AI Experiment - what would happen if?

[Meitheisman]

Kipfizh said numerous times that he'll post the database once the experiment is over but he gave all the criteria in the thread so if you really want to play it you can create it yourself.

[leonavich]

sorry to be a bother, but may we please get a screenie of the jamaican player Ricardo Forde the bandits signed?

im intrested in the reggae boyz future talent

[Guest arrogantio]

Originally posted by bitlos:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by arrogantio:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bitlos:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by mattpiulton:

Also I am so confused as to why Maia was so ****!

His abilities where amazing!

...

Undoubtedly with these stats the BEST midfielder or even player EVER seen, that includes Pele and Maradonna.

Take a look at his mental attributes for bravery and determination Maia. If you think that probably some key hidden attributes were also low, there you have it the reason for his bad performances. He was undoubtedly talented, but like many others lacking the mindset to really achieve greatness. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Imagine a player that can do almost anything in football with effortless brilliance. Unfortunately, he can only be bothered to do things properly for 10 minutes of the match. That's Maia </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Could he do it effortlessly? I doubt that a guy with bravery 4 could be going around dribbling dangerous tackles, probably he and his determination 4 would prefer not even trying. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>He'd have the ability to do so, he just wouldn't want to

[henryzz]

why is this the first post 2day

over this weekend and last weekend i have spent maybe 24 hours reading this thread

KUTGW kip and hurry with the next season

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Season report (part 2)

The home leg came first, and with Finley and Martin missing, the strikeforce looked weak. Sheff Wed took the lead through a penalty, and more injuries meant that Tom Sayer, the club’s 19 year old star youth prospect, came on for only his second appearance up front. But he was to star in a fantastic turnaround, scoring both goals as the Bandits won 2-1. Sheff Wed missed a penalty that would’ve handed them the initiative, but the tie was evenly poised going into the return leg.

With the fixture computer playing pranks on the two teams, they would face off again in the Premiership, Sheff Wed again coming to town four days before the second leg. This time, they would score a late winner to head back up north with all three points.

The second leg was one of the best performances in the club’s history. By half time, they had raced into a 3-0 lead at the home of the world’s dominant club, and despite having a man sent off, extended the lead to 4-0 in the second half, Scott McDermott completing his hattrick. Sheff Wed scored two late consolation goals, but they were never going to be enough as the Bandits eased into their sixth League Cup final.

The other team from Sheffield, Sheff Utd, came to town for an FA Cup match and were also knocked out, before the Premiership campaign came back into focus. As before, their form stuttered as they alternated wins with defeats, before a disappointing exit to Championship basement club Notts County in the FA Cup. With the league season petering out into mid table mediocrity, it all came down to the League Cup final, where once again they would square off against a resurgent Liverpool team.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by leonavich:

sorry to be a bother, but may we please get a screenie of the jamaican player Ricardo Forde the bandits signed?

im intrested in the reggae boyz future talent

He'll be shown in the squad analysis of the next update.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by henryzz:

why is this the first post 2day

over this weekend and last weekend i have spent maybe 24 hours reading this thread

KUTGW kip and hurry with the next season

It's on its way - should arrive tomorrow night

[Chilliconcarnie]

'MON TEH BANDITS!!!!

How the hell do you have time to sleep kip?

[VonBlade]

Yeehaw. Stuffed those stripey steeltown guys.

Bandits are on the way to Wembley...

[Meitheisman]

Scott McDermott

[derekthetree]

Just thought I'd join the long list of people to give my congratulations to kipfizh.

I noticed this thread, read the start and the end and left it at that. Then I had this niggling thought in the back of my mind... "what happended in all those years in between?"

So over the past few weeks, in my lunchbreaks , I've been working my way through the thread, following the trials and tribulations of the Bandits and all those future talents... and I have to say it was well worth it. A very fun and exciting thread to read. I'm just sad to have reached the end... for the moment.

So thanks again and, if its not too much trouble, could you let me know what level Hinckley United are playing at "nowadays"!

[CockneyPotter]

Hi

I have now read all of this Iup to date by early Dec and have been following for updates since. A true epic and fantastic read.

Just wondered if you (Kipfizh) would be interested in me ocnverting this to a dedicated website - a suitable domain name is available (banditsfc.co.uk) and I am happy to buy it and host it and then convert your epic into a site - Let me know what you think! and of course keep up the great work.

Cheers

Alan

[waz_nufc_awk]

Originally posted by CockneyPotter:

Hi

I have now read all of this Iup to date by early Dec and have been following for updates since. A true epic and fantastic read.

Just wondered if you (Kipfizh) would be interested in me ocnverting this to a dedicated website - a suitable domain name is available (banditsfc.co.uk) and I am happy to buy it and host it and then convert your epic into a site - Let me know what you think! and of course keep up the great work.

Cheers

Alan

Absolutely fantastic idea..

[OlaGunna]

Hi Long time reader, 1st time poster.

For the amount of posts and updates that Kipfizh has done for this thread and im sure some posts on other threads. I find it a huge surprise to see he is still an amateur on the karma rankings. Shows it takes a lot of posting just to get off the basic.

Anyway wanted to say thanks for this, you are a hero to many people on here.

[williamshankley]

I think it's a thousand posts to move onto part timer anyway back on topic Come on Bandits can't wait for this next update. Hopefully tonight like Kip said

[hoppie00]

I think i vaguely remember reading this thread about a year ago, and then completly forgetting about it, only to rediscover it two days ago, three days before my