Gundo's FM08 Small club from a small nation European adventure challenge

[daemonic]

Smylie only completed 6 of the 10 passes he attempted...hope you bollocked him out of it for that

[dafuge]

That's quality, looks like you have the perfect combination of winger and striker working down the right hand side. A 26/7 split between the shots of your two strikers is a bit bonkers though.

Do you have screenshots of the two players?

[NepentheZ]

Andrew Smylie

Charles Strain

They do work well together. Last season Strain got 90 assists. This season he's only 4th on the assists leaderboard for Knockbreda.

[dafuge]

Smylie looks quality, he looks far better than any player I ever had in NI.

[NepentheZ]

A product of my youth team, no less. I've had the top training / youth facilities for a number of years now, so it was only a matter of time before I got a legend through. Still, not the best N. Irish player to have played for Knockbreda, it seems....

Stuart Parker - Profile

Stuart Parker - History

His stats are still brilliant for his age, and in his prime I'd argue that he's quite possibly one of the best 5 regens I've ever seen in any of my saves.

[dafuge]

Seeing that makes me wish I'd spent a bit more time on my Sirocco Works game earlier on. I literally ran out of time playing it, but I was getting to the point where my youth players were fetching £2-3m at times and my team was seriously challenging for the Champions League title (2-0 up in the final with 10 minutes to go and I blew it ).

I think for FM09 I'll give it another proper go like I did with FM07.

[Guest roberto922]

I'm gonna see if I can play this a bit more too, the only thing that stopped me when I first joined the forums was that I was pretty crap at the time but I've improved alot since I started Dafuges challenge (I'd only managed Everton in all my other saves.)

[daemonic]

.... I was pretty crap at the time..... (I'd only managed Everton in all my other saves.)

Are the 2 connected???

Just teasing, Everton fans should be pitied not bullied.

Best of luck with the challenge.

[Quackje]

FWIW, I'm a fan of the current shape and form

The only big difference I would possibly like is if it encompassed all leagues except the top European ones and go for Champions league/Equivalent and World Club. It would be a bit easy in Argentina but Brazil would be tough still just to get promoted. The only reason I say this is so there is an active challenge for all the leagues in the game. There have been south american/asian versions of this but they're just not very active.

[rlipscombe]

Me too, although I'm don't want to rule out any new additions or guidelines that would improve on the current format.

that seems an interesting comment Gundo... intriguing!

[cookie15]

Well it's been a while....................................................!

My life has been so chaotic over recent months it has sadly meant that my FM08 game time has sadly been significantly curtailed. However, i just wanted to congratulate so many of you for continued endeavours in this challenge.

Some of you may know my afinity to these challenges, particularly Dafuge's and my good Norwegian mate Gundo's. I have to say these things is what gives me the interest and desire to continue to play the game. Saying that, i've bought a new computer which is a mac (please not everybody shout at me) and as a result i have not been able to transfer my save games!

I just want to let you guys know that i will be back with FM09 and Skjetten will rule Europe once more (Gundo will i still be able to manage them?)

Speak to you all soon!

Cookie15

[rlipscombe]

The only big difference I would possibly like is if it encompassed all leagues except the top European ones and go for Champions league/Equivalent and World Club. It would be a bit easy in Argentina but Brazil would be tough still just to get promoted. The only reason I say this is so there is an active challenge for all the leagues in the game. There have been south american/asian versions of this but they're just not very active.

just because they're not overly active doesn't necessarily mean that they should be merged in this challenge though. If they're good enough, they will get the players. i think that it's mainly about timing really and getting the threads going as soon as FM09 comes out. Obviously this and Dafuges will get the most players, but there is no reason why those shouldn't get players too. As a player of the "small club from big euro nation" thread (1 of about 3 at the moment... ) i think that the lack of game players in this challenge is mainly due to the lateness of it being started. people were already into their dafuge or gundo careers, so it was hard to get it established. Hopefully this won't be the case in FM09.

[Razer82]

just because they're not overly active doesn't necessarily mean that they should be merged in this challenge though. If they're good enough, they will get the players. i think that it's mainly about timing really and getting the threads going as soon as FM09 comes out. Obviously this and Dafuges will get the most players, but there is no reason why those shouldn't get players too. As a player of the "small club from big euro nation" thread (1 of about 3 at the moment... ) i think that the lack of game players in this challenge is mainly due to the lateness of it being started. people were already into their dafuge or gundo careers, so it was hard to get it established. Hopefully this won't be the case in FM09.

I think you're right there, the number of players in a challenge is just down to timing - if all of them start early then people are able to chose the one that interests them the most. It's a shame that the others aren't getting as much interest because they're all still really good challenges, if I wasn't so determined to get Clough Rangers a Champions League title I would be playing the small club from a big euro nation challenge too.

