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Sophara United - Academy players only, for better or worse (The sequel to the Kafra series)


abulezz
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2 hours ago, abulezz said:

Two years in the League Two is not bad at all, although I'm bunkering down for a few years in League One from what I see just looking around the other teams. 

I found the move from L2 to L1 to be the hardest and spent 5 years in L1 - and that is with me signing players!

You are doing really well @abulezz- keep it up!

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13 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

I found the move from L2 to L1 to be the hardest and spent 5 years in L1 - and that is with me signing players!

You are doing really well @abulezz- keep it up!

I uses to always think the jump to Championship was always the hardest but you do have some big teams in League 1 as well! 

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1 hour ago, abulezz said:

After years of stability, a new chairman was voted in a couple of months ago. This guy just destroyed the team in a matter of 2 days.

Absolutely gutting! However - the plus side is that your academy is capable of producing players like that semi-regularly...

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On 31/12/2020 at 11:40, _Ben_ said:

Absolutely gutting! However - the plus side is that your academy is capable of producing players like that semi-regularly...

Had to take a short break from FM but back in action! The board sold 3 key players in one window, I don't think that has ever happened to me before. Destroyed the team in one shot. 

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Losing players like that is very tough, what is your transfer budget, I know you are not using it but the board would think, great bit of money for club and you can go for good but cheaper replacements.

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On 30/12/2020 at 05:12, _Ben_ said:

I found the move from L2 to L1 to be the hardest and spent 5 years in L1 - and that is with me signing players!

You are doing really well @abulezz- keep it up!

Thanks! So far, the hardest move up was the Vanarama National in this save. We seem to managing well in the League 2 and 1. 

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On 09/01/2021 at 05:17, Maw74 said:

Losing players like that is very tough, what is your transfer budget, I know you are not using it but the board would think, great bit of money for club and you can go for good but cheaper replacements.

Yea, it makes financial sense especially since our balance dropped in the red for the first time last season. It still screws me over big time though!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hayles looks good although I think I would play him as an MC rather than an AMC with that determination and aggression! With the level you are at Godbold will be handy. Good crossing and decent pace/acceleration is all you need for a winger :D

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55 minutes ago, deez0r said:

Hayles looks good although I think I would play him as an MC rather than an AMC with that determination and aggression! With the level you are at Godbold will be handy. Good crossing and decent pace/acceleration is all you need for a winger :D

Spot on - Hayles looks like a good CM, Goldbold will probably end up being a starter at left wing if his progression keeps up, and I definitely will be switching Rodgers to a striker as opposed to a CM!

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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2030/2031

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

LEAGUE ONE: We might have finished three spots above our first season in the League One (18th to 15th Place) but we had a very similar year in terms of results. We only managed to register four more points (61 compared to the 57 Points from last season), our GD was the same (-3), we won the same number of games (15) with the only major difference being with drew 16 matches this season instead of 12. The good news was that we never really got into a relegation scrap, maintaining a mid-table level of football throughout the season after a very hot start to the season.

Club Captain, two-time Sophara Player of the Year, 2030 and 2031 League One Player of the Season Mark Connor (’27) remained the team’s most in-form player (7.35 AR) despite his incessant nagging about wanting to play for a bigger club – 9 PoMs for a GK is quite impressive. The defensive line in front of him conceded 5 more goals this season than last as I was a lot more experimental in who I started and which positions I played certain players – for example, I benched CD Thananis Zlatkos (’25) during the last stretch of the season in favor of the rapidly developing Ellis Champion (’29) while also trying natural CD Omar Everett (’29) at right-back. The constant variable throughout remained Otis Spence (’23), who despite playing 329 League Games for the club is still only 24 years old. His 6.81 AR was the lowest of his career, however, and this was the first season in the past six that he managed to play in less than 40 Games. Left-back remained a problem position as I did not have any solid starter, instead rotating the likes of Rio Amankwaah (’28), Stanley Abdullahi (’28), and Fahad Kasirye (’24) throughout the year. I wish I could have had two things from my defensive line – a more stable starting lineup, and better, more consistent performances from said starters. That being said, for whatever reason (probably our GK Mark Connor) we ended up with 6th best defense in the League One, conceding 72 Goals while holding our opponents to several goalless games. We currently have four players who represent their nations in their senior teams and three of them are defenders – Uganda’s Fahad Kasirye (34 Caps/3 Goals), New Caledonia’s Alexandre Foucher (12 Caps/2 Goals), and Jamaica’s Omar Everett (2 Caps).

 

Sophara United were a team on a mission this season. In their first year in the League Two, the started off strong before running out of steam during the final couple of months, ending in 13th Place after competing for a Play-Off spot for most of the year. This season, there was no repeat of that – the team stayed strong throughout the season and even turned it up during the last stretch to ensure their automatic promotion. The team came together – both defense and offense – and the continuity and natural progression going up and down the pitch by all the players showed an increased understanding and maturity between the Sophara United players. Rotherham United were the best team in the League Two this year and rightfully won the title, but Sophara United pressed them until the end and earned their 2nd Place finish and automatic promotion, scoring 80 Goals and conceded 44 Goals – both good enough for 3rd best in the league. The difference between Sophara and 3rd Place Chesterfield, who earned the last automatic promotion spot, was an impressive 11 Points.

Last year’s mass exodus decimated our midfield, especially as it was some of our most talented players that left. Danny Browne and Grant Smith (both CMs) were sold for £2.9M each while RW Joel Davies netted us £3.8M – Luke Bell left at the end of the season on Free Transfer. Our midfield went from our deepest and possibly strongest position to our least stable – in fact, the only permanent starter was Nigerian Arinze Mbah (’28), whose 6.64 AR left much to be desired. Next to him at CM the likes of rookie Mohammed Boateng (’30), Gareth Frawley (’29), and Ellis Graham (’27) rotated depending on form. At right wing, it was mostly Max Atkinson (’27) and Trinidad and Tobago international Anthony Williams (’28) who exchanged playing time, and down the left it was 23 year old veteran Charley Bricknell (’24) and rookie Daniel Boniface (’30) who started. Out of all the players named, none of them registered more than 6.81 AR, speaking to the poor form in general our midfield gave us. The fact that right-back Everett led the team with 8 Assists also points to the general lack of contribution that came from the most disappointing segment of the team.

While Connor was named the Sophara and the League One’s Player of the Year for the second straight season, there was no doubt about who the team’s most influential player on the pitch was. For the 5th straight season, Scottish striker Ross McDonald (’23) scored more than 32 Goals and once again captured the League One’s Top Goalscorer award for the second straight year by scoring 34 Goals. His 10 PoMs also led the league and although his Assists dipped significantly, his 7.13 AR was an improvement over last year’s 7.07 AR. His exploits helped make the team the League One’s 10th best offense despite no other player scoring more than 7 Goals this season.  

 

FA CUP/CARABAO CUP/PAPA JOHN’S TROPHY: The FA Cup run was a bit disappointing for Sophara this season, falling to Rotherham away from home 1-0 in the Second Round after defeating Scarborough Athletic 2-0 in the First Round. The team fared a little better in the Carabao Cup, advancing to the Third Round before heartbreakingly losing to League Two outfit Exeter 1-0. The Papa John’s Trophy was forgettable this year as Sophara could not make it out of the Southern Section Group C, coming in 3rd to QPR and the Southampton U23 squad.

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CURRENT PLAYERS

MARK CONNOR (2027)

Goalkeeper – 20 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW

In his three full seasons as Sophara’s starter at the GK position, this was the first time Connor missed a game, playing in 44 out of the 46 League Games. That, of course, meant nothing when it came to his form – his 7.35 AR was a new career-high and the 2nd highest in the League One, leading him to capture his second League One Player of the Year award. For the past two years, the GK has been voted as the league’s finest player, also being named in the League One Team of the Year for the second straight season. He set a new personal record with his 9 PoMs although his 11 Clean Sheets was his lowest mark in the last three years. The Sophara coaching staff believe him to be a Championship level GK and he seems to agree with them – he continues to refuse to sign a new contract because he believes he should be playing at a bigger club.

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DEVELOPMENT/CAREER

Connor has now developed to close to his full potential – he has shown almost no improvement in any attribute over the past 24 months. For a GK, he has peaked early, but he remains probably our most talented player and our captain. He has already played in 162 League Games despite his young age, and the fact that he has been named the League One Player of the Year for the past two years before turning 21 is a huge accomplishment. He is on the radar of several larger clubs and Sophara has received offers of up to £3M for the young GK. Although his Fickle personality and reputation does turn some people off, his performances on the pitch have been great and his WR is now at 2/5. Although the Overall Best Eleven still lists Jonathan Aboagye has Sophara’s finest GK of all-time, Connor is easily the most talented and the prediction is that he will take his rightful place as the club’s best GK of all-time potentially as early as next season.

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ARINZE MBAH (2028)

Central Midfielder – 18 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW

In his second season as a starter for the club, the Nigerian U23 international showed improvement in form although he remains far from being impressive. In 39 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, a team-leading 3.42 TpG, 83% Pass Completed, 44 Interceptions (2nd on the squad), and 6.65 AR. The final number obviously speaks to his level of consistency (not so great), but it was also only his second season in a difficult position. He is already the club’s second highest valued player at £210K as his potential is pretty easy for everyone to see.

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DEVELOPMENT/CAREER

Mbah completed his third season with the club (second as a starter) having shown tremendous progress across the board. His individual focus on Passing has netted good results (+3/10 Passing, +3/13 Technique, and an incredible +6 to a total of 11 in Vision), but he has also shown solid growth in defensive attributes (+3/11 Marking, +3/11 Positioning.) Physically, he has matured impressively, recording +4 Points in Strength, Pace, Acceleration, Balance, and Agility, with the last one bringing his total number to 17 Points. Save for a few Mental attributes, he has shown at least a Point progress in every attribute, with most improving by at least 2 Points. He is beginning develop a reputation as a hard-nosed, hardworking machine in the middle of the pitch – the only thing left for him to do now is to deliver good performances every game.

