dafuge's FM08 small club to big club challenge

[mag man]

This is only the beginning but just showing my squad and that I am following the rules and such.

1) Money is always an issue so i tried to play bigger teams in friendlies and i want to sell loads of decent players in my reserves are there any other ideas? As you can see not a terrible start to my lower management career.

2) The squad that is hopefully gonna win promotion and the dealings in the market so far.

3) Star Italian stallion so far lol.

I had Torre in my maidstone team, absolute beast at BSS and BSP.

[darren1983]

I try an keep wages to a minimum as I usually have a very big squad to enable me to keep selling anyone who attracts interest from elsewhere.

To start off with I sign players on part-time contracts of £50pw.

You can usually sign these players onto full-time contracts for £70pw (but you may have to go higher depending on the player performance slevels).

When you go up a league then I still sign players onto part-time contracts, (just vto make sure that I get them as that is what they want), but again I try to sign them onto full-time contracts asap, (although you now have to pay more to get them to agree).

I'm now in my 2nd season in Conference National and my top earner is on £300pw.

This is what i've started to do. I ilke to keep tight control over my wage budget so have only got my first 11 as well as my sub gk and a good young winger on full-time deals.

Thanks for the tips Jimbo

Am finding my second season even tougher, after 12 games I have scored 20 and conceded 23 and am in 18th place. Am missing the great loan signins from last year, am trying to play it a bit more LLM style without using parent clubs

[No1Kopites]

The Daily Mail Morning headline: HEAVEN SHINES UPON AFC WIMBLEDON!

Chelsea offer players to be loaned to new underlings AFC Wimbledon!

Yes and I was dumb and got thrashed when I rushed him into my perfectly successful team and was hammered cause I changed the formation. But the future looks bright!

[darren1983]

Ignore my previous post. it's now 35 conceded in 15 games. My last 3 games have gone 5-3 win followed by 5-2 loss and a 4-3 loss

[No1Kopites]

4pts off the top after ten games and in the playoff positions, smith has settled now and torre is back on form with 2 in a 4-2 win, the defense needs strengthening but signings are hard to come by. :confused:

[Jimbokav1971]

I'm struggling in lower reaches Conference National and have just had the most amazing message.

Doch is obviously doing pretty well but being caled up to the England U20's is not what I was expecting.

His history shows it has been consistant form rather than a 1 season wonder.

111 goals in 75(106) is pretty impressive.

When you consider that for 2 out of the 4 seasons we have been struggling in a relegation battle then it is even more impressive.

England U20's squad.

Doch isn't the only guy playing in the lower reaches of the English structure. There are players from Droylsdon, Havant & W, Weymouth, Lincoln, Bromley & Tamworth but sadly the manager was unable to find 2 GK's in the whole Country to up and the 2nd GK is "grey". This sort of thing really frustrates me about the game:mad:.

[Dave.]

2009/10 - Season Review

After a fantastic first season with Billericay, I wasn't surprised to achieve what we did. We topped the table for most of the season, and began to run away with it towards the end. Crawley and Forest Green provided stiff competition throughout, but we stayed strong and consistant, and that's what counted in the end. The 3500 capacity New Lodge was an absolute fortress, with no defeats and just three draws there all season. The average attendance was only around 1250, but this was the second highest in the league, and teams travelling to our little Essex seaside town will have certainly been intimidated.

My ambitious plan to play an attacking 3-4-3 formation, with an attacking mentality and very high tempo also paid off, with the goals being hammered in from all areas of the pitch. The first choice front three of Jarman, Clarke and Hines scored a fantastic 69 goals between them during the season, and I'm of the opinion that all three of them will be able to hold their own in the Blue Square Premier next season.

Cup performances weren't very good at all, but I wasn't all that focussed on them; using them as opportunities to test new tactics, and to give reserves and fringe players a run out. We crashed out early in the Setanta Shield, FA Trophy and FA Cup, but for me, the cups are never as important as the league, and I'm glad we were able to deliver the goods where it mattered.

