to avoid PSG and Malaga. Beyond that, any will do. We're beyond the point where we can start to hope for "lucky" draws. We were made favourites for this year's tournament, and if you're the favourites, you should be able to beat anyone. As is often the way, we travel to London, this time to the North to face Arsenal. In the league though, we weren't too successful. We threw away four points against Lions and Gibraltar United, but we did easily make it into the Rock Cup Semi Final. With just four games to go, Gibraltar United have overtaken us. But we do have one more game to play than them, so not too worried. Yet. Belgium Results A good start to what should be a very winnable qualifying group. Ten wins out of ten should certainly not be beyond us, but as long as we qualify comfortably I'll be happy. Next Month Two double headers, against Arsenal and Gibraltar Pheonix. No prizes for guessing which ones are more important though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 April Lincoln Results We completely **** the bed here. Went into it, perhaps too overzealous, and got an absolute beasting for it. Not much else to say, apart from that we need to score at least four back home, and keep out Arsenal. A tall order. And this is how we line up for the second leg in what might be a vain attempt to go into the semi finals. We have injury problems, which kind of forced my hand to play a completely untested 3-4-1-2 formation. Still, if this doesn't get us the chances we need to take, then it wasn't to be. And that's how you do that. We battered Arsenal, but rode our luck at times. They had several golden chances to get a key away goal ,but luckily we kept them at bay and just about managed to squeeze through to the semi finals. Another three domestic wins mean a cup final, and the league pretty much in our hands. Two games to go, one win should seal it. And who do we face in the Champions League semi finals? Only our old friend... Next Month A Rock Cup final, our final two league games, and then the small matter of two Champions League games against Paris Saint-Germain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 May I said a while back that I had a feeling Gibraltar United were still expanding their stadium while we did the same. And looks like I was right. They've broken the 20k mark, so you can bet your ass that I want to do the same. That's more like it. Beginning to like this board. Changed my mind. I hate them. The whole reason I want to expand the stadium is to take our rightful place as the biggest club with the biggest stadium, but this expansion will still leave us behind Gibraltar United. What's the point? Lincoln Results It wasn't as bad as the first leg against Arsenal, but it was pretty bad. We'll go back home knowing that a goal for PSG would pretty much knock us out. We've beaten them before though, we can do this. Oh no he di'nt! Oh yes he di'id! But after that verbal jousting, we still had a game to play. Let's get it on... Maybe I am though. Probably the most unbelievable match I've been involved in in this save. We took the lead in the 7th minute through Milan Nesic, and then doubled our lead in the 29th through VDD. At that point, we were in a difficult position. Dominating the French side, but knowing that if we lost one goal we'd be heading out on away goals. I was stuck in a horrible "stick or twist" situation. We stuck, and they twisted, and on the stroke of half time they found themselves sitting at 2-2. That's two away goals, 3-2 to them on aggregate, leaving us needing at least two goals to go through. Things looked bleak, but at least it left us with little choice but to go at them. Within twenty minutes, Omar Garribia and Jon Boxhill had grabbed us the two goals we needed, and the momentum had swung back around in our favour. But another PSG goal would swing it again. I was about to throw us into reverse and into a containment strategy as we ticked into the 70th minute...and then it happened. A very dangerous cross from the left, and PSG defender David Fernandez had no choice but to turn it into his own net. Then two minutes later, another brilliant cross was deflected in off Piotr Mandrysz. Seven. Two. PSG looked dead on their feet after that double salvo, and late on we added an 8th as Ledesma smashed in from long range. And so completed a wonderful match. Just unbelievable. Their manager took it well anyway... We now head to Berlin for a third Champions League final. Domestically we wrapped up the league fairly easily, and won the Rock Cup to complete a clean sweep. Next Month We're going here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 Champions League Final 2051 Olympiastadion, Berlin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted March 26, 2015 Author Share Posted March 26, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 Champions League Final 2051 Olympiastadion, Berlin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullem Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 An expansion of less than 1k seats isn't what you want! However, congrats on an incredibly successful season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Just to let you all know, once again, that this save is not dead. Still got a couple of seasons to update, but I reached a point where I considered packing it in, but after trying out a few new saves, I'm not sure I'm quite ready to stop this one. I may still decide to, but the next few updates will shed more light on that... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2050/51 Round-up Due to public demand, here's the results that the Gibraltarian clubs managed in Europe over the past six or so years, since the last time I did so. I'll add in commentary along the way for any results of note. |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2044/45 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | AEK Larnakas | Cyprus | 9-0 | 2-0 | 11-0 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lincoln (GIB) | Slovan Bratislava | Slovakia | 0-1 | 4-1 | 4-2 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 4-0-2 | 12 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Sparta Praha | Czech Republic | 2-1 | 4-3 | 6-4 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Barcelona | Spain | 4-0 | 5-2 | 9-2 | THROUGH | | Semi Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Man City | England | 0-4 | 1-2 | 1-6 | OUT | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 1st Qualifying Round | St Joseph's FC | HB | Faroe Islands | 3-0 | 1-1 | 4-1 | THROUGH | | 2nd Qualifying Round | St Joseph's FC | AEK | Sweden | 1-1 | 0-1 | 1-2 | OUT | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Red Imps FC | Zrinjski | Bosnia & Herezegovina | 1-2 | 2-2 | 3-4 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Gibraltar United | PSV | Netherlands | 1-1 | 0-4 | 1-5 | OUT | | | | | | | | | | | 2045/46 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | TNS | Wales | 8-0 | 7-0 | 15-0 | THROUGH | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | KR | Iceland | 7-0 | 5-0 | 12-0 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lincoln (GIB) | Standard | Belgium | 2-1 | 3-1 | 5-2 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 3-0-3 | 9 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Ajax | Netherlands | 1-0 | 2-2 | 3-2 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Inter | Italy | 3-5 | 0-3 | 3-8 | OUT | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 1st Qualifying Round | St. Joseph's FC | Gandzasar | Armenia | 1-2 | 0-1 | 1-3 | OUT | | 1st Qualifying Round | Gibraltar United | Dundalk | Republic of Ireland | 3-0 | 2-2 | 5-2 | THROUGH | | 1st Qualifying Round | Red Imps FC | Ordabasy | | 2-2 | 2-0 | 4-2 | THROUGH | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Red Imps FC | Irony Kiryat-Shmona | Israel | 1-0 | 1-2 | 2-2a | OUT | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Gibraltar United | Zlate Moravce | Slovakia | 2-0 | 1-0 | 3-0 | THROUGH | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Gibraltar United | Feyenoord | Netherlands | 0-4 | 1-2 | 1-6 | OUT | | | | | | | | | | | 2046/47 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | Best Placed 3rd Round | Gibraltar United | Sporting CP | Portugal | 0-4 | 0-3 | 0-7 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Maribor | Slovenia | 2-1 | 5-0 | 7-1 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lincoln (GIB) | Videoton | Hungary | 5-1 | 7-1 | 12-2 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 3-2-1 | 11 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | West Ham | England | 1-2 | 1-6 | 2-8 | OUT | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Gibraltar Pheonix | Shamrock Rovers | Republic of Ireland | 1-3 | 1-2 | 2-5 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Red Imps | FC Twente | Holland | 0-6 | 2-1 | 2-7 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Olympique | Dnipro | Ukraine | 2-3 | 0-1 | 2-4 | OUT | | Playoff | Gibraltar United | Club Brugge | Belgium | 2-3 | 0-3 | 2-6 | OUT | | | | | | | | | | | 2047/48 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | Best Placed 3rd Round | Gibraltar United | Benfica | Portugal | 0-3 | 2-1 | 2-4 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Dundalk | Republic of Ireland | 6-1 | 4-1 | 10-2 