dafuge's FM11 challenge

[MikaelS]

About time too

I know! I was this >< close to giving up, when I, after a long day, reloaded once and tada, up came Chippenham

[Quavis]

Annihilator666: Looks like you had a good solid season to build from.

MikaelS: Why does it say your past experience is "International Footballer"? I think you'll need to restart! j/k! Glad to see you finally got Chippenham Town to come up You'll likely still get them promoted before I will lol.

Terk: Congrats on promotion and Manager of the Year! I don't know how people manage to win in the playoffs. My team always seems to find some way to implode in them. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person with a horribly negative balance. I like your 100 games + list, I might have to borrow that if you don't mind? Although with as much tinkering as I do to my squads it might stay pretty empty! How do you get the code things to work?

[MikaelS]

MikaelS: Why does it say your past experience is "International Footballer"? I think you'll need to restart! j/k! Glad to see you finally got Chippenham Town to come up You'll likely still get them promoted before I will lol.

oh THAT was cruel! I almost got a heartattack and went straight to my profile page to check

[dafuge]

That got me as well.

Had a laugh afterwards though

[Quavis]

I find the simpler the better at this level. So play 442 rigid and control when at home to try and get early goals then defend when 2 or so up. Maintaining leads are key as when I didn't defend teams would come back very quick and the whole game would be flipped on it's head. Away I play more direct but more defensive with my two forwards with similar roles they get behind the defence and have each other as support most times.

<snip>

Usually BSP is almost the same quallty as BSN/BSS and not much of a leap. Anyone seeing the same?

Interesting, I'm playing a very similar tactic, though I'm using more counter than control. I tend to start with counter when I don't think I'm the best side and often end up giving up the first goal. This has somewhat eased now that Mr. Butterfingers is no longer starting. I may have to start going with more control as I really should have the best side in most games. Thanks for the tip!

In the past, I've noticed the same thing about the BSS/BSN and BSP. Usually I can use mostly the same set of guys for both seasons. Once I hit League 2 its usually time for a serious rework though.

[KLH84]

@Terk Really liking the update style - hopefully everyone will join in with the goals of the season (if you don't mind us nicking your idea that is!)

Dislike every single one of you that have been promoted first season - going to be a midtable year for my Hastings team I think. Same problems as ever in this challenge, so many players in it's impossible to know your best team until it's too late.

[Terk]

Annihilator666Terk: Congrats on promotion and Manager of the Year! I don't know how people manage to win in the playoffs. My team always seems to find some way to implode in them. I'm glad to see I'm not the only person with a horribly negative balance. I like your 100 games + list, I might have to borrow that if you don't mind? Although with as much tinkering as I do to my squads it might stay pretty empty! How do you get the code things to work?

Cheers, I feared that we were going to implode when we went 2-0 down to Nuneaton, but we somehow managed to rescue that situation and then I was surprised by how poor Histon were in the final, given that I'd only taken a point off them in the two regular season games. The financial side is something I can't figure out at this level, other than not spending half your wage budget or something like that, in which case promotion would be nigh on an impossibility.

The 100 Club was something I started with Canvey in last year's attempt. As you can see from my update, I'm a bit of a stat monkey, and I like to keep track of players who've made a real contribution to my progress through the game. I've no problem at all with anyone taking that idea on. The code is a bit of a bugger first time out, a bit of trial and error with the 'preview post' button. After that, however, I just go to 'edit post' in the last update I used it in, copy the code and fill in the new data, then post it in my next update.

@Terk Really liking the update style - hopefully everyone will join in with the goals of the season (if you don't mind us nicking your idea that is!)

Dislike every single one of you that have been promoted first season - going to be a midtable year for my Hastings team I think. Same problems as ever in this challenge, so many players in it's impossible to know your best team until it's too late.

Cheers Don't mind anyone taking on the Goal of the Season idea. It should provide us with a bit of fun if a few people take it up. I wasn't expecting promotion at all this season (in my first two attempts on FM10 I failed to get promotion in the first season, then got sacked in season two that was with Bradford PA and Nuneaton) and I'm expecting a big struggle next season. Hope things pick up for you a bit with Hastings, but nice to see you've got Michael Ricketts

[Quavis]

oh THAT was cruel! I almost got a heartattack and went straight to my profile page to check

That got me as well.