Next season, I feel we can achieve a respectable mid table position in the BSP, and although promotion won't realistically be on the cards this season, I believe we'll be ready to take the step up into the Football League within the next couple of seasons.

Things are getting exciting for Billericay Town FC!

Season Stats

League Stats

Top Scorer - Nathan JARMAN (25)

Most Assists - Ewan CLARKE (23)

Most MOTM - Nathan JARMAN (11)

Best Player - Zavon HINES (7.78)

Transfer Stats

Best Buy - Nathan JARMAN, free

Total Spent - £0, on 20 players

Total Earned - no players sold

Player Stats

Fan's Player of the Year - Ewan CLARKE

Best Eleven - Brown; Jones, Oastler, Duberry; Kargbo, Bennett, Murtagh, Foran; Clarke, Jarman, Hines.

BSS Player of the Season - Zavon HINES

* Forest Green won the playoffs, and will join us in the BSP next season.

[Jimbokav1971]

Doch scores on his England U20's debut despite only being on the pitch for 12 minutes.

Another part of this game that REALLY frustrates me is England U20's conceding 6 goals to a Sweden U20's team consisting of completely "grey" players:mad:.

Another is that on Doch's profile, his U20 appearance and goal is now listed as an U21 appearance & goal:mad:.

[NepentheZ]

Real London Update - Season 2 (2010/2011)

Blue Square South Prediction - 15th

Blue Square South Position - 12th

F.A Cup - 4th Qual. Round

Setanta Shield - S 2nd Round

F.A. Trophy - 1st Round

Blue Square South - Graph | Table

Blue Square South : My season started fantastically with a 5-0 win. It went down hill from there. a 4-1 loss, and draw after draw. It was so inconsistent, despite the fact I bought in about 12 players that are a class above the BSS. I tried a few different tactical ploys, but reverted back to my standard 4-4-2 at the end of the season, and finally ground out some consistent results. I finished on the same amount of points as last season, but 4 places worse off. And last season I had a 13 game handicap..!! I have to believe that this was just a gelling season, and next season they will show their true class and dominate the league.

F.A Cup : Further than last year, and went out to a BSS team. Not the best, as I'd like a 1st round proper tie, but this'll do.

Setanta Shield : Out to eventually promoted Salisbury.

F.A Trophy : Out in the first round, by replay to Cambridge. Not the best season for cups for me.

Best Elevens - Season | Overall

Other Info

Finances

Team Selection

Team Info

Manager Info

Manager Overview

Manager Profile

Player Records

Team Records

Transfers

Affiliated Clubs

Real London Staff

Awards

Fans Player of the Year : Bullseye*

BSS Player of the Season, 3rd Place : Paul Hardy

New Real London Records

Record League Goal Scorer (All-Time) : Paul Hardy, 52 Goals

Record Goal Scorer (Season) : Paul Hardy, 25 Goals

Record Assists (Season) : Bullseye*, 12 Assists

Record high goals in a game : 13 (Real London 6 - 7 Newport Co.)

Record Defeat : Real London 1 - 7 Thurrock

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Players of the Season

Paul Hardy : Top scorer again, and on loan for the second time. His contract is up now for his actual club, so I'm hoping I can secure his signiture on a permanent basis.

: One of the few Bermudans I signed, and he's class. I've no doubt he'll develop into a brilliant player.

: World Class. Seriously. This guy will surely become a great player. My scouts think he's League 1 quality already, and he looks it. Mentally he's great, technically brilliant, and physically needs work, but I feel he could be the lynch pin in our promotion pushes for the next few seasons.

Season Summary

Very disappointed in this season. Financially the clubs in trouble, losing thousands per month, which isn't the best, because it hinders my chances of buying some decent players, and offering big contracts to those that want them. The league was poor, the cups were poor, the whole season in general was poor.

Manager history

Season 1 - Blue Square South - 8th place

Season 2 - Blue Square South - 12th place

*Real London were formerly Hendon

[NepentheZ]

Another is that on Doch's profile, his U20 appearance and goal is now listed as an U21 appearance & goal:mad:.