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lincoln (GIB) | Dinamo | Croatia | 3-0 | 1-1 | 4-1 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 3-2-1 | 11 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Tottenham | England | 0-2 | 2-0 | p2-2 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Malaga | Spain | 2-1 | 1-0 | 3-1 | THROUGH | | Semi Final | Lincoln (GIB) | West Ham | England | 2-1 | 3-2 | 5-3 | THROUGH | | Final | Lincoln (GIB) | PSG | France | | | 0-2 | Runner-up | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 2nd Qualifying Round | Olympique | Domzale | Slovenia | 0-3 | 0-4 | 0-7 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Red Imps | Elche | Spain | 0-4 | 1-2 | 1-6 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | St Joseph's (GIB) | Saint-Etienne | France | 0-4 | 0-3 | 0-7 | OUT | | Playoff | Gibraltar United | Rangers | Scotland | 0-1 | 4-1 | 4-2 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Gibraltar United | | | | 4-0-2 | 12 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Gibraltar United | Slovan Liberec | Czech Republic | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1-3 | OUT | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| For the first time, a club outside of ourselves made it to a European knockout game. It was kind of over-shadowed thanks to our run to a historic Champions League Final, but Gibraltar United were very impressive against Rangers in the Playoff before managing 12 points in the Group Stage. Unfortunately, Slovan Liberec had too much for them in the 1st knockout round, but a great performance nonetheless. |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | | 2048/49 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | Best Placed 3rd Round | Gibraltar United | Viktoria Plzen | Czech Republic | 0-3 | 0-2 | 0-5 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Maribor | Slovenia | 0-0 | 5-1 | 5-1 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lincoln (GIB) | BATE | Bulgaria | 6-0 | 1-0 | 7-0 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 3-2-1 | 11 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Porto | Portugal | 1-2 | 2-0 | 3-2 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | PSG | France | 1-1 | 1-0 | 2-1 | THROUGH | | Semi Final | Lincoln (GIB) | West Ham | England | 3-0 | 5-0 | 8-0 | THROUGH | | Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Barcelona | Spain | | | e3-2 | WINNER | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 2nd Qualifying Round | St. Joseph's | Domzale | Slovenia | 2-1 | 0-3 | 2-4 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Red Imps | Zilina | Slovakia | 3-3 | 3-2 | 6-5 | THROUGH | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Gibraltar Pheonix | Besiktas | Turkey | 0-1 | 1-1 | 1-2 | OUT | | Playoff | Gibraltar United | Sion | Switzerland | 3-1 | 0-1 | 3-2 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Red Imps | Steaua Bucharest | Romania | 1-2 | 3-2 | 4-4a | OUT | | Group Stage | Gibraltar United | | | | 2-0-4 | 6 pts | 3rd | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Another historic year as Gibraltar United took a spot in the Champions League, but Viktoria Plzen absolutely battered them over two legs. However, they did get a second change against Sion in the Europa League. Disappointing group stage campaign though. Again, overshadowed by our Champions League win. |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2049/50 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | Best Placed 3rd Round | Red Imps | PSV | Holland | 1-2 | 1-0 | 2-2a | OUT | | Group Stage | Gibraltar United | | | | 1-4-1 | 7 pts | 2nd | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 3-2-1 | 11 pts | 3rd | | 1st Knockout Round | Gibraltar United | Porto | Portugal | 3-4 | 2-4 | 5-8 | OUT | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lions | Maritimo | Portugal | 1-2 | 1-0 | 2-2a | OUT | | Playoff | Red Imps | AZ | Holland | 1-6 | 0-2 | 1-8 | OUT | | Group Stage | Gibraltar Pheonix | | | | 4-1-1 | 13 pts | 1st | | 1st Knockout Round | Gibraltar Pheonix | AZ | Holland | 2-3 | 1-0 | a3-3 | THROUGH | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Partizan | Serbia | 2-0 | 3-0 | 5-0 | THROUGH | | 2nd Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Gibraltar Pheonix | Gibraltar | 4-0 | 4-2 | 8-2 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Southampton | | 1-1 | 4-1 | 5-2 | THROUGH | | Semi Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Juventus | | 5-1 | 1-3 | 6-4 | THROUGH | | Final | Lincoln (GIB) | West Ham | | | | 2-0 | WINNER | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| For once, we didn't overshadow Gibraltar United. In fact, they perhaps saved our blushes as we crashed out into the Europa League. However, much like Chelsea a couple of years back, we followed up a Champions League trophy with a Europa League one. Gibraltar Pheonix only got put out by ourselves on that journey, and Gibraltar United put up a fantastic fight against Porto. Very promising for the future. |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 2050/51 | | | | | | | | | Champions League | Team | Opponent | Country | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | Best Placed 3rd Round | Gibraltar United | Sporting CP | Portugal | 0-0 | 2-1 | 2-1 | THROUGH | | Best Placed Playoff | Gibraltar United | Milan | Italy | 1-2 | 1-3 | 2-5 | OUT | | Group Stage | Lincoln (GIB) | | | | 2-3-1 | 9 pts | 2nd | | 1st Knockout Round | Lincoln (GIB) | Juventus | Italy | 1-2 | 2-1 | p3-3 | THROUGH | | Quarter Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Arsenal | England | 1-5 | 4-0 | a5-5 | THROUGH | | Semi Final | Lincoln (GIB) | PSG | France | 0-1 | 8-2 | 8-3 | THROUGH | | Final | Lincoln (GIB) | Inter | Italy | | | 4-0 | WINNER | | Europa League | Team | Opponent | | 1st Leg | 2nd Leg | Agg | Result | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Red Imps | Hapoel Tel Aviv | Isreal | 1-2 | 2-2 | 3-4 | OUT | | 3rd Qualifying Round | Lions | SK Rapid Wien | Austria | 2-1 | 1-1 | 3-2 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Gibraltar Pheonix | APOEL | Cyprus | 3-0 | 2-1 | 5-1 | THROUGH | | Playoff | Lions | Zurich | Switzerland | 0-4 | 5-0 | 5-4 | THROUGH | | Group Stage | Gibraltar United | | | | 5-1-0 | 16 pts | 1st | | Group Stage | Gibraltar Pheonix | | | | 2-2-2 | 8 pts | 2nd | | Group Stage | Lions | | | | 2-1-3 | 7 pts | 3rd | | 1st Knockout Round | Gibraltar United | Dinamo | Croatia | 2-2 | 0-1 | 2-3 | OUT | | 1st Knockout Round | Gibraltar Pheonix | Chelsea | England | 2-2 | 0-4 | 2-6 | OUT | | | | | | | | | | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| A disappointing year for Gibraltar United as they were denied a second Group Stage appearance by a tough draw. Milan proved just too good, but their playoff exit meant a direct entry into the Europa League Group Stages. They absolutely breezed through that with 16 points, but then unfortunately lost a narrow tie against Dinamo. Gibraltar Pheonix fell at the same stage to Chelsea, but it was Lions who were the big achievers by making it through two qualifying rounds, and then narrowly missing out on a spot in the 1st knockout round. Coefficient Update |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Season | Rank | Points | CL Places | Notes | EL Places | Notes | | 2014/15 | 54th | - | 1 | 1st Rd | 1 | 1st Rd | | 2015/16 | 54th | - | 1 | 1st Rd | 1 | 1st Rd | | 2016/17 | 52nd | - | 1 | 1st Rd | 2 | 1st Rd | | 2017/18 | 52nd | - | 1 | 1st Rd | 2 | 1st Rd | | 2018/19 | 52nd | - | 1 | 1st Rd | 2 | 1st Rd | | 2019/20 | 47th | 2.667 | 1 | 1st Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2020/21 | 46th | 2.333 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2021/22 | 46th | 2.083 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2022/23 | 47th | 1.75 | 1 | 1st Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2023/24 | 46th | 1.292 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2024/25 | 46th | 1.432 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2025/26 | 47th | 1.875 | 1 | 1st Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2026/27 | 46th | 2.5 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2027/28 | 45th | 2.667 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2028/29 | 44th | 1.625 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2029/30 | 48th | 1.75 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2033/34 | 34th | 6 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2034/35 | 32nd | 7.785 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2035/36 | 32nd | 8.4 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2036/37 | 32nd | 11.5 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2037/38 | 31st | 11.125 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2038/39 | 31st | 11.125 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2039/40 | 27th | 14.5 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 1st Rd | | 2040/41 | 21st | 18.125 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 2nd Rd (1), 1st Rd (2) | | 2041/42 | 17th | 21.625 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd, 1st Rd | | 2042/43 | 16th | 22.43 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd, 1st Rd | | 2043/44 | 15th | 19.375 | 2 | 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd | 3 | 3rd Rd (2), 