Long-term Games on CM/FM

[Hershie]

FM2007 - 18 seasons with Arsenal. In the end the success and power went to my head and I got sacked after upsetting the squad by fining EVERYONE after a poor result. :o

[Scoham]

CM 00/01 - Charlton until about 2032/33. Think I had a game about 10 seasons in with them as well. I think I also took Rushden & Diamonds to the Prem. Thinking back I didn't realise just how much I must have played that version.

CM 01/02 - Took Farnborough to the Prem, guessing around 2020. Also had a game with Total Network Solutions in Wales, did around 10 seasons I think.

CM4 - Had an online game about 8 seasons in, took Margate to the Prem, other player took Exeter there.

CM 03/04 - Think my longest game was taking Leigh RMI to the Championship. Really hard to remember though.

FM 05 - Didn't get very far on any game I don't think.

FM 06 - Took Eastbourne Borough to the Prem, won the league and Champions League at least once. Got sacked, after that managed Everton, Nott'm Forest, dropped down to League One and took Brighton straight up to the Prem and won the league, finished the game as Charlton manager. Would have been nice to have had some success with them.

FM 07 - Took San Marino club side to Serie A, eventually took over the national team as well. Spent 5 or 6 seasons in Serie C1 I think.

FM 08 - Didn't get time to play really, best game was about 4 or 5 seasons with Tonbridge Angels, probably got as far as Blue Square Prem.

FM 09 - Again haven't had as much time or got into a game. About five seasons in, started unemployed. Got a job halfway through the season with Burscough in the BSN, was never going to keep them up. Took over at Bishop's Stortford in the summer, finished about 14th, then really started to work things out, lost in the playoffs I think. Season after that won the league. Had a decent start to the season in the Blue Square Prem, just outside the playoffs. Applied for the job at League Two Luton and am now managing them. Was into that game for a while before I had less time to play it.

Also had plenty of other games that I never really got into, played some for 2 maybe 3 seasons, others I had ideas for interesting games but ended up playing once or twice.

[rancer890]

FM08 - career game with Toronto FC, Plymouth, and PSV that lasted to around 2018 or 2019. The others were small club to big club challenges (AFC Wimbledon to 2016 and Rizhiquan/China to 2023)

FM09 - Only small club to big club challenges (Real Oviedo to 2022, and Rizhiquan to 2016, before moving to a new Asian save with Malaysian club Beverly, and now in 2013). Trying to start a proper career game (albeit with a 'high' reputation), but can't stop playing in Spain or Malaysia!

[BamaToon]

KPO1981,to answer your question, there is no set retirement age for human managers, so you could keep playing indefinitely with an immortal manager. Of course, that's not realistic, so most players tend to retire managers when they reach 60-70 years of age. You can then create a new manager and continue the game.

[KPO1981]

Cheers Bama Toon you just saved me my summer... I think that it is difficult when all the normal players retire though. After reading this I just went to my team and had a major clear out and £60m spending spree. Only kept 11 of my squad of 50... But started well. Would be interesting if us long term players got some screenshots up of our achievements... Or is it just me who likes to see all the stats. etc

[dave byrd]

I'm in 2024 at the min on FM09. I think this is my longest career. I've won the league in 4 different countries, the domestic cup in 5 different countries and the champions league with 3 different teams:

[given1legend]

I am failing miserably in my long term FM09 game.

All good fun though.

San Jose Earthquakes - 8.7.2008 - 29.5.2009 - Finished 1st in MLS but knocked out in my conference semi final. Struggled next season so resigned.

Bournemouth - 1.11.2009 - 17.3.2010 - Took over when they were bottom of League 2 and got them closer to staying up. Got injuries late in season which made me realise i wasn't going to stay up. Resigned.

Wycombe - 24.6.2010 - 19.9.2012 - Took over in the summer and they were in League 2. Worked my magic and star signings included Forster, Marwood, Euell for the first season and Doumbe. I managed to finish 6th in League 2 first season and..... PROMOTION! via the play offs. My first season in League 1 i finished 10th which was impressive. I started the next season with 1 win in 6 or so games. Resigned.

Lincoln - 4.11.2012 - 27.1.2013 - I took ever when they were bottom. I climbed out the relegation zone and my game stopped working. It took me back 3 weeks and 3 wins and a draw. I didn't want to re play them so i resigned.