That annoys the hell out of me. But well done on the U-21 call up and the goal

[Jimbokav1971]

Nep. What are you setting as your instructions for your scouts to find the Bermudans?

I've got the following nationalities.

Cayman Islands 1. (Signed after he had spent a season at Solihull Moors).

England 47.

Ireland 4.

N.Ireland 2.

Wales 1.

My scouts haven't found any talented foreigners who are not already at another club.

[NepentheZ]

I played against a team in the BSS, and they had a bermudan, who was the "dangerman" - as usual, I checked him out and noticed he was bermudan. I checked the Bermudan national squad, and it had about 15 players there without clubs, and amazingly I could scout them all, because they had English as the second nationality. So technically they didn't find them.

[NepentheZ]

Ha, he's just come up on my news screen. Its Stuart Smith, a DC who plays for Fisher.

[Jimbokav1971]

Another couple of records for Doch. (3 games of the season left).

29 league goals in a season.

9 MOM awards in a season.

[Jimbokav1971]

If I can get one of them then I will be laughing because I will ask him to suggest an International team-mate and then scout him directly. Until I can find one though I'm stuffed.

[darren1983]

God i'm struggling this year. Just gone into Jan and have dropped to 22nd in the league. Away from home my team part like the red sea and let evryone just walk through them. Really need to sort it out or its relegation for me. Plus my strikers have lost the way to goal. And my midfield just dont turn up. other then that my team are great:D

[NepentheZ]

If I can get one of them then I will be laughing because I will ask him to suggest an International team-mate and then scout him directly. Until I can find one though I'm stuffed.

Would you not have done it the way I did? If you saw 15 players with no club in the Bermudan national squad, would you ignore them?

[Jimbokav1971]

No. My scouts have to find them or a player has to suggest them or there has to be comment about them in the media and then I scout them. I'm a bit anal about it.

[mag man]

Paul Brennan has his first full international call up for Jamaica.

1st Cap

He becomes the first player to play in a full international whilst in my squad.

[sirdez24]

Each season on September the 20th, unattached Islander regens (Montserrat, Bermuda, Cayman, Turks & Caicos etc) are generated with English second nationality. They're a goldmine for lower league teams as a good number are often Championship/L1 standard and will sign for anyone.

Obviously off limits to those playing LLM guidelines, but for those happy to use player search it's a great way to add quality for peanuts.

[Jimbokav1971]

Each season on September the 20th, unattached Islander regens (Montserrat, Bermuda, Cayman, Turks & Caicos etc) are generated with English second nationality. They're a goldmine for lower league teams as a good number are often Championship/L1 standard and will sign for anyone.

Obviously off limits to those playing LLM guidelines, but for those happy to use player search it's a great way to add quality for peanuts.

Are these players ever found using scouts?

[sirdez24]

Are these players ever found using scouts?

From my experience playing LLM, they are only found by scouts once they've been snapped up by English clubs (there's usually a ton of BSP/BSN/BSS teams after them), which would make sense.

[mag man]

mag man manages Margate - 2009/10 End of Season Update

League

The pre-season went very well with 1 draw and the rest wins. I was pretty hopeful going into the season with a solid core of players left from the previous season and having walked the league. However it was not to be... poor from the start. There was nothing exciting all season, the team lacked consistency. I would beat the better teams and then lose to the bottom teams, incredibly frustrating season. Changed formation from a diamond to a 433 and form picked up, I started heading up the table and if it wasn't for an end of season blip may have made playoffs. Ended 11th with a media prediction of 23rd. Closer to the playoffs than to relegation.

League Table

League Positions

Cup Competitions

FA Cup - won 5th qualifying round - out in 1st round.

Setanta Shield - out in 1st round.

FA Trophy - out in 4th round.

Key Players

John Williams - Top scorer and all round best player on loan from Reading

Craig Tolley - Solid CB on loan from Swindon for last 3 months

Declan Cort - CB on loan from Reading for season.

Palmar Arnason - Midfielder on loan from Reading.