2nd Rd (1) | | 2044/45 | 16th | 17.125 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd, 1st Rd | | 2045/46 | 21st | 18.125 | 1 | 2nd Rd | 3 | 2nd Rd (1), 1st Rd (2) | | 2046/47 | 14th | 22.25 | 2 | C 3rd, BP 3rd | 3 | 3rd Rd (2), 2nd Rd (1) | | 2047/48 | 14th | 26.5 | 2 | C 3rd, BP 3rd | 3 | 3rd Rd (2), 2nd Rd (1) | | 2048/49 | 14th | 26.4 | 2 | C 3rd, BP 3rd | 3 | 3rd Rd (2), 2nd Rd (1) | | 2049/50 | 10th | 28.9 | 2 | GS, BP 3rd | 3 | GS, 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd | | 2050/51 | 11th | 29.35 | 2 | GS, BP 3rd | 3 | GS, 3rd Rd, 2nd Rd | | 2051/52 | 9th | 33.4 | 2 | GS, BP 3rd | 3 | GS, 3rd Rd (2) | |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Up to 9th in Europe now, which means 5 clubs will be involved in European football. The maximum we can manage is 7, which would mean only the automatically relegated side in the division will not have some involvement in European football. The team in the relegation playoff will be in, whether they get relegated or not. Facilities Update |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Season | Stadium | Capacity | Stadium Condition | Pitch Condition | Corporate | Training | Youth | Junior Coaching | Youth Recruitment | | Start | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Average | Below Average | Average | Fairly Basic | | 2014/15 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Average | Below Average | Average | Fairly Basic | | 2015/16 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Average | Below Average | Average | Fairly Basic | | 2016/17 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Average | Fairly Basic | | 2017/18 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Average | Fairly Basic | | 2018/19 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | OK | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Excellent | Fairly Basic | | 2019/20 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | OK | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2020/21 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Poor | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2021/22 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Poor | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2022/23 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2023/24 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2024/25 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2025/26 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2026/27 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2027/28 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Adequate | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2028/29 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2029/30 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2030/31 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2031/32 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2032/33 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Perfect | Basic | Adequate | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2033/34 | Victoria Stadium | 5000 (2000 seated) | Good | Very Good | Basic | Average | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2034/35 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Perfect | Average | Average | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2035/36 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Perfect | Average | Average | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2036/37 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Perfect | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2037/38 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Perfect | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2038/39 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Very Good | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2039/40 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Very Good | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2040/41 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Good | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2041/42 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Good | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2042/43 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Good | Average | Good | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2043/44 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Very Good | Average | Average | Below Average | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2044/45 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Good | Average | Average | Adequate | Exceptional | Fairly Basic | | 2045/46 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Good | Average | Good | Average | Exceptional | Average | | 2046/47 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | OK | Average | Good | Average | Exceptional | Average | | 2047/48 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Perfect | Average | Good | Average | Exceptional | Average | | 2048/49 | Spiteri Stadium | 9950 all-seater | Very Good | Very Good | Average | Good | Average | Exceptional | Average | | 2049/50 | Europa Point Stadium | 10000 all-seater | Good | Very Good | Average | Impressive | Good | Exceptional | Above average | | 2050/51 | Spiteri Stadium | 14000 all-seater | Very Good | Very Good | Average | Impressive | Good | Exceptional | Above average | |--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Back in our own stadium, and the facilities are looking very impressive. Competitions and Club |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Season | League | League Rep | Position | League Cup | Rock Cup | Pepe Reyes Cup | Champions League | Europa League | Super Cup | Club World Cup | | 2014/15 | Premier Division | 210th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2015/16 | Premier Division | 205th | 1st | WINNER | Quarters | WINNER | 1st Qual | - | - | - | | 2016/17 | Premier Division | 194th | 1st | Semi Final | WINNER | Runner Up | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2017/18 | Premier Division | 179th | 1st | WINNER | Runner Up | WINNER | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2018/19 | Premier Division | 137th | 1st | WINNER | Runner Up | WINNER | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2019/20 | Premier Division | 128th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | Runner Up | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2020/21 | Premier Division | 118th | 1st | WINNER | Semis | Runner Up | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2021/22 | Premier Division | 106th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2022/23 | Premier Division | 107th | 1st | Semi Final | Runner Up | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2023/24 | Premier Division | 104th | 1st | WINNER | Semis | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2024/25 | Premier Division | 100th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | Runner Up | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2025/26 | Premier Division | 91st | 1st | WINNER | Semis | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2026/27 | Premier Division | 93rd | 1st | WINNER | Runner Up | WINNER | 2nd Qual | - | - | - | | 2027/28 | Premier Division | 89th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2028/29 | Premier Division | 103rd | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Group Stage (3rd) | - | - | | 2029/30 | Premier Division | - | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | Runner Up | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2030/31 | Premier Division | - | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2031/32 | Premier Division | - | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | 1st Knockout Round | - | - | | 2032/33 | Premier Division | 66th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | 3rd Qual | Playoff | - | - | | 2033/34 | Premier Division | 68th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (4th) | - | - | - | | 2034/35 | Premier Division | 67th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | 1st Knockout Round | - | - | | 2035/36 | Premier Division | 64th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (4th) | - | - | - | | 2036/37 | Premier Division | 65th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Playoff | Group Stage (3rd) | - | - | | 2037/38 | Premier Division | 64th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Playoff | Quarter Final | - | - | | 2038/39 | Premier Division | 59th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | WINNER | - | - | | 2039/40 | Premier Division | 52nd | 1st | WINNER | Quarters | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | 1st Knockout Round | Runner-up | - | | 2040/41 | Premier Division | 48th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (4th) | - | - | - | | 2041/42 | Premier Division | 42nd | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (4th) | - | - | - | | 2042/43 | Premier Division | 34th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | 1st Knockout Round | - | - | | 2043/44 | Premier Division | 29th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | Runner-up | - | - | | 2044/45 | Premier Division | 26th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Semi Finals | - | - | - | | 2045/46 | Premier Division | 