dafuge's FM11 challenge

[heat02]

Canvey Island End of Season Summary 2013/14 - Third Season

Media Prediction: 17th

Actual Finish: 1st

After a poor start where we got torn apart by Bishop Stortford 7-0 we went strength to strength to go on a 18 match unbeaten run and take the league on the final game of the season. The league was extremely tight this year with 3 of us fighting for the top spot but we managed to clinch the title on the final day thanks to a 1-0 win away at on form Staines (even though we didn't need to win as Dover were beaten by Gloucester).

A change of formation was the major impact this season as the players really adapted and took control of games by dominating the centre of the pitch even though we went to a more attacking 4-3-3 formation we scored less goals than last year but our defending was amazing conceding only 33 goals in the league.

We were knocked out of the FA Cup in the 3rd Qualifying round by non-league Margate which went to a replay however in the FA Trophy we made it to the Semi-finals where we took a 4-3 lead on agg to Mansfield where they beat us 2-0.

It was an amazing and exciting season and now I can't wait to give the Blue Square Premier ago as I'm sure it will be a challenge.

Transfers: 10 In/ 23 Out

Best Players of the Season

Carl Magnay - Signed him up after he was released from Chelsea and gave him the captain's armband where he strengthened our back four and made the team unbeatable.

Callum McFadzean - Last two seasons we were struggling with a left back so when my scout highly recommended Callum I jumped at the chance and he was amazing all season. Great at defending and attacking he suited the 4-3-3 formation perfectly.

Alexis Nikolas - A consistent performer with a cracking shot. Nikolas scored some absolute beauties this season and his passing was second to none.

Vincent Pericard - Top scorer again this season and was always there when we needed a goal. Decided that with 10 games left he deserves to be at a bigger club (probably right) so will be a struggle to keep hold of him.

Aim for Next Season

Consolidate in BSP

Improve quality of squad

Get a decent cup run

League Finishes

2011/12 6th BSS

2012/13 8th BSS

2013/14 1st BSS

[roganp]

Just lost my first league game with Canvey Island 0-1 to an own-goal from my new centre-back and to top it off my new skipper got injured and will be out for 2 to 3 months.

[Quavis]

NANTWICH TOWN - Blue Square North 2013/14

League Table

3rd times the charm! Congrats on promotion Scooty! Always great to avoid the playoffs and get promoted as Champion! Thanks for another great update.

Interested to gauge opinion on when to offer full time vs part time contracts.

Now into my third season (first in the BSP) I have taken on a Scout with 15 for Ability and 16 for Potential (woohoo) on a full time basis as well as two full time coaches. Two players in my squad are on full time contracts and I am now looking to make all new contracts full time.

What has everyone else done in the BSP? Are you sticking to part time at the moment or pushing on and trying to take advantage of full time training?

o.O you made it to the BSP with everyone on P/T contacts? That's impressive! I put everyone on full time contracts from the get go. You can often do it for the same/slightly more on the contract and the difference in training can be huge. This will also dramatically improve your fitness levels. My advice is to get everyone on F/T contracts ASAP!

Northwich Victoria

Season 2 - 2012/13 – Blue Square Premier

Preseason - Media Prediction: 19th

Final placing: 7th[/size]

7th is great for the 1st season in the BSP Jaffa. Unlucky to not win the the JPT final , but congrats on making it that far! Thanks for the great update.

Evesham United - 2013/14 BSN

Don't let yourself get down over still not making it out of the BSN. Most of the people having instant success have done this challenge many times in the past amongst other things. Even for veterans this challenge can be very difficult. Remember that its not about who finishes first, but the experience and the stories that go with it.

It looks like you made good improvements this year. You did well to make the playoffs and them to make the final! Anything can happen in those 1 game knockouts and there is nothing wrong with being eliminated at that point. Hopefully next year you can challenge for the top stop and avoid them completely.

Don't let those players push you around! I'm notoriously bad about dealing players whining about new contracts. I will keep playing them and let them complain about it until they request a transfer. I grant their request and set a value I'm happy with. If someone comes in at that price, great. If not, they can keep playing and deal with no one wanting them. I've found that winning cures almost all happiness problems and they usually end up swallowing their pride and telling me they would like to stay and to please unlist them.