Pretty disappointed with the performance of my players, without the loan players relegation would have been very probable. Already made some great free signing for the next season so hope to rely on loan players a bit less.

Other screenshots

End Season Manager Profile

Finances

Club Info

Best Eleven

Overall Best Eleven

EDIT: Promising youth player. James Wagstaff

[mag man]

How does using fake players work? Does it just rename them or does it create new players?

[sirdez24]

How does using fake players work? Does it just rename them or does it create new players?

Bit of both really. It generates a whole lot of new players but you can tell who a lot of the current ones are based on.

[Jimbokav1971]

Borehamwood. Conference National. End of season 2012/13 report.

After a narrow escape from relegation last season, I was hoping for more of the same and anything other than relegation would again be considered a success as my young squad would surely benefit in the long run from the experience.

League table.

League graph.

Squad stats.

Key players, (based on how many times I selected them).

Doch.

Avery.

Hardy.

Murphy.

Most highly rated youth players promoted each season.

Doch. Inherited youth player promoted 2009, (1 week before I took over).

Stannard *** 2010.

Laws *** 2011.

Joe *** 2012.

Wilson FK13 *** 2013. If he turns out to have even average goal-keeping abilities then his free-kick attribute of 13 might come in to play. I will have to look at training to help him along with this. It is an area of the game where I am particularly clueless.

Info.

Finances.

Confidence.

Seasonal Best XI.

Overall Best XI.

Transfers 2010.

Transfers 2011.

Transfers 2012.

Transfers 2013.

Next season. The way I finished the season makes me think that I should be aiming for a playoff spot next season, but I guess it all depends on making some decent signings in the close season. It's infuriating that although Doch seems capable of scoring goals aplenty we seem to struggle to keep clean sheets when we are on fire at the other end. We only managed 11 clean sheets in 56 games which really frustrates me as I love clean sheets. As my shortlist of potential players grows and grows and grows with each passing month, (it's now at 147), so I increase the chances of me signing out of contract players in the Summer. Ideally I would like to sign a GK, a pacey DC, a DL, DR, AMC & SC. I've just realised that that's half a team so maybe I am being a little ambitious. I'm quite happy to just potter along in nice little steps and probably the biggest job I will have on my hands will be trying to keep Doch at the club and happy. He did have 3 years left on his contract and I have just extended that to 5 years.

Cups suck ass.

FA Cup. Lost away to League 2 side Coventry in the 2nd Round.

FA Trophy. Lost away to Conference National side Woking in 2nd Round.

Setanta Shield. Lost away to Conference National side Oxford in extra time in Semi-Final.

[sirdez24]

How do you find out a keeper's FK stat?

[Jimbokav1971]

Look at his attributes from his training screen.

[darren1983]

Hitchin Town Season Review 2010/11

This will b a very short review, was a **** season, started crap then got worse. with 3 games to go I was in 22nd place 2 points from safety. I had to play on the monday, tuesday and sat. I won on the mon then lost on tues(sounds like a poor Craig David song dont it?) so going onto the last day I was 21st 2 points behind Macclesfield. We were at home to Halifax while macclesfield were away to Torquay. I had a nice 4-2 win so it was all down to Torquay. With 2 mins to go They were winnig 1-0 and I was safe, then Macc scored in the 88th min and I was down on gd. Torquay then got 2 goals in the final min and I was safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another season in the BSP premier awaits, really really need to sort my defence out this summer, I conceded 107 goals in 46 matches.

Some advice needed guys (or girls?) what do you look for when signing a GK? Because all the ones I sign seem to have lead boots!

[mag man]

I've loaned a GK in every season just not been able to find a decent one for myself.

[happy slappy]

For the past 2 seasons I have loaned in the same DM, DL and ST, but this season the ST (Frain) will not be loaned out as he is in the 1st team plans at Bristol City.

[Nadessico]

I've loaned a GK in every season just not been able to find a decent one for myself.

i'm yet to find any on load at all could really do with one too

[mag man]

i'm yet to find any on load at all could really do with one too

Mine have been from my parent club, there have been a few chucked up by the scouts who would come though. A bad keeper on loan is still better than what I have found to sign.