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ROSS MCDONALD (2023)

Striker – 24 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW

The recipient of the League One Top Goalscorer award for the 2nd straight season, his 34 Goals were the second highest mark of his career after his 42 Goals scored in 2026/27 during the club’s last season in the Vanarama National. He equaled his career-high of 10 PoMs and improved to 7.13 AR from the 7.07 AR he registered last season, the club’s first in the League One. This makes it 5 straight seasons of scoring 32+ Goals, an incredible feat in its own right. The Scottish striker was also named to the League One Team of the Year for the second straight season, solidifying himself as the league’s most clinical player. His 2 Assists were disappointing, especially as he has proven to be capable of delivering a high number of Assists – last season he had 7 and he even registered 11 Assists (his career-high) during the 2025/26 season. Unlike our other current and former stars, McDonald has rarely given me any problems signing a new contract – he is now paid almost £5K per week (the richest contract in club history) and his our highest valued player at £275K.

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DEVELOPMENT/CAREER

Other than +1 Point increase in Composure and Technique, McDonald has shown no other improvement over the past two years. At 24 years old, he probably won’t show any new developments but his improvement in his shooting over the course of his career (+4/12 Finishing, +7/13 Long Shots) has turned him into potentially the most dangerous striker in the League One. He has now put himself in the debate for Sophara’s GOAT alongside Jonathan Aboagye, surpassing Danny Marriott both in numbers and accolades. Another season or two like the ones he has been delivering and there will no longer be a debate – as it stands, McDonald already has a good claim as the club’s best ever. He has won the Top Goalscorer award in every league he has played in (Vanarama National, League Two, League One), and has now scored 235 League Goals in 358 League Games, registering 7.04 AR over the course of his career.

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OTHER PLAYERS

GRANT SMITH - Bournemouth (2028)

Central Midfielder – 19 Years Old – AUSTRALIA: 6 Caps/1 Goal

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

Part of the mass exodus from the middle of last season, the Australian international was sold to Bournemouth for £2.9M but spent this season on loan at Crewe in the League One. He played in 13 Games, registering 3 Assists, 90% Pass Completed, and 6.88 AR, playing for the club. He has also become a regular for the Australian national team despite his young age, making his debut for his nation at the age of 18. He has the look of a good CM, with all the right talents in the right places.

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DANNY BROWNE - Burnley (2027)

Central Midfielder – 19 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

At one time Browne was considered potentially the finest prospect the Sophara Youth Academy has ever produced. Sold by the board in the middle of last season for £2.5M, he spent the season on loan with Oxford playing against us in the League One. His mother club, Burnley, were relegated to the Championship this season, which might be more in line with Browne’s current abilities. He has not shown much noticeable progress since leaving the club and the strongest part of his game remains his physical presence and fitness.

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JOEL DAVIS - Middlesbrough (2026)

Right Winger – 21 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

Sold twice this season – from Sophara to Norwich for £3.8M and then from Norwich to Middlesbrough for £4.5M – he failed to make a single appearance for either club. He has now earned 8 U21 Caps for Wales, scoring 4 U21 Goals in the process, but other than that he had a pretty forgettable season. His young career is still defined by that amazing 2028/29 season he had for us (38 Apps, 12 Goals, 24 Assists, 7.15 AR), but he will need to start doing more if he is to stay relevant in football going forward.

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GARETH SCULLION – Sheffield United (2024)

Central Defender – 22 Years Old – Northern Ireland: 27 Caps/1 Goals

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

After being bought for £4.7M and subsequently spending the next three seasons on loan, Scullion finally became a regular for his team in the Premier League this season. Unfortunately, he did pretty bad – while he ended up playing in 32 Games, he registered a pitiful 6.54 AR despite showing noticeable improvement in his abilities. Currently valued at £21M, he is the Sophara Youth Academy’s highest valued player – as well as its only regular representative in the a top tier league – thus far in its history and ranks amongst his nation’s most important players.  

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ISSAH DIALLO – Watford (2024)

Striker – 22 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

Two years after being sold to Brentford for £1.3M, he was sold to Watford for £3.9M in 2028 after appearing in only 3 Games over 2 years for the Championship side. Since then, he has been on loan with two different teams – his first being with Maccabi Haifa (34 Apps, 14 Goals, 6.98 AR) and the second stint with Huddersfield (33 Apps, 5 Goals, 6.70 AR) in the Championship. Since leaving Sophara, Diallo has struggled and it is unclear what Watford’s plan for him is although he is said to be happy at the club. Blessed with good speed and strong finishing abilities, Diallo has the ability to contribute once given the chance, as evident by his 41 Goal season with Sophara in 2025/26.

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JONATHAN ABOAGYE – Falkirk (2022)

Goalkeeper – 25 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

His four Sophara United Player of the Year awards are still the most of any player, having won them all in a row from 2022/23 to 2025/26. His accomplishments during his time at the club still have him ranked as its best ever player by most pundits, although he will probably lose that title to Ross McDonald sometime in the near future. Since leaving the club on Free Transfer in 2026 he has since been at three different clubs in Scotland – his first two stints at Dunfermline and Hiberian were disasters but he has now found a home with Falkirk. In his second season with the club, he played in 34 Games and registered 6.96 AR as he was named the club’s 2030/31 Player of the Year.

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DANNY MARRIOTT - Weymouth (2020)

Striker – 27 Years Old

SEASON OVERVIEW & CAREER

He completed his seventh season with Vanarama South side Weymouth, scoring 6 Goals in 35 Appearances as he continues to slip into football obscurity. Completely void of any speed, his Physical stats read more like 37 year old as opposed to a player who is supposed to be entering the prime of his career.

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15 hours ago, deez0r said:

Finishing, composure, off the ball and anticipation at 16 years old for Christie is outstanding. Could be a big big player for you. 

Super excited about him - he could be our first real world-level prospect. Need to get that strength and speed up, and he'll be perfect! I hope he doesn't get poached. 

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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2031/2032

 

 NOTE: Since I am excited to get back into the save, I will make a brief overview of the season and each segment of the squad. I won't go into details of specific players this season - hopefully, I'll get back into that at the end of next season. 

 

TEAM REVIEW

OVERVIEW: A 9th Place finish in Sophara’s third season in the League One after 18th and 15th Place finishes was, by all means, a successful season. The team’s management didn’t have any visions of grandeur (i.e. – competing for a Playoff spot) so an upper mid-table finish was about the highest it was realistically hoping for – to accomplish just that must have been viewed as a very positive step. The offense improved to 4th best in the League One while the defense maintained a respectable 10th best off the strength of Mark Connor’s form. Despite having dealt with some big injuries, the season still ended up as Sophara’s most successful to date considering the 9th Place finish was the highest ever for the club. The cup competition performances remained consistent if unimpressive – Third Round exit in the FA Cup (to Birmingham), Second Round exit in the Carabao Cup (to Wolves), and Southern Section Third Round exit in the Papa John’s Cup (to Fulham U23.)

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DEFENSE: Any conversation about Sophara’s defense starts with Mark Connor, who once again won the team’s Player of the Year, making it three times in a row. His 1.44 Con/90 was a slight improvement over last season but his 7.21 AR was down from 7.35 AR even though it was still the highest on the team. In front of him, this was the first season that 25 year old [b]Otis Spence (6.77 AR)[/b] became part of a rotation instead of a permanent starter, switching between youngsters Ellis Champion and Omar Everett, with the latter also now earning a total of 8 Caps for Jamaica despite his young age. With Everett switching to his more natural position of CD, the decision to start young Max Newton over 24 year old “veteran” Darius Nugret did not go down well initially with the rest of the club. The Romanian made a lot of noise throughout the season about the matter, going as far as to demand a permanent move away from the club. While Newton’s 6.50 AR left much to be desired, his progress and potential seem to have resonated well with the coaching staff and he was told in his exit interview that he would start next season as the club’s starter at right-back. Rio Amankwaah completed his second season as the starter at left-back, improving from 6.56 AR to 6.66 AR and leading the team with 84 Interceptions. Although there was no standout performer outside of Connor, they seemed to gel well together as a unit, with all the other defenders on the squad earning negligible playing time.

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MIDFIELD: The team’s midfield can be separated into two categories – the CMs and the wingers. Historically, the wingers have been bigger contributors to the attack and the team’s general form despite an influx of talent coming through the Sophara Youth Academy in recent years. One such talent is U23 Nigerian international Arinze Mbah, the only player on the squad that the Sophara backroom staff believe has the potential to be a Premier League talent. It has taken him a few years, but he finally delivered a decent season, with a jump from 6.65 to 6.84 AR putting his improvement in numbers. Alongside him at CM, the team continues to look for adequate replacements for Grant Smith and Danny Browne, with a rotation that featured five players, none of which delivered a season worth of note. Down the right flank, Max Atkinson was a pleasant surprise as he became one of the team’s best players, registering 12 Goals, 8 Assists, and 7.10 AR in his second season as the full-time starter at RW. On the opposite flank, things were less straight-forward as there was a rotation system that was brought on by inconsistent form and injuries. Young left-winger Daniel Boniface was perhaps the best option, registering 4 Goals, 8 Assists, and 6.90 AR, although his 0.32 DpG was a worrying statistic for a winger. Still, talking to the staff there is the belief that he can develop to be a more consistent and stronger contributor at this level.

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ATTACK: While Mark Connor continues to win the Sophara Player of the Year (deservedly so), there can be no question that without Ross McDonald’s exploits up front, the team would not have been the success story it has been over the past few years. Of course, the nightmare that the squad would have to do without one of its most durable players – having never missed more than 4 Games in a season since his rookie year – inevitably had to come true. On August 23rd, McDonald broke his lower leg after a tackle that went wrong against Wimbledon. He would come back after several months and pick up right where he left off, but the team was left without its talisman for most of the season. In his place, rookie Andre Hayles – despite not being a natural striker – stepped up and delivered, registering 18 Goals, 6 Assists, and 6.93 AR in what ended up being a very promising first season given the pressure placed on his shoulders. He continued to play alongside McDonald up front when the 25 year old returned to action, and the combination proved to be successful.

