dafuge's FM08 small club to big club challenge

[Jimbokav1971]

Then there were 3:D.

Good to have you on board Happy.

[Manager Milney]

Consortium plans takeover

This could be very, very bad news for me

it may be bad news but it is possible to stay as i managed to on a game of mine with celtic,so good luck

[NepentheZ]

Thanks for the support Milney

[NepentheZ]

Real London Update :

The Consortium bid crashed after just a few weeks of negotiations. This was a surprise, as current Real London chairman expressed his desire to leave the club.

In league news, Real London are finding it hard to put any sort of consistency together, Winning games 4-0 followed by 3-1 losses. They are currently 12th in the table after 10 games, but have lost to 2 teams in the bottom 4. Signing are needed to be made, as the team seems prone to getting injuries. NepentheZ feels that with a bit of added quality at the back, and a decent winger, this team could possibly achieve promotion, but with no tranfer funds available, this wont be easy to achieve.

NepentheZ has signed some players, mainly young free transfers, a few with mass potential, but all will be revealed come the end of season update.

[Jimbokav1971]

Borehamwood. Season 09/10 Update.

Recap.

2008/09 Finished 21st in Conference as manager of Hitchin. (Sacked).

So at the beginning of the season I was surprised that I actually inherited some talent. After 1 full seasons worth of scouting I now had a few targets that I wanted to bring into my new club and as a result I highlighted the following 3 players as playing pivotal roles this season.

Scott Doch. A product of the youth acadamy, he was already my best striker and the coaches said that he had the potential to play in League 1. I love basing my games around the long term careers or individual players and this guy already seems to be one of the front-runners.

Chef. So this guy might be old but just look at that set-piece ability. His lack of pace might cause us to struggle at the back at times, but as I plan on playing with big lumbering centre-backs in a pretty deep defensive line we might just get away with it. If he can do as well as I hope from dead-ball situations then he could be an inspired signing.

Tom. He's still young and a bit raw but has a decent spread of quality throughout his makeup that makes me feel that he will be very effective at this level. Although he can play as a centre-back, he will actually play at MC as he is too good on the ball to be wasted at DC with the limited scope that I give them to actualy play.

I was tasked with attempting to avoid relegation and I upped this t actualy avoiding relegation as managing in the bottom league in the structure would meant the same end result if we finished in the bottom 3.

So first lets have a look at how my "hot prospects" got on.

Scott Doch. 21 goals when he didn't have his 17th birthday until January is pretty impressive. Even more impressive is that he only started 11 games all season.

Chef. 17 goals and 33 assists is not too bad for an old-timer who I wasn't even confidant enough of to offer him a full-time contract. (It may have been a blessing in disguise as only training part-time meant that he didn't get too tired during the long season and only had to be rested a couple of times. I never got tired of seeing the ball fly into the top corner from fully 35 yards.

Tom. 1 goal and 10 assists is a pretty meagre return stats-wise, but I was delighted with his season. My MC's are given pretty defensive instructions so his average stats are not too much of an issue.

So all in all I would have to say that all 3 exceeded my expectations.

Now down to the nitty gritty.

Conference South Table.

Conference South Graph.

We started off slowly but then as the team started to gel and the increased training as a result if the full-time contracts started to kick in then we became VERY hard to beat, (although we also drew far too many games that we should have won).

The season culminated in the Conference South Playoff Semi-Final but although we gave it a good go, (we were struggling with injuries), we came up just short as our squad was eventually stretched too thin.

I brought in 2 season long loans.

Loan 1 GK.

Loan 2 DC.

I'm not a fan of bringing in plajyers who ae way better than the rest of the players in the league and my team so I tried to make sure that they would fit in and not stand out too much. The idea od signing a Man Utd youngster and watching him score 40 goals a season just doesn't appeal to me. These 2 were good, but not any better than players at other clubs in the league.

I also bought in 6 short term loans during the season from teams such as Luton, Reading, Leyton Orient, & Millwall. These were decent players but none that really stood out and none that I considered it unrealisic that they were playing at this level.

Some other squad players tha made an impression.

