darren1983

Bet this one doesn't end up buried in a car park in Leicester

It's probably going to happen you'd think but yeah does seem a little premature to be coming out and saying it

Assuming this means after tonights games

All those people outside Buckingham palace look like a horde of zombies

I dunno why you keep posting this seeing as a) this is a pretty decent source of information and b) you're one the ones listed

Waiting a long time as the game is off due to fighting between fans

You don't have to hate yourself to try this every season but it helps

I mean I may or my not be currently holidaying a couple of countries to have a look around. Seems like not enough time to complete this again before FM23 but I like a challenge and let's be honest this challenge is less about completing it and more about how much we like to punish ourselves isn't it?

I'm starting to get the old FM itch again I have to say....

Well done, sometimes taking a short break and returning can help, it did with my attempt last year, have added you to the HoF

Firstly sorry for late response, am away currently so not really checking forums right now, but with regards to the question I've not seen or looked into the files enough to really understand what they do but if they change things like nations youth ratings then I'm leaning towards them not being eligible for this challenge. Unless @XaW has some experience with it and knows more than me I'm gonna say they can't be used for now.

Congrats on another completion. Added this one to the HoF as well

Sorry mate, I'm not very active at the moment so unless I get tagged in a post I don't really see it but congrats, that's some going in that timeframe and have added you to the HoF

Yeah juat let's us know its FM21 is all. No point using last year's thread as not sure anyone reads it any more.

My bad man, I don't know how I missed that but have added that one as well. 2 completions both 30+ years is damn impressive

Take a few days off and miss @libbyshussnot only completing the challenge but then starting again right away? Congrats mate and have added you to the HoF

South Shields Season 2023/24 Vanarama National League Review League - a weird one really. After promotion 17th is solid, we were the 5th highest scorers but also had the 5th worst defence. Am actually a bit annoyed by how this season played out as our form in the run in has me worried for next season. In our last 5 games we only scored 1 goal, lost twice and drew 3 to drop from 11th to 17th. Could be an issue if it carries on to next season. Overall though am happy, due to injuries, suspensions and poor form I used 3 or 4 different formations during the season but as usual settled on what I know best. We were streaky all season, going on runs of unbeaten in 5 or 6 before not being able to win in 5 or 6. Never knew what version of us would turn up from game to game which was stressful. FA Cup - Made it to first round proper but then League 2 Carlisle (who we beat last year) were too good for us FA Trophy - A really good run in this saw us make the final for the first time but our poor form in the run continued into the final as Notts County easily beat us 3-0 Transfers - couple loaned out again is all Squad - lots of rotation this season but the main worry is that for the 2nd season running we're losing our first choice right back and from next season it's time for youth products to start stepping up which is a worry Youth Intake - decent one really, too many "balanced" personalities though. Caoimhin Lyons 24A - an OK looking CM, could end up being our workhorse if his physicals develop John Saunders 24B - Not sure what his best role will be for us so not sure how he'll develop just yet Max Henry 24C - can play wide or through the middle. I like my wide players to be able to score so having one that can play as a ST could be good Phil Charlton 24C - coaches think he's a winger but if he amounts to anything it'll be as a left back, bit too slow though which is a worry and something to work on Career Progress Season League Position Notes 2022/23 NLN 2nd Promotion through playoffs 2023/24 VNL 17th FA Trophy runners up

Agreed yeah.