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Edited by abulezz
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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2032/2033

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

OVERVIEW: After an up-and-down start to the season, Sophara United picked up speed in October and never looked back. By the end of January, the squad were fighting for 1st Place – by the end of March, Sophara had put some much distant between it and its rivals at the top of the table that the title was pretty much in the bag. A league-best offense carried the team but the defense (9th best) was more than solid enough. Four years in the League One and there was improvement every year – last season, Sophara finished in 9th Place after two consecutive seasons of improvement. Of course, the way the team dominated the League One this season was surprising but with the way the squad played, it was fully deserved. Ross McDonald re-claimed the league’s Top Goalscorer award – his 30 Goals were good enough to win the award for the third time. In the cups, there was not much to write home about – 2nd Round exit at the hands of Oxford in the FA Cup, 1st Round exit at to Peterborough in the Carabao Cup, and a Group Stages exit in the Papa John’s Trophy.

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DEFENSE: GK Mark Connor (’27) became the second player (and second GK after Jonathan Aboagye) to win four Sophara Player of the Year awards, and like Aboagye, he won them all in a row. Despite conceding significant playing time to understudy Victor Ali (’29) during the weeks of heated negotiations concerning the signing of his new contract given that it looked like he was set on leaving before deciding to sign and stick around, he ended up registering a career-high 7.38 AR along with 1.33 Con/90, 9 Clean Sheets, and 5 PoMs in 30 Games. For his part, Ali did well too – in 16 Games, he registered 1.06 Con/90 and 7.39 AR, leading to a number of the coaching staff to actually favor starting Ali permanently. Ali definitely has potential and has stepped up and delivered when called upon, but the spot is Connor’s to lose and he will most definitely enter next season as the undisputed No.1 even if Ali ends up playing a similar amount of games.

In front of the GKs sat the 9th best defensive line in the League One, led by 20 year old Scottish U21 CD Elliot Champion (’29). In his second season in the first team rotation, he effectively replaced legend Otis Spence (’23 - 22 Apps, 6.79 AR) as the permanent starter at the position, playing alongside 20 year old Jamaican international Omar Everett (’29 - 15 Caps/3 Goals for Jamaica) mostly. Champion was named to the League One Team of the Year as he was clearly one of the best CDs in the league, registering 7.02 AR in 43 Appearances, one of three Sophara players to be named this season. Everett, meanwhile, was an instrumental part of the Jamaican team that won the Runners-Up place during the third installment of the North American Nations League in 2032, falling to hosts Mexico in the Finals. Although the team’s staff have cooled on Everett’s potential (dropped from 5/5 to 4/5 PA) and there are questions about his ability to defend Championship strikers, there are none of those questions concerning Champion, whose improvement in Defensive attributes has made him an automatic name on the starting eleven list. The latest intel report has him viewed as a good Championship level defender – the only other CD currently that is viewed as a potential Championship level player is Turkish sophomore Kenan Akbulut (’31), who actually made his debut this season and ended up playing in 6 Games and registering 1.20 TpG and 7.00 AR. His 5/5 PA speaks volumes of what the staff think of him and he might actually start pushing Everett next season for more playing time.

The full-back positions remained the trouble spots for the defensive line, although the form this year on both flanks was much better than previous seasons. Rio Amankwaah (’28) registered career-highs 6.70 AR, 2.63 TpG, and 6 Assists while leading the team with 88 Interceptions. Unfortunately, he also had to deal with a couple of groin injuries this season that ruled him out for a total of more than a month and could only feature in 36 Games. Despite decent form from his replacement Stanley Abdullahi (‘28 – 44 Apps (12 Starts), 3 Goals, 2 Assists, 2.45 TpG, 6.74 AR), Amankwaah is no danger of losing his starting spot and continued to be viewed by an important member of the first team by the Sophara staff. Down the other flank, 19 years old Max Newton (’30) finished his first season as the full-time starter, playing in 43 Games and registering 2.75 TpG and 6.70 AR. One of the staff’s favorites, he is rated at 5/5 CA and delivered 5 Assists, as well. The club remains light on full-back talent and the latest Youth Class failed to deliver anything substantial in those positions, which is good news for both Amankwaah and Newton for next year.

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MIDFIELD: One of the bigger stories coming out of the Sophara United camp just after the season finished was Arinza Mbah (’28) agreeing to a new contract that would see him stay with the club until the summer of 2036, paying £4.3K per week. The U23 Nigerian star, who turns 21 in the summer, has become an indispensable member of the first team despite his frustratingly inconsistent performances. Playing primarily as a ball-winning midfielder, he has yet to play at least 40 Games in a season – this year, he only played in 33 Games thanks to three different injuries, with the most severe being an ankle sprain that ruled him out for over a month. His 3.69 TpG led the team while his 85% Pass Completion was second. He is currently only one three players on the squad who has been appraised as 4/5 CA, along with GKs Connor and Ali. Prior to the emergence of Jishua Tyrell, numerous players were featured alongside Mbah at CM but none of them could impress.

The left-wing position remained unclear, so Daniel Boniface (’30) was again the defacto starter. He did not do bad, delivering 9 Goals, 6 Assists, and 6.85 AR in 40 Games, providing consistency and decent results down the left flank. Sources from inside the club say the manager and his staff remained unconvinced about the 19 year old U19 English international as a long-term solution, especially now that the club will be facing tougher competition in the Championship next season. At right-wing, however, the situation could not be any clearer – this is a starting position that is Max Atkinson’s (’27) to lose. One of the three players from the squad that was named in the League One’s Select, the 21 year old Englishman delivered his finest season yet. He set personal bests with 45 Appearances, 13 Goals, 18 Assists (led the League One), and 7 PoMs – his 7.08 AR was just slightly lower than last years, which was at 7.10 AR. The League One leader in Assists was a threat against nearly every team Sophara lined up against, supporting the strikers in front of him while scoring his share of goals, as well. Like the left-wing position, however, there was no real prospects or talent backing up Atkinson, she he logged in a lot of minutes this season with the trend probably continuing into next year.

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ATTACK: After breaking his leg and playing in less than 42 Games (23 Games in 2031/32) for the first time in his career, Ross McDonald (’23) bounced back in a big way and removed any doubt that there would be any long term effects from his injury. Instead, he went back to winning the League One’s Top Goalscorer award, netting 30 Goals in his 45 Appearances to go along with 8 Assists, 5 PoMs, and 7.06 AR. This was the third time he captured the award in the past four years, leaving the League One for the Championship as its most prolific player in recent memory. The Scottish striker – now 26 years old – has now 282 Goals in 426 League Appearances, a phenomenal record for a player who has managed to shine across three different levels – from the Vanarama National to the League One, with the opportunity to now do the same in the Championship as he enters the prime of his career.

Alongside him – after a magnificent rookie campaign – Andre Hayles (’31), on the surface, seemed to regressed in form this season but the truth was a bit more complicated than that. He spent a lot of time playing outside of his comfort zone, sometimes starting at CM and sometimes covering at left-wing, which left him with more inconsistent form than he would have wished. That being said, 9 Goals and 9 Assists from 41 Appearances – while a far cry from the 18 Goals he scored last season – was not bad at all. His 6.73 AR was obviously a significant drop from the 6.93 AR he registered in his rookie year, but encouragingly he showed massive improvements in his attributes throughout the season. Now only that, he penned a new contract that reaffirmed his commitment to the club, and from the looks of it he is going to be a real gem for Sophara moving forward. Rookie Kieran Christie (’32), while not quite as impressive as Hayles was last season, still delivered a solid rookie campaign – in 36 Appearances, 13 Goals, 8 Assist, 2 PoMs, 57% Shot Target, and 6.77 AR. He only turned 17 in January and has shown very strong growth in his Physical attributes, including +2 Points jump in Strength. Both Hayles and Christie were big contributors to our league best offense, having scored over 20 Goals between them and dishing out 17 combined Assists. The former is only a few months older than the latter, and while they are different players, it is going to fun to see them grow together and, hopefully, complement each other.

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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2033/2034

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

OVERVIEW: No one expected Sophara United to thrive in its first year in the Championship. Most experts predicted a relegation battle, but once again, the team was vastly underestimated. In fact, for most of the season, Sophara were battling for a Play-Off spot that could have potentially catapulted them into the Premier League. In the end, the young team had to settle for 10th Place, a deal that the manager would have gladly made at the beginning of the season. The offense was ranked as the 6th best in the Championship and the defense was impressively ranked the 11th best – predictions had the Sophara defense as dead last prior to the beginning of the season. Despite battling their share number of injuries, the team held together and performed better than anyone expected, showing not only did they belong in the Championship after capturing the League One title last year, but also that they were not far off from challenging for the ultimate prize – a spot in the Premier League. Although there were only three players that scored 10 or more Goals (and none of them reached 20), the offense still ran very smoothly and efficiently – it will continue to be the foundation on which the team finds its success. A Third Round loss in the FA Cup to Brentford was underwhelming, as was the First Round exit in the Carabao Cup to Charlton.

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GOALKEEPERS: Crowned the Sophara United Player of the Year for the fifth time, GK Mark Connor (’27) became the new record holder for the award in the club’s history – having won it five times in a row and a total of five times were both new records. The club captain, whose £3.2M value is now the third highest on the squad, is only 23 years old, a fact that is surprising considering how long he has been in the first team. Having put the drama of his new contract behind him last season, he once again delivered a fantastic season – in 34 Appearances (several small injuries throughout the season ruled him out for a total of a few weeks), he registered 1.29 Con/90, 8 Clean Sheets, 7 PoMs, and 7.28 AR. The 2.5/5 in World Reputation is equaled only by Scottish striker Ross McDonald on the team, although Connor has yet to build on his since U21 Cap for England on the international level. Behind him, Victor Ali (’29) continued to impress – in fact, his 7.41 AR was the highest on the team, having earned that over 12 Games throughout the season. He registered 1.17 Con/90, 5 Clean Sheets, and 3 PoMs, as well, with the 21 year old proving just as capable as Connor at this level of football. In actually, a quick comparison of the two shows Ali as Connor’s superior (if only slightly) in all major GK attribute categories, with Connor only being better in Shot Stopping. The style of play, however, cannot be more different – Connor is a traditionalist and thrives on structure and organization, while Ali is as eccentric as they come. The team definitely has no lack of talent – at least for the Championship level – at the GK position.