Chesterfield - 24.6.2013 - 7.5.2014(present) - I took over in serious financial trouble. Not good. Sold most of my squad and all of my best players. Replaced them with young free agaents. Still 500k in debt after a 16th place League 2 finish. I managed that with a squad of about 16-18 players all season. When injuries hit i was in trouble. I ended up having a 16 year old(15 at season start) playing around 40 of my league games in CM. Hope to push for play offs this season.

[chob]

FM05 - Leeds, Arsenal, Roma 6 Seasons

FM06 - Career game (Can't remember the teams), about 6 seasons

FM07 - Leeds, Arsenal, AC Milan about 8 seasons

FM08 - AC Milan 5 seasons

FM09 - AC Milan currently 11 seasons

[crouchaldinho]

I've broken all of my previous records whilst playing on FM10:

St. Albans City (20 years).

England, Uruguay, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal and Spain (16 years).

Carrarese/Hellas Verona (10 years).

How about everyone else? What have been your longest saves on FM?

[neushoorn70]

FM10: to 2025/26 with: Vizela 1,5 seasons, Eupen 2 seasons, Leyton Orient 6 seasons (from league 2 to premier league), salamanca 1 season, bayern münchen 1,5 seasons, also 8 years with Ghana

FM11: in 2018/19 with: Welling 1 season, Grottaglie 2,5 seasons, Forest green 1 season, currecntly at Gillingham in League 1.

[acidmonkey]

for me it was

FM09: 29/30 season with gateshead

FM10: 49/50 season with Crook Town

FM11: 26/27 season with sunderland (still going)

[kerching]

Started my current save on the 2010 Demo just after patch 3 to see if my then laptop would run it ok. It did so i bought the disk and continued the game. I am currently on the 15th Dec 2039.

Started at Hyde Utd 7.7.2009 in BSN and left them in the BSP in 18.10.2015 to join Stockport County in L1. Won the JPT with Stockport and got to a couple of play off finals, without winning, and then left them on 27.11.2019, for some reason that i cant remember now. Unless i was sacked and i have blotted it out, which, i think was the case. IIRC i saw my a**e and gave the board an ultimatum so they gave me the tin tack.

Unemployed until 5.1.2020 when Macclesfield give me a chance. I reward them by getting them relegated from the BSP and then leaving them languishing in the BSN to join the mighty Rochdale who are also languishing, but, this time in the lower reaches of L2 on the 2.12.2020.

Manage to just avoid relegation to the BSP that season and thats when my game really took off. Managed to work my way up the leagues, with one relegation on the way, to the Prem which we have just won for the 2nd time. We have won the FA Cup twice, Euro Cup twice, Super Cup once and one or two other bits and bobs along the way and i am only 40 points from over taking Sir Alf in the all time roll of honour. Mind what did he ever win!

I am enjoying this save that much that i will probably keep going to FM2012.3 by which time i am hoping to have won the Inter Galactic Cup against the Sea of Tranquility Academicals on penalties aet but, the board will still say "they are slightly disappointed that we got knocked out of the League Cup in the 4th round by Luton but they can understand why" in my monthly appraisal.

Edit :- Just seen when this thread was started.

[dbfinch]

I've had a couple of long games. FM06 I played through until 2035, at which point my save game ended up corrupted and I took that as a sign to move on. I believe my FM08 game was played to roughly the same point, while also playing a network game with a friend into the early 2020's. Played a good 10/12 years on one FM09 game, too. However, my longest is my current FM10 game, which I've played through as far as 2052. Started out at Villa, staying at the club for 21 seasons and turning them into the biggest team in the World. Flirted with the idea of going somewhere else but I never found the right job at the right time, mainly because once I start a season, I absolutely despise not getting to see it out with the same club. I also wanted to make sure I left Villa on a high, at the very least winning the Champions League and Premiership double. Then there was the attachment to youngsters I was buying, and wanting to bring them through and establish them. Essentially, circumstances never seemed to right to leave. When I did eventually leave, I had a successful spell rebuilding Madrid (they'd fallen out the top-6 and I sold 80% of the squad I inherited in the first Summer!), guiding Liverpool back to the Premiership and then turning Siena into a dominant force. I'd like to try Germany or Holland, or possibly manage one of the two clubs I have real-life attachments to, Colchester or Crystal Palace. Also won three World Cups, two with Brazil and one with England, which was especially sweet as it involved a late winner against Argentina!