I think for 09 I'm going to have to try and have a couple of games on the go at the same time to participate in all the challenges! Especially seeing the Asia challenge just starting and also PH71's International challenge both great ideas.

Anyway, I think that's enough off topic ramblings from me for now.

[daemonic]

Damn, all this talk of FM09...I can feel the clock ticking on getting this challenge completed (for the 2nd time, had to mention that ) before its time to move on.

In save game news, we're now seeded 2nd for the Group Stage draw of the CL as our co-efficient continues to rise. Although this will be the last season of dramatic improvements as we've scored double figure co-efficient scores every year of the last 5 now, so no small scores to be replaced anymore.

[Razer82]

Damn, all this talk of FM09...I can feel the clock ticking on getting this challenge completed (for the 2nd time, had to mention that ) before its time to move on.

In save game news, we're now seeded 2nd for the Group Stage draw of the CL as our co-efficient continues to rise. Although this will be the last season of dramatic improvements as we've scored double figure co-efficient scores every year of the last 5 now, so no small scores to be replaced anymore.

Really subtle daemonic! Nice!

At least you've made it to the end of the challenge, think of us poor souls in Northern Ireland who struggle on.

I keep thinking that I'm finally going to be seeded 3rd in the CL but it's just not happening. Maybe next season when we get a second team in the draw.

[daemonic]

I'm unsure as to whether our climb into Europe's top 32 has bumped up our seeding to 2nd or if Ireland jumping to 12th in the co-efficient, allowing a second team enter the CL at the 2nd Qualifying Round, caused it. Either way it seems like progress....just need to qualify from the group and avoid the big guns to try make the quarters...sounds easy really :o

Other progress is players have actually signed contract extensions...it's crazy...I have no idea how to negotiate anymore. I'm just so happy they're willing to even discuss a contract that I end up throwing money at them.

[Gundo]

Well it's been a while....................................................!

My life has been so chaotic over recent months it has sadly meant that my FM08 game time has sadly been significantly curtailed. However, i just wanted to congratulate so many of you for continued endeavours in this challenge.

Some of you may know my afinity to these challenges, particularly Dafuge's and my good Norwegian mate Gundo's. I have to say these things is what gives me the interest and desire to continue to play the game. Saying that, i've bought a new computer which is a mac (please not everybody shout at me) and as a result i have not been able to transfer my save games!

I just want to let you guys know that i will be back with FM09 and Skjetten will rule Europe once more (Gundo will i still be able to manage them?)

Speak to you all soon!

Cookie15

Welcome back mate. I'm afraid Skjetten fotball wont be eligible to manage in this challenge in FM09. The reason being; they are currently 12 points clear of the drop zone in the 2nd divisjon avd 4 with only 6 games left to play, so it's highly unlikely they'll go down. At least they've survived irl though hey? every cloud...

[Razer82]

I'm unsure as to whether our climb into Europe's top 32 has bumped up our seeding to 2nd or if Ireland jumping to 12th in the co-efficient, allowing a second team enter the CL at the 2nd Qualifying Round, caused it. Either way it seems like progress....just need to qualify from the group and avoid the big guns to try make the quarters...sounds easy really :o

Other progress is players have actually signed contract extensions...it's crazy...I have no idea how to negotiate anymore. I'm just so happy they're willing to even discuss a contract that I end up throwing money at them.

I'd probably be offering them huge contracts too, anything to get them to stay for another couple of seasons. I'm losing 4 first team players on frees at the end of my current season.

[Fitzaay]

Albert Foundry - Northern Irish Firstd Division - 09/10 (Season 2)

Media Prediction: 9th

My Prediction: 2nd

Final Position: 1st

I was right that we'd jump straight to the Premier Division, it was close but we pipped Limavady for the title. Faired poorly in cups with the exception of a 5th round heartbreaker against Donegal Celtic. Bank Balance is over 100k deficit, hopefully nothing bad happens

Final Table

One to watch: Micheal Watson

He spent 2 months injured but still averages quite well, hoping to see him stay fully fit next season.

[Supermas2]

Well, in my last update for the 2015/16 season, I did say that we could do with a stadium expansion - but the board kept telling me we didnt have the cash, so imagine my surprise when I get a message where the board announce a new stadium!

Exciting times ahead for TKP Torun (even if the stadium will still be the smallest in the league!)

[Gundo]

Well, in my last update for the 2015/16 season, I did say that we could do with a stadium expansion - but the board kept telling me we didnt have the cash, so imagine my surprise when I get a message where the board announce a new stadium!

Exciting times ahead for TKP Torun (even if the stadium will still be the smallest in the league!)