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CENTRAL DEFENDERS: The Sophara United defensive line got a new starter this season in 19 year old Turkish CD Kenan Akbulut (’31), a player who made his debut last season and whose impressive performances this year knocked club legend (and former captain) Otis Spence (’23) out of the starting eleven. Strong and quick, Akbulut still needs to work on his Tackling and Marking (although he has shown +5 Points improvement in the latter), but in 42 Appearances he able to register 6.93 AR, the highest out of all our defenders. Impressively, his form stayed consistent throughout the season, reversing a trend seen all too often in Sophara’s young players of maddeningly inconsistent form becoming more notable as the season gets closer to an end. Coming out of the Youth Academy, the Turkish defender was regarded as a decent but not sure-fire prospect, earning a 4/5 PA in a youth class whose hype was dominated by Andre Hayles. Although his presence in the first team was not immediate, the amount effort the young player has put into improving himself as not gone unnoticed, and he is now considered one of the top prospects on the team with 3/5 CA and 5/5 PA. He has made a great partner to Ellis Champion (’29), who was subject to a few £8M+ offers during the January window this season. The 21 year old U21 Scottish international – although his 6.83 AR was a regression from last season’s impressive 7.02 AR – remained perhaps the most vital player in the team’s defensive line, completing his third season as a starter and having become one of Sophara’s most indispensable players currently. Like Akbulut, Champion carries a 5/5 PA rating from the staff and is viewed as a silent leader in the locker-room. Durable and relatively strong, he has also shown the ability to recover quickly from injuries, an added value to a squad that lacks talent behind its starting eleven, although that could change if Wayne Breen (’33) develops as intended. He played in 6 Games in what was his rookie season, registering 1.16 TpG and 6.62 AR, but it was the work he put in during training that has caught the eye of the manager. He has already shown +2 Points improvement in both Marking and Positioning – if he can get his Tackling to improve alongside those two defensive attributes, he will have all the right tools to succeed. Standing at 1.92 meters, he already has the talent in the air to win almost all aerial battles, and he doesn’t turn 17 until just a couple of weeks before the 2034/35 season.

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 FULL-BACKS: The full-back positions remained troubling for the manager and squad despite decent talent starting to seep through the Youth Academy and into the first team. Rio Amankwaah (’28) was expected to build on his 2032/33 season (6.70 AR) and continue improving – instead, he regressed to 6.56 AR, his lowest mark since his sophomore year and exactly the same number as his career average thus far. He has not shown the kind of improvement or talent that could instill confidence and trust in his coaches as a long term solution at the position, but he remains Sophara’s best option at left-back. Omar Everett (’29 – Jamaica: 27 Caps/3 Goals), Champion’s partner at CD last season, was shifted over to right-back this season – his 6.84 AR from last year dropped to 6.69 AR but he fared better than his counterpart Amankwaah in nearly every category. The Sophara staff have gone on the record and said that Everett is currently the best RB on the team, giving the 21 year old Jamaican a 5/5 PA rating. Despite a relatively mediocre season with Sophara, Everett was called up to the Jamaican national team that is going to South Korea 2034, where Switzerland will be hoping to defend its World Cup trophy won in England four years ago. Max Newton (’30) spent most of his time rotating with Everett at right-back, but the 20 year old was equally comfortable playing at CD. Strong in the air, he remains a weak tackler that could inhibit his progress. In 37 Games, he registered 6.68 AR and a decent 2.64 TpG – the Sophara coaching staff are very high on him (3.5/5 CA, 5/5 PA) and he is certainly getting chances to prove that he belongs, but the feeling is that there is still something missing from his game that will allow him to advance to that next level of form.

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CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS: The team’s vice-captain and all-around tough guy Arinze Mbah (’28 – Nigeria: 7 Caps/1 Goal) is the only other player (aside from Omar Everett) who will be making the trip to South Korea 2034. Still only 21 years old, his 5.26 TpG not only led the Championship, but was miles ahead of his closest competition (Mohammed Dinzeyi of Bristol Rovers at 4.26 TpG) – he also led the league with 171 Tackles Won. He has thrived in his role as a defensive Ball-Winning CM despite his aggression getting the best of him more than his manager would like. He equaled his career-high with 6.84 AR and set a new one with an 86% Pass Completion ratio, showing efficiency and consistency as he matures. A combination of cards and nagging injuries limited him to 36 Games, putting a spotlight on perhaps the biggest complaint about him – till today, he has yet to play at least 40 Games in a season, and he has been a starter for the team for five years. One of four players to be rated at least 4/5 CA, he still carries a 5/5 PA rating as the Sophara coaches still believe he can get significantly better. He will be crucial in helping rookie Jishua Tyrell (’33) find his footing and progress after what was a rough first season for the English/Bermudian midfielder. The hype surrounding the 17 year old youngster (who played almost the entire season as a 16 year old as his birthday is in late April) remains just as strong as when he first cracked into the first team, and there is no denying his talents. Mentally strong, technically proficient, and physically developing, Tyrell has all the makings to become a successful CM. His 6.44 AR, however, points tellingly that a lot of work still needs to be done for him to reach the levels expected of him. In 36 Games, he registered 2 Goals and 2 Assists – low numbers for a player that was relied upon to be more of a playmaker next to the defensive Mbah. His commitment to improve, however, has been evident – he worked on getting stronger (+2 to Strength) and also improved his Passing (+2) this season, both important attributes as he looks forward to his sophomore campaign. Playing behind the two starters were Haig Ashley-Seal (’30) and CM/Striker hybrid Nathan Rodgers (’31), both of him look like they have earned rotational roles in the first team. Ashley-Seal made his debut two seasons ago but it was until this year that he was able to solidify himself within the first time, while Rodgers has been in the rotation since playing in 8 Games in his rookie season two years ago. Both have potential so they are being closely watched by the staff, especially after Ashley-Seal showed significant improvement in Passing (+4) and Vision (+4) over the past two seasons.

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WINGERS: Injuries were a major factor for both starters this season – Max Atkinson (’27) dealt with four different injuries that ruled him out for over two months while Daniel Boniface (’30) had to recover from a torn hamstring that ruled him out for nearly three months. Atkinson, the club’s 22 year old starting right winger, is Sophara’s highest valued player at £4.5M and is considered one of the hardest workers on the team. His numbers were down from last season (2032/33: 13 Goals, 18 Assists, 7 PoMs, 7.08 AR – 2033/34: 9 Goals, 9 Assists, 2 PoMs, 6.97 AR) but a lot of that was the injuries that plagued him throughout the season. He will look to bounce back next season when he hopefully has a clean slate of fitness to work with. Boniface recovered his form better than Atkinson – he set new career-highs with 12 Assists and 6.97 AR, although his 4 Goals were a big drop from last season’s 9 Goals. Both players have solidified their status as starters for the squad with the winger positions having become light on talent. Stuart Coker (’32) emerged as a potentially reliable back-up for Atkinson down the right wing during his sophomore season this year – he played in 16 Games (3 Starts), registering 2 Assists, 2.55 TpG, 78% Pass Completed, and 6.68 AR. His Progression trajectory has been trending upward since his rookie season and the Sophara staff are excited about his potential, highlighted by his 5/5 PA. He is definitely one to watch as the 18 year old winger has shown immense improvement in his attributes across the board over the past two seasons. The only other prospect worth noting is 19 year old Northern Ireland U21 international Cathal Doherty (’31), a versatile player who is equally comfortable playing on either wing. He made his debut this year and ended up playing in 27 Games (10 Starts) as Boniface’s main cover, registering 3 Assists, 2.71 TpG, and 6.67 AR. While not viewed in the same light in terms of potential as Coker, Doherty has been given a 4.5/5 PA rating, showing Major improvement in all three attribute categories.

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FORWARDS: Sophara United’s two strongest positions are generally considered the GK and FW positions, and for good reason. Ross McDonald (’23) has been the team’s most important player on the pitch since the mid-2020s, winning the Top Goalscorer award in every league the club has been promoted to except for the Championship – thus far. The 27 year old Scottish striker found this level of football more challenging, however, and this was only the third season in his career he failed to score at least 20 Goals, with the first being two seasons ago when he got injured. In 43 Appearances, he registered 19 Goals, 5 Assists, 3 PoMs, 85% Pass Completion, 63% Shot Target, and 6.90 AR – the last number was actually the first time in ten years that McDonald failed to register at least 7.00 AR. He surpassed 300 League Goals over his career (301) and he did so in only 469 Games – an incredible ratio considering he has done this over four different tiers of football.

The club legend, however, has never had to face competition for his starting spot before, at least not in the way he is now. The manager had to switch back to two strikers this season to accommodate the influx of talent at the position coming out of the Sophara Youth Academy. The first out of three outstanding prospects is Andre Hayles (’31), a player with such versality that he is equally comfortable playing at CM and AM as he is at the forward position. After a phenomenal rookie season in which he scored 18 Goals, he took a step back last year but re-found some of that form this season, his third with the club. In 43 Appearances, he registered 10 Goals, 10 Assists, 81% Pass Completion, 59% Shot Target, and 6.76 AR – up from 6.71 AR last season. He did not play exclusively as a striker as he played a number of games at CM and even sometimes at LW. He was rewarded with the richest contract in Sophara United history, one that will pay him £10K per week until 2037 with a three year optional extension for the club. His greatest improvement over the past two years has been in his Passing attributes – his Vision has improved +6 Points since coming into the first team. The Sophara staff envision him being a Premier League level talent in a few years, both as a striker and a CM. Sophomore Kieran Christie (’32) has a different skillset than Hayles, one that is more conventional of an advanced forward. He played well – in 30 (17 Starts) Games, he scored 13 Goals (same as his rookie year last season), 63% Shot Target, and 6.87 AR. The 18 year old Scottish striker’s talents are undeniable – his Attacking attributes are already of a very high level and the individual focus on his Physical attributes has been very beneficial – for example, he has shown +4 Points in Strength, +3 in Stamina, and +2 in both Pace and Acceleration. Some pundits believe Christie could end up being the best of a talented striker crop that includes incoming rookie Ben Gibson.