Had a laugh afterwards though

I figured that one might work Sorry about that, I'm stuck sitting at work and bored while you all are home playing. I had to get my revenge somehow! Boredom prevention is also the reason long, well done updates are much appreciated!

KLH84: Keep the faith! My teams never seem to do anything until after Christmas. I think it just takes that long for the team to gel (and me to stop messing with the tactic). Then its hopefully up and a race to see if I can make a playoff spot / clinch the league before the season ends.

[KLH84]

Hope things pick up for you a bit with Hastings, but nice to see you've got Michael Ricketts

You say that, but you aren't having to put up with his...how can I put this...slovenly performances

[heat02]

After a 5 game losing streak were we looked like we were destined for relegation, just managed to turn a 1-0 beating against 3rd place Dartford into a 2-1 victory thanks to a screamer from Jack Adams in the 90th min.

[Yidd0!]

Whats the BSN league id? BTW, I'm setup for a night of FC United gaming. Going great so far, will post progress shortly...

[oldhammad]

Whew, recorded my first victory in 9 games away to Alfreton, sitting pretty... one place above the relegation zone

[jordanswinburn]

This'll probably hex things, but we appear to have turned things around! Since the Gateshead defeat, we've gone on to a four game unbeaten streak, winning 3 of them games.

1-0 against Newport, won by this beauty

1-1 against Rushden

3-0 against Gainsborough

2-1 against Mansfield

And I'm currently 2-0 up against Skelmersdale in the FAT. All seems well

[TheMadMonk]

First season completed with Matlock- what a slog - after a poor start, and being in the bottom 3 for most of the season, an upsurge in fortunes from the end of January gave me 32 points from the last 18 games, and a 3-1 home victory in my last game gave me safety in a heady 18th position !!

http://img38.imagefra.me/i3b9/voiceofjoe/yix0_ef2_u8zfe.jpg

They managed to miss 3 of the 5 penalties they had awarded, and seemed to pick up a 'He has to go off' injury every other match.

Still happy that my early season signings seemed to be gelling nicely by the end of the year, and hopefully next year will see us finish mid-table, without having a season long relegation battle.

[Bartman]

Yess! Moments like these are why I love football manager. 1-1 at 93 minutes in the FA Cup 4th round vs League 1 Southampton. Fagan blasts down the line and crosses it into Scott McManus for the GOOOOAAAALLL! 5th round here we come

[timers]

Anyone else experiencing and having issues with this crossing bug? It seems everygame I give up at least one goal from this BS.

[KLH84]

Determined to win before I went to sleep but the FM gods are having none of it.

12 games in and only 11 goals scored. Defence is doing a fairly good job but we'll never get anywhere if we can't score. Incredibly frustrating...

@Dafuge - You are to blame for a lot of of wasted hours during my life. Damn you

At everyone else having great cup runs and sailing through the league, remember the rest of us slogging it out and seeing no sign of improvement - perhaps loan us some players in a few years, yeah?

[KLH84]

Anyone else experiencing and having issues with this crossing bug? It seems everygame I give up at least one goal from this BS.

Crossing bug? Avoid GD these days so am out of the loop...

[Terk]

At everyone else having great cup runs and sailing through the league, remember the rest of us slogging it out and seeing no sign of improvement - perhaps loan us some players in a few years, yeah?

I feel your pain. My sacking in season two by Nuneaton last year hurt. I'll be sure to keep a look out for you, send you a couple of tasty prospects if I ever get them

[fcunitedfan]

I'm currently living in Colwyn Bay, so why the heck not? Here goes my Colwyn Bay save!

Manager profile with a twist

[CSF]

Just had another amazing FA Cup win. Got Luton in the First Round, who are 1 division ahead of me in League 2. Scraped a 1 all draw in their place, and have just gone on to beat them 5-1 at home. Chuffed. I've drawn Hucknall (who are below the Blue Square Regionals) away in the second round. Could I possibly get into the Third Round and sneak an away draw against one of the big boys?

[Welsh Wizard]

I'm currently living in Colwyn Bay, so why the heck not? Here goes my Colwyn Bay save!