I'm so jealous. I've just had a couple of small expansions onto our exsisting ground, although we've never really had the capital in the bank tbh. It's great getting a new stadium though isn't it, always seemed to give me a real lift and more more enthusiasm to do well at the club.

[Supermas2]

I'm so jealous. I've just had a couple of small expansions onto our exsisting ground, although we've never really had the capital in the bank tbh. It's great getting a new stadium though isn't it, always seemed to give me a real lift and more more enthusiasm to do well at the club.

Getting a new stadium was a lift.

But right now i can barely contain my excitement!

After knocking out Dinamo Minsk and Steuau Bucharest, an incredible 8-4 aggregate win over Rangers, including a 5-4 win at Ibrox, means that little old TKP Torun are into the Champions League Group stage!

Screenshots will be in my end of season report.

Draw to follow...!

[Razer82]

Razer82 – Clough Rangers – 2023 / 2024 – Northern Irish Premier Division

League – 1st – Champions!

Champions League – Finished 3rd in Group D

UEFA Cup – 2nd Knockout Round – Lost 6-3 on agg to Man United

Northern Irish Cup – Winners! Defeated Portadown 10-0

League Cup – Winners! Defeated Wakehurst 3-0

Antrim Cup – Winners! Defeated Linfield 2-0

All Ireland Cup – Winners! Defeated Bohemians 6-2

Manager Profile

Team Stats

Transfers Summary

Top Scorer

We started this season with a nice surprise, the increased co-efficients meant that for the first time ever, we were not in the first qualifying round of the Champions League. We jump straight to the second round where we remained one of the seeded sides. This gave us a tie with Partizani of Albania. A comfortable 4-1 victory in the away leg meant that we were practically in the 3rd qualifying round. Partizani still battled hard in the second leg and we scraped a 4-3 victory to progress 8-4 on agg.

This year also saw us seeded for the 3rd Qualifying round for the first time, this gave us Ukrainian giants Shakhtar, a team that probably should be seeded themselves! They visited our place first and we gave ourselves the best chance of making the group stage by winning 2-0. The return leg was a high scoring affair, eventually ending 4-4 which allowed us to progress 6-4 on agg.

I was hoping that we might have progressed to being 3rd seeds for the group stage, but that was not to be this season. We were handed what I think was our toughest group ever, Bayern, Real Madrid and PSG. I was thinking we’d be lucky to get points this year. To my surprise we began the games with a 2-1 victory over Real at home, we followed this with a cracking 3-3 draw in Paris. Two defeats to Bayern followed and we were then easily beaten by Real in Spain. This left us bottom of the group and needing to beat PSG to make the UEFA Cup. Knowing that we can beat anyone at home gave me hope that we’d be able to make it through – an amazing 5-1 victory secured us 3rd place and a spot in the UEFA Cup.

Our opponents in the UEFA Cup were the team that we’d knocked out of the Champions League earlier in the year, Shakhtar. We began the tie with the tough trip to the Ukraine where we managed to scrape ourselves a 1-1 draw, not the result I was looking for, but glad of the away goal. The return leg was also a tightly contested match that we managed to win 3-2 to go through to the 2nd knockout round.

Our 2nd knockout round opponents were Man United and we would begin the tie with a trip to Old Trafford. In what turned out to be a one sided match, United showed the quality that they had in a convincing 3-0 win. We’d always played well at home, but I was thinking that this might be one margin that we wouldn’t be able to overcome. We played well at home and managed to get a number of goals, but a final score of 3-3 meant that we were out of Europe, falling to 6-3 agg defeat.

As is becoming the norm, we retained all our domestic trophies without too many problems. We became the club that has won the most All Ireland Cups, taking our 5th consecutive title this year with a 6-2 hammering of Bohemians. We also eclipsed last year’s league goals record of 125 by smashing a massive 139 Goals past our opponents.

It was once again the usual suspects when it came to our top performers, Laszlo Tolnai (99 Goals & 37 Assists) was by far the best of the bunch, his goal scoring total a record for both the club and in the league and was also named Europe’s Leading Goalscorer. He was joined up front as various points in the season by Alan Ball (46 Goals & 19 Assists), Ales Svoboda (41 Goals) and Jakub Hlavacek (22 Goals). Top midfield performers were Yaw Tetteh (30 Assists), Vladimir Jirasek (23 Assists), Frantisek Barta (20 Assists) and David Walker (17 Assists).

With Tetteh, Walker, Peter Bako, Hlavacek, Roman Zboncak all leaving on free transfers at the end of the season, next year will require some rebuilding in order to keep our performances up. But I’m pretty sure that our finances can take the hit in transfer fees.