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LOOKING BACK - YOUTH CLASS 2022

The ’22 Youth Class was the first ever that came up from the Sophara Youth Academy. At the time, the club had barely survived its first season in the Vanarama National league after being promoted from the Vanarama South in its first year, so any influx of talent was sorely needed. It ended up being a weak class that only delivered one player of note – Jonathan Aboagye, one of the club’s greatest players of all-time and its star in the early to mid-2020s. There are a couple of players playing part-time in some of the lower leagues around the United Kingdom and a few of them played a few matches for the team during the 2020s, but other than Aboagye, there is no one else of note that came out of this group even though initially it looked like it was going to be a great crop of prospects. I had my doubts about the Intake, and they were proven correct - as predicted, only Aboagye ended up being the kind of prospect the club was looking for. 

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JONATHAN ABOAGYE - KILMARNOCK

Goalkeeper – 28 Years Old

CAREER OVERVIEW

Before Mark Connor, there was Jonathan Aboagye. The Ghanaian GK was the first real star the Sophara Youth Academy gave the club, and in the early to mid-2020s, it had no better player. He won the Sophara United Player of the Year four years in a row, from his rookie year in 2022/23 until his last season with the club in 2025/26. In other words, every season he played for the club, he won its most prestigious award. The club remained in the Vanarama National league for the duration of his stay, which was the main reason for his departure as he wanted to play a higher level of football. Unfortunately, those four years would be the peak of his career – he moved on Free Transfer to the Scottish Premiership in the summer of 2026 with Dunfermline. What followed was the lowest point of his career – after two painful seasons with Dunfermline (6.54 AR in 2026/27 and 6.22 AR in 2027/28), he moved to Hiberian for £69K. He would not find happiness there, either, and after just one game in 2028/29, he would move to Falkirk for £10K. At Falkirk, his fourth club five years, he would finally start living up to the promise he showed earlier in the decade at Sophara, spending five years (four of which were in the Scottish Championship) there. In 2031, he was named the Falkirk Player of the Year and was appointed the team’s captain after his second year with the club. His final season with Falkirk was 2033/34, where he would register 7.03 AR – his highest mark since leaving Sophara. Halfway through the season, he would be sold to Kilmarnock, also in the Scottish Championship, here he is currently the starter and just finished his first half of a season with them, registering 0.76 Con/90 and 7.13 AR in 17 Appearances. Kilmarnock captured the Scottish Championship title, so Aboagye is looking at a return to the Scottish Premiership next season – hopefully, it will go better for him this time than last time around.

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SOUTH KOREA 2034 - WORLD CUP

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OMAR EVERETT (2029)

JAMAICA (31 Caps/5 Goals) - Central Defender – 21 Years Old

WORLD CUP – SOUTH KOREA 2034

Having made the last four World Cups, Jamaica was looking to build on its best ever finish after making it to the Second Round, where the Caribbean nation lost to Australia 2-0. Omar Everett, despite his young 21 years, was actually only the fifth youngest player on the squad, although only one other starter was younger than him. They were underwhelming this World Cup, however, losing both of their Group B matches (1-0 to New Zealand and 3-0 to England) and failing to score a single goal. Everett had the fifth highest AR on the team (6.60 AR) but given that no one registered over 7.00 AR, it was not terribly impressive. He started both games for his nation before Jamaica bowed out in the Group Stages.

 

ARINZE MBAH (2028)

NIGERIA (11 Caps/1 Goal) - Central Midfielder – 22 Years Old

WORLD CUP – SOUTH KOREA 2034

This was the third World Cup that Nigeria would qualify to in a row, after falling to Germany in 2026 and failing to get out of Group H at England 2030. In typical Mbah fashion, he picked up two yellow cards in each of Nigeria’s Group C match (3-0 victory over Paraguay, 2-2 draw against Argentina) despite some impressive performances. In the two games, he started and registered a team-leading 6.47 TpG, 92% Pass Completed, and 7.00 AR. Unfortunately (or fortunately, perhaps) he would end up missing Nigeria’s Second Round matchup against Italy, which ended up being a slaughter as the Italians came away with an astounding 6-1 victory.

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Thompson looks fantastic. Exactly the type of full back I would look for. Mlakar is a pity he doesn't have a wee bit more pace as he would be a great winger. If you have an AMC then he would be a fantastic fit there.

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30 minutes ago, deez0r said:

Thompson looks fantastic. Exactly the type of full back I would look for. Mlakar is a pity he doesn't have a wee bit more pace as he would be a great winger. If you have an AMC then he would be a fantastic fit there.

Thompson is  going to be my new starting left winger! Love his pace. I don't know about the anyone else - I don't have high hopes for Mlakar, but let's see. 

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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2034/2035

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

OVERVIEW: A drop from 10th Place to 14th Place would be considered a pretty noticeable drop, but despite doing worse in the league than the previous season for the first time in club history, the season cannot be written off as a failure. The squad recorded 64 Points, which was 5 less than last season, but it saw significant progress in the development of numerous young prospects – the same players that could begin carrying the team into uncharted territory of success in a few years time. The offense managed to score 5 more goals than last year even though the defense was slightly leakier. Predicted to battle against relegation, Sophara United once again proved the pundits wrong and never was close enough to the bottom places to worry, surviving comfortably in the mid-table for almost all the season. Nathan Rodgers was sold to bring £4M at the beginning of the season, and some of that cash encouraged the board to finally set off to build a new stadium, dubbed the Sophara United Stadium. Set to be completed by mid-2037, it will have a seating capacity of just over 16,500 and will cost approximately £33.5M to construct. Elsewhere, the team had a typically disappointing run in the cups – Third Round exit to West Brom in the FA Cup and an embarrassing First Round exist to West Ham in the Carabao Cup.

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GOALKEEPERS

It is now the sixth straight season Mark Connor (’27) wins the Sophara United Player of the Year. Usually, there would be debates about whether Connor deserved the award over Ross McDonald, but this season there was no doubt. His performances were so good that he was crowned the Championship Player of the Season, along with being named to the Championship Team of the Year for the first time, as well. In his young career thus far (he is still only 24), he has captured the League One Player of the Year twice (2030 and 2031), won the U21 European Championship with England in 2031, and is now the reigning Championship Player of the Year. He topped it all off with the signing of a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2039, paying him almost £10K per week. At £6.25M, he is the highest valued non-striker on the team and with good reason – in 36 Appearances, he registered a league bests with 7.47 AR (second was Jonathan Badu of Swansea at 7.32 AR), 152 Saves Held, 82% Saves Ratio, and 58 Saves Parried, to go along with 1.56 Con/90 (up from 1.29 last season), and 9 Clean Sheets. In other words, not only was there no better GK in the Championship this year, but there probably was no better player overall. This puts the manager in a difficult but ultimately positive position – Connor’s two understudies of Victor Ali (’29) and rookie Carl Jones (’34) both have the potential to be just as good or better than Connor. Ali played in 9 Games, registering an incredible 6 Clean Sheets, 0.44 Con/90, and 7.40 AR – sure, the sample size was small, but he has been in great form almost every time he has been called upon over the past three years. Experts say that it looks like the 22 year old is currently playing up to his full potential (4/5 CA, 4/5 PA), but that is not the case with the rookie Jones. Still only 16, he made his debut this season playing in a single game, of which he did great and registered a 7.60 rating. Although his current ability is far off from the Connor and Ali (2/5 CA), many think that he could potentially be better than both of them (5/5 PA), which might not be so crazy considering he has only made his U19 England debut. He is a very talented Shot-Stopper, although he does have some work to do on his Aerial ability. It will be interested to see going forward how the manager finds playing time for all three fantastic GKs in what continues to be one of Sophara’s two strongest positions.

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CENTRAL DEFENDERS 

The Sophara defense continued its commitment to improving this season, going from 11th best in the Championship in 2033/34 to 10th best this season. It might not look like a giant step forward and they actually conceded two more goals (62 this season as opposed to 60), but the positivity around the defensive line about its future going forward is in a much better place. The big news was the sale of club defensive legend Otis Spence (’23) to Lincoln in the League Two for £25K after eleven years at the club and 399 League Appearances. It was an amicable split – Spence wanted a new challenge and could no longer keep more talented youngsters at bay. He left the club during the January transfer window as the club’s greatest CD to date, but he had not played in any game for Sophara this season prior to his departure and only played in 3 Games last season.

In his place, the starting lineup of Ellis Champion (’29) and Kenan Akbulut (’31) both played decent football – the former played in 42 Games and registered 6.82 AR (almost the same as last year), while the latter took a bit of a step back as his 6.85 AR was lower than the 6.93 AR he registered last season. Both are still young (Champion is 22, Akbulut is 20), and both are involved in their national team’s U21 and U20 squads. However, there is talk that the back office at Sophara United has started to cool on their potential, with Champion now rated 4/5 PA from 5/5 and Akbulut taking a small tumble to 4.5/5 PA. With the emergence of 17 year old Irish sophomore Wayne Breen (’33), both Champion and Akbulut will have to improve their form in order to keep the upstart CD at bay. Playing in 7 Games, Breen registered 1.60 TpG and 6.73 AR while showing immense progress and dedication in training (+5 to Marking) as he attempts to fight for more playing time going forward. The 1.92 meter tall CD has already earned 9 U21 Caps for Ireland and experts believe he could be of a Premier League standard before long.

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FULL-BACKS

FULL-BACKS: One of the pleasant surprises of the season came in the form of Max Newton (’30), who took over starting duties permanently at right-back after impressing the Sophara coaching staff. Although more naturally a CD, Newton played so well at his new position that the decision was taken for him to replace Omar Everett (’29 – Jamaica: 37 Caps/7 Goals), led by his 6.91 AR which might be the highest any RB as recorded in the history of the club. In 43 Appearances (27 Starts), the 21 year old also added 2.65 TpG and 86% Pass Completed to the 6.91 AR, along with 51 Interceptions that was the highest of any defender on the squad this season. This was an exciting progression for the team because the full-back problems have been well documented over the past few years. Everett continued his role in the rotation alongside Newton as well as his more natural position at CD, playing 37 Games (22 Starts) and registering 2.00 TpG and 6.72 AR. In comparing the two, Newton currently has a 4/5 CA rating while Everett is at 3.5/5 CA – the real different is in the potential, however, as the Newton currently carries a 5/5 PA as compared to Everett’s 4/5 PA.