Manager profile with a twist

Nice profile pic

GL with Colwyn Bay.

[Jaffa]

End of season report 2011-2012 BSN Northwich Victoria - The mighty trickies!

Let me mention one thing before I go into this report, I played the challenge last year as Nuneaton taking them all the way to the premier league. I never actually won any silverware in 17 seasons with them. I mean literally, all my promotions were either second placings or via playoffs, and I lost numerous finals, including League cups, FA cups and even a Europa league final (I never did reach a champs league final)...

Blue Square North

...This trend looks set to continue...oh the AGONY of this, AFC Telford at home, final game of the season...all I needed was a win to go up in first place...any kind of win would of done... but no, I draw 0-0 to end like that.

So onto the Playoffs, I met Stafford in the semi final, a team that had beaten me twice in the league 3-1 which is made more annoying by them being one of my main rivals, so as you can imagine annoys my fans and board. I was pretty pessimistic going into this, but I managed a crafty 0-0 away in the first leg and a decent 2-0 at home. Onto the final! I was alot more confident with this as it was Hyde who I've demolished both home and away in the regular league season. Sure enough a pretty comfortable 3-0 win for me with my front two both bagging a goal which is always satisfying in the last game of the season. I had actually dropped Bagshaw my top scorer towards the end of the season as he'd suffered an epic loss of form, but I kept the faith with him in the final and got rewarded.

Nothing special to mention with either the FA Cup or the FA Trophy, I went out early in both.

Main men:

Top scorer Callum Bagshaw 22 goals in all competitions despite a massive drop in form mid way through the season.

My personal choice as best player Will Hatfield, all round action man, never stops running, I use him as a box to box midfielder and his condition is always better than everyone else

Honourable mention to my captain Nathan Rooney who suffered an horrendous injury that kept him out for 5 months, only to get back in time for the last few games and promptly pick up another 6 week injury I think he would of been top man if not for this.

Last but not least..my rock at the back Richard Hastings, old at 34, but blimey he's immense, ever present didn't miss a game all season.

ROLL ON THE BSP!!

[Terk]

[Top scorer Callum Bagshaw 22 goals in all competitions despite a massive drop in form mid way through the season.

That sounds eerily familiar

Congrats on the promotion I was like you last year and struggled for silverware with Canvey Island, always going up via the play-offs or 2nd place. Thankfully I managed to rectify it with a League Cup win and Premier League title once I reached the top flight, but I never managed that final step to the CL title.

[Jaffa]

I can't tell you how ...whats the word...unfulfilled last years game left me, I just could not win anything for the life of me. Second place finishes in the EPL, you name it, I came runner up in it bar the Champs league

[jsar]

slowly making my way through the season, Black Ops and Kinect Midnights throwing my game time out of the window but a day of on Thursday should see me finish a season and have an update to post, interestingly i dont seem to have many players that have been mentioned here, no Callum Bagshaw for example

[Jaffa]

Oh..my game just crashed - problem is I can't remember when I last saved :o

EDIT: Disaster averted luckily for me it had literally just autosaved!!

[fcunitedfan]

Nice profile pic

GL with Colwyn Bay.

Cheers. Hope you're having fun so far playing as them.

Edit: I made a little logo pack for Colwyn Bay FC. Here's the link to it if you're interested: http://www.mediafire.com/?2o1y2ik0t9msccx

[Terk]

OK, the assistant manager troubles are hitting me now. My guy retired at the end of last season, now the board will only let me offer £230p/w to anybody interested in the job, but I can't find anyone who is willing to take it for less than £550p/w

[Cerneo]

oh THAT was cruel! I almost got a heartattack and went straight to my profile page to check

That was very brutal.

[Terk]

So, of the five people who answered my ad for an assistant manager, two of them 'were not interested in entering negotiations with the club', two actually put UP there wage demands every time I offered them a deal and the other would not drop below £400 per week. I genuinely have no idea what to do here.

[Cerneo]

So, of the five people who answered my ad for an assistant manager, two of them 'were not interested in entering negotiations with the club', two actually put UP there wage demands every time I offered them a deal and the other would not drop below £400 per week. I genuinely have no idea what to do here.

