[FM17] King's Lynn Town - Youth Academy Challange - 2-nd Take

[LeLaga]

 I'm restarting my journey with King's Lynn Town. In first try - I found myself eventually going away from style and approach I wanted to implement at the start, almost unconsciously - when I struggled to make more defensive/counter-attacking style work - but I found that I wasn't enjoying the save anymore at that point. I really want to make it work with counter-attacking and direct style of football - so I'll give it another go.

 After re-loading a game, I got a bit different squad this time. It's less deep, with only 15 men so it will make it fresh and (even) more difficult. I might be taking on impossible task - doing the Youth Academy Challange - but hey, let's see what happens.

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 Short introduction into the story.

 In 2016/2017 season, King's Lynn gained promotion to Vanarama North for the first time in history. Success was surprising even to Chairman of the club. King's Lynn Town is small club without major ambitions and promotion to higher league, which comes with further travels, bigger wage demands from players and other expenses wasn't welcomed with expected enthusiasm.
 Chairman wasn't willing to strengthen the squad, which led disillusioned Manager - Gary Setchell - to resign. Finding another manager proved difficult, with team lacking squad depth or quality for that level of competition and Board looking to save on everything, including Manager's wage.
 2 months before the season would start, Jacek Zielonka - Polish player who played in King's Lynn Town for couple years - recommended his old friend, Julian Karmazin, for a job.
 Karmazin was young coach without any experience and was happy taking lower pay and do his best with given conditions.

 Before the season, Chairman gave simple task -  Fight bravely against relegation, to keep fans happy enough. If somehow the team stays up, We'll sit down after the season and take it from there.

 That's how the story begins.

 

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  Squad at the start of a season

 

 Here's Jacek Zielonka, Polish player and old friend of mine, who got me the job basically:

 

 - 

 I played first half of the season already, since I didn't know if I can even do anything with that squad and did not want to start new topic not knowing if I won't get automatically relegated.

Season 1 (2017/2018) - Mid-Season Update 

  Games Fixture: 

 

 League Table:

 We were able to get through pre-season without major issues, but just before the first game my first team full back pulled his hamstrings, what put us in difficult situation, having to play my defensive midfielder at the back.
 
 Beginning of a season was extremely difficult. We gathered only 3 points in first 8 games, with a lot of individual errors and lapses in concentration costing us valuable points.

 We were able to escape with a lucky win in our 9-th game, but quite surprisingly - it was only after one of the team leaders and best left back - Jordan Young - got injured, that things began to turn around for us.

 Jordan is not going to be back until next season most likely, but I think his natural tendency to come forward makes him more suited to play as left winger in my formation.

 

 I had to re-train one of my defensive midfielders to play at left back - player who's additionally permanently crippled with recurring knee injury - but somehow He was able to do better job than Jordan Young.

 

 We went 3-3-0 in next 6 games, which took us couple points safe off relegation zone - and We played consistantly well up until the very end. Final 2 losses I put down to injuries and discipline suspensions, which forced us to play very experimental squad.

 We're only 7 points above relegation zone, which is far from safe - but I'm cautiously confident if We're able to avoid serious injuries. I think I was able to figure out tactics that is working well enough around our weaknesses.

 Big problem for us is lack of aerial presence - We're dead last in the league in headers won tally and don't have many players who excell in jumping or heading ability, but I try to work around it utilising our wingers more.

 Hopefully We'll get a good Youth intake in March. I'm badly in need of side-Defenders in particular and it will be nice to have some depth finally.

[bigmattb28]

Hello fellow FM17 player (I don't like the newer ones) 

I'll def be following this.

[LeLaga]

 Sadly, I was relegated...

 

 Heart-breaking. We had a lead in final game which would've guaranteed us staying up, but late goal came in for AFC Telfrod... and that's All She Wrote.

 I had a lot of fun, but second half of the season was a nightmare, lack of depth really hit us, I had to play greyed-out players in many games and struggled to get team's morale up after series of losses.

 I think I'll re-start, but won't start new topic - I have to stop spamming the forum, hah.

[phnompenhandy]

Ha, a fellow I-can't-stick-with-a-save-and-keep-restarting soul! Good luck (again)    

[argento]

As a Lynn local, I wish you good luck on your restart!

[LeLaga]

1 hour ago, phnompenhandy said:

Ha, a fellow I-can't-stick-with-a-save-and-keep-restarting soul! Good luck (again)    

 For my excuse, more often than not it's the save that doesn't want to stick with me - rather than me not wanting to stick with a save! I really enjoyed that one, true roller-coaster... just did not manage to keep the team up.

 

 @argento

 Ha, thank You! Is Jacek Zielonka rememered fondly :)?

[argento]

4 hours ago, LeLaga said:

 For my excuse, more often than not it's the save that doesn't want to stick with me - rather than me not wanting to stick with a save! I really enjoyed that one, true roller-coaster... just did not manage to keep the team up.

 

 @argento

 Ha, thank You! Is Jacek Zielonka rememered fondly :)?

Doesn’t ring a bell but I’m a Norwich fan. I go to a few games now but just kept an eye on their results back then