Our first stadium expansion in a number of years was also announced this season taking our capacity to nearly 20k.

Main aim for next season are a bit of progress in Europe, maybe even a 2nd place in a Champions League Group, we’ll have to see what happens.

Gundo – For your table – 13 Domestic Titles

Coefficients

Club – 59.550 – 40th (Up 8 Places)

Country – 24.667 – 13th (Up 5 Places)

[rancer890]

Wow, very good job Razer

What nationalities do you have on your team (just naturally curious:D)?

[Supermas2]

Getting a new stadium was a lift.

But right now i can barely contain my excitement!

After knocking out Dinamo Minsk and Steuau Bucharest, an incredible 8-4 aggregate win over Rangers, including a 5-4 win at Ibrox, means that little old TKP Torun are into the Champions League Group stage!

Screenshots will be in my end of season report.

Draw to follow...!

UEFA Champions League - Group C

Inter Milan

Olympique Lyonnais

Olympiakos

TKP Torun

Its fantastic to actually be in the competition - my objective is to not lose all 6 games to be honest. The group looks tough, but to be honest they all do.

Another massive bonus is that we have been given £3million for getting to the group stage, which takes our bank balance to around £3.6 million. And finally, as a result of all this money, the board have agreed to upgrade our training and youth facilites!

Hopefully qualifying for the Champions League proper will give us a reputation boost aswell, so we can attract better quality to the club. Will be great to have the likes of Inter Milan and Lyon at Armii Ludowej in its final season, before moving to the new ground aswell!

[Razer82]

Wow, very good job Razer

What nationalities do you have on your team (just naturally curious:D)?

Thanks matey.

Current First Team Nationalities:-

2 Bulgarians

7 Czechs

5 English

5 Hungarians

1 Irish

1 Lithuanian

3 Polish

1 Romanian

2 Scottish

[Razer82]

Looks like you'll be able to give the old ground a good send off with some Champions League games Supermas2 - Good luck with the group, seems like you might need it.

[daemonic]

Thanks matey.

Current First Team Nationalities:-

2 Bulgarians

7 Czechs

5 English

5 Hungarians

1 Irish

1 Lithuanian

3 Polish

1 Romanian

2 Scottish

Congrats on the great season Razer.

Just looking at the nationalities, do you have problems registering enough HG players or have the foreigners been at the club long enough to qualify?

[Razer82]

Congrats on the great season Razer.

Just looking at the nationalities, do you have problems registering enough HG players or have the foreigners been at the club long enough to qualify?

I don't have any problems, mainly becuase I've had a lot of those players from the age of 17 so they count towards the HG players. I do finally have 1 or 2 Northern Irish players in the reserves that might be ready for some first team football so there could well be another nationality on the list soon.

[daemonic]

Sporting Fingal - Irish Premier Division 2020

Transfers

And so it begins again. DR, Ricardo left for Hannover after just a season at the club for a fee of 2.5m + add-ons. Suprisingly that was it other than the sale of out of favour ST Simicek to Bohs and the signing of a few youngsters.

Come the Summer I allowed a couple of our home grown defenders, Colin Preston & Andy Brown leave as their first team opportunites were becoming less and less.

The Domestic Season

All-Ireland Cup

8 wins, a record 30 goals scored and a 9th All-Ireland Cup.

League

Our 9th League title, but still not the perfect season as again we drew a single game but the goals tally increased to 143 and our GD finished +111. The goal tally included 11 in a new record win against Sligo Rovers.

Irish Senior Challenge Cup

We DIDN'T win it..Cork City beat us in the semi-final. Our first domestic defeat in over 7 seasons.

Europe

Champions League First Knockout Round (2019/20 Season)

Facing current Champions League Champions Chelsea, hopes weren't high. A hard earned draw in the first leg left us needing a miracle in the away leg. It wasn't to be and out we went 3-6 on aggregate.

Sporting Fingal 2-2 Chelsea

Chelsea 4-1 Sporting Fingal

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

Champions League Third Qualifying Round (2020/21 Season)

Seeded in the draw we were paired with CFR Cluj of Romania. We came back from a goal down to win 2-1 in Romania and finished the job at home to go through to the group stage 5-1 on aggregate.

CFR Cluj 1-2 Sporting Fingal

Sporting Fingal 3-0 CFR Cluj

Champions League Group Stage

Our improved co-efficient paid dividends as we were seeded 2nd for the Group Stages draw and were matched with Juventus, Rangers and Olympiakos. Up first was Rangers at home and although the 4 goal winning margin suggested a hammering, they had us pinned back and worried for much of the game. Away draws to Juventus and Olympiakos followed before Olympiakos visited Turvey Avenue.