Yeah the staff this year is one of the things that needs to be fixed in the first patch, the wages they want are crazy.

Also I am starting to worry, my chairmans status has changed to 'happy to stay'. I hate takeovers.

[Quavis]

So, of the five people who answered my ad for an assistant manager, two of them 'were not interested in entering negotiations with the club', two actually put UP there wage demands every time I offered them a deal and the other would not drop below £400 per week. I genuinely have no idea what to do here.

My assisstant manager is on 50p/w! He's also still completely and utterly useless as far as stats go, but for now he at least gives me the "ask assistant manager to filter out unreasonable targets" tick box

CSF: Congrats on the lucky draw! One of these days someone will need to let me borrow some of that drawing luck

Bartman: 5th round with a BSN team??? Did I miss something here? Did you have the luckies draws ever all along the way?

Jaffa: Congrats on promotion! Yet another person to sneak up through the playoffs gives me hope it can be done!

I'm finally home from work and ready to get started for the evening. 11 games left in the season so I likely won't finish it tonight, but I'm going to try and get as close as possible.

[Quavis]

Question for everyone still up (and even those already asleep to answer tomorrow): What are you doing as far as the new match preperation module is concerned? Obviously team blend is great at the start, but at what point are you changing it up, and what workload are you using?. I haven't payed attention to it since the first matches and I cant help but think that the workload that is set to it is why none of my players are improving at all even a bit. I've now cranked it to ultra low, but I don't have any clue what its actually doing. What does everyone else have this set to?

[pickemgenius]

HENDON DONS 2012/13 END OF SEASON REVIEW:

Squad

Random 2nd half notes:

Change expectations on Jan 1 to increase wage budget by $500/weeK(im still over but ill drop a few guys soon)

Killed transfer budget to get another $250/week

uh oh speculation my contract might not get renewed. >_> (board ok'd a renweal yay)

wtf board gives me a 500k transfer budget due to my awesomeness.

Playoff spot guaranteed with 4 games left.

Three teams within three points in battle for top spot.

Media Prediction: 24th

Actual Finish: 1st(barely)

WINS:28

DRAWS:8

LOSSES:9

Table

Key Signings:

Transfers

Nikola Saric: ST/AMC, Signed 2 years/ $600/week Age:21(at start)

Games played: 31

Goals scored:23

PK's:0

Assists:3

MoM:6

Avg Rating: 7.33

Greg Fleming-: GK, Signed 2 years/ $230/week Age: 25(at start)

Games Played: 43

Clean Sheets: 16!

Goals Conceded: 33

MoM: 0 :O

Avg Rating: 6.83?!??!

Maceo Rigters: MR/ST, Signed 2 years/ $750/week Age: 28(at start)

Games Played: 42

Goals: 9

ASsists: 14

MoM: 7

Avg Rating: 7.16

BEST WIN:

2-1 Win over Bath to gain promotion on the last fixture date.(even if Port Vale lost who I was tied with but had +GD)

WORST LOSS:

0-2 Port Vale, just because these guys beat me both appearances, and that was no fun.

FA Trophy:

won 0-0 on penalties. zzzzzzzzz. I'll take it though.

Thoughts:

This season was pretty intense throughout because it was so close down to the wire. I feel this season was easier/harder because the competition was obviously better,

but I had depth this year, and thankfully as well as there were a few injuries that would've killed me last season. Pretty much all the new signings did quite well, with Ian Herring

being somewhat an incredibly versatile, and "unsexy" player, who was a great pick up for this year. I still have no idea why the board decided to give me a $500k transfer budget randomly,

but I think I missed an opportunity to improve my training facilities, or build a new stadium or something. *sigh* Plan for next year is again to get a bunch of new talent for free,

and promote to league 1. I'm quite happy that it's no more 1 team guaranteed promotion from here on out.

Quick note: would like to say good work to everybody in a blanket compliment for all of their promotions, and thanks for the details, which are always fun to read.

[vikeologist]

After having 8 players booked in my first local derby, including 2 yellow cards for one player and thus the second sending off in the first 4 games, I thought that maybe this year setting tackling to more aggressive wasn't such a great idea.

Turns out that the tackling was only on medium. God knows what the nutjobs will do if I tell them to be aggressive.