Ashton Utd - Season Summary 2012-13

Great start. Unlucky in the FAT trophy and playoff finals. If only those streaks could be toggled on/off at will! Thanks for the update! ps. Lives are over-rated

Apologies if I missed anyone I don't have jimbo'd. I'm doing my feedbacks from work this morning and I have to keep alt-tabbing.

[Quavis]

Canvey Island End of Season Summary 2013/14 - Third Season

Media Prediction: 17th

Actual Finish: 1st

I could have sworn I had this multi-quoted in my last post. 3rd times the charm! Congrats on promotion, especially doing it while being able to avoid the playoffs! Thanks for the update

[Gypsum]

Last game of the League 2 season, both Chippenham and Tranmere on 89 points but Chippenham in 1st place with a large goal difference advantage, we're the only two teams who can finish 1st now.

And our last game of the season... away to Tranmere!

The Tranmere board have chosen it as a fan day too, nice choice!

[Annihilator666]

I've gone from battering every team in the league to losing to teams in the relegation zone. I have no idea what happened, around the middle of January everything started falling apart... :S

[darren1983]

Don't let yourself get down over still not making it out of the BSN. Most of the people having instant success have done this challenge many times in the past amongst other things. Even for veterans this challenge can be very difficult. Remember that its not about who finishes first, but the experience and the stories that go with it.

This is so true. Been doing this challenge for the last 3 or 4 years now ( never completed it! Always win either the prem or the champ league, never both) and am finding it tought to even get into BSP this year

[regariol]

Progress report with Carsharlton Athletic:

1st Season in the BSS and it didn't start too well - perhaps a few too many signings saw the team struggle to find any early form in the league. After 10 games we were flirting around the relegation zone. We also experienced a bad away defeat in the FA cup to a non-league team. With hindsight though, it was the criticism that followed this result that spurred us into action. A few tactical revisions and a few words into the ears of the new signings put us onto the winning foot, sending us up the table.

Mid-Season we now find ourselves plum centre of the league, but heading in the right direction. Our FA Trophy run also continues, with a 2nd round tie looming around BSP opposition.

Most new signings have now settled in. The young keeper is perhaps still struggling with 1st team expectations, but confidence is high that he will find belief in himself.

Consistency is now the buzz-word - a play-off position wouldn't be beyond us if we can continue our recent form.

In the last match we produced perhaps our performance of the season, winning 5-0 away from home against Worcester. The 4th of these goals was an outrageous Alonso-esque finish from within his own half by my full back who spotted the opposing keeper out of his area - coming soon to YouTube when his manager sobers up!

In other related news, congratulations to all fellow managers who have tasted success with their teams. Special mention to the guy who won the FA cup with his team - an amazing achievement mate!

[Quavis]

I've gone from battering every team in the league to losing to teams in the relegation zone. I have no idea what happened, around the middle of January everything started falling apart... :S

I always seem to lose to the relegation teams. They should be easy points and I always slip up. How are your fitness levels? That part of the season tends to have heavy fixture congestion. I tend to try and rest my players in between any close packed games, even if its only 1 day. It hurts their training routines a bit and they might not develop as fast, but with higher fitness levels they do better in those back to back games.

[Annihilator666]

I always seem to lose to the relegation teams. They should be easy points and I always slip up. How are your fitness levels? That part of the season tends to have heavy fixture congestion. I tend to try and rest my players in between any close packed games, even if its only 1 day. It hurts their training routines a bit and they might not develop as fast, but with higher fitness levels they do better in those back to back games.

Yea, my fitness levels are awful.