25th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Quarter Finals | - | - | - | | 2046/47 | Premier Division | 19th | 1st | WINNER | Quarters | WINNER | 1st Knockout Round | - | - | - | | 2047/48 | Premier Division | 14th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Runner-up | - | - | - | | 2048/49 | Premier Division | 13th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | - | - | - | | 2049/50 | Premier Division | 11th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | Group Stage (3rd) | WINNER | Runner-up | WINNER | | 2050/51 | Premier Division | 11th | 1st | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | WINNER | - | WINNER | - | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Season | Team | Status | Club Rep | Value | Balance | Ticket | Season | Tickets | Avg. Attendance | | 2014/15 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | N/A | 425000 | 3460 | 6 | 36 | 195 | 1579 | | 2015/16 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 486th | 1400000 | 621878 | 6 | 36 | 214 | 1643 | | 2016/17 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 458th | 1300000 | 859963 | 6 | 36 | 223 | 1511 | | 2017/18 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 399th | 1200000 | 654607 | 7 | 38 | 248 | 1829 | | 2018/19 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 327th | 1900000 | 1281903 | 7 | 38 | 262 | 2271 | | 2019/20 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 291st | 925000 | 1054837 | 8 | 42 | 276 | 2634 | | 2020/21 | Lincoln (GIB) | Semi-Pro | 261st | 2700000 | 1489911 | 8 | 44 | 291 | 2520 | | 2021/22 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 260th | 1800000 | 1210883 | 9 | 49 | 325 | 3483 | | 2022/23 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 242nd | 3000000 | 1884212 | 9 | 51 | 338 | 3282 | | 2023/24 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 226th | 2500000 | 1956055 | 10 | 54 | 369 | 3617 | | 2024/25 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 220th | 2300000 | 1774685 | 10 | 57 | 382 | 3772 | | 2025/26 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 215th | 2900000 | 2137812 | 11 | 62 | 424 | 3967 | | 2026/27 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 214th | 1900000 | 1652393 | 12 | 65 | 441 | 3664 | | 2027/28 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 229th | 0 | 481782 | 12 | 67 | 459 | 4297 | | 2028/29 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 230th | 1800000 | 832164 | 12 | 66 | 473 | 5495 | | 2029/30 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | - | | | | | | 4713 | | 2030/31 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | - | | | | | | 4804 | | 2031/32 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | - | | | | | | 5866 | | 2032/33 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 142nd | 18000000 | 9262141 | | | 577 | 4716 | | 2033/34 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 144th | £7250000 (£7500000 debt) | 3561853 | 15 | 83 | 593 | 4731 | | 2034/35 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 108th | £18750000 (£7250000 debt) | 11336957 | 16 | 84 | 603 | 7209 | | 2035/36 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 76th | £25500000 (£6250000 debt) | 15165596 | 16 | 90 | 656 | 6962 | | 2036/37 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 72nd | £23500000 (£5500000 debt) | 16069571 | 17 | 93 | 704 | 7435 | | 2037/38 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 74th | £3700000 (£4800000 debt) | 4225166 | 17 | 94 | 732 | 7727 | | 2038/39 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 52nd | £8250000 (£6000000 debt) | 4970539 | 17 | 96 | 747 | 8156 | | 2039/40 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 32nd | £39000000 (£5250000 debt) | 18707089 | 23 | 172 | 879 | 87777 | | 2040/41 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 31st | £40000000 (£4000000 debt) | 23747801 | 23 | 172 | 896 | 8897 | | 2041/42 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 31st | 23500000 | 19069983 | 24 | 177 | 959 | 9322 | | 2042/43 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 32nd | 35500000 | 23756987 | 24 | 181 | 959 | 9564 | | 2043/44 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 37th | 148000000 | 72266388 | 24 | 181 | 1014 | 9731 | | 2044/45 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 28th | 201000000 | 97253483 | 26 | 192 | 1044 | 9738 | | 2045/46 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 21st | 236000000 | 125283613 | 26 | 196 | 1074 | 9762 | | 2046/47 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 18th | 257000000 | 139303729 | 27 | 199 | 1090 | 9905 | | 2047/48 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 13th | 234000000 | 130947374 | 27 | 202 | 1170 | 9950 | | 2048/49 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 6th | 325000000 | 145189689 | 30 | 228 | 1234 | 9950 | | 2049/50 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 5th | 536000000 | 192356734 | 32 | 238 | 1935 | | | 2050/51 | Lincoln (GIB) | Professional | 6th | 591000000 | 223945321 | 33 | 243 | 2355 | 17317 | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| Our 2nd Champions League win will push us higher this time next year, but everything else is looking very, very good. Weird to see the growth over the 35 years. Tickets have risen by £27 a game, and £207 a season. Over 2000 more season tickets sold too. Five numbers on the Lotto might have bought you the club when I joined, but now...well, do you have a spare £591 million? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1985 Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Seems like you're doing ok...... Congrats on the 2nd Champs league. As a matter of interest, how many Gibraltans are in/around the first team? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanikain Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 It didn't feel like I was away from the forums long but then I see this thread again, I think the last time I was on you had just won the first Europa League. So congrats on making it two Champions Leagues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Seems like you're doing ok...... Congrats on the 2nd Champs league. As a matter of interest, how many Gibraltans are in/around the first team? My first team? None whatsoever unless you include the naturalised ones. Of the squad for the Champions League final, only Davy Roger is eligible for Gibraltar (Barrionuevo might be, but I can't quite remember). The actual Gibraltar-born players are still absolutely woeful. It didn't feel like I was away from the forums long but then I see this thread again, I think the last time I was on you had just won the first Europa League.So congrats on making it two Champions Leagues. We work quickly on the Rock! It's not a massive jump in time between the points really, not as much as it was back on FM14. Ten seasons give or take between winning the Europa League and the Champions League, and achieved around eight years earlier than I did on the previous save. High achiever, me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 Pre-Season and August As a quick update on the burgeoning and frankly insane finances, we're now the 11th richest club in the World. Still only half the reserves of top club PSG though. Davy Roger decided to postpone his retirement for another season at least, but I was a little surprised to see him quote me as the reason he did so. I never once spoke to him about prolonging his career, but it's good he did. He won't play much, but his experience will be invaluable, and it gives Gibraltar another year of his services. Our stadium now appears to be maxed out at 19900, meaning we'll always be short of Gibraltar United unless we get a second stadium. I'm not sure on the gap we need to wait in FM15, I probably won't be around once we finally reach it. Transfers My current plan of just throwing a lot of money at the problem continues at pace with a touch over £100 million being spent this summer. We did recoup around £35 million though. Remco van den Putten and Joaquin Garcia both left for big money, meaning we could really spend to replace them. Jason Mayers - £60 million A new transfer record for the club, but a player we sorely needed. He'll be first choice right back, and should hopefully shore us up a bit, while offering something going forward. He'll be limited there though. Pablo Medina - £35 million With first choice keeper Everton regularly bitching about leaving the club, I've finally decided to be a bit more proactive and bring in another keeper before we absolutely need one. Pablo Medina cost a hefty fee, but he should be able to provide a bit of genuine competition in the position, and also means that if an offer comes in for Everton, we can accept it knowing that we're in good hands after he leaves. Jorge Reyes - £5.75 million A less exciting, but no less necessary backup signing. Omar Garribia is our first choice left-sided player, but Jorge Reyes should get a bit of game time when he's not available. Results A second Super Cup trophy for us as we dismantled a very poor Barcelona side in Eindhoven. It probably didn't help them to be down to 10 men after 10 minutes, but we took our chances, and 4-0 didn't really flatter us in the end. Bodes well for the season to come. In the Champions League, once again we were dropped in at the Group