I cant get promoted in my lower league

[PandaIsland]

I started a LLM with cadbury athletic who start in tier 10 football. In my first year I won the league and the cup. So then I was in tier 9 now I have spent 3 years in. My 1st year I was 7th // 2nd year 5th // 3rd year 8th 24games in//. Only the team in 1st place gets promoted unless its kidderminster harris u23 that win then 2nd place gets promoted.

 

My wage budget is 1,220 im spending 1,179. There are times were i see some decent/okay players that i would like to join but the board max out my wage at like say 35 but they player wants 40 and if i offer 35 and an extra 5 on appearance they walk away. Its really hard to scout to find good players and if i do find them they want like 200 a week when my highest paid player is 75 a week. im 70k in debt

[Grifty]

Thats what happens in lower leagues?

[PandaIsland]

18 minutes ago, Grifty said:

Thats what happens in lower leagues?

I want to get them promoted to the top leagues but im not sure how I can advance anymore

[Zemahh]

Lower league management can be pretty ruthless, but here's a couple of tips that can hopefully help you out.

• Trials, trials, trials. Trial every Free Agent you come across. When you're that low on the pyramid, there's always a better player you can snatch on a free. If not initially, try again a few months into the season, when players might lower their expectations or demands. Scouting can be inefficient in lower leagues, as your scouts can get overloaded quickly and their judging isn't very accurate.
• Avoid long-term contracts. In fact, offer any player you can a Fringe Player or lower squad status, which usually makes them join you on no-contract basis (works almost always for younger players). You want to be able to replace players fast as you climb through divisions.
• Utilize loans. Since your Scouting Packages likely don't cover top divisions, requesting Team Reports on those teams is usually the fastest way of finding good loan targets. Scouts will send realistic options to your Scouting Centre. If you can get a decent Senior Affiliate for free loans, you're flying.
• Organize friendly tournaments in pre-season for some extra money. A decent cup run can also be immensely helpful.
• Complete players are rare, focus mostly on physicals. A striker with a bit pace can do wonders that low, even if he has nothing else going for him.
• Create a basic tactic and stick with it. Don't try to be too smart with defensive tactics, as your players likely aren't good enough to withstand extended periods of pressure and such. Attack is best form of defence, lower league teams tend to be easy to overwhelm. 
• Don't waste too much money on staff. Only sign staff you deem crucial and don't bother with youth or reserve squads. You're unlikely to develop anyone without improving your facilities first anyway.
• Scout players 6-12 months in advance. Go through Premier League/Championship squads and request Scout Reports on young players with expiring contracts. Even if you don't scout them fully, having a bit of knowledge on them will make them appear in your Player Search, which can make your recruitment easier down the road.

If you want more specific help, take a screenshot of your tactic and post it in the Tactics & Training section, because ultimately it all comes down to either your squad not being good enough, or your tactic not being suited to your squad.

[Jtomsett11]

I'd also keep your tactics simple at this level as players aren't good enough to fulfil complicated instructions. I never really use a poacher at higher levels,  but my forwards can't play as advanced forwards at this level so I don't make them do so. Pace is also key. If you can find a fast striker and get people to hit the ball over the top you'll do well. 

I'm doing a youth focused game with Jersey Bulls, so started at the same level I think,  but I'm lucky in that I had enough fans (700 per game) to allow me to invest in youth recruitment and junior coaching and have found that is the best way to go. You may wait some years for the players to develop but then you get decent players for very little wages coming through.  However, if you're not making any money this is very difficult to do and in that case trials is the best way to find players. I stayed in one league for 4 seasons so sometimes progress is slow. 

[LazyEnganche]

@Zemahhhas nailed it really, my main priority at non-league level are the fastest strikers and wingers you can find for a very basic and direct 424/442.
Also like to have a big target man for a plan B if you need to mix it up. 

A half decent set piece taker can be very useful and contribute extra points which can be vital.

I wouldn’t worry a huge amount about the debt, almost all clubs in non-league are in a similar situation - you just need to have an extremely short term focus on winning promotions and nothing else development wise regarding your club. 

Up the Cadbury

[LazyEnganche]

@Jtomsett11 Jersey are definitely a unique example at that level with their big crowds! I was regularly getting lower crowds at level 6 

[Jtomsett11]

28 minutes ago, LazyEnganche said:

@Jtomsett11 Jersey are definitely a unique example at that level with their big crowds! I was regularly getting lower crowds at level 6 

Yes I have been very lucky and its funded a very impressive youth setup!

[LazyEnganche]

1 hour ago, Jtomsett11 said:

Yes I have been very lucky and its funded a very impressive youth setup!

Would be great to see Jersey climb the leagues! Do you produce youth players with dual/french nationality/names? 
 

Hopefully your youth set up can produce a Jersey Matt Le Tissier 

 

Also think quick advanced forwards are the most important position at that level, which system do you play with a poacher(s)?

Edited August 15, 2021 by LazyEnganche

[Jtomsett11]

9 minutes ago, LazyEnganche said:

Would be great to see Jersey climb the leagues! Do you produce youth players with dual/french nationality/names? 
 

Hopefully your youth set up can produce a Jersey Matt Le Tissier 

Unfortunately the database I'm using doesn't replicate that really, I've only had 1 French player come through so far.  I have managed to produce a few really good players,  one of whom secured a move to league 1 Coventry so hopefully there will be more jersey born players in the English league!

[LazyEnganche]

20 minutes ago, Jtomsett11 said:

Unfortunately the database I'm using doesn't replicate that really, I've only had 1 French player come through so far.  I have managed to produce a few really good players,  one of whom secured a move to league 1 Coventry so hopefully there will be more jersey born players in the English league!

Great move for that level! Would be nice to have a link with pompey to rival Guernsey/saints too

Which system do you use with a poacher? 

[Jtomsett11]

I've used a 4-2-4 so I have two attacking wingers, poacher and a deep lying forward. It's worked well at a number of clubs, but I have changed the AF to a poacher and the CF(s) to a DLF to make things easier for my players!

[LazyEnganche]

10 hours ago, Jtomsett11 said:

I've used a 4-2-4 so I have two attacking wingers, poacher and a deep lying forward. It's worked well at a number of clubs, but I have changed the AF to a poacher and the CF(s) to a DLF to make things easier for my players!

Sounds good, might try out a poacher instead of AF to mix it up

[Jtomsett11]

4 minutes ago, LazyEnganche said:

Sounds good, might try out a poacher instead of AF to mix it up

I've got a career thread going over in the careers sub-forum so feel free to check it out as full tactical details are in there!

[Zemahh]

From my experience, the whole "lesser players can't play complicated roles" thing is a myth. Roles are nothing more than just sets of instructions and hard-coded behaviours, there's nothing saying you absolutely must stick to Poachers, No-Nonsense CBs and such just because you're managing lower league players. As long as your tactic makes sense as a whole and you know what kind of behaviour you're going to get out of certain roles, you should do well regardless of how exotic they might sound.

For example, I'm currently using a Complete Forward in my Vanarama North save. Since the role has a minimum CA threshold tied into it, my assistant only rates him as 1,5*, so it'd be easy to get discouraged and use him as a 4* AF instead, but since the role compliments the rest of the tactic, he's doing perfectly fine (5 goals, 1 assist in 7 apps).

In my previous LLM saves, I've also used Trequartistas, Roaming Playmakers and all kinds with reasonable amounts of success, so I think Role Ability stars are safe to be completely ignored.

That's just my view on it of course, I respect different people have different experiences. Personally, I just prefer creating a balanced tactic from the get-go and sticking with it throughout the whole save, rather than constantly adapting it to new personnel.