[Gypsum]

LIVE COMMENTARY

Around 15,000 fans are expected at Prenton park for the League 2 title decider between Tranmere and Chippenham, thanks partly to the Tranmere board declaring this match a 'fan day'. Both teams have already secured promotion to League 1 next season, with Chippenham currently sitting 1st with a 9 goal advantage, but it comes down to the last game of the season to decide who takes home the silverware in what will be a fantastic atmosphere. Chippenham name an almost full strength side, with French defender Christophe Labejot returning after dislocating his jaw. The notable exception being Nikola Saric, Chippenham's top scorer this season who has been out with a torn groin muscle, and hasn't regained fitness in time for this match. In his place is Dean Kelly, a striker who has recently found form with 6 goals in his last 5 League 2 games.

KICK OFF

24 seconds - GOAL - Astonishing start for Tranmere! They break down the left, working the ball into the box until John Welsh finds space to shoot. The shot strikes the defender and spins into the top corner! Unbelievable! Tranmere 1-0 Chippenham

6 minutes - GOAL - What a game we have here! Chippenham get a corner whipped in by young Ben Coleman, he finds Ignasi Miquel marked at the near post, but the Spanish defender manages to stretch his long legs and pokes the ball into a defender and agonizingly past the man on the post! It's given as an OG! Tranmere 1-1 Chippenham

14 minutes - GOAL - A scrappy exchange between both sides struggling to retain possession leads to a Tranmere break down the right wing, the cross picking out Reece Connolly who manages to prod the ball past the keeper into the bottom corner. A packed Prenton park erupts! Tranmere 2-1 Chippenham

21 minutes - Chippenham are on the rack here, another Tranmere attack leads to a shot from the edge of the box which leaves the keeper stranded and strikes the crossbar. It's all action here, but Chippenham need to do something to stop this becoming a rout.

25 minutes - GOAL - A corner from Chippenham leads to nothing but a Tranmere counter down the right. An uncontested run leads to a cross which blazes across the face of the goal, but ends up with Soares on the back post, he controls, jinks past a defender and taps into an empty net. Disaster for Chippenham! Tranmere 3-1 Chippenham

And Chippenham make a change already, the left back Chris Armstrong who had been so assured all season is having a nightmare, and is replaced by Steven Smith.

41 minutes - Chippenham look to be building in confidence, and a long ball by Leven feeds Ben Coleman down the left, the keeper came across to track the ball but is in no mans land now, the cross falls perfectly for Dean Kelly, who strikes it... but his strike partner Ryan Mason gets in the pay and deflects it wide! They just can't catch a break!

HALF TIME - Terrible performance from my team, they need a kick up the backside! Prepare for the hairdryer treatment lads!

63 minutes - Everything good for Chippenham is coming from Ben Coleman. A good ball down the left finds him and he makes space from his marker to whip in a cross, it finds Pat Hoban who brings it down and shoots... but his effort goes tamely wide.

65 minutes - GOAL - But the good spell doesn't last long, another Tranmere break down the left wing leaves Chippenham reeling. The ball sails across goal to be picked up by Max Power, whose first shot is superbly saved by Hansen, but he has enough time for a second and buries it. It gets worse for Chippenham! Tranmere 4-1 Chippenham

80 minutes - A good break for Chippenham finds Mason in space centrally. He runs toward the edge of the area and fires off a shot, only to go straight at the keeper. The ball goes out for a corner, which leads to nothing. Chippenham are going all out attack now to try and salvage something from this.

FULL TIME - Tranmere 4-1 Chippenham - A terrible performance from Chippenham leaves them to settle for 2nd place, while Tranmere's 15,000 attending fans celebrate winning the league. Before the match it looked like there would be no losers here, but judging by that performance, a lot of Chippenham players will be looking for new clubs in the summer...

[PVentress]

Has anyone else suffered from the ridiculous defending of set pieces?

Just conceded 2 in my last game from free kicks where my entire defence lined up in a perfect line across the 18 yd box, except for 1 player who decided it was a good idea to stand 5 yds behind them all,

7 of the opposition decide to take up a position in the box safe in the knowledge they were well onside, with my genius players totally ignoring them and still rooted to the 18yd box

Low and behold the ball is chipped over the top of all my players and they have an easy tap in,

It looked ridiculous

[Quavis]

When did you play against Mr. Butterfingers? That is exactly something he would go and do. My guess is that he thinks he is in punt protection mode and forgot which version of football he is supposed to be play

[Quavis]

Has anyone else suffered from the ridiculous defending of set pieces?