Carl Lee. He wasn't my first choice at AMC but after my #1 choice got injured a couple of times early on he took advantage and really made the position his own. His physical ability meant that we was a dominant force in the air from set-pieces and with the precision balls coming in from Chef it was easy. If he had more ability with the ball he would have scored closer to 50 goals. He was shortlisted for the Conference South player of the season award, (an won the Fans Player of the Year), but to be honest I'm not a fan. He honestly missed more than he scored and it was only the quality of the rest of the team that provided him with s many opportunities.

JJ. One of my loan signings was a DR and he kept JJ out of the picture for a while but I soon realised that there wasn't much between them so I opted to nplay my own player and play the loanee on the bench.

Peter Denton. Was first choice on the right flank until he got injured twards the end of the season. We really missed him in the playoff games as we didn't have a decent replacement.

Rudd. Was played at both right back and centr-half depending on who else was available and where we needed him. A decent squad player.

Yasser Kelly. He wasn't as good as Scott Doch, but started more often as I looked to ease Doch into the team gradually. 17 goals from someone with such limited ability is not to be siffed at, however he will not be here again next season if I can help it.

Squad Stats.

Information.

Finances. The reason they look so healthy is because I managed to sell 3 squad players for £79,000 during the season and have sold another 2 more over the close season for £115,000. None of the players mentioned above were sold so it shouldn't impact the team too much. After spending much of my FM08 btime managing in N.Ireland it appears that the value i the English structure is impacted far too much by physical ability.

Confidence.

My scout found this guy, (real name has been changed). He is the Fred of forum member, Brighton researcher and part of the testing team Si BHA.

Cups. The focus of my attention was and is the league, so I tried to rotate players at least for the Cup games, and as a result didn't make too much progress.

FA Cup. Lost 4-1 to Stevenage in the First Round of the FA Cup, after being held to 2 replays in the qualifying rounds as we progressed past Maidenhead, Swindon Supermarine & Banbury.

Setanta Shield. Lost 1-0 to Grays in the 4th Round after dispatching Cheshunt, AFC Wimbledon and Havant & W along the way.

FA Trophy. Lost in the 3rd Qualifying Round to Droylsdon. This was the only competition where I did not at least meet the boards expectations.

Seasonal Best 11.

Jamie Stannard is rated as the best of the youngsters that have just been promoted.

The others seem to be of a similar ability, (not great), but Yank is of interest simply because he was born in Rockwall, Texas, USA.

For the coming season the board expect me to achieve a safe mid-table position. I would hope for at least playoffs again but I am keeping the expectations as they are, as I don't plan on spending anything on players, and only want to sign young players who's demand for big wages should not too high.

[NepentheZ]

Excellent season Jimbo. Unlucky not to have came first in the end. I bet you was delighted taking 1st even just for a few games. Docherty is looks like he could be great, and a nice amount fo goals returned too. Lets hope I can have the same sort of effect this season.!

[happy slappy]

Well, after deciding to take one last go at this Challenge, I decided to take over as manager of Merthyr Tydfil, oh the joy.

So, here I am

And here is the team info

With fake players, this is going to be hard, but fun I hope.

[Jimbokav1971]

It should make it harder Happy.

What I wasn't expecting though was a significant reduction in the number of available players at the beginning of the 2nd season. Because the nationalities are all scrambled, I found a large number of players in the English game who start playing at in the English structure, despite not having a work permit to be able to do so.

As a result, my scout is finding me players that have been released by English clubs, (and whom are still based in England), but whom I don't have any chance of signing because they are of Conference quality, which might be what i am looking to sign but it generally doesn't allow them to qualify for a work permit, (which they need to work here). If they can't get get a work permit now, how did they come to be playing in England in the first place.

F.R.U.S.T.R.A.T.I.N.G.

[NepentheZ]

Real London breaking news :

Consortium completes takeover.

The chairman of Real London, relentless to get out of the club has finally sold up to a consortium lead by Dave Hammond.

This isn't the best news for manager NepentheZ, because unknown "Ass Man" Michael Wright is looking to take over from NepentheZ sooner rather than later.