While the Rangers result flattered us, our 6-0 win over the Greeks didn't as we totally dominated them from start to finish. A win in Glasgow and we'd qualified with a game to go with just who would top the group to be decided when we played Juventus and despite the game being very even we stuffed them. Our finishing was lethal at home and topped the group because of it.

In the draw for the 1st Knockout Round we were paired with Atletico Madrid.

Sporting Fingal 6-2 Rangers
Juventus        2-2 Sporting Fingal
Olympiakos      2-2 Sporting Fingal
Sporting Fingal 6-0 Olympiakos
Rangers         1-2 Sporting Fingal
Sporting Fingal 4-1 Juventus

Other News

Although still in the world's top 100 rich clubs, we did drop from 53rd to 72nd.

Liam Taylor was the star of the season. Although I had only planned on giving him a few games to develop, O'Donovan's cruciate injury and a lengthy lay off for Seclean meant Taylor was thrown in at the deep end. He coped so well that he held onto the lone ST position for the full season equalling O'Donovan's Fingal goals in a season record with 67 in 47 games. O'Donovan took 56 games to score his 67 in 2014. Taylor was rewarded with a host of awards and a first cap for Ireland getting a debut goal to celebrate the occasion. Best part is he scores against the big clubs as much as the minows and currently sits atop the Champions League goals table with 15 in 8 games.

In midfield with Madeira gone, Jan Buzek stepped up as the creative force, scoring 24 and creating 23 in 46 games from the MC position. Both have signed new contracts as well but the big clubs are sniffing around despite me slapping 10m price tags on both.

Best Eleven: Season | Overall

European Co-efficients

Fingal - 74.921 (23rd up from 34th)

Ireland - 25.292 (12th up from 16th)

Sporting Fingal Trophy Room

Irish Premier Division x 9 - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

All-Ireland Cup x 9 - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Irish Senior Challenge Cup x 9 - 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Irish First Division - 2008

[NepentheZ]

Knockbreda Update - Season 28 (2034/2035)

To begin -

The board have agreed with me that the stadium needs expanding, and have decided to go all out and add an extra 16,000 seats. This will be vital for the future of knockbreda, as the gates are pretty much the sole way of gaining money due to the lack of funds for winning the Domestic trophies.

N.I. Premiership Prediction - 1st

N.I. Premiership Position - 1st

Irish Cup- Winners

League Cup - Winners

Antrim Cup - Winners

All-Ireland Cup - Winners

Champions League - 1st Knockout Round

N.I. Premiership - Graph | Table

N.I Premiership : It genuinely is too easy. At times, I was bored watching the 15th 8-0 win of the season. Smylie no where near as potent as last season, due to 10 weeks on the sideline early on. The regular 1 game draw was still there. I don't know why, but I always, always draw a game.! It was late on in the season, when my players were playing 4 or 5 games every 9 or 10 days, but with the talent at my disposal, thats no excuse.

Irish Cup : The irish cup is what saw me smash Dungannon 18-0 in the 5th round, breaking all sorts of world wide FM08 records. Smylie scored 15 in that game, and we went on strongly from there. Destroying Mosside 14-0 in the 6th round, and Glenavon 8-0 in the Quarter-final, there seemed little anyone could do to stop us getting another Irish Cup. Linfield fought hard, and even had a chance with it being 0-0 at half time, and Knockbreda down to 10 men, I thought I may lose my first domestic game in nearly 15 years. Smylie was on form late on though, hitting a hat-trick, leaving the result as Knockbreda 3-0 Linfield. That left Portadown in the final. Portadown, along with Glentoran and Linfield are the only team that ever cause me problems. This wasn't the case in the final, however, with Knockbreda playing them out of the stadium, destroying them 9-0.

League Cup : So, the league cup. The start of N. Irelands domestic competition, and the beggining of Knockbreda's trophy haul every season. Not usually a team for conceding, Knockbreda went by an old Chinese proverb in the first League Cup game v Limavady. "Those who score, lose, if the others score more". Ok, not quite a Chinese proverb, and not even close to how the game went, but a shock 1-0 lead for Lima woke the Knockers up, who eventually ran out 8-1 winners. They went on from there in a group littered with, well, pathetic excuses for football clubs, which included Lurgan Town and Cliftonville. The results would end up 8-1, 8-0, 7-0, 5-0, 7-0 and 6-1, with Cliftonville being the other lucky team to knock one past me. The quarter-final saw me knock out Linfield in yet another Cup, yet again 3-0. Glentoran were the Semi-Final opponents, but due to Linfield being out, you could pretty much count this as a final. And what a final it would have been, with the Knockers demolishing their "closest rivals" 5-0. Dungannon were brushed aside in the final 4-1.