Just conceded 2 in my last game from free kicks where my entire defence lined up in a perfect line across the 18 yd box, except for 1 player who decided it was a good idea to stand 5 yds behind them all,

7 of the opposition decide to take up a position in the box safe in the knowledge they were well onside, with my genius players totally ignoring them and still rooted to the 18yd box

Low and behold the ball is chipped over the top of all my players and they have an easy tap in,

It looked ridiculous

Set pieces in general have been absolutely rubbish for me this year. I'm not sure if it is because I haven't gone through the new Set Piece Wizard or whatever it is this year or not. On attacking corners, the ball is always launched perfectly into the middle of the box, yet all of my players just stand there and watch it hit the ground. NO ONE attacks either the near or far post and 99% of the time its harmlessly cleared.

I still give up far too many goals from corners. Fortunately, I haven't played against many players who have a decent free kick stat, so I don't give up too many of those yet.

[Annihilator666]

Just lost my last game of the season against Grimsby at home. I needed to beat them to secure promotion, but their victory sends them up. Have to settle for the playoffs...

[Gypsum]

When did you play against Mr. Butterfingers? That is exactly something he would go and do. My guess is that he thinks he is in punt protection mode and forgot which version of football he is supposed to be play

I just checked and it was a actually a goalie they had on loan from West Ham, he's pretty decent too, worth £350k!

But then I noticed the problem!

[Quavis]

Gypsum: Sorry I missed the edited commentary. Tough loss At least you had already clinched a promotion spot. Looking forward to your end of season recap

edit: ROFL at the Robert Green part

[KLH84]

Urgh...having a really bad start to my first season in the BSP. My Hastings team just cannot score and are struggling with the step up to this league. Borini is still performing but he can't carry the team on his own. Consider me to be sulking *wishes he was Swinburn*

[Terk]

Note to self: When the Marine board sack you, make sure you don't over promise and under deliver in your next job.

[Dons]

Note to self: When the Marine board sack you, make sure you don't over promise and under deliver in your next job.

Ouch... what did you promise?

[Terk]

Ouch... what did you promise?

After last season I promised promotion as I felt it was well within my grasp. Obviously we've started this season poorly, and my job security has dropped from 'untouchable' to 'insecure'. We need to string some wins together and get into the play-off places or I'll get the chop.

[fcunitedfan]

Sure, blame your gf because your tactics failed

On a side note, I hate when my cat does the same

Cheeky sod! I was actually doing OK. I may have been 18th in the league, but I was still in the FA Cup and FA Trophy. My finances were terrible, but that didn't bother me too much. This time round, I'm not going to sign so many free transfers. I ended up a few hundred over my wage budget on my first attempt, and the team was struggling to gel.

[Terk]

First game back this session, 4-0 win over Hayes & Yeading. That should ease a bit of the pressure, climbing ever more towards the play-off spots.

[KLH84]

After last season I promised promotion as I felt it was well within my grasp. Obviously we've started this season poorly, and my job security has dropped from 'untouchable' to 'insecure'. We need to string some wins together and get into the play-off places or I'll get the chop.

I might join you at the job centre if this carries on. Drastic measures time - complete switch from 4-1-3-2 to 3-2-3-2.

God knows how this is going to turn out...

Oh. So we beat Wrexham 3-0 with McLean (who hasn't scored all season) scoring a hattrick. Perhaps I should have changed tactic a while back...

[Dons]

I couldn't help it. I just had to

[KLH84]

I couldn't help it. I just had to

He needs to be at your club for the entire challenge as a mascot.

[fcunitedfan]

I might join you at the job centre if this carries on. Drastic measures time - complete switch from 4-1-3-2 to 3-2-3-2.

God knows how this is going to turn out...

Oh. So we beat Wrexham 3-0 with McLean (who hasn't scored all season) scoring a hattrick. Perhaps I should have changed tactic a while back...