I fear my tenure at Real London could be over before its begun.

[NepentheZ]

My fears were confirmed just shortly after the takeover.

NepentheZ - Sacked.

Its a crying shame, too. I'd taken the club to 4th, with just 12 games to go, and only 2 points off the leaders. My form was magnificent, and my 40 year old striker had 45 goals in 41 starts, and I had a 16 year old super striker, who hit 25 goals in 38 games. I took the club to the 1st Round of the F.A Cup, in which we replayed every game up until then, and only managed the 1st Round of the Setanta Shield S.

I had very big hoped that I could take this team high, a lot quicker than last time I tried, but wasn't even given the chance. I'm gutted. I'll holiday until the end of the season and see what else gets promoted.

[NepentheZ]

After Douglas' departure from Real London FC, the club decided to revert back their own name "AFC Wimbledon", leaving Douglas to take his Real London legacy with him.

Formerly named Hendon are the club who hired Douglas, taking his Real London FC name with him. Real London, a small club just north of Euston, Tottenham Court Road, and the infamous Oxford Street have a very small squad, but a manager with a big heart for the club.

the club formally known as Hendon (Which from here on out will be known as Real London) - Hire Douglas.

Craig "NepentheZ" Douglas - Profile

[NepentheZ]

FWIW - last season, "AFC Wimbledon" finished 4th, and got promoted via the play-offs.

[Jimbokav1971]

Unlucky Nep. It's a marathon not a sprint though.

[Razer82]

Nep - Unlucky to get sacked mate. Good luck with the new Real London.

Have you started a new game or just contiued on from the same one?

[ejthegreat]

Decided to jump on the bandwagon and try again with real players turned off. After half an hour of reloading, lowest reputation team I found was Tiverton, so went with them.

Surprised to find it has 2 parent clubs as well as better youth facilities than most.

Spent the last 2 hrs trying to find and trial unattached players. As Jimbo mentioned before, I noticed a lot less players to choose from this time around. This might be somewhat to do with Tiverton being in a smaller population area though.

Profile

Found this kid in my u-18's. There were 5 players there (none in seniors or reserves) but this one looks to have some promise. Hopefully he'll improve unlike most players who start at the club

Evans

[NepentheZ]

Unlucky Nep. It's a marathon not a sprint though.

Yea I know. I just built some really strong foundations there

Nep - Unlucky to get sacked mate. Good luck with the new Real London.

Have you started a new game or just contiued on from the same one?

Just continued on mate

[Jimbokav1971]

What a rollercoaster.

1-0 down in the last minute, we grab a deserved equaliser.

Then we go up the other end and grab a winner.

Only to throw it all away and concede another.

[stotty]

nep-might have been asked before but what season where you in when you got sacked?how come the date on the bottom of the screen says 2009?

[NepentheZ]

I was in the first season, but late on, so instead of starting again and holidaying through 10 months, I just holidayed the last 2 months of teh current season and started again with "Hendon" - who were one of the teams I could manage, along with Marine and Whitby Town, who were both promoted into the BSN. I'm very much a BSS man, hence the reason I picked who I did.

[Jimbokav1971]

I did exactly the same when relegated and sacked by Hitchin.

Not only does it save holidaying through a whole season, but you also have the benefit of an increased likelyhood of strange teams getting promoted and the big thing for me is that I had already spent a full year scouting.

I hate the first season.

[NepentheZ]

I may well have bitten of more than I can chew here

Just ending pre-season, after some extensive work with the club, sorting out staff (I had none.!) and players (I only had that seasons promoted youth.!) - but am still yet to make a single signing with just 7 days until the new season begins

However, thats the least of my worries.

Pre-Season results

Walton Casuals 3 : 2 Real London

Prescott Cables 5 : 0 Real London

Real London 0 : 10 Leyton Orient

Real London 0 : 3 Wembley (GTF)

And I've one last pre season game, v Burgess Hill, although like the rest, the result doesn't matter, since the team I have now I'm 100% certain wont be the team I'll have in 8 weeks time.

[OrientMartin]

10-0!!!!