Stage. Remember having to start at the first qualifying round? Those were the days... For once, a pretty good draw. I would have liked to have avoided Man Utd, but Ajax and Partizan are kind picks in their respective pots. Gibraltar United also made the groups, but Bayern and Malaga will definitely be favourites to go through there - 3rd place definitely a possibility though. Elsewhere, it was a Gibraltar United double domestically. We passed the first test in the Pepe Reyes cup, but stumbled as we opened our league campaign. By no means panic stations yet after just one game, but it would've been good to open up some early distance on our rivals. Next Month Just a little trip to Old Trafford. No biggie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 It's been a while since I last popped in here so congratulations on going all the way to the top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 September Lincoln Results More absolute batterings in the league, but that Champions League result rankles slightly. Quite simply, we deserved better, but only have ourselves to blame for being in that position. It's not a bad result away from home, granted. The early season draw leaves ourselves and Gibraltar United locked on ten points, and already we're pulling away from the others. Bottom seeds Partizan shocked the competition by beating Ajax in their opening game. Perhaps this won't be that easy a group after all... Belgium Results For some reason we had three games this window - two competitive before rounding off with a defeat to Ecuador. I'm not so worried about that one though, as we're absolutely cruising our qualifying group. Past the half-way point, and it's hard to see us not topping the group and heading to the finals. A win in our next game would secure us an automatic place and a top-two finish, but I'm going for ten out of ten. Next Month Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 October and November The board offered to extend my contract, but as I thought forwards, I decided not to sign just yet. Ideally, when I do decide to leave, I'll do so at the end of my contract rather than resigning. Not that it makes much of a difference, but I'd see it as more realistic. I may well still sign a new one, but it's not certain anymore. More good news on the facilities front as we keep up with the Joneses. I still expect them to make very little difference overall though. Also this month we organised the transfer of a player who has been just wonderful for us. Shame it didn't work out to extend his stay, but he's another one of those players who is furious he's not getting game time in front of players who are easily better than him. Since that's not really an option to tell him, he's off to the Highlands. It's a lot colder there, Ivan, trust me. Lincoln Results It was all going so well until that record scratch of a result in Ajax. We had beaten them soundly in Amsterdam, after putting Partizan to the sword in the Spiteri, but we couldn't make it a double. A bitterly disappointing result too, one of those where you always look capable of winning, but keep throwing away chances so that you're always just short of winning. We did then follow that up with a very hard fought 1-0 win against Man Utd though, which kind of made up for it. With just a trip to Serbia to come, it's job done. Even if we lose and Ajax win, we'll go through on head-to-head. Our win against Gibraltar United has handed us the initiative in the title race, but that draw with Lions sent us backwards slightly. Still favourites. Belgium Results A little bit of Lincoln luck shone on us against San Marino as we smashed twelve past the sorry opposition to record our biggest ever win. That was after I'd given Albania quite a battering too. A very good international window for us, which also sees us... Of course we're there. Never really in doubt from the first few games. We can't be caught now, just need to concentrate on keeping that 100% record. And since this is a double month post... Not quite the match I had hoped for, but we came out on top nonetheless. I was pretty sure we were going to throw away our 100% record in some style after going from 3-0 up to hanging on at 3-2, but we closed out the game pretty well. And that's an easy close to our campaign. Bring on the Summer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 December Great news for Jon, but I'm still holding out hope for VDD to win it. The board go mental once again, and we'll have a ridiculous £175 million to spend in January if we want it. I won't be touching it. As Belgium manager, I get a vote in the Ballon D'Or awards, and it was heartening to see the shortlist. Obviously not the full one, but five Lincoln players made it on, and you could have decent arguments for three of them to win it. Boxhill and VDD will be favourites, with Nesic a possible winner. For the record, I voted VDD, Nesic and Boxhill in that order. Lincoln Results Two early goals outdid Partizan in the end, and we finished off the group with a flourish. We won't fear anyone come the knockout draw. But it's that time of year again! Everyone's favourite tournament, the Club World Cup. Two games from absolute immortality. Am I over-egging this? A routine win against host side Guangzhou (or they could've been Asian Champions, in fact, probably were). They never really had a chance, and we probably should've won by more, but professional nonetheless. As is so often the way, it's Europe vs South America in the final, and Europe come out on top. We were just as good as the semi final, going at them with pace and power, and completely stifling any kind of attacking intent they had. It took until the 73rd minute to add to our 3rd minute opener, but we never really looked in any danger of not going home with the trophy. And there's the rest of our results. A wonderful 100% December that puts us in a great position for 2052. Next Month And I know it's not quite next month, but we got our draw for the Champions League knockouts. Milan are definitely beatable, so happy enough with the draw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 January It's awards season, and it's fair to say that Lincoln have featured in a few... It's a clean-sweep of the individual awards, with our players taking home all three, and two more players filling out the podium spots. Disappointing for VDD, who as you know was my pick, but congratulations to Jon and Milan who do deserve their spots. We also showed how dangerous our attacking side is, with Garribia, Boxhill and Nesic all making it into the World XI. When you add in Jose Augusto and Jason Mayers in the full-back positions, it's been a wonderful year for us. Lincoln Results Well that was unexpected. A wonderful season so far, but a completely out of the blue battering at the hands of Gibraltar United has sent us into a bit of a spin. We hadn't lost a Premier Cup match in something like a decade, and now we're out of the final. Fully deserved by Gibraltar United - they were just better than us on the night. Luckily we kept up appearances in the league and Rock Cup. United draw level, although we do have a game in hand. Can we keep our bottle? Next Month We travel to Milan at the end of the month, but storm clouds are gathering on the horizon... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 February This month, Joan did what many other managers have tried to do for years now - took the Premier Cup away from Lincoln. Good on him, but it should've been us. The now weekly foray into our player's minds continues as three more stars say they want to leave. I told them what I usually tell them - if a good enough bid comes in, I'll let them go. Given that these bids NEVER materialise, I'm not too worried. But isn't this interesting...it will probably come to nothing, and it's hard to see someone being more generous than Mr Buttigieg has been, but interesting nonetheless. Lincoln Results We'll start at the end, in the San Siro. I'm not too worried about this, but I am very disappointed. We shouldn't be going 2-0 up in a crucial Champions League match, and then throwing it away in the second half. We're still ahead on away goals, but how important could those two goals conceded be come the end of the tie? Still on track in the league, and another win against Gibraltar United should see us win the title. We don't need to play them again in the league, and with the gap we already have, it's hard to see them clawing it back. Next Month I talked about storm clouds in the previous post...it's getting darker, but March is where the lightning begins, and cows start flying past your window... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 March A quick note of appreciation to VDD as he became a club record holder this month. 