That's a very good tactic change if you keep getting those results. Good luck with your new tactic. Hope it works out well.

I couldn't help it. I just had to

Hehe

[Terk]

Callum Bagshaw has just netted his 50th goal for Marine, in his 97th game. Happened to be the only goal in a win over Salisbury as well. I doff my cap to his non-league awesomeness.

[fcunitedfan]

I just signed Matthew Regan for my BSN Colwyn Bay side on a free transfer. He's potentially a leading League One player, and I'm only paying him £40 a week. Thank you Assistant Manager!

[KLH84]

Callum Bagshaw has just netted his 50th goal for Marine, in his 97th game. Happened to be the only goal in a win over Salisbury as well. I doff my cap to his non-league awesomeness.

Terk, I have a confession to make.

I released Bagshaw into the wilderness after a frankly poor showing for Hastings.

Sorry

[Dons]

He needs to be at your club for the entire challenge as a mascot.

He is a potential leading league 1 - BUT he doesnt have the skills for a regular spot, so doubt he will resign a new contract :o

[Terk]

Terk, I have a confession to make.

I released Bagshaw into the wilderness after a frankly poor showing for Hastings.

Sorry

Clearly just means that I'm better than you if I can get this much out of him

[Willy Wonka]

FC United of Manchester - League 2 - 2013/14 Season

In a word, dull.

Season    League                   Position    Achievements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2011/12   Blue Square South        2nd         Promoted through playoffs
2012/13   Blue Square Premier      1st         Champions
2013/14   npower League 2          12th        

[KLH84]

Clearly just means that I'm better than you if I can get this much out of him

Clearly means Borini is better than him

And what you said...

[fcunitedfan]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring! Don't panic! Why oh why would I want to offer this player a new contract? I only just signed him about two days earlier...

[Quavis]

Clearly means Borini is better than him

And what you said...

Bagshaw is pretty much a sub for me as well. He just seems to do better coming off the bench in my game. I don't know about this Borini chap you all have signed. He still has a contract at Porto through 2013 in my bag. One of the quirky things about having your own save instead of downloading one

[Quavis]

Don't panic Mr Mainwaring! Don't panic! Why oh why would I want to offer this player a new contract? I only just signed him about two days earlier...

Backroom advice is broken in FM2011. All I get are retraining suggestions to train someone in a position I'm not even playing them in. Hopefully it will be fixed in the first patch.

[Gypsum]

Gypsum's Chippenham - End of season update - 2013/14

Media prediction - 24th

Final postition - 2nd / League table / League positions chart

A solid start to the season saw us rise to the top, and stay there for most of the season. But as the campaign wore on injuries, tiredness and the sale of Dean Bailey came into play and our results got gradually worse. Thankfully, our early success kept us afloat even during tough times, and saw us through to a final day match against Tranmere where the winner would claim first place. Unfortunately the occasion with 15,000+ fans in attendance, must have got to my team, as we slumped to a humiliating 4-1 defeat in what was easily our worst performance of the season. While it was a disappointing note to end the season on, finishing second and comfortably making automatic promotion is a massive success for this club and we still have a lot to be proud of.

Chippenham info;

General squad info

Transfers - As you can see, our biggest piece of business came from the sale of young left winger Dean Bailey to Huddersfield for £350k, 50% of his next transfer fee and a friendly.

Finances

Average attendance: 3481

Star players;

Nikola Saric - ST - Another season on top form from the Croatian striker, as he bagged 19 goals and 7 assists with a 7.26 rating, attracting the interest of Crewe and Portsmouth. A torn groin muscle saw him miss the last two months of the season and he was a big loss to the club as we struggled for form.

Ignasi Miquel - DC - Another player who showed his class despite injury problems. The towering Spanish centre-back managed a 7.16 rating despite missing 2 months of the season with a hip injury.

Christophe Labejot - DRLC - A new signing in the summer and a real quality player. The ex-Arsenal defender was magnificent in defence at times, and salvaged results when we were really struggling for form, showing experience beyond his years and getting a 7.13 rating. An exciting player for future seasons.