Sorry to gloat nep.

[NepentheZ]

Its ok. I even lost to Burgess Hill. These are clubs that have no real players, demolishing me. I fear this season could be very long, and very hard.

[NepentheZ]

My first game of the new season is against Dorchester, who finished 2nd last season in this division. I can only field a team of 9 players that aren't "grey" - and only managed to sign 2 new players in then entire tranfer window. The absolute lack of quality that are interested in signing for me is astounding.

Anyway, here goes.........

*6 minutes later*

Real London 1 - 4 Dorchester.

I'm actually delighted. I expected to get battered here by 6 or 7 goals, but actually took the lead after 9 minutes with a stunning 45 yard strike. The old "he never meant it" caption came up, but I know he really did. Anywho, 2-1 down at half time, and expected an onslaught in the second half, but it just never came. A lot of building to do from here on in, but at least I know that even the decent teams wont spank me this season

[Jimbokav1971]

Just to lift the gloom a little from Nep's leaking of goals, my DC has just scored a hat-trick, (all from corners), and he wasn't set to challenge the GK.

[OrientMartin]

Anyone got any idea how to post an update with hyperlinks to screenshots in it?

[NepentheZ]

You mean like my updates?

[NepentheZ]

I think it is like my updates, so just upload your picture to www.photobucket.com then take the Direct link (The normal URL) and copy it. Come onto the forums. Type some text, (IE - League Table) - highlight the text, then click on the world with the chain link. It will open up a box. Paste the URL into the box, and hit ok. Bam. Your text is now a hyperlink

[OrientMartin]

I've done the uploading stuff but I can't seem to get the hyperlink thing on the right click menu, I've managed to insert them in word, but they won't copy over.

[Timma]

Guiseley 09/10 Season update

Well it proved to be a bit of dull season of midtable obscurity for us in our first season in the Blue Square but that was what i was expecting really and 17th isnt too bad in the end as survival was the original target.

Table

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tablenw8.png

The pleasing thing about the season was that we were always around 15-19th place and never really looked like dropping into the relegation zone. Although we were really inconsitant and had a poor home record we achieved safety with 6 games to go but after that we lost 5 out of the last 6 games which is a bit worrying for next season.

In the FA Cup we made the second round after beating Fleetwood and Dorchester but we wasted a great chance to make the Third round by losing at home to York which was very disappointing.

The FA Trophy didnt last long again this season as we lost in the first round to Kettering.

In the Setanta we got as far as the fifth round before losing to Forest Green but in the previous round we did produce a club record 7-0 win over Alfreton.

Here's my squad.

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=squadtv1.png

I wanted to give the majority of last seasons players a chance and quite a lot of them welll mainly the defenders arent that good for this division so there will be a lot of changes as i would like to be challenging for a playoff place next season.

[canvey!!]

I've done the uploading stuff but I can't seem to get the hyperlink thing on the right click menu, I've managed to insert them in word, but they won't copy over.

Follow this link. Go to the bottom of the page and change the bottom drop-down box to "Full WYSIWYG Editing". Click Save Changes, and you should be able to do what NepentheZ suggested.

If the link doesn't work, go to the top of the page and click "User CP". Find "Edit Options" in the sidebar and you will be taken to the page the link was supposed to take you to.

[OrientMartin]

Season 2 – Blue Square South - Tiverton Town

In pre-season I strengthened the small squad as we had been relying too much on youth team players, we signed 7 players on frees and 3 on loan from our 2 parent clubs.

Transfers

Our pre-season friendly’s consisted of 3 wins and 4 losses, as I played 7 games to try and get a look at a few triallists.