Antrim Cup : Yet another useless cup that tires my players out. The 1st round saw me draw Linfield, who would go down to me in the 3rd trophy of the season, this time losing only 3-1. That was pretty much the end of the tourny for all the other clubs, as I proceded to demolish team after team, with the results being 8-0, 8-1 (v Glentoran) and then battering Distillery 6-0 in the final. Joyous occasions commenced.

All-Ireland Cup : Aside from the Champions League, this is the only cup that has the chance of eluding me during these exillerating seasons. However, when I batter teams like Drogheda 9-1, it still doesn't pose much threat. a 2-2 draw v Derry City was disheartening, but beating them 3-0 in the Final made up for it. What happened in the Semi-final I hear you say. What, you mean you haven't guessed yet? Thats right, I beat Linfield. 3-0. Again.

Champions League : Okay, so my team is firing on all cylinders. And by that, I mean sticking goals past the one-armed bandits these teams are calling goalkeepers. I say bandits with good reason, becase even though they're on a massive £55 per week, its still day light robery, as they don't deserve a penny of it. I got an easy route to the group stages for a change, Drawing Erkanes and Levski in the two qual. rounds, and managing to knock 13 goals past them in total without reply. That left me with a tough group :

Liverpool

Celtic

CSKA Moscow

It really is battle of the Brits, with 3 British teams competing. Oh, sorry, back to the tough group part. Well, celtic are a useless pile of no hopers, playing 6, losing 6 including a 5-3 battering from the Knockers, and CSKA Moscow were oly allowed to earn points due to the fact Celtic were playing. a 4-1 home win v Moscow saw me through after 5 games, leaving the last game against them pointless, so I sent out my reserves, who were still good enough to only lose 3-2. Liverpool did do me over, though, winning both games by scores I don't wish to put up here.

So, we've qualified. The first time I've ever made it out of the group stage, with exception to sex parties in the heart of Knockbredas night life. The first knockout round saw me draw Sporting Lisbon, a team thats never managed to beat us in the 28 years I've been in charge. Oh, I should add that I've never played them before. The first game, the away leg, was a close battle, but saw us eventually go down like the titanic, 4-2, leaving us much to do at home. And boy did we do it. 4-1 up with 15 minutes to play, (well, 18, but just for interesting reading, we'll stay with 15) - and Sporting all of a sudden decided they do know how to play football, while my boys finished up the biscuits the tea ldy bought them during an injury in the 65th minute. A quick fire hat-trick from Sporting left the tie at 4-4, and 8-6 on agg, sending the knockers home early. Still, progression in this comp is the most important thing, and this was by far the best we've done here.

Best Elevens - Season | Overall

Club Ranking - 47th (No movement)

Rich List - 94th (New entry)

Other Info

Finances

Team Selection

Team Info

Manager Info

Manager Overview

Manager Profile

Player Records

Team Records

Transfers

Affiliated Clubs

Knocbreda Staff

Awards

[/url]Champions League, Best Goal -

European Goldon Boot Winner -

Fans Player of the Year -

Manager of the Year -

N. Irish Player of the Year, Winner -

N. Irish Player of the Year, Runner-Up -

N. Irish Premier Division Player of the Year, Winner -

N. Irish Premier Division Player of the Year, Runner-Up -

N. Irish Premier Division Top Goal Scorer -

N. Irish Premier Division Young Player of the Year -

New Knockbreda Records

Average Attendance Broken - 28,870

Average Player Rating Broken - Andrew Smylie, 9.15 from 53 apps.

Players of the Season

Andrew Smylie - Well, hes now 21, and very close to 1,000 goals. Nearly 800, to be precise, and another 190 goals this season. He would have smashed his record of 204 had it not been for a 10 week and 3 week inury. A stupidly great player.

Graham Downey - Antoher from my youth team, he's very good. Can play CM or ST, and managed to bag 31 goals in 39 apps.

Charles Strain - if this man doesn't hold the all time Fm08 record for assists, then I'll be amazed. Another 65 this season.

Season Summary

Really easy. Not too much to say, really. I bought a couple players to strenghten the squad so that when we play 10 games in 12 days the team can cope. Aside from that, totally dominant, again.

Manager history

Season 18 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners, All Ireland Cup Winners

Season 19 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 20 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 21 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 22 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 23 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 24 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners, All Ireland Cup Winners

Season 25 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners, All Ireland Cup Winners

Season 26 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners, All Ireland Cup Winners

Season 27 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners

Season 28 - N. Ireland Premier Division, 1st Place (Winners) | League Cup Winners, Antrim Cup Winners, Irish Cup Winners, All Ireland Cup Winners

To End....