Dean Bailey - AML - Despite just a brief spell with us, Bailey made a big impact on the club. Singing in the summer after leaving Manchester United, Bailey made 23 appearances for us, scoring 6 goals with 13 assists and a 7.45 rating. This form attracted the interest of Championship side Huddersfield, and I reluctantly decided to sell him for £350k plus clauses. He is now tipped as a future Premier league star.

Goals of the season;

- A through ball leads to a beautiful lob by Saric.

- A freekick from an impossible angle manages to find the back of the net! (Wrongly attributed to the GK in the video)

- Included for its freak value alone, a long ball up the pitch looks to be going to the goalkeeper, who simply ignores it and goes for a wander! Meanwhile Mason chases it down and taps into an empty net.

Year                  League                           Position                                   Achievements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12               BSS                               2nd                                       Playoff winners
2012/13               BSP                               1st                                        FA cup 4th round
2013/14               L2                                 2nd                                       

Aims for next season;

Strengthen everywhere! The only position I am happy with really is DC, everywhere else really needs some extra quality. Financially, we're in a pretty stable position, so hopefully we'll be able to afford the wages of some higher quality players. Also, a parent club which actually loans us players would be nice!

[Dons]

Haha - had a player get upset with me for some random reason.. Tried to talk to him and got this response: So, what have I done this time?

Nice one from the programmers!

[darren1983]

AFC Hournchurch Season 2011/12 Review

Media prediction: 22

Final Posistion: 16

Table

Graph

Squad

Not to much to say really, brought lots of players (names most of you know, Bagshaw etc) but we were so frustrating, every time we turned a corner we seemed to reverse back around it! We wernt helped by the fact that at various times we had both our strikers out injured and a defence that would just give up as soon as we let a goal in, and our main CB somehow managed to get 12 yellow cards and 4 red! We managed to stay up and after the first few games were never in danger of going down so at least we have a platform for next season. I think I need a new back 4 for the new season.

FA Trophy

FA Cup

Aims For Next Season

Progress! New back 4

[fcunitedfan]

Haha - had a player get upset with me for some random reason.. Tried to talk to him and got this response: So, what have I done this time?

Nice one from the programmers!

LMAO! That's an awesome response!

[Jaffa]

Good season Gypsum, Second season BSP looks like it might be a struggle for me. My wage bill is crippling, I can't afford to strengthen but if I let my higher earners go, I lose my best players...obviously

[wriches]

Congrats Scooty_BAFC, foost and heat02 (Pericard in the BSS, lol).

Unlucky Jaffa and Dons (League football for both of you next season I reckon). And unlucky Junior89, Gypsum (still a very decent season) and darren1983 too.

3 promotions out of 8 on this page

[wriches]

Haha - had a player get upset with me for some random reason.. Tried to talk to him and got this response: So, what have I done this time?

Nice one from the programmers!

Haha, I had that too right at the beginning of the season. One year later and he still starts every conversation with that, and yet he "is enjoying playing for the club" despite the fact he never plays, and it doesn't say he has a poor opinion of me on his Personal tab.

So, good luck with that.

[Dons]

Strange and evil programmer humour

[jmknpk]

Could someone please tell me how I can name my link's so I can keep them shorter thanks.

If you type the short text you want between the ] and [ that text should show up instead of the strange looking url.

[Annihilator666]

Annihilator666 - FC United - Season 13/14 - Blue Square Premier

Table - League Table | Position Graph

Squad - FC United Squad

Transfers - Transfers Summary

Finances - Finance Summary

Other Info - Club Information | Manager Information

Top Scorer - Jake Cassidy

Records - Overall Records | Season Records

Best Eleven - Overall | Season

After a fantastic start to the season, during which I built up a 15 point lead at the top of the table, everything started going wrong in January. A run of 6 games without a win allowed our closest rivals, Grimsby, to catch up and our continued bad form allowed them to overtake us at the top of the league. In the last game of the season, I had Grimsby at home. They were 1 point clear at the top, so only a victory would allow me to win the league title and gain automatic promotion. In a fantastic first half performance, I dominated the opposition but only had a 1-0 lead to show for it. Of course, within 10 minutes of the game resuming, Grimsby scored twice and held on to win the match and league title.