The season began poorly with us loosing our first two matches before a 3-2 win home against Braintree got us off the mark, which was followed up by 3 successive losses which saw us languishing in the relegation zone. Our topsy-turvy season continued as we scored 3 successive wins, against Welling, Basingstoke and Eastleigh. A 3-2 loss to AFC Wimbledon was the pre-cursor to our FA Cup 2nd qualifying round match away against Blyth. It was a tough match which saw us come away with a 1-1 draw and a replay a couple of days later. The replay was a tough affair and we slipped up to a 3-1 defeat, losing in the same round of the FA Cup for the second season running. Two more losses (One coming in the Setanta Shield) saw us settle into a position just above the relegation zone. We then got into a period of crazy goal filled games. In the next 5 games, two wins, two losses and one draws yielded 17 goals scored and 14 goals succeeded. A 1-1 draw with Bognor Regis preceded a humiliating loss in the FA Trophy 4-1 to Ramsgate. Two more losses to Bromley and Merthyr Tydfil saw us going into the Christmas period not knowing what to expect. No-one amongst the Tiverton support would have expected 3 wins in 4 games, including a 5-1 thumping of Newport County, as we went into the new year as the division’s form team. January brought mixed fortunes as we lost on New Years Day 3-0 and twice more in the month, only managing a solitary win. After losing the last 2 matches of January we were hoping for more of December in February. We didn’t get it, losing all 4 matches and the first game in March, taking our losing streak to 7 matches. After that the 4-1 win against Chelmsford was a huge relief, and the following 3 games resulting in 3 wins was almost beyond belief. A 4-1 defeat away at Merthyr Tydfil was the inevitable blip, but 3 games later, and 3 wins later we had won 7 out of the last 8 games to move up to a solid 14th place finish.

League Table

Best Players

Paul Jarvis – 2 goals and 11 assists capped a splendid second season as the centre midfielder was voted fans player of the year again

Luke Daley – 3 goals and 15 assists from the right wing was a great first season with us

Craig Fletcher – 1 goal and 9 assists was a good first season from the left wing

Jamie Mackie – My personal player of the season, with 42 goals in 44 appearances

Liam Head – 37 goals in 42 games formed the other half of a deadly duo up front

Next Season Aims

1) Do better in the cups

2) Get into the play-offs

3) Better away form

4) Rely less on two strikers

5) Get better players to compete for a place

Also thanks to Nep and canvey!! for helping me with the hyperlinks

[NepentheZ]

Ok OM - Heres how you do it.

Follow

My

Links

Please

At no point do you need to use the right click of your mouse. :confused:

Edit : Ignore this now

[OrientMartin]

Yep, I thought it was right click as that's how it worked in MS Word and I didn't have the full editing thing selected.

[basic_flaw]

Just starting as a practise run for FM2009. Managing Tiverton Town. Sort of localish, and Argyle as a parent club (although we may have to get rid of the link with Exeter!!!). Anyways, no expecting much. Just seeing how it goes for the next game!

Profile

[NepentheZ]

Good luck BF.

[Jimbokav1971]

Scott Doch sets a new record for most goals in a season.

27 goals by January is good by anyone's standards. When you consider that they have been scored in only 8(25) appearances it's simply amazing.

(Note the improvement in his composure, concentration, creativity, off the ball and technique).

We are on a run of 12 wins and 1 draw in our last 13 games, (I am sure we will lose the next one now I have mentioned that). In case anyone thinks that we are hammering teams every week and that everyone is scoring goals and goals and more goals, we only have 1 other player in double figures, (our starting SC has 12). This puts the achievements of young Scott Doch into perspective.

It seems to be really working, playing him from the bench. He stays fit and finds himself up against tiring defenders who have already spent most of the game grafting by the time he comes on. With another 14 games of the season to go I am hopeful of him hitting the 40 goal mark for the season. I will keep him starting on the bench in any case but it looks like next season he could be ready to be unleashed.

We are currently sitting 2nd in the league, (1 point behind Billericay) and I'm desperate to keep the momentum going and avoid the playoffs. Having only 1 automatic promotion spot is a right buggar!

Typical!

[NepentheZ]

Nice work Jimbo, He's only out for 6 to 14 days, it'll be ok

[NepentheZ]

5 Games into the league campaign. and I'm 0 for 5 and only 2 goals scored.

I'm really struggling.

[Jimbokav1971]

His replacement, (who had previously played over 11 hours without scoring), was brought on in the 2nd half and helped himself to a hat-trick;).