259 league goals in his career, finally overhauling Joe Jones, and taking his place as the greatest striker this club has ever known. And he's not done yet. We also clinched a top two finish this month, which meant budget time. Looks like I'll have a fun summer. Lincoln Results So, you'll know that I had to face Milan in the second leg of our 1st Knockout Round clash. We had a slender advantage, but that could of course be erased in a second. What we needed was strong leadership from the back, and our first choice defence ready and waiting to play. That's a good start. Not the best preparation, but Vico should step in for him fairly well. I thought long and hard about how I should approach the game, but eventually settled on 4-4-2. I thought I should have gone 4-1-4-1 to try and keep things tight, but figured that if we kept Milan on the back foot and perhaps nicked a couple of goals, we could give ourselves some breathing room, rather than hanging on and hoping for a clean sheet. What followed was...well, take a look... Now let me tell you all a little story about this ******* game. Our 4-4-2 system is sound. It's been proved on several occasions to work, but sometimes be a little suspect at the back. We have gone out and given some absolute hidings using it though, and we started well. In the 2nd minute, Milan Nesic tumbled in the box after a good run. Penalty? Nope, a yellow card for diving. Now, I'm a pragmatic guy. I despise diving, and can't really understand it, but I know it happens and it'll continue to happen. One dive is fine, but if you're stupid enough to make one that is so bad that you get booked for it, you better guarantee that you don't do it again. Right? RIGHT, MILAN?! Of course, 42nd minute comes along, and into the box he goes again. Down he does again, and out comes the yellow card, closely followed by the red. Furious doesn't quite cut it. I hated to do it, but I looked at my two strikers and realised that it would be suicide to leave both on. I made the difficult decision to pull VDD off, and bring on Delattre to keep us with the four in midfield. All the while cursing the name of Milan Nesic. Of course Sod's Law soon intervened as Milan went straight up the other end and scored. Down to ten men, and now behind in the tie, it's fair to say that the air turned blue at half-time. The second half began, and we looked like the proverbial rocket had been lit. Less than sixty seconds after the restart, sub Delattre showed what a proper, right-minded, non-diving right midfielder does and slotted in at the back post to put us back ahead on away goals. Cue delirium, and a slight (very, very, very slight) thawing of my frosty hate for Nesic. Then things got worse. See that booking for Jon Boxhill? Guess what he got it for? Aye, diving. Now one player getting booked for diving is stupid. Getting sent off for a second dive is cretinous. But to watch that, and then decide "Yeah, I want some of that" is downright negligent. Boxhill was immediately subbed, and Daniel Mendoza - the only striker on the bench - was thrown on. Boxhill then went to sit in a dark room for Nesic, and await my instructions. Remember how I said that Mendoza was our only available striker? Remember how I mentioned Sod's Law? Yup, you may have noticed that nine minutes after coming on, he strained his knee ligaments and had to come off. So now, hilariously, we were down to ten men, and no strikers. I threw on poor Andrew Warburton, a 15-year-old AMC from our youth academy to play in a 4-4-1-0 formation to desperately try and close out the game. He was woeful, but I didn't need him to be good. I just needed him to not give the ball away. We hung on, manfully so, but you all know the script already. In the 92nd minute, we struggled to clear a corner, and Jose Ignacio Morales poked in the loose ball. There was no way we were coming back from that. And then, once the physio managed to pick the bits of glass, plasterboard and drywall out of the players' faces, came the aftermath... A one-match ban, but two weeks wages fine from me. I absolutely stand by my decision, as his stupidity cost us our place in the Champions League. He disagreed. There was only one thing for it, and to be honest it was coming from the moment the red card was brandished. As long as we have another capable right midfielder, Milan Nesic will not play for this club again, and will join Malaga in the summer. Further to that, I decided that Jon Boxhill needed the same treatment. In a way I'm more angry at him, as he watched his team-mate get sent off, then decided to dive himself. He was a little harder to shift, so after offering him to clubs and unsettling him, it came to this. We'll see what comes of that, but, like Nesic, he won't play again for this club if I can help it. Like it matters, but we kept our 100% record domestically. Next Month The league is pretty much done, so now we just have to keep our heads in the Rock Cup to avoid this season turning into an absolute nightmare. Or something that rhymes with night anyway... I wouldn't put it past us to **** our league lead up the wall either to be honest, but with two games in hand and a two point lead, that should not happen. I'll run both April and May in the same update, because nothing of note is going to happen. Whilst I should be going to the cathedrals of European football, I'll instead be sampling the unique atmosphere of Victoria Stadium. Yay. This is perhaps the only interesting part of the season left. A new board is imminent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 April and May So an underwhelming result to the board takeover. No further investment - although to be fair, none was remotely needed - and the prospect of him installing his own manager. I really doubt that'll happen, but to be honest at this stage, I could do worse. Lincoln Results And our sorry season ends in somewhat predictable fashion as Gibraltar United do a cup double over us. It was written in the stars that we would wobble, but I would have almost preferred getting a beating. 2-1 was deserved on the United side, but it could've been so different. A league title is scant consolation to be honest. Belgium News Why do I get the feeling that I'll rue the day the media described this as an "easy" group? We'll play Cyprus and World number 1 Argentina before heading to Spain, then a couple of local friendlies. Next Month We'll perhaps get back to happier times with the European Championships starting. Full round-up of that tournament, along with the end of season round up of the Lincoln **** show to come. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 European Championships Spain '52 Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Forwards Key Players The Final Cut Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 3, 2015 Author Share Posted April 3, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 European Championships Spain '52 Pre-Tournament Friendlies I've got to say, these friendlies haven't filled me with confidence. A comfortable win against Cyprus was good, and you could say that a 2-2 draw against the number one side in the World is definitely creditable. But where sides I manage usually enjoy absolute goal-fests against the local sides just before a tournament (I'm sure I won 14-0 with Scotland once), we laboured to two results, drawing one. Hopefully I'm proved wrong come the tournament. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2051/52 European Championships Spain '52 Group Stage When you start a group stage campaign, this is what you need to NOT do. It was a tale of two three-goal blitzes, one in each half. At 3-0 down we grabbed a goal back, and suddenly we thought we might just be able to do something. JK, we then let in another three. A late consolation wasn't even much of that, and we are already staring down the barrel after one game. Now that's more like it. We went back to the tried and trusted 4-4-2, and it paid instant dividends. We now go into our final match against Finland in a good position - if Romania, unlikely as it may be, can trip up Portugal, then we could top the group, which seemed fanciful to say the least after the Portugal game. No matter what we tried, we just couldn't put them to bed. At 2-0 up, we should have gone on to absolutely batter them, and in a way I suppose we did. But with only 8 of our 26 shots ending up on target, it's easy to see how wasteful we were. that shouldn't have mattered of course, but we also couldn't keep it shut at the back, and 2 late goals meant it finished 2-2. A bitterly disappointing result, and one that...well, where did it leave us? Qualifying, but by the skin of our teeth. The generous new format for the European Championships saved us - had it been the old 16 team format, we'd have deservedly been going home. As it is, we're being handed a second chance. 1st Knockout Round I went back to a 4-1-4-1, desperate not to embarrass ourselves further in the competition. And boy did we not. Belgiumania was running wild all over the Czechs, brother. They didn't get a sniff, no shots on target, and nothing really of note as they slipped out of the tournament. Has the faith been restored? Quarter Final Wow. England were an early favourite for the tournament, but we put them to the sword in quite brilliant style. Our 4-1-4-1 stifled them, just as it did against the Czech's, and once we went 2-0 up it looked all but over. I slowed things down in the second half in preparation for a massive semi-final coming up, and we still managed to add to our score. On to the semis we go... Semi Final Bitterly disappointing. When you concede within the first 60 seconds, you know it's probably not going to go your way. It was an absolute head-lock of a game. France may not have had more possession, or even more shots, but they were much better in the times where they did have the ball. I unfortunately have to hold my hands up and admit that the better team won, sending us home at the semi final stage. Final France won the tournament, beating dear old Scotland in the final. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenzar Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 So if you get the Gib coefficient high enough...the entire league qualifies for Europe? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 8, 2015 Author Share Posted April 8, 2015 So if you get the Gib coefficient high enough...the entire league qualifies for Europe? I think the most we can qualify is seven teams, same as England gets now - four in the Champions League and three in the Europa League. That would mean that every team in the league - bar the one finishing bottom - gets a chance in Europe the following season. But since there's a relegation playoff late in the season (played in early July I think, at least on the db I'm playing on), you could get the situation where a team knows their Europa League opponents, then gets relegated in the playoff a few days prior to their qualifier. Not sure if we'll ever reach those heights to be honest - if we start getting one or two more sides into the latter stages of the Champions League, or perhaps winning the Europa League, we might do it, but the nations at the top will always be strong Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nfornirvana Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 First of all, my English isn't so good as yours. I am Turkish. I have just signed in here to tell you this is the best FM career I've ever seen. Congratulations mate, I love it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted April 11, 2015 Share Posted April 11, 2015 Disappointing end to the Euros. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 16, 2015 Author Share Posted April 16, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 A little bit of Belgium admin first up... The board were delighted at our performance, but I wasn't. I don't think I've ever seen a team be so bad in their first game, then back to brilliant, then terrible, then great again, before finally being put out with a whimper. That's over the space of six games. We really should have been in at least a final, and although it pains me to say it, I think we would've beaten Scotland in the final. It's a "what-might-have-been" scenario, but had we got a result against Portugal, perhaps our draw would've been different. I thought about staying on, but to be honest this campaign has kind of changed my career plan. The original idea was to win the Euros (natch) then see out the two years until the World Cup with Lincoln, then end on what would hopefully be a high. But now I can't really face another campaign with Belgium, and I'm afraid, I'm out. Immediately I was wanted in two other countries. Tempting, but I'm afraid I'm done with International management for this save. I need to concentrate on finishing on a high with Lincoln first. Pre-season and August Another year in Gibraltar, as James Spiteri's time ticks inexorably downward. After a disappointing European Championships, he's in a bit of a dour mood. So would you be if you had to spend most of the summer consoling Vic Vandendriessche, telling him that it wasn't his fault we failed in the Euros. It was though. There's rumours of retirement, but for at least one more season he's dusting off the old suit and heading for the floating sky-park that is the Spiteri Stadium. The now customary helping of presumably dirty money arrives in the coffers thanks to the TV companies. As a result, the new board has gone a bit mad and offered me £242 million to strengthen the squad. With letting Nesic (*spits*) over the summer, we do need to, but not that much. Transfers So how did I go about spending that budget? Like so... Allessandro Oddo Carlos Tinajero Tim Smulders Umberto Pagliarini Nahuel Ordonez Jose Nunes Joao Fernandes I bloody love money, me. I won't cover the players in much detail - it's clear just by looking at some of them why they've been signed. Pagliarini and Oddo aren't quite the quality I hoped for, but with money being spent in large quantities elsewhere, they'll be good backup to Boxhill and VDD. Yes, I decided not to sell the cheating, diving, scumbag Boxhill after no-one really came in for him. I would say that I hope not to regret it, but with how good a player he is, I won't. European Draw Our Nesic-inspired meltdown last season hasn't really affected our seeding too much - we're still in the top pot, obviously, and sit as second highest seeds in the competition. As such, there are some draws I'd prefer to avoid, but it doesn't really matter at this stage. A tough one, has to be said. Roma and Marseille are both strong teams from their respective pots. Lincoln Results A very good start to the year. We'll have sterner tests to come. Next Month Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 September and October Lincoln Results That Red Imps game was a disappointing blemish in what was a fantastic couple of months. The quest to grab that third Champions League trophy is well and truly rolling thanks to some absolute batterings. It was a very hard-fought win against Roma, but after that we've gone into overdrive, smashing 5 past Marseille and 6 past Partizan. We've thrown away good positions like this before, but if we beat Marseille in our next game, we should top the group fairly easily. Boooooooooooooooo. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! Surprisingly, bottom seeds Partizan are the best of the rest. Very good for us, have to say, as it means that if Roma can do what they should and win in the next round, and we beat Marseille, then the only way we won't top the group is if we lose both remaining games, including a 7-0 or worse against Partizan. Next Month Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 November and December Uh-oh... This happened quite a bit in my time with Lincoln in FM14, and it usually means we're coming close to failing FFP. I'm not entirely surprised given how much we spent last summer, and I imagine the board will keep propping us up, but it's not really sustainable. I doubt I'll get as big a budget next time around, and as long as I win the Rock Cup, that's £100 million into the coffers. We'll be fine. That'll also help. Lincoln Results What a time to grab my first clean sweep in the Champions League... We knew that going out and beating Marseille would pretty much secure our spot, but I didn't expect it to be so easy again. 4-0 makes our aggregate score 9-0 over two games, against the 2nd seeds. Both Roma and Marseille have had nightmares this campaign, but we still deserve credit for going out and beating them. Another 2-1 against Roma was hard fought once again, and we rounded it all off by smashing Partizan 4-0, giving a 10-0 aggregate score. Surely we're favourites for the Champions League now? Outside of that, apart from a strange 8-3 match against Gibraltar United, we had little trouble, winning every single game pretty comfortably. We march on. Red Imps are still unbeaten, but slipped up with a second draw. Our goal difference is already thirty better than theirs, which must be psychologically galling. Teams know they'll have to beat us by points, because they're certainly never going to win a goal difference battle. Roma squeezed into the second round just in front of Partizan, and probably deserved it after having a much better second half. If the matches against us were anything to go by, then they totally deserved it after only conceding the four, instead of the nine and ten of Marseille and Partizan respectively. Next Month Bayern are our opponents in the first knockout round. They'll be tough, but if we go out of this tournament, it'll be our own faults and no-one else's. We are looking scarily good at the moment. And instead of putting this in January's update, here's the end-of-year awards. VDD wins the Ballon D'Or, and the Player of the Year, and then grabs a spot on the World XI. Wonderful year for him, and richly deserved. Also glad to see the cheating Jon Boxhill not win it. I'm happy to accept the goals, but VDD is the son I never had. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 Love it when you get a regen with a really epic surname. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 January and February Lincoln Results Four stories to this period for Lincoln. 1) The least interesting one - the league. We're absolutely cruising it, and it doesn't look like anyone will be able to stop us. 2) The Premier Cup. Gibraltar United put us out after a very disappointing performance. United have a habit of doing this to us - we'll absolutely pummel them in the league, but come one off cup games, they'll get the better of us. *******s. 3) Dat 18-0. I've never had such a high-scoring game, and unfortunately it was poor Magpies who were on the end of it. I know it's unrealistic, but having 79 shots in a game is most pleasing. To be honest, I'm just disgusted that we didn't score more after 43 shots on target. 