[Scooty_BAFC]

NANTWICH TOWN - Blue Square North 2011/12

League Table

My record in playoffs on the past few versions of FM has been outstanding. Poor start on FM11 though. After a credible 1-1 draw in the first leg against AFC Telford with a couple of key players out I thought we could pull it off..

Maybe Not..

Bit of a crazy season. Had a tiny squad. Basically just 1 player per position so when someone got injured I was forced to rely on youthies. Probably explains the ups and downs I experienced. Started the season superbly winning 5 on the spin. Then I lost 5 of the next 6. The season carried on in that fashion but thankfully my good spells were extremely good and it was enough to finish in a playoff spot. As for the cups... the less said about them the better. Lost in the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Cup and in the 3rd qualifying round of the FA Trophy. Probably helped my league position though.

Transfers

My transfers weren't particularly well thought out. I released all the players whose contracts were expiring in July without even checking them out. I had faith in myself finding better options. I searched through the free transfers for decent enough looking players in each position and offered them a contract. They all accepted and suddenly I found myself quickly over wage budget. Disaster. So I offered out all of the originals left at the club on frees and managed to flog a few. Back under budget but transfer dealings over rather quicker than expected. Atleast I had all of preseason for them to gel.

Squad

As you can see only 13 players started more than 6 games. That shows how reliant I was on my starting 11.

Next season I think I've got to have more of a squad so I can mix it up a bit. Finances are worrying me already though. My wages were under budget from mid July but I was losing money big time. Need a decent cup run next season to try and balance it out.

Season          League                  Position           Info
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12         Blue Square North       5th                Lost in Playoff Semi Final

[Yidd0!]

Fell asleep while playing last night. DAMNIT.

Got much to discuss, beating a team I cant remember the name of 5-1, only conceding 5 goals so far this season (its November) and having one defeat so far. Will post something more detailed when I get into work.

It's too freaking early...

[berty1978]

Hi everyone, good start to the challenge. Seeing as this is the first season that my team Lowestoft are playable I'm definately in this year, though if I get the game and there isn't much data on them I'll see about getting some in for one of the upcoming patches.

One of the researchers asked me last year if I'd do the researching but I said I don't think I'd have the time, I don't know if anyone has done the research in the meantime, if someone could do me a favour and get an initial screenie for Lowestoft players and club info I'd be grateful.

Looking forward to seeing how this progresses.

[Quavis]

Pickemgenius: Congrats on promotion to League 2! Another person with Niko Saric doing very well for them! If only he would start talking to me!

Scotty_BAFC: Tough luck in the playoffs. Those things are just evil! Finishing 5th in the league in season 1 is nothing to scoff at though. I'm sure you'll get promoted next year

Yiddo!: Pretty sad that your own team bored you to sleep last night! Think of how the fans feel about your ultra conservative defense! j/k .... I wish I could conceded fewer than 5 goals in 3 games, much less half the year. Looking forward to reading your update from work tomorrow.

My players managed to drive me away from the game as well tonight. With 11 games to play and only 10 points off a playoff spot I was feeling pretty good about my chances. However, my team seems to have decided the final run in was a perfect time to self destruct. We took only 1 point in 4 games tonight. Fortunately everyone else seemed to struggle as well and I'm still only 10 points off the bottom playoff spot.

With only 7 games remaining though, I think the opportunity may have already slipped away. In addition, the 3 losses have completely decimated moral and made any sort of run all but impossible. While the defense has somewhat solidified and is now allowing only a goal a game on average, my strikers seem to have completely lost it. Even if the other team played without a keeper in the net I don't think they would score.

I really need to totally clear the squad out again and rebuilt for next year, but I cant see anyone wanting to take any of them and everyone is still under contract.

[KLH84]

I feel your pain. My sacking in season two by Nuneaton last year hurt. I'll be sure to keep a look out for you, send you a couple of tasty prospects if I ever get them

I didn't mention a sacking...do you know something I don't?

FINALLY managed a win - sorry Bishop's Stortford, I was due one.

You'd hope with an Irish U19, a Portugese U19 and a New Zealand International in the team we'd do a little better than we are but such is life.