A big shout out to my reserve and under 18 teams. They are dominant like the first team, and the Reserve team have even won the N. Irish Antrim Trophy (not the Antrim Cup) 11 times in 15 seasons. On top of that, they have won the Reserve leage 20 times in a row, and 23 out of the last 24 seasons. Better yet, they have won the Intermediate Cup 13 times in 20 seasons, including 3 in a row, currently, and had a clean sweep last season, winning the Reserve league, the Antrim Trophy and the Intermdiate Cup.

The U-18s, on the other hand, have won the league 16 times in a row, and 20 times in total, and also have 11 U-18 cup wins, which is an under 18 record.

Both these teams also regularly batter teams 10-0 or better, with the reserves having a 13-0 win v Distillery II last season, and the U-18's a 10-0 win v Distillery.

[Razer82]

daemonic - Another good season there, shame about not being able to get past Chelsea. Good luck against Atletico next season.

Nep - I'm totally jealous of Andrew Smylie - I want a striker like that! My best guy has only managed 99 in a season. In all seriousness though, I can sympthise with getting bored during a domestic season, it seems that it just got too easy too quickly.

[daemonic]

Good to see you got passed the Group Stages Nep...hopefully you can push on from there.

Thanks Razer...I am hopeful we can beat Atletico and make the quarter finals as long as I can hang onto my better players. Taylor seems ok with me responding to all transfer enquiries with an exorbitant price tag of 15m but Buzek is whining about being kept at the club when bids of 450k are made. There is no way I'll let him go for less than 5m plus juicy add-ons.

I would really love an option when a player whines about not being allowed to discuss terms with a club to have some interaction and tell them they can go but only if the asking price is right.

[rlipscombe]

Andrew Smylie is a legend Nep. could he be the first player to score 2000 goals?????????

[Razer82]

I would really love an option when a player whines about not being allowed to discuss terms with a club to have some interaction and tell them they can go but only if the asking price is right.

That would be a really useful option, especially if it shut the player up for a while, I do get a bit annoyed about having to answer all the media questions when players want to leave.

Andrew Smylie is a legend Nep. could he be the first player to score 2000 goals?????????

I think you're right there, he could well be the first to 2000.

[LiRiM-InSaNe]

Only just stumbled across this site.

And then this challenge.

Starting it right now.

Loaded up Swedish leagues.

Gonna be harrd. But i've been praying for a good FM challenge for a while now.

[NepentheZ]

Thanks lads. I'm going to alternate between this and Daf's Challenge. 2 or 3 seasons at a time, (although I'm on Daf's now) - so the updates wont be too regular. Its my mission to get Smylie to 2,000+ goals, and will even not play FM09 to get it done

[LiRiM-InSaNe]

Well this is me.

Manager of Pitea.

Going to be extremely difficult. I have a pretty crap team. Board wants me to win Division this year. Gulp.

Wish me luck

[daemonic]

Thanks lads. I'm going to alternate between this and Daf's Challenge. 2 or 3 seasons at a time, (although I'm on Daf's now) - so the updates wont be too regular. Its my mission to get Smylie to 2,000+ goals, and will even not play FM09 to get it done

Have you received any bids for Smylie? If so what kind of money was on offer?

[NepentheZ]

Have you received any bids for Smylie? If so what kind of money was on offer?

Yea every transfer window clubs bid for him. Fortunately, they're only bidding what he's worth, sometimes a little less. He's only got unhappy once, when I rejected a bid from Bayern Munich, but I've rejected numerous bids from AC Milan, Arsenal, Man U, Barcelona, Intermilan and he's never gotten unhappy. He's signed a new 5 year deal, though, so all is well.

[Quackje]

Spartak Subotica 2017/18

So back to this save I went and with a pretty good team I went right ahead for the worst domestic season in 3 years. Finishing 2nd in the league with Red Star only dropping 13 points all season, my tally of 71 would have won the league any other year. More bad luck was used up in a ridiculous Serbian cup semi-final, I can't believe I lost this. This left a good deal of positive luck lying around for Europe.

Champions League qualifying

3rd Qualifying: Spartak Subotica 3-1 Salzburg agg.

An easy game as expected.

Champions League group B

Spartak Subotica 0-0 Juventus

Racing 1-4 Spartak Subotica

Heerenveen 1-4 Spartak Subotica

Spartak Subotica 5-5 Heerenveen

Juventus 1-1 Spartak Subotica

Spartak Subotica 3-1 Racing

A tight affair that I should have won really and dominant wins against Racing and Heerenveen set me up to go through. Two of my defenders had 4 ratings in a crazy game against Heerenveen but we finished up the group in 1st place and importantly we beat every team over the two legs.

Champions league 1st knockout

Werder Bremen 3-1 Spartak Subotica

Spartak Subotica 6-1 aet. Werder Bremen

I was really annoyed after the first leg in Germany, after taking the league they equalised with a goal I'm sure was offside and two strikes by the same guy from 35 metres out. At home we went up 3-0 and all was well, they equalised but in extra time we were rampant and destroyed the opposition.

Champions league quarter final

Juventus 2-2 Spartak Subotica

Spartak Subotica 1-1 Juventus

Having already drawn twice against them in the group it was not surprising I would have another two draws. We went up 2-0 away and I was very dissapointed to concede late twice and the home leg was a matter of hoping the referee blew for full time but we survived.

Champions league semi final

Spartak Subotica 1-1 Barcelona

Barcelona 2-3 Spartak Subotica

Although this looks like a tough draw it was really never in doubt as I laughed so hard before the first match seeing Barcelona manager Steve McClaren... Anyway it was a tight affair but we played great away as I went hyper attacking just after half time and found myself 2-1 up. As they tried to comeback we hit them on the break again to win 3-2.

Champions league final

Valencia 3-4 Spartak Subotica

We faced the only team to score more goals than us in the group stages and so it was always going to be a goalfest. I thought I was screwed at 2-0 down but we turned up the attacking mentality again and Bogdan Milojevic responded, he is my god. If there was a way to do player interaction -> give £1M bonus I would.

The starting 11

Tactic:Mine

GK: Stevo Kalic

DL: Bassam Meriah

DC: Denis Halilovic

DC: Edin Kulovic

DR: Dejan Sculac

DM: Jean-Louis Touré

CM: Gábor Gyõri

AMC: Luiz Carlos

AML: Martial Yao

AMR: Alejandro Arguedas

ST: Bogdan Milojevic

Other key players

DRC: Gustavo Fajardo

DM: Marko Nikolic

AMC: Branislav Jankovic

ST: Raymond Langseth

Team: Woo

Domestic

2008/09 4th First League

2009/10 6th Super League

2010/11 12th Super League

2011/12 2nd Super League

2012/13 11th Super League

2013/14 3rd Super League

2014/15 3rd Super League + Serbian Cup

2015/16 1st Super League + Serbian Cup

2016/17 1st Super League + Serbian Cup

2017/18 2nd Super League

Europe

2010/11 UEFA Cup 1st round vs Beitar Jerusalem

2012/13 Champions League group stage 3rd - UEFA Cup 1st knockout vs FC Twente

2014/15 Champions League group stage 3rd - UEFA Cup 1st knockout vs Feyenoord

2015/16 UEFA Cup quarter final vs Manchester United

2016/17 Champions League group stage 3rd - UEFA Cup quarter final vs FC Bayern

2017/18 Champions League WINNERS

Spartak Subotica; 19th(+14), 80.688 Serbia; 12th(+2), 29.839

[daemonic]

Looks like your games are all very entertaining, if not good for the blood pressure.

Congrats on completing the challenge Quackje

[Razer82]

Congratulations Quackje, nice to see people completing the challenge.

Is that it for this game now then? Or will you be trying to defend your Champions League crown?

[Quackje]

That's probably it for Serbia, I find it hard to have the motivation to go through the league games again and again you see. To be honest its a bit too easy in Serbia, masses of talented players around. I already have a game in Belarus started and a couple of seasons in so I will carry on with that.

[LiRiM-InSaNe]

Well I have started my first season in charge of Pitea.

Got Swedish champions IFK Goteburg as my parent club and they responded with some very good loan signings.

First game just played.

Two Nil win.

[NepentheZ]

Good stuff LiRiM - Hope you have success buddy.

[rlipscombe]

Congratds Quackje! well done. achieving a champions league win with a club like this is a great achievement, whichever league you play in.

[LiRiM-InSaNe]

Thanks NepentheZ.

Arrrgh. It went tits up.

Starting in Belgium now.

Got a good result in Seraring. Good team with no money but with Standard as Parent team. Could be a very good game.

[Razer82]

Thanks NepentheZ.

Arrrgh. It went tits up.

Starting in Belgium now.

Got a good result in Seraring. Good team with no money but with Standard as Parent team. Could be a very good game.

Good luck in Belgium, just watch out for the rules regarding players in the match day squad. I think you need to have a number of under-21s in it at all times.

[Quackje]

Its 2 under 21 and 5 Belgian trained if I remember correctly. At least it forces you to give your best youngsters a chance but its still a bit annoying sometimes. The other thing is you can offer professional contracts at 16 and so you can actually steal any regen you like as soon as they are created for free. I used to scout every 16 year old as soon as I could and steal the good ones every year, of course thats for when you're in the top league.