4) The Champions League. It was all going so well in Munich as Tim Smulders fired in the opener, giving us a priceless away goal. However, it was Omar Garribia in the closing stages who handed us a lifeline, turning 3-1 into 3-2. It's not in our hands, but we are in a better position than we perhaps could've been going into the second leg. Next Time Two big games coming up with Bayern and then Gibraltar United. We should clinch the league soon after, and then hope for more games in other competitions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 Lincoln Results That's how you approach a second leg where you need to win. Two poachers' goals in two minutes from VDD sent us on our way, but Bayern getting a goal back finely poised the tie. Another for them would swing the advantage in their favour, and they pressed and pressed to do just that. But then once again, Omar Garribia stepped up and fired in a third to put the tie beyond the Germans and send us into the quarter final. Must avoid PSG...must avoid PSG...must avoid PSG... We then spoiled new United manager Myroslav Bilokon's first game by ever-so-narrowly winning in the Rock Cup quarters. We had an absolutely woeful start, going 2-0 down in the 8th minute, but we roared back, and now surely sit as massive favourites for the cup after a tricky afternoon. We followed our cup win up with two good league wins - 2-0 against Olympique away, and then 6-1 at home to St. Joseph's. That clinched yet another title for us. Bit of an oversight, but unfortunately I misplaced the screenshot for the first leg against Man City. Fortunately, it didn't really matter. It was a disappointing 1-0 defeat in Manchester, but for the second round running, we did our job back home at the Spiteri. Who else but Vic Vandendriessche...his opener levelled things up, and a second was added late on, but it was still a hugely nervy match. We dominated, but every half chance they had was full of tension, as one goal would have changed everything. Luckily though, we did just enough to move through to another semi-final. Where we'll have to beat the top seeded team in Europe, for the right to face either Arsenal or West Ham. Next Time A round-up of the remainder of the season's games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 Lincoln Results Our domestic season came to a close with a perfect run of results - three league wins and then two in the Cup netted us the astronomical prize pot. Job well and truly done. But we still had PSG to come. Well we know what we need to do. For the third round running, we go into the second leg behind, after another 1-0 defeat. We've got the hang of this second leg lark. Another semi-final second leg masterpiece from the Lincoln boys as we absolutely murdered the French. It took less than sixty seconds for us to cancel out their lead, and from then on we never looked like losing. By the time the travelling PSG fans had anything remotely worth celebrating, we were already 5-0 up. We're going to another final, for a chance to win our 3rd Champions League trophy. Next Time Coverage of the Final itself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tullem Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 £100M for winning the Gibraltar cup!? Wow the money really is crazy in your game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 £100M for winning the Gibraltar cup!? Wow the money really is crazy in your game. Yeah, £25 million a game most seasons... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Mental finances! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 Champions League Final 2053 Estadio Olimpico, Sevilla In injury news, our now customary attempt to make sure our entire squad doesn't make it to the final continues apace with Camilo struggling. But I wasn't going to let him away that easily, so he'll be given painkilling injections to get him through the final if needed. I mean, come on...a strained wrist? I'm just going to show him a photo of Bert Trautmann's broken neck and frown at him until he gets on the pitch. As expected, my "You're playing or else" attitude to Camilo has paid off, and he takes his place in front of the defenders. A full strength side led by VDD, but will the decision to go 4-1-4-1 come back to bite me? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 Champions League Final 2053 Estadio Olimpico, Sevilla Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2052/53 End of Season Round-up We are now the top-ranked side in Europe. Just where I wanted to be, just as I clinched that key 3rd Champions League. Well deserved, especially after the heartbreak of last season's diving antics. Boooooooo...should be VDD for captaining us to the Champions League title with a brace in the final, rather than that diving rat. I suppose 46 goals isn't too bad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2053/54 Pre-season and August European Draw I'm going to take a little time to talk about the shape of the European football landscape right now, with respect to the pots above. It's clear there's been some shifts in power. PSG have been top for some time, but that's understandable given the huge financial backing they (still) have. But apart from ourselves (top of the rankings wooooo!), you've got West Ham and Malaga in there, and they have been there for a looooong time. Very surprisingly - at least considering the current dip - there are three Italian sides in the top pot. That's almost half. Arsenal round out the pot, but even they could have dropped out if Bayern had won a few more games. In pot 2, Real Madrid and Bayern are surprises, but one good season could see them rise up. I would say that Real Madrid have been almost perennial second pot members for as far as I can remember. Quite a comedown for the Galacticos. Not as much of a comedown as Barcelona have had though - they haven't even made it to the group stages this year. All in all, things have changed. Could be quite an interesting save to branch out with and go to somewhere completely different. Anyway, here's our draw. A big shrug from me. The Imps also made it through as you can see - tough draw for them. Transfers Matias Fernandez Victor Manuel Just the two signings, which my coaches considerably disagree with my scouts on. At this stage though, even though we're dropping a lot of money on these players, we're just garnishing our squad rather than really improving it. Unless we drop upwards of £200 million on the absolute top players (believe me, I've tried) then there aren't really many players out there that would really improve us. We have a squad capable of winning it all, it's just a matter of keeping them fit and happy enough to do it. Results Bitterly disappointed to miss out on the Super Cup again. Perhaps we struggle with it being our first competitive game, but we've often lost out in the early show-piece. Quite a match though, great for the neutrals. Business as usual domestically though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2053/54 September Results What a month. As we trudged off the pitch in Switzerland, it was starting to look like we'd have a job on to retain our Champions League ttile, and that it could be one of those seasons where we really struggle. Then we played Dortmund, and absolutely dismantled them. We've had big European wins, but strangely, rarely in the group stage. This though, this is a massive marker set down. We have sent the second seeds packing, and don't fear anyone now. Well, except maybe Basel. Next Time Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanikain Posted April 24, 2015 Share Posted April 24, 2015 Well you've been busy and congrats on the champions league win, looks quite interesting to see the same big teams but then you have Dumbarton have they had a tycoon? If you don't mind me asking how have Villa done on your save? They always seem to struggle in Fm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Well you've been busy and congrats on the champions league win, looks quite interesting to see the same big teams but then you have Dumbarton have they had a tycoon?If you don't mind me asking how have Villa done on your save? They always seem to struggle in Fm. Don't have the game open right now, but will check it when I do. I don't think Dumbarton got a tycoon, but could well be wrong. Could've been a consortium, although Scotland seems to go a bit mental this version. Again, will check on Villa when I can, but can say I've certainly never encountered them in Europe! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
forameuss Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 Rocking their World: Gibraltar Redux James Spiteri Relives a Past Life Season 2053/54 October and November Results All aboard the train to Cardiff for the Champions League Final - choo ******* choo! We remain unbeaten in the competition - in fact in every competition - but that draw with Viktoria Plzen keeps our puzzling run going. I don't see how we can beat Dortmund 7-0, then draw with both the 3rd and 4th seeds. Those were away games though, so could be that. Worrying that we can't beat little teams abroad though. We redressed the balance by thumping both sides back home, so just the one trip to the Westfalenstadion to come, but we're already through anyway. A win means we top the group, but a draw could be enough should Basel slip up against Plzen. Unstoppable. Next Time We'll finish off our Champions League group before jetting off to Mexico for the Club World Cup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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