South Shields Season 2022/23 Review National league North League - I knew the quality of this squad so I had high hoped for the season but didn't expect this much, we were really good for long spells this season but then in the final month or so stumbled. It seems odd to say we struggled for goals as we were the top scorers and had one player score 43 but we did struggle in the 2nd half of the season, also only one other player hit double figures. Despite being top for most of the season a run of 1 loss and 3 draws at the end of March/start of April allowed Fylde to edge ahead of us. The 2-2 draw away to FC United was killer as we were 2-0 with 4 minutes to go! We refound our form to win our final 4 games to hit 100 points but still wasn't enough as we missed out on the title by a single point. In the playoffs we beat Southport 3-1 after extra time to set up a final with York. They had a season like us, were 2nd behind us for a long time but their end of season form was worse than ours (we best them 5-0 away from home to turn our own form around) ao I felt we were better than them but in a one off final we know how that goes. We took the lead but they scored a screamer but then 2 quick goals either side of HT gave us a 3-1 win and promotion. FA Cup - We had a great run here as we beat a league one side (Swindon) then a league two side (Carlisle) before championship side Reading were too much for us in the 3rd round FA Trophy - Poor from us in this but came at a time where our FA Cup run was going on, plus league games meant our tired side had to fall somewhere and it was here Transfers - couple loans out was all Squad - A big squad but that's helpful in the yearly years of this challenge, my big fear though is that we're losing our 3 best players in Boney, Hunter and Tee just as we step up a league. Not ideal and will require me to make some tactical adjustments but that's part of the fun right? Finances - FA Cup run and Wembley final kept us in the black this season, next season likely to be tougher, we also had a takeover with the fans becoming owners and while that'll likely hurt us financially it does feel somewhat fitting for this challenge that the club is run by fans as well Youth Intake - Was promised a goldern generation and it's fine, it's going to take some time to get the players through that I want but it's OK starting point Sean Marchant 23A - I like his mentals but he's not suitable for much sadly, probably be a defensive full back for me Louis Ashby 23B - Big fan of this guy, will suit our tactic cutting in from wide Will Wells 23C - If I get improve his physicals he could be option for us in the midfield, another I like Flavius Niculae 23D - he's massive so might use him when needed but he's not got a great deal else to his game looking at him now. I may have only tagged him for his height and name Finn McMurtie 23E - Always good to have a keeper and he's got the things I look for in agility, reflexes and handing, he's small though and that could be an issue Career Overview Season League Position Notes 2022/23 NLN 2nd Promotion through playoffs

Late reply, sorry, but I've never played xbox version so no idea what's included and what isn't I'm afraid.

I must be a glutton for punishment as while Marbella was good I just can't stay away from England and South Shields. I may return to Marbella if this doesn't stick.

Marbella Season 2022/23 Review Segunda Division 2 RFEF League - Was an odd season really, we started well and hit top but then our small squad caught up with us. We had so many games where we just couldn't kill teams off but after the first third of the season we never really trouble Real Murcia who ran away with the league. We should have been closer to them but our small squad meant we had spells of being unable to win mixed in with me spending too much time playing around with tactics and the starting 11. It mean we ended up in the playoffs where we beat Guijuelo and Pontevdra, the later saw us have to come from a goal down at the break but we won promotion at the first time of asking Copa del Rey - enjoyed our run here as actually beat a La Liga side in Osasuna on penalties after pulling ourselves back from being 3-1 down. Sevilla in the next round were far too good for us but I feel a 2-0 loss at least kept it respectful Copa RFEF - this, it seems, is a cup for all sides in the bottom division. Board didn't care what we did so I rotated, issue is that our squad was so small that rotation didn't really change much, either way we found our way to the final which we won with 2 late goals. Nice to get a cup win under our belt though which is nice Transfers - none in and none out this season Squad - As you can see, small squad but I managed to nurse us through the season. No one really ready to step up for next season though which is a worry as our really old players are likely to retire and will leave gaps Finances - awful. Board invested 725k and we still ended up 1.3m in debt. Youth Intake - not great really, not one 5* PA which is less than ideal but expectations were low for me anyway. The pics got lost so the ones under ware from the end of season not when they first came through Jose Alejandro Luque 23A - a CM, fact he's our best rated player should show the level of the intake Carlos 23B - he's a natural CB but at 5'8" he's unlikely to ever play CB for me, training him at LB Javi Sanz 23C - likely to be a wide option for us Pavlos Togias 23D - again more of a wide option than someone who will play through the middle for me Ibrahima 23E - same as above really but has good pace and decent off the ball which should be helpful Benjamin Olmedo 23F - could get games as our RB but also as an option on the left Career Progress Season League Position Notes 2022/23 Segunda División RFEF 3rd Promotion through playoffs. Won Copa RFEF

Yeah holidaying is fine @JAwtunesas long as, as XaW says here, they have not been playable at any stage.

I do usually manage in England but I just need a break from it, it's a proper slog (not that any league in this challenge isn't) and require time and effort I probably don't have right now. For me it was either Spain or Denmark and I liked the idea of Spain in the end. There really is too many options though isn't there? I might have to go back to some kind of restrictions for next years challenge

I think I need a break from England, it was such a slog last year that I feel the need to try somewhere else now. I keep looking at the amount of games it takes to even get to the top flight and lose my enthusiasm for it So I'm taking a holiday to Spain. Well Marbella to be more precise. Not the biggest squad to start with either