The left-back position continued to give the manager headaches, however, as neither Rio Amankwaah (’28) or Stanley Abdullahi (’28 – Nigeria: 2 Caps) – both from the ’28 Youth Class – performed up to standard. Fortunately for both, the position remains the team’s lightest – there is no potential prospect that presents any immediate threat to taking playing time away from either. There was a full-blown rotation in effect this season between the two – Amankwaah played in 42 Games (29 Starts), while Abdullahi played in 33 Games (17 Starts) despite his 6.65 AR being higher than the former’s 6.61 AR. In either case, it was not good enough and sources close to the team have said that neither is viewed as a long-term solution for the left-back problem plaguing the first eleven. The Sophara Youth Academy – not known for delivering quality full-backs – has to deliver the answer to the question, however. On the positive side of things, Abdullahi earned his first Cap for his home nation of Nigeria this season and will be looking to continue building towards becoming a more permanent name on the international scene.

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CENTRAL/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

CENTRAL/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS: From a long-term project with potential to vice-captain who has become a highly influential member of the team both on and off the pitch, Arinze Mbah (’28 – Nigeria: 18 Caps/1 Goal) has become the poster child for Sophara’s strong-willed personality and never-say-die attitude. His 20 Yellow Cards led the league – something he really needs to work on – but he also delivered his finest season yet despite his streak of not reaching 40 Games played in a season staying alive. He only appeared in 34 Games, but this time it was because he was participating in the African Nations Cup for the first time, missing all of January to be with his national team. After a strong start in the Group Stages, defeating heavyweights such as Egypt and Tunisia as well as Zambia, the Nigerians inexplicably crashed out to minnows The Gambia in the Second Round, losing 2-0 in one of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s recent history. Despite the underwhelming performance of Nigeria at Morocco 2035 (which Algeria won for the first time since 2019, defeating Ivory Coast in the Finals), Mbah remained one of the most prominent defensive presence in the Championship this season. He led the league with a career-high 6.34 TpG for the second straight season, also topping the league for the second straight time with 196 Tackles Won. His 6.97 AR (a substantial improvement over 6.84 AR from last season) was also a career-high and he impressively registered an 89% Pass Completed ratio. He has put in a lot of work on the weaker aspects of his game over the past years, as evident by his +9 Points to his Vision attribute and +4 to his Passing and Technique. His 4/5 PA might not be the 5/5 he used to carry around in the initial stages of his career, but there can be no argument that he is as vital to the team’s success currently as any other player.

The manager’s experiment with a midfield lineup that featured only one CM alongside the two wingers and an AM this season meant that star midfield prospect Jishua Tyrell (’33) did not see as much action as he would have hopes. Still, the 18 year old English/Bermudian sophomore played in 29 Games, registering 3 Assists, 2.85 TpG, 80% Pass Completed, and 6.66 AR, up from 6.44 during his disappointing rookie year. The progress was substantial in terms of form, but he still has ways to go before he can be considered a reliable option at CM. That being said, his potential is very clear and he is continues to work very hard in training – his +4 Points in Passing and +3 in Vision over just two years is a testament to that fact. He is young (he turned 18 at the end of the April), he is motivated and determined, and he just signed a new contract that will keep him at the club for at least another 5 years. His potential to be a Premier League level midfielder is a matter of when and not if, although he hasn’t quite settled on a preferred role at CM. The manager mentioned that he would like to see skills such as shooting, set pieces, and passing get better, and in order to make it to the next level of football, he will will have to.

The AM in the experimental line-up this season was Andre Hayles (’31), one of the most hyped prospects in the history of the Sophara Youth Academy. His £10K per week contract speaks volumes about highly regarded he is internally, although his form on the pitch has yet to hit the kind peaks the team is hoping for. In 40 Games, he registered 7 Goals, 7 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.54 TpG, 77% Passes Completed, 67 Interceptions, and 6.77 AR. Basically, he was all over the place but not really efficient anywhere. His AR was virtually the same as last year, but his Goals and Assists were down. He has yet to hit the form he showed during his rookie season (now four years ago) when he scored 18 Goals and became a fans’ favorite, but he has continued to show improvement in training. Experts are split between seeing him as a potential Premier League talent and thinking the Championship would be the ideal league for him. He is still young (he will turn 20 in August) but expectations are going to start being set going forward as he moves out of his teenage years. Whether the manager decides to stick to his unconventional lineup and continues playing Hayles at AM or whether reverts back to having two CMs, Hayles will start despite the potential of Tyrell.

Outside of those three, the only other notable CM would be rookie Logan Fenton (’34), who made his debut this season and started 2 Games. He showed some good defensive work (3.65 TpG) but overall was unimpressive (6.45 AR), not forgetting he doesn’t turn 17 until the end of June. The New Zealand youngster is a natural at both CM and Striker, with the ability to fill in as emergency cover down the left wing, as well. He doesn’t come too highly rated (3.5/5 PA) but the manager seems to be a fan. One to watch.

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WINGERS 

WINGERS: Another season of injuries for starting LW Daniel Boniface (’30), who sadly has now missed almost six months of football because of injuries over the last two seasons. He had to deal with an ankle injury early in the season that ruled him out for a month, and then he tore his hamstring for the third time in his career (second in the last two years) in April. The team says he will be ready for next season, but at this point there has to be some worry about his long-term ability to stay healthy. One of his primary strengths to his game is his speed, so if the 21 year old loses some pace because of the injury, his career will definitely suffer. When he does step on to the pitch, he has been one of Sophara’s most reliable players going forward, as witnessed by his team leading 11 Assists (5th in the Championship) and 18 Clear Cut Chances Created, accomplished in only 34 Games. He only registered 2.24 TpG and 6.88 AR, down from 6.97 AR last season. His 2 Goals are a far cry from the 9 Goals he scored two seasons ago as he just did not look dangerous in front of the goal this season. If he can stay healthy, he might have a chance of having quite a career with the club.

For the first time in the last four years, Max Atkinson (’27) found competition for his starting spot at RW strong enough to lose starts. He played in 33 Games (15 Start), some due to injury – he had a concussion early in the season that ruled him out of the first few weeks and then he sprained his ankle in mid-December that took almost a month to heal. He is only 23 years old, so it’s not like his form during the early 2030s can no longer physically be attainable, but he has shown signs of struggling that weren’t there before. Perhaps it is the change in difficulty as the club is now competing in the Championship as opposed to the League One, but he has also shown some inconsistency in form and unforced mistakes have increased. Two seasons ago, he registered 12 Goals and 18 Assists to go with 7.08 AR – this season, he was down to 3 Goals, 5 Assists, and 6.88 AR, his lowest mark in four years.

Those factors forced the management to seek alternatives at the position, and there was one lined up in 19 year old RW Stuart Coker (’32), playing in his third season with the club. Coker was not impressive by any means (34 Apps, 1 Goal, 5 Assists, 3.03 TpG, 78% Passes Completed, 6.78 AR) but his progression in training has a lot of people taking notice. He was definitely a much-improved player at the end of the season than at the beginning of it. Last season he registered 2 Assists and 6.68 AR in 16 Appearances in what was his sophomore year, so the progress was obvious. His Attacking Movement needs work but he has already shown good improvement in its key attributes. Many have him pegged as a future Premier League level winger, and he certainly has the pace and technique needed. The management believe in him as he recently signed a rich £7.25K per week contract despite his little accomplishments. Atkinson might be a bit stronger and faster at this point than Coker, but the youngster is considered better in early every other important aspect of the game. How the playing time split between the two turns out is one of the stories to watch for next season.

Jamaican LW Sherwin Laing (’33) made his debut this season as bodies at left-wing position ran sparse, playing in 7 Games and registering 1 Goal and 6.62 AR. This was his second year with the club having spent his rookie season with the U18 and U23 teams. He is considered a very raw talent with immense potential – he has been given a 5/5 PA rating and many see him primed for a breakout season if given the chance. He has the physical tools needed – his pace is good and his stamina has continued to improve. Despite entering his third season with the club next year, he will have only turned 18 years old in July. If Boniface continues to get injured, look for Laing to fill the void and earn playing time.

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FORWARDS

FORWARDS: Any conversation about Sophara United’s offense begins with Ross McDonald (’23), the team’s superstar for the past several years. This was his 12th season at the club, and has now played in 514 League Games for Sophara – he is the record holder for most games played for the club. His first year in the Championship was somewhat challenging for him as he failed to score 20 Goals for only the 3rd time in his career, but he definitely bounced back in a big way this season. In 45 Appearances, he registered 27 Goals, 7 Assists, 6 PoMs, 84% Passes Completed, 72% Shot Target, and 7.04 AR, up from 6.90 AR last season. He was 2nd in the league in both Goals Scored and Shot Target ratio and once again made the case to be Sophara United’s Player of the Year, an award which ended up going to an deserving Mark Connor. The 28 year old Scottish striker showed the young boys coming up behind a thing or two as his veteran poise and quick thinking made him nearly impossible to stop game in and game out. His 328 Goals over his career and across four tiers of football is truly astounding. Now that he is entering the prime of his career, all eyes will be on him to see if he can keep it up and help the team advance to the Premier League before it is all done for him.