[NepentheZ]

His replacement, (who had previously played over 11 hours without scoring), was brought on in the 2nd half and helped himself to a hat-trick;).

You're not making me feel any better Jimbo

[NepentheZ]

GAH. 0-7 now. I just cant score. Cant win, cant even get close. This is bad. I fear I could be sacked again.

[NepentheZ]

\o/ - I spoke too soon. I was 3-0 down at half time to Thurrock, so came on here to complain. Just scored 3 in 9 minutes to make it 3-3 at full time, and my first point is on the board.!

[Jimbokav1971]

\o/ - I spoke too soon. I was 3-0 down at half time to Thurrock, so came on here to complain. Just scored 3 in 9 minutes to make it 3-3 at full time, and my first point is on the board.!

Your on a roll now:D.

[NepentheZ]

Your on a roll now:D.

Not really. there was 5 goals in the next game. I scored none of them. If I make it to half way through the season, I'll be amazed. My players are so pathetic, and I've scouted every single player thats interested in coming to me now too, and none of them can improve my squad

[NepentheZ]

Great news. I scored 5 goals in 1 game

Bad news. So did they. I lead 2-0, 3-1, 4-2 and 5-4 with seconds left. 5-5 FT.

Ahhhh its ok, I hear you say. Barton Rovers next in the F.A Cup 2nd Qual Rd. Barton Who? Exactly.

....Theres Hitting a new low....

....Theres dire straights .....

....Theres rock bottom ....

Then, theres Real London.

Barton Rovers 3 - 0 Real London.

How on earth am I expected to do anything ever with a pile of carp like this.

I'm exhausting myself trying to make this team work.

[Jimbokav1971]

That sucks. It sounds like I was just licky to inherit a decent youngster like Doch, and then even more lucky to be able to pick up someone like Chef with his set-piece ability.

I got a GK and a DC in on loan, I signed a decent young MC, and I just fleshed out the rest of the squad around that framework.

If you really think there is no hope then maybe you should considering just jumping before you are pushed, holdidaying to 18th June and going again. It seems like you might be wasting your time with Hendon.

[Jimbokav1971]

ps. Needless to say that Scott Doch got crocked on his return to the team and will now be out for about 6 weeks.

As a direct result, we fail to score for the first tijme in 19 games.

Although we obviously didn't win, at least we didn't lose.

Our league form stands at 15 wins and 2 draws in our last 17 league games.

With 19 league gams remaining, we have eventually overhauled Billericay at the top of the table, (albeit only on goal difference), and our 12 points clear of 3rd. I'm gonna be soooo gutted if we finish 2nd. Billericay have no injury worries and 3 strikers who have scored more than 20 goals this season:(.

[Jimbokav1971]

Scott Doch is back in training but it his appears that his exploits are now attracting some unwanted attention.

This should help keep the Wolves from the door though. £28k over 5 years is only £100 per week by the way.

As his ability has increased, (and as the of JPP my best scout has improved from 18 to 20), so have the reports regarding his potential.

He is now regarded as a potential good Championship player of the future and aready he is classed as a good signing for any League 1 side.

Quite amazed at my good fortune.

[NepentheZ]

That sucks. It sounds like I was just licky to inherit a decent youngster like Doch, and then even more lucky to be able to pick up someone like Chef with his set-piece ability.

I got a GK and a DC in on loan, I signed a decent young MC, and I just fleshed out the rest of the squad around that framework.

If you really think there is no hope then maybe you should considering just jumping before you are pushed, holdidaying to 18th June and going again. It seems like you might be wasting your time with Hendon.

Yea a few loan signings would make a massive difference. The board are reluctant to allow me a parent club, however. Unfortunately, its not in my nature to jump ship, no matter how fast its sinking, and I'll plug away, confident that I can turn things around. Today, I'm literally going to spend most of my free time looking for new, better players, even those that don't appear to be interested in me. I've got 1 player who's BSP quality now, and although he can play MC, I play him upfront. I should possibly change that and have him as the focus point of the teams. Also, I may change tactics to long ball game and get a big man up front, because my pass, pass, shoot style isn't working.