[happy slappy]

8 games gone and I'm 20th in the BSP with 6 points, the team are playing so crap at the moment, we are doing quite good at home, but away we are just shocking, I think a change in tactics are in order here.

[NepentheZ]

happyslappy. If I'm ever on your position, I go to a basic 4-4-2, slightly attacking, direct balls forward, a big man up top with my fastest players playing off of him, and try and rebuild a tactic from there. If anything, you'll grind out a few 1-0's and rack up the points and confidence.

[darren1983]

Well this is the keeper Im using this season http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q43/darren1983_2006/LeeMooreProfile.png

[mag man]

NepentheZ, I do something similar when I'm struggling, but rather than 442 I use a 433 with direct passing and try to pack the midfield.

[Jimbokav1971]

darren.

I got this guy in on loan for the 2009/10 season. (Remember I'm not using real players so he's a FRED.

He was released at the end of the 09/10 season by League 1 Luton, (at which time I signed him mon a free).

Since I first loaned him, he has played in 100% of my games 201 appearances, but has only kept 52 clean sheets, (which is considerably less than I would have expected).

The first thing I look for in a GK is positioning, (15).

Then I look at the following as a group.

Jumping 18.

Agility 10.

Aerial Ability 7.

Handling 12.

I usually would discard the player as a transfer target because one of these is below 10, (aerial ability), but as the strength of my DC's is in the air (Hardy jumping 16 heading 16 & Flynn jumping 16 heading 7), then they can cover theses inadequacies.

GK's seem to be a bit of a dark art compared to mastery of other positions and I do look at a 3rd set of attributes when looking at players too.

Comman of Area

Communication

Reflexes.

I don't look at the distribution abilities of kicking or throwing at all when considering whether I should sign a player. They do not get considered until I start to set individual tactics after a player has joined.

I look at things the opposite way round to most people and I deal with GK's in the same way as I do DC's. If I have a GK/DC who is really bad at distribution, (passing/kicking/throwing), then rather than playing "safe" and setting the instructions to "long kick" or "long ball and minimise the risk of making a costly mistake, (but also in all probability coughing up posession on a regular basis), I actually make the DC/GK make short easy passes, (usually to full-backs who are good passers of the ball). This is the best way to cover up a players distribution weakness without affecting the existing tactic. You could still play a long ball tactic for example.

I guess what I am saying is that it's possible to cover up a GK's deficiencies in certain areas so that in effect he plays as a far better player than he actually is.

I spent a LOT of time looking at this in my Mosside save as I had a very average GK who scored loads of goals and I had to do my best to cover up for him.

Although you will be trying to improve the quality of the GK's in your squad, (it's not easy due to your lowly reputation), maybe you should just concentrate on getting the best out of what you already have. Have a look on what you can do to cover is inadequacies and see how that goes for a while.

[darren1983]

Thanks Jimbo will try and put this into action The keeper I've got at the moment is starting to play well, however saying that in the last 2 games we played, the oppo had 5 shots on target and we conceded 5 goals

[sirdez24]

however saying that in the last 2 games we played, the oppo had 5 shots on target and we conceded 5 goals

Welcome to FM08.

[Jimbokav1971]

Do you play Doch upfront on his own?

2009/10. 21 goals from 11(36) appearances. He was only 16 for most of this season so I usually started him on the bench and introduced him in the 2nd half of games. The 11 games that he started in were games that I played 2 up front. It generally didn't go well and I soon stopped.

2010/11. 32 goals from 8(34) appearances. I was happy with his goal return last season so I continued with introducing him in the 2nd half and I 32 goals was more than I hoped for as we romped the league and were promoted. I played 1 up front for most of this season but again experimented with 2 up front at the end of the season. These were the games that he started.