Couple of reasons why I exhaust one game, rather than having multiple saves. Firstly, I find that after playing a few years of one game, you have a good indication of which youngsters to go after. For example, a mate and I started a network game and we were both going after the obvious players such as Lukaku, and I hate having that advantage over the computer. Secondly, (and probably the biggest reason why) one of my favourite aspects of the FM series is going on the hunt for good regens, watching them develop as players and getting to work them into my team. I spend forever searching around for them, not just in obvious months such as June/July, but over the course of each season. Obviously if you sign someone who's 15/16 years old, you'll have to play several seasons if you wish to see them evolve. I love getting to the point where every player is a regen. I know I could just start a game without real players, but that's a different kettle of fish, and I find it a struggle to immerse myself in that environment where I have zero idea who any of the players are. The gradual approach means I've at least some read on the landscape of the game. Didn't help that I failed to really get into FM11, and found myself missing the FM10 game I had going.

[hrbfcrule]

Can't really remember any saves before my fm09 ones.

FM09: 15 seasons with Hampton & Richmond

FM10: 12 seasons with Dosthill Colts and on a different save 29 seasons with Hampton & Richmond which I intend on continuing

FM11: 20 and counting with IK Tord

[blueowl]

Think this is one of my longest games, it's from 09

[Deisler26]

FM10 - 20 seasons with various clubs

FM11 - 10 seasons with various clubs

[k007sc]

FM 2008

Newport county from blue square south to the premiership title and european cup winners had an amazing team average age was 22 (signed newgen youngsters and trained them up) and upgraded my stadium fromm 4300 to 72000 and had state of the art youth facilities all this till my computer got a virus and deleated everything :'(

[Vèrkûh]

Excuse me in advance if the use of the English language isn't grammatically correct:

If only I had discovered this forum/topic earlier...!

The addiction of CM hit me at first with the versions that started in 95/96 and 97/98. In both of these games a savegame automatically stopped after playing 30 seasons. The message shown recommends you to start a new savegame in order to be able to keep playing. After doing this several times, I bought CM 00/01. Believe it or not, I'm still playing this one in 2014!!! Last Sunday was the last time I did, entering the (game)year 2435. I wonder if the equivalent of the 30-season-message will ever appear!

This is the evidence I posted on the social media before reloading my game last weekend:

[Norfair]

Year 2434?? Wow.

And just seeing the old font from 00/01 and 01/02 version makes me all warm inside. Some of my best memories from this game are from the 01/02 version.

I'm going to break my longest save ever with FM14 but compared to some others in this thread, my 15 seasons record is but a fart in the wind.

[Nobby_McDonald]

30 odd seasons into my Newcastle Town career on FM11. Full details in the career forum.

[Mato]

Excuse me in advance if the use of the English language isn't grammatically correct:

If only I had discovered this forum/topic earlier...!

The addiction of CM hit me at first with the versions that started in 95/96 and 97/98. In both of these games a savegame automatically stopped after playing 30 seasons. The message shown recommends you to start a new savegame in order to be able to keep playing. After doing this several times, I bought CM 00/01. Believe it or not, I'm still playing this one in 2014!!! Last Sunday was the last time I did, entering the (game)year 2435. I wonder if the equivalent of the 30-season-message will ever appear!

This is the evidence I posted on the social media before reloading my game last weekend:

You are maniak

[crouchaldinho]

Wow, this is an old thread!

My new record is on FM10 with St Albans City in the year 2035. That's 26 seasons in total.

[GazTheDoood]

Currently in 2054 on FM14. My first manager retired when he turned 60 in game, after back-to-back Champions League successes with Sochaux, I thought I'd bow him out on a high note. Currently 7 seasons into a new manager on the same save, managing in the Belgian Premier League with Antwerp.

[santy001]

Whatever year Gary Neville turns 49 is the year my save got to on FM07. I had a poor PC so had a very small database and players seemed to age really quite well back on FM07. Still an England regular until 42 and as I said was still playing at 49. I released him when I thought he was finished at 37/38 (signed him for my team after he was released by Man Utd).

It's not realistic but I do miss the fact that some players just seemingly kept going forever. Then FM08 came, and once players hit 29 they were on their knees practically lol.