On the plus side though, my board have granted me the option to scout the whole of Europe...nice chaps.

[Yidd0!]

Morning all,

So here comes the update.

It's a little earlier in the season than I first thought, having only played 9 games I sit comfortably in 6th having won 4, drawn 4 and lost 1 (fixtures/results can be seen here)

All in all, I am impressed by the partnership being struck up between Fagan and Ameobi/Montano racking up a fair few goals between them.

Here is my squad at the mo, star player being Fagan.

James Gilpin has been a breath of fresh air, definitely the reason whyI have conceded so few goals.

Will post goals later, cant get away with youtube at work I'm afraid

[spankie]

Question for everyone still up (and even those already asleep to answer tomorrow): What are you doing as far as the new match preperation module is concerned? Obviously team blend is great at the start, but at what point are you changing it up, and what workload are you using?. I haven't payed attention to it since the first matches and I cant help but think that the workload that is set to it is why none of my players are improving at all even a bit. I've now cranked it to ultra low, but I don't have any clue what its actually doing. What does everyone else have this set to?

I only have 1 tactic set up and have set the special focus to team blend until the players have settled down more in the ass man's team talk screen. In special matches I might change the special focus, but so far I've not found the need to drop a special focus nor the workload.

If the tactic is learnt as best as possible (at the moment it's competant on all aspects) and the team has gelled then I'll lower the workrate but I might do that anyway over the Christmas schedule and put it back when the games aren't coming every 2 days.

Now onto my team. 1st Round FA Cup ti against League 2 Port Vale ended as a 0-0 draw at home and then the replay came along.

Vale scored an early goal and my team struggled until a very bad back pass from their right back let one of my strikers in, they again took the lead around the 30th minute but deep into injury time in the first half my other striker managed to score, he might have been offside originally but came onside in the second phase.

The second half was more or less equal and when it was coming up to the end of normal time and I was thinking about making another sub when my backup right back (who only came on because of injury in the 86th minute) scored

A quick change to more defensive tactics and 2 more defensive subs on saw the match out without any major scares.

I've now got a 2nd round tie against a fellow BSS team.

[Cerneo]

I put blend on until the start of the jan window, then I put it on the defensive one, so far mixed results hard to tell if its working honestly. I can see that blend works, you can see a clear change from the start of the season until its around 75%+ for everything, after that seems to be harder to advance.

Going to try a few of the other options out this season once I get a few more months in, also not sure how much coaching factors in, mine are garbage so it might all be for nothing anyway.

One thing I am getting alot of is players crying over the workload, however those reports only come from a couple players, wonder if mentality has anything to do with it because I can't see stat wise that would make these few and not the rest of them upset...I keep forgetting to look though when they send me the collected tears however.

[Yidd0!]

Great free kick there.

Thats the one thing my team really needs, a top drawer dead ball specialist.

[Yidd0!]

Yeah, I've stuck with team blend. Haven't been monitoring it very closely so It's hard for me to say. Might work on tightening up set pieces, that seems to be the main downfall for us.

[spankie]

Like I said, he's a backup RB. But I might give him more playing time whenever my normal RB is away with the Hungarian U18s or needs a rest.

[Terk]

I didn't mention a sacking...do you know something I don't?

Not at all Just relating your pain to my pain from last year. Nice to see you got a win under your belt You have at least made me happy that I didn't sign Michael Ricketts permanently after his trial; I very nearly offered him a deal.

[Hans Bwixs]

Started my FC United game last night (couldn't resist) and have reached the 30th of November in my first season. I have been knocked out of the FA cup 3rd round qualifying round and have got through to the second round of the FA vase trophy, so hoping for a little run in that.

I am currently lying 11th in the league after a good start I have started to go down hill and have only got 18 points so far. Hoping for a better second half to the season.

My star signing was ex England International (got 1 cap ) Michael Ricketts, he's a bit of a injury prone player but has been banging in a few goals for me.

I hope to upoad some screenies later on tonight

[KLH84]

My star signing was ex England International (got 1 cap ) Michael Ricketts, he's a bit of a injury prone player but has been banging in a few goals for me.

What are you feeding him to make him score? He's scored 5 in 17 for me - not exactly prolific!