2011/12. 21 goals from 29(17) appearances. Doch really impressed last season so I wanted to start him more often and make better use of him so played 2 up front at home and left him on the bench away from home as I reverted to just 1 up front. Neither worked if I am honest. He didn't perform well at home with 2 up front and many of his goals were scored away from and still didn't earn us any points as we conceded more than we scored. Still, we didn't get relegated so it can'yt have been a complete disaster.

2012/13. 48 goals from 29(24) appearances. With an improving team, I opted to persist with 2 up front at home, and keeping 19 year old Doch on the bench away from home where I played 1 up front. It worked better in the closing stages of the season, especially away from home where Doch always seemed to score a after being introduced.

So at the beginning of the 2013/14 season Doch is now 20 and a man. He is by far my best SC and it is hard to keep start him on the bench. Part of the reason he was so succesful, (I think), is that I have instructions making him work hard and close the opposition GK down at every opportunity, (which is hard work when you are on your own up front), and when you are also being played as a Target Man with "run onto ball" as the instruction. Introducing him as a 2nd half sub meant that the defenders were already tired and so improved his chances when they presented themselves.

My plan this season is to persist with playinig 2 up front at home, (although I will be changing the TM instructions to "to feet" and I will continue to use "run onto ball" with a lone striker away from home.

[mag man]

All gone wrong for me tonight. Link

[happy slappy]

happyslappy. If I'm ever on your position, I go to a basic 4-4-2, slightly attacking, direct balls forward, a big man up top with my fastest players playing off of him, and try and rebuild a tactic from there. If anything, you'll grind out a few 1-0's and rack up the points and confidence.

At the start of the season I stuck to my 4-1-3-2 formation when playing away, but for the past 2 or 3 games I have changed to a 4-1-4-1 formation, and in these few games we have picked up 5 points, so the signs there show that our fortunes are changing slightly.

I have also just signed a new ST, who, with pace of 17 I'm looking to use just like Jimbo use's Doch, as a sub in the last 15-20 minutes to try and snatch a late goal or two.

[happy slappy]

Looks like I may have been right, my new ST with 17 pace just scored in the 92nd minute to secure a 1-0 win away to 2nd place Carlisle.

[NepentheZ]

\o/

Congratulations.

I've actually taken on board what Jimbo has been doing with bringing on a young striker late in the game, and in the 2 games I've tried it, it was successful, having him score 3 goals in about 35 minutes of combined play

[happy slappy]

My form has gone tits up, first I was playing okay at home and crap away, now it's the opposite.

Think I'll have to switch to a new home formation.

[LiRiM-InSaNe]

Just started this with Marine.

Going to be extremely tough, seeing as I'm already 25K in the red!

Hopefully can get a safe midtable place this year

[adamc81]

Well its been 271 days since i last played a game in the dafuge challenge and i have decided to finish what i started before 2009 comes out.

I lost in interest in the game after getting luckily promoted to the Championship after being outplayed in the playoffs. Seens as i had the worst team in the championship and the board weren't giving me any money nor producing a parent club i feared relegation was inevitable. I have returned to that challenge.

Ok bare with me, they've changed how to add an attachment since i was lost on.

2016-17 season Bedford Town

pos 11 played 46 won 20 drew 8 lost 18 goals for 102 goals against 86 points 68

Well the goals werent a problem, 2nd highest in the division with Nemeth and Parkinson 2nd and 3rd highest goalscorers in the division both getting over 30.

http://img217.imageshack.us/my.php?image=201617au3.jpg

Yeah won't let me post attachments so that will have to do as my proof.

I have £5mil in the bank but the board is giving me £400,000, which im strugglying to spend, with hardly any decent players wanting to come. I have picked up a couple of gems though. A hungarian winger called Lesko on a free who is now worth £1.8 after a season and getting plenty of interest. His contract is up at the end of the season so unless i get promotion he and my best centre back will be off.

Im hopeful for my 2nd season in the championship having finished 6 points from the playoffs last season. And with Portsmouth and Newcastle promoted the league looks alot more open apart from West Ham, for a promotion push.

[happy slappy]

This game is doing my ****ing head in now!

[happy slappy]

That's it!!

I give up, screw this crap save, I'm starting again!!!!