This left the playoffs as my only hope for promotion. Drawn against Forest Green, I hammered them 4-1 away from home in the first leg. We made things difficult for ourselves in the 2nd leg, going down to 10 men in the first half. Forest Green scored twice and I had to hang on for dear life to see out the tie and progress to the final.

38,000 fans turned out at Wembley to see FC United take on Histon in the BSP Playoff Final. We controlled the game for large periods and took a comfortable 1-0 victory to achieve promotion to League 2.

Had a decent run in the FA Cup this season too, reaching the 4th round before being defeated 4-1 by Blackburn at Ewood Park. Got £300k from the match as a consolation.

Season     League                      League Finish    Achievements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12    Blue Square North           7th              None
2012/13    Blue Square North           1st              BSN Champions
2013/14    Blue Square Premier         2nd              Promoted via play-offs

[jordanswinburn]

Come on! 2-0 up against Debrecen IN Hungary! Zines got our first, and they scored an own goal for our second.

I've hit the post about 4 times already, and it's not half time yet.

3-0! Borini!

3-0 FT. We just ****ed on Debrecen.

[jordanswinburn]

3-0 FT. We just ****ed on Debrecen.

Group Stage Draw done. I've got Besiktas, Kaiserslautern and Wisla. It could have been much worse.

[timers]

Evesham United - 2013/14 BSN

So after two midtable finishes the question was whether I could actually get my team promoted from the bottom division, although once again the media predicted dead last. Just to make things interesting the board cut my wage budget to 2.1k and refused to look for a feeder club, combined with an abysmal youth system this meant putting together a team was tricky. I had to let go Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu but I still had Saric and a south-african - David Somma - upfront so I should have been sorted. There were a few other key players eg the young Turk from Arsenal (Orzugan?) and a load of 18yr olds who would accept really low wages because they were so happy to be playing.

Then I stupidly set the squad win bonuses low which pretty much ****ed them off for the entire season. For instance Saric's morale was very poor the whole season and consequently he was totally naff, missing sitters every time he played. We would win 3-0 one week and lose 5-1 the next - we beat the eventual champions at home but The Robins also lost to the three relegated teams. Anybody else seeing a large number of crosses being fluked over their keeper's head and into their net, because that was a frequent occurrence at our end. I was relying on the shaky defensive capabilities of a BSN quality centre-back pairing too much due to the profligacy of the forwards: they weren't so such shooting blanks as they were lighting fireworks on the ends of their boots, with all the expected accuracy. Saric in particular must be world-class at ballooning it viciously over the bar when one on one with the keeper. Somma was our only consistent performer, netting 31 goals all season and dragging us to 4th place and the playoff final where we had a home tie against Northwich Victoria. I honestly thought we would make it since our home form had been pretty good and we had already beaten them before, but alas we went down with a whimper to a 1-0 defeat as only 2 of our team mustered a 6.5 performance - this really shocked me as I thought the chance of promotion would be a great motivator.

So it's a 3rd failure to get out of the BSN which I think must rival Vikeologist's claim for worst performance so far! To make it even worse Somma fell out with my left-back and demanded a move to a bigger club, but with a value of just 2.5k I was never going to get any money for him so I was forced to offer him mutual termination to free up his considerable wages for other players. Then the cheeky bugger goes and joins Tamworth, a team in the same league ! This was his "big club".!!! Saric is now also making rumblings of wanting to move which I am hoping I can at least postpone by a season.

The club was taken over just before the playoff final and the new board agreed that the wages should go up - to 2.4k a week. Wow that's backing for you!

PS I can't get the screenies uploaded into photobucket any more and when i could do that i couldn't link to them properly hence lack of picture action.

What formation do you play with Evesham? I've made it into League 2 in my 3rd season and have found some good success with a 4-4-2 with 2 wide players. 2.4K a week also seems low, is that $?