mrdanbartlett

This is insane, amazing season!! well done, especially given the lack of transfer funds. Massive well done! How big the Utd's new stadium?

Oh I also keep a 'must buys' shortlist for my top targets/players I badly want. Usually more applicable when managing a big club though as fewer players out there who will improve the XI.

OUCH!! Any increase in the wage budget? What is the bank balance like?

My tip is this..........shortlists.....I keep a few: - Good players = here I store good players who I'd be interested in signing, nice to have a list as if someone buys your best LB you have a quick way of going and finding a replacement for example - Good youngsters = here I keep tabs on hot prospects - Contract expiring = here I keep a list of players who might sign but whose contracts are running down - Out of contract = I use this for ALL good released players, even ones who probably wouldn't sign, as after a while they will lower their demands and might be interested. Using the 'realistic' filter on these lists keeps me updated with who I might be able to sign. My old approach was to keep some budget by, wait until September/oct then go after the released players who weren't previously interested, I'm sure once I waited a year and signed Thero Walcott after he had been released, and I was at a fairly small club at the time. Everyone has their ways but this was mine. the problem you have is Braintree's rep will be v low until they have been a regular at this new, higher level, so you are always up against it when you have such a fast level of success.

GET IN!! Chuffed for you, done it the hard way. What are the budgets for next year? I find sometimes the board are tight in the summer, then release a bunch more money in Jan once the bank balance has grown, ie they don't fully take into account the money that will flow in over the year. Weds defo are a sleeping giant and could be a top 6 side in 5 years.

Some ok signings there, esp the CB's, I personally don't rate the LB as he has no pace or crossing ability and I like my Full backs to have those traits, but obv your tactics may be different to mine. Looking forward to the season starting, hopefully you have a good playmaker CM/AMC to help create some chances too.

Right, so........in my current save as mentioned before Man Utd are the dominate force and have won the Prem 5+ times in a row, I finished 2nd for 4 seasons running with my Leeds side. (its 2025 now). I've slowly built up a better and better squad, so I now have some v good players but Utd always spent big and always did well on the pitch - one season they won the league with 97 points! Anyway this season was tight with me just behind for most of the season upto around Xmas, they then lost 2 in a row and I went 2 points ahead, it stayed this way until 2 games to go.............. - Penultimate game was Spurs at home, spurs are a good side and were 4th in the league, I just needed to win to secure the title...........went 1-0 up, but it ended 1-1 despite dominating the game. - LAST game of the season........UTD at home! Sometimes you can't make it up! Was a very close game, similar chances for both sides, I was playing a counter tactic as I only needed a draw - but my long term striker popped up in the 88th min with a goal to seal it! You just can't make it up with FM sometimes, this was a guy who I'd bought aged 17 from Watford for £250k and played him in my first ever Premier League game, and he bagged a brace, since then he has been a key member of my team and has developed into a very good player and England regular. I honestly thought I'd get beat - as I've lost the title before in other saves on the last day, at home to the team who then won it. Get in! Also got a 3rd FA cup final to play (having won the last 2) so it would be lovely to win that. Utd are in the CL final though as I got PSG in the 1st KO round (despite winning the group with 6 wins).

From my experience you will always lose money until the champ/premier league unless you get a lucky draw in the cup, so as you said no point worrying about it as once in the Prem its never an issue.

Also I always found with the lower leagues I made my best signings in August/Sept - AFTER the deadline has passed, as the free agents tend to lower their sights/demands a bit then and can be snapped up, when before they were holding out for a bigger club/more wages.

To be honest you walked the league so even if you sign nobody you will still finish well above relegation in the league above.

Some great players for that level! Great start, what a points haul!

Some good signings there, I'd imagine you should be in the play off places with the squad you have now. Maybe time to ditch the 4-4-2?

Got any screenshots of the attributes for the key players? What is your wage spend? How are the overall finances?

Loving this ! I live in Braintree I managed them on older FMs and got them to the Prem etc, problem I found was the fanbase never caught up with the clubs success, i.e always low attendances and also the commercial deals were always the lowest in the Prem despite being in the CL etc. I think newer FM's are better for this but its still going to be an issue.

Looks like play offs could be a challenge to get into now, what is your run in like? Still a top 10 or top 8 finish would be good and gives you something to build on, how are the finances? Attendances getting slowly better now?