Kieran Christie (’32) was McDonald’s partner up front for the most part this season, and he did not disappoint. In his 3rd season with the club, he registered career-highs with 46 Games, 18 Goals, and 7 Assists, although 6.83 AR was slightly down from last season’s 6.87 AR. That was about the only negative mark on an otherwise impressive season, especially when you consider how much he has improved thanks as a player over the course of the year. His Finishing has always been good, but +2 Points in Long Shots over the past twelve months is turning a weakness into a strength. When he first came up from the Youth Academy, his pace was definitely not good enough – now, he has a total of 14 in Acceleration and 15 in Pace, good numbers for any level of football. He is considered better than McDonald is every major category and there have been some experts that predict he will start outscoring him soon, too. One of only four players with a 4/5 CA rating on the team, if the way he improves keeps it and continues, he will be considered the most talented player on the team before long. He is already Sophara’s highest valued player at just under £8.5M and with good reason – the striker was appointed England’s U18 team captain in 2034 and has already been capped by the U20 English team, too. He is one of the primary youngsters to watch in the upcoming Championship season, as the 19 year old could see his breakout season come as early as next year.

If there is anyone that could end up taking some of the shine coming to Christie, it would be Ben Gibson (’34), the still 16 year old striker who just completed his rookie season playing in three different positions – forward, left-wing, and right-wing. In 32 Appearances, Gibson registered 10 Goals, 6 Assists, 3 PoMs, 78% Passes Completed, 61% Shot Target, and 6.94 AR. Those are some very impressive numbers for a rookie, and he was rewarded with an England U20 Cap. He looks like a star in the making, and the countless debates that have raged as to whether Christie or Gibson will be better will only increase next season as Gibson attempts to build on his impressive rookie season. He is already being dubbed potential one of the best up-and-comers in England, putting the Sophara manager in a tough position of having three of his best players fighting for two spots in his frontline.  

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END OF SEASON REVIEW

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SOPHARA UNITED

SEASON REVIEW 2035/2036

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

One year after experiencing their first ever drop in places in club history, Sophara United took the Championship by storm and won the title – and a place in the Premier League – in grand fashion. They have a 5 Point advantage on 2nd Placed Bristol City, with their 102 Goals Scored the best in the league as well as featuring a respectable 9th best defense. It was one of those seasons that everything went right and for a while, it seemed like Sophara United were unbeatable. It all clicked, and with Christie exploding onto the scene the way he did, there was no stopping the Sophara United offense. That catapulted the team to the top of the league and they did not look back, riding the goals and the solid defense all the way to a title. They will move into Craven Cottage for the next year as the Sophara United Stadium is scheduled to be completed next summer and Sophara Park does not meet PL standards. The title winning Sophara United squad – despite its young age – showed maturity and tenacity that had been missing from them in previous seasons, and the leap from 14th Place to 1st was historically impressive. The squad also did much better in the cups this year – they managed to reach the FA Cup Fifth Round for the first time in their history, finally falling to Manchester City, while they reached the Quarter-Finals of the Carabao Cup also for the first time in the club’s history before losing in an underwhelming performance to Barnsley.

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GOALKEEPERS

For the first time in four years, Mark Connor (’27) played in over 40 Games, re-solidifying his position as Sophara United’s No.1 and successfully fending off the Victor Ali (’29) challenge for some of his playing time. The 2035 Championship Footballer of the Year was crucial in the team’s capture of the Championship title, delivering career-bests with 1.15 Con/90, 17 Clean Sheets, and 9 PoMs. He lost the league’s most prestigious individual ward to his teammate Kieran Christie, but the captain’s influence and importance was as crucial as ever as for that reason he was named the Sophara United Player of the Year for the 7th time in a row. This was his 9th season with the club despite only being 25 years old, having already played in 348 Games through his career – all for Sophara United. Generally considered – along with Ross McDonald – as the club’s best ever player, he has been the starting GK since the Vanarama National days. His 7.36 AR (down from 7.47 AR last season) was the 2nd highest on the team after Christie and the 3rd highest mark of his career. The 7.47 AR he registered last year was actually a new club record, and he was also one of four Sophara United players to be named in the Championship Team of the Year – his 2nd straight selection to the team. With the team moving up to the Premier League after three seasons in the Championship, it will be interesting to see if Connor can keep up his form at highest level of club football currently in the world, as he did at every tier of football the club was promoted to throughout his career thus far.

Victor Ali went from a potential competitor for the No.1 spot to not playing a single game this season – instead, the few games that Connor was rested for ended up being played by 17 year old sophomore Carl Jones (’34), a decision that was deemed controversial and/or just plain wrong by several pundits and experts. While it was never officially said, sources close to the team’s management have alluded to the fact that the manager and his staff believe Jones’ potential far outweighs Ali’s or even Connor, and for that reason he has been pushed ahead of Ali in the squad’s GK pecking order. He played in 5 Games (including the last game of the season which was a 6-5 loss to Birmingham), registering 2.80 Con/90 and 7.46 AR. His talent is obvious – there is no doubting that he could potentially be better than Connor and his Aerial Ability is already reaching an elite level. He really does not have any glaring weaknesses, and given that his manager is not a fan of eccentric GKs (of which he is absolutely not), he has already found himself one of his favorite prospects.

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CENTRAL DEFENDERS

The CD position saw more of a rotation unit this season as opposed to having two solid starters, and it worked. Kenan Akbulut (’31) had the best season out of the three CDs that were in play, and he had quite an eventful one at that. He captured the 2035 French Youth Invitational’s Runner-Up position with his home nation of Turkey, losing to Argentina in the Finals. He then earned his first few U21 Caps for Turkey as he delivered his best season for Sophara United to date, playing 42 Games and registering 1.92 TpG and 7.00 AR. The 21 year old capped off his season winning the Championship title and being named to the league’s Team of the Year – the only defender from Sophara to receive that distinction. While his form has been impressive, his performance in training has not been the same – he has failed to improve a single Point in any attribute over the past two years and it looks like he has hit his peak in terms of potential. His official rating has been downgraded to 4/5 PA and his 2.5/5 CA remains unchanged. There has been some doubts expressed about his ability to handle Premier League opponents, but the manager appears to be taking a wait and see approach before deciding on Akbulut’s long-term prospects with the team and his role.

The same doubts about Akbulut can be applied to long-term starter, 23 year old Scottish CD Ellis Champion (’29), who also had a good season. While is 34 Appearances were a new low since he became part of the starting lineup in 2031, he still remained the manager’s preferred choice alongside Akbulut most games. He registered 1.79 TpG and 6.99 AR, the second highest mark of his career after the 7.02 AR he recorded in 2032/33 when the team captured the League One title and got promoted to the Championship. He surpassed 200 League Games for the club this season (206), and his 6.89 AR is a good number considering he had to adjust to a higher level of football at a young age. The concerns being expressed about Akbulut and his ability to compete in the Premier League effectively are also the same concerns being expressed about Champion, however. Although he does not have any glaring weaknesses, the fear is that Champion might not be good enough overall to handle the attacking forces of the world’s most competitive league.

The only CD with a 5/5 PA on the squad currently is 18 year old Irishman Wayne Breen (’33 – Ireland: 2 Caps), who saw expanded playing time in his 3rd season as the manager made him a bigger part of the rotation. The move paid off – he is now rated at 3.5/5 CA, higher than both Akbulut and Champion, thanks to his dedication and hard work during training. He has seen significant improvement in the past couple of years, including +3 Points in Marking, Anticipation, and Strength, and +2 Points in numerous attributes including Positioning, Pace, and Stamina. The consensus is that Breen might be the only CD on the team who has the potential to become a Premier League level defender, which is why the manager seems to be focused on Breen’s development as well as making sure his role is expanded. This was a big season for the youngster – he earned his first two Caps for Ireland and also scored his first goal for the club. He finished off the season as a Championship title winner, having played in 18 Games and registering 1.78 TpG and 6.85 AR, the best of his young career. He has shown steady progress – from 6.62 AR his rookie year to 6.73 AR his sophomore year to the 6.85 AR he registered this season. While he is still young, the manager has suggested that he would like to see Breen become a better tackler and develop his defensive instincts more, something that should come as he continues to grow and mature.

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FULLBACKS

The weakest area on the squad remains the full-back positions, despite the noticeable improvement both in skill level and form of the current starters. Max Newton (’30) finished his second season as the starter at right-back, although his form was not as consistent as last year. In 44 Appearances, he registered 4 Assists, 2.44 TpG, 64 Interceptions, and 6.83 AR – down from 6.91 AR last season. The 22 year old also had his rating downgraded to 4/5 PA with his 3/5 CA maintained from the end of last season. Like Champion and Akbulut, there are questions about his ability to handle Premier League competition, but he will enter the team’s first season in the Premier League as its starter. There is talk that more was expected of Newton and his development but he remains a solid right-back – he does, however, lack a bit in pace and strength. He was part of the England U21 team that were Runners-Up to Italy in the European U21 Championship last summer, and has thus far earned 5 U21 Caps for his nation.

Omar Everett (’29 – Jamaica: 48 Caps/7 Goals), who has been part of the rotation at both RB and CD over the past two seasons, actually delivered what has been considered his best season in his career, seemingly thriving without the pressure of being a starter. In 32 Appearances (8 Starts), he registered 2 Goals, 3 Assists, 2.66 TpG, and 6.89 AR – his previous career-high was 6.84 AR in 2032/33. He has become an integral part of the Jamaica’s national line-up – last summer, the advanced to the Semi-Finals of the North American Gold Cup, falling to eventual champions Mexico who have now won the Gold Cup title five times in a row.

On the other side of the defensive line, the LB position remains the thorn in the manager’s side. Former starter Rio Amankwaah (’28) played in only 7 Games this season as the decision was made to place Nigerian international Stanley Abdullahi (’28 – Nigeria: 2 Caps) in the starting eleven instead. After two disappointing and underwhelming seasons from Amankwaah (6.56 AR in 2033/34 and 6.61AR in 2034/35), Abdullahi took over the mantle and despite not being terribly impressive was a big improvement over his predecessor. He registered 2.84 TpG, a team-leading 69 Interceptions, 84% Pass Completed, and 6.81 AR, up from 6.65 AR last season. What is clear to both the team’s management and analysts is that he cannot be the long-term answer for the club at the Premier League level – he simply does not have the talent. The Sophara Youth Academy continues to try to identify potential prospects that can help the team, but it has not delivered the kind of quality needed at the full-back positions – especially LB – in order to be of even a Championship level.  