[Sky]

Excuse me in advance if the use of the English language isn't grammatically correct:

If only I had discovered this forum/topic earlier...!

The addiction of CM hit me at first with the versions that started in 95/96 and 97/98. In both of these games a savegame automatically stopped after playing 30 seasons. The message shown recommends you to start a new savegame in order to be able to keep playing. After doing this several times, I bought CM 00/01. Believe it or not, I'm still playing this one in 2014!!! Last Sunday was the last time I did, entering the (game)year 2435. I wonder if the equivalent of the 30-season-message will ever appear!

How.... I don't even.....

I'm not sure which is more amazing, the fact that your save file survived 14 years (i've suffered countless HDD failures and destroyed laptops over the years), or the fact that you kept playing the same game for 14 years.

[chob]

FM05 - Leeds, Arsenal, Roma 6 Seasons

FM06 - Career game (Can't remember the teams), about 6 seasons

FM07 - Leeds, Arsenal, AC Milan about 8 seasons

FM08 - AC Milan 5 seasons

FM09 - AC Milan currently 11 seasons

Since I posted this 4 years ago, my FM09 save ended up being 35 seasons.

FM10 - Carrick Rangers (Northern Ireland) 26 seasons

FM11 - AC Milan 41 Seasons (still playing occasionally)

FM12 - AC Milan 8 seasons (Couldn't get into it as was still playing FM11)

FM13 - Liverpool, Barcelona 18 seasons

FM14 - Leeds - 10 seasons so far

[baronia]

I can't think of which year it was - but it would've been somewhere between 04-06. My best mate and I had a save that ran until 2019, which would've been 13-15 seasons. It was immense! It was without a doubt my best FM experience ever. We tried to create a similar thing in following years, but never had the time to get really into it..

He was manager of Chelsea, and I of Arsenal and between us we won the league each year - until towards the end I got a bit cocky and tried blooding my youngsters too soon, leading to my demise and eventually being sacked (I then went on to take over at Ipswich, but the save was never the same). At Arsenal, for some reason there was a tendancy for my youth team to produce kids from Ghana - who I eventually was determined to bring into my first team (a lot of them, for some reason, had the first name 'Aboubakari').

He sold me Joe Cole early on, who was great for me until he got too old. We had formidable strike partnerships, and were eachother's greatest rivals.

Brings back memories! But yes, this was my longest save file.

[brightonrock]

I've not often had the time and/or not got engrossed enough to get really far into the game. The three longest for me were:

FM07 - Bolton - 12 seasons, including a UEFA Cup & FA Cup win, and culminating in a Prem/CL double in my final season, upon which I quit. I remember Anelka & Voronin scoring hatfuls as my front 2 with an ancient Figo pulling the strings from set pieces and some all-round wizardry from a certain Sherman Cardenas. Great memories

FM08 - a created team which I started in BSS and got to the Championship - 8/9 seasons before becoming corrupted. Some of my favourite ever regens came from this game as I gave myself no money and had to develop youth. A DLC called Jim Atkinson who came through my youth team in BSP & L2 ended up being sold for £1m and went on to play for England. Legend in my eyes.

FM12 - Brighton, up to my 15th season, 9 consecutive PL titles and going for a 10th in a row, with 3 FA Cups & 4 CLs. The most successful save I've ever had, with only 1 remaining "real" player in my squad. Hated FM13 so I kept playing FM12 and built somewhat of a dynasty!

[RBKalle]

In CM2 and 97-98 I managed some pretty long and sweet saves, making it to 202x with Inter

After CM3 I had a long spell of dwindling interest in CM, despiete still getting every new version... I started several saves but none lasted long enough to be memorable. It was usually 3 or 4 seasons and I would inevitably got bored, no matter what.

So I stopped almost completely from CM 02-03 and the spark got back around FM08, where I had a short but sweet save at Byåsen... It all began again there, and I've had solid 15+ years runs out of every version since.

Aside from the traditional one-club save at Rosenborg, usually culminating with Champions League glory, I had a nice journeyman career in FM11: started out with 3 years at Aalesund, then 3 more at Palmeiras, then half a season at Southampton, then longer and successful spells at Chelsea and Barcelona.

Another good one in FM12 I led newly bankrupted Lyn Oslo from 4th division back to top level. Lower league with all-amateur contracts was quite fun

[Wlv]

FM14 - Truro City - 2030 and still going