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CENTRAL/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

The midfield starts with our 23 year old vice-captain Arinze Mbah (’28 – Nigeria: 27 Caps/1 Goal), who registered a career-high 8 Assists but had his AR drop to 6.79 from 6.97 last season. The Championship leader last season with 6.34 TpG and 196 Tackles Won, he had to settle for being 2nd in the league with 4.42 TpG and 4th with 142 Tackles Won. On the bright side, his 40 Appearances were a career-high after years of taking criticism over not appearing in enough Games. He hasn’t shown the kind of progress needed on the attacking end of the pitch to truly become a league-leading player, but despite his step back in form this season, he remained one of the premier defensive midfielders in the Championship this season. The 8 Assists were a welcome addition to an already solid repertoire, proving he could be effective going forward although he has not developed – and most likely never will develop – into a goalscoring threat. He’s been a fundamental piece of the team’s starting lineup for the past seven years and now he will get his chance to lead the team both on the pitch and off of it in the Premier League – the highest level of domestic club football in the world.

In front of Mbah playing in a more attacking central role was 19 year old English/Bermudian Jishua Tyrell (’33), who began showing some of the potential he has been promising as he completed his 3rd season. His improvement was noticeable and it seems he is starting to figure things out – his 6.66 AR last season was a distant memory as he registered 6.80 AR this season to go along with a career-high 5 Goals and 12 Assists in 42 Appearances. He is one of the few players on the team that experts suggest is already of a Premier League talent despite his young age, and he is predicted to continue getting a lot better. His improvements in his Passing attributes (+5 Passing and Vision, +3 Technique) has been great, and the results of his hard work in training paid off on the pitch as he was one of the league leaders in assists. All aspects of his game has shown continuous improvement and a lot of people have taken notice – he has already earned 6 Caps for the English U21 team, scoring 3 Goals in the process. He has no big weakness in his game – now it is all about building up on what was his breakout season and managing to thrive in the Premier League.

Before Tyrell took all the plaudits, there was Andre Hayles (’31), perhaps the most hyped rookie in Sophara United’s history. He had a sensational rookie year in which he scored 18 Goals in 32 Appearances, but he has never found that kind of form since. That being said, he showed substantial improvement this year as opposed to last – his 6.84 AR was a big improvement over the 6.74 AR he registered last season. Out of the 41 Games he played, he only started 28 of them, but he still registered 7 Goals and 7 Assists, the exact same number as last season. Now 20 years old, it is unlikely he will ever reach the heights that was being spoken about after his rookie season, but that doesn’t mean he still can’t shine as a player in the Premier League. He has enough talent and still enough time to develop into the kind of player that could make a name for himself – he certainly has the determination.  

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WINGERS

It was definitely a season of experimentation and trial and error down the wings for Sophara United. Let’s start with the RW position – there was a rotation in place between Stuart Coker (’32) and Max Atkinson (’27) that ended up bringing in a combined 9 Goals, 11 Assists, and 13 Clear Cut Chances. Neither has convinced the management that they can make it in the Premier League, albeit for totally different reasons. Coker has had some off the field issues, missing practice and spending late nights before games out partying. That has not gone well with the front office and despite seemingly putting the issue behind them and moving on after some disciplinary actions, sources close to the team have said that Coker has no long term future with the club because of it. He would have to do some major convincing in order to get the manager to change is his mind, and a 6.75 AR is not going to do the trick. The 20 year old (40 Apps, 4 Goals, 4 Assists) is generally considered one of the more talented members of the squad but he has not proven to be reliable or ready to become a full-time starter, especially as the club is now a Premier League one.

Atkinson has been the ultimate professional and his numbers are not bad (35 Apps, 5 Goals, 7 Assists, 6.89 AR) but he simply does not have the talent to be a Premier League starting winger. The move to the Championship exposed some flaws in his game that were not so evident when the club was still in the League One, and the fear is that the 24 year old will be completely out of his depth in the PL. He has been a loyal servant of the club for the past nine years and part of the first team rotation for the past six, but given the talent at the wing positions coming up recently from the Youth Academy, he could find himself being phased out of the rotation.

The left wing was drama-filled but just as rotational as the manager used a combination of Daniel Boniface (’30) and Ben Gibson (’34 – more on him under Forwards) as well as giving rookie Kurtis Thompson (’35) a few games. Boniface played in 35 Games (21 Starts) and while he didn’t have any major injuries to deal with, he still had to contend with injuring his ankle and his groin on two different occasions during the season. The 22 year old’s young career has been hampered by injuries and despite his professional approach to the game, it seems the injuries have already taken affect on his physical attributes and potential. He registered 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 15 CCC, and 6.81 AR, which was his lowest mark since his rookie year.

Fortunately for the club, there is some intriguing prospects at the position that could end up being quality enough to contribute in the PL – namely, 17 year old Thompson and 18 year Jamaican Sherwin Laing (’33), who can play down either flank. Neither had much playing time – Thompson played in 8 Games (3 Starts) registering 1 Assist and 6.56 AR while Laing only played in 2 Games – but both have high potential ratings by the experts. Thompson had an injury-filled season, however, including a hip injury that ruled him out of the first month of the season, two ankle injuries that took away another two months, and a knee injury that ruled him out for about two weeks. That obviously took away important time on the training pitch from the youngster, but towards the end of the season he showed signs of picking up the slack on the time he missed and began progressing. Laing has found it difficult to break through – he made his debut last season but found playing time scarce this year. The best bet for him might be to find a club to go on loan and get some valuable experience because he does have the potential to develop into a strong winger. He looked like he was ready to have a breakout season this year based on his play last season, but it did not end up happening.

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FORWARDS

For the first time since the early 2020s, the main topic of conversation up front when it comes to Sophara United is no longer Ross McDonald (’23) but young striker Kieran Christie (’32), who captured the Championship Footballer of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and Top Goalscorer awards this season. In other words, there was no finer player in the Championship this season than Christie. The 20 year old English striker’s numbers speak for themselves – 44 Apps, 39 Goals, 16 Assists, 12 PoMs, 71% Shot Target, and 7.43 AR (the league leader in all those stats.) The 39 Goals were a new Championship record and as such his value has now risen to close to £15M, the highest valued player at the club of all-time. There was talk last season that Christie was primed to breakout and possibly become the club’s finest player, but little expected it to come this season and in such a big way. His improvements across the board when it comes to his statistical numbers is astounding, but it doesn’t end there. The word from the training sessions is that Christie has been one of the hardest workers on the team over the last two seasons, showing Major improvement in all three categories – Technical, Mental, and Physical. He is 1.76 meters tall so he will probably never be a threat in the air, but he has made up for that by focusing on getting quicker and stronger, something which he has accomplished. As the team focuses on its upcoming Premier League season, there will be a lot of eyes on Christie – many predict that if he performs as well as he did in the Championship last season, he could be inline for several big money offers.

With Christie’s historic season came sacrifices made by the club legend Ross McDonald. He played in 42 Games, but his scoring went down from 27 Goals last season to 18 this year – the second time in three years he failed to score at least 20 Goals. This doesn’t mean that the 29 year old Scotsman had a down season – his 10 Assists was his highest mark since the 2025/26 season when the team was still in the Vanarama National league and his 7.00 AR was right around his career average of 7.03 AR. This is a player – once he steps on to the pitch next season – will have played across an incredible five tiers of football over the span of his career, all the way from the Vanarama National to the Premier League. Even more incredibly, he has won the Top Goalscorer award in all but the Championship, with the best being 2nd with 30 Goals in 2034/35. He was named to his first Championship Team of the Year selection, having formed an incredibly clinical and efficient strike force with Christie. He has now played in 556 League Games and has scored 346 Goals for the club – it would be magically, albeit a stretch, if he could join the 600 Games and/or 400 Goals club by the time his career is done. For now, he continues to take his place as one of Sophara United’s two greatest players, with the other being GK Mark Connor.

McDonald is going to have to make room for scintillating young striker Ben Gibson (’34) before long, however – the youngster is simply too talented not to be playing alongside Christie up front on a permanent basis. Although he spent the majority of his sophomore season playing down the wings as an inside forward, given his speed, finishing, and attacking instincts, his future lays at his more natural position of striker. This season, in 31 Games, he registered 10 Goals, 12 Assists, and 6.94 AR – he was ruled out for over two months with a hip injury he picked up in mid-February that cost him almost the rest of the season from that point. He has fully recovered now and his development overall, notwithstanding the time lost from injury, has been impressive. In fact, he was awarded the richest contract in Sophara United history – by a very wide margin – when he agreed to a new five year deal that will pay him £55K per week. That is how highly he is viewed internally and you won’t find many football experts that would disagree with the club’s view on Gibson’s potential. Christie and Gibson are going to be an intriguing young frontline to watch in the PL next season.

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YOUTH INTAKE 2036

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END OF SEASON REVIEW

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Premier League money starting to roll in, so time to get everything maximized so I can finally win the Champions League for the first time since I started the Kafra/Sophara saves!

165002565_Pre-YouthLevel.thumb.jpg.f436ca0e0de311d1003cc49ea0b2b0c8.jpg

1663992260_Pre-Training.thumb.jpg.a29f04483857c9c679d4080666701ac5.jpg

NOTE: Just noticed the start date is a year ahead - bug?

Edited by abulezz
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Just now, Mr Highbury said:

Congrats on getting into the Premier League.

Let's hope that you can finally lead the team to European glory!

I havent won the CL in real-time years - since the first addition of the Kafra saves in 2016, I believe. 

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1 hour ago, abulezz said:

Premier League money starting to roll in, so time to get everything maximized so I can finally win the Champions League for the first time since I started the Kafra/Sophara saves!

165002565_Pre-YouthLevel.thumb.jpg.f436ca0e0de311d1003cc49ea0b2b0c8.jpg

1663992260_Pre-Training.thumb.jpg.a29f04483857c9c679d4080666701ac5.jpg

NOTE: Just noticed the start date is a year ahead - bug?

It usually depends on the date you requested it. I try and get mine done as soon as the previous upgrades have finished (if you have the money) so that it starts at the end of the current season. If you did this quite a bit of the way through a pre-season then it will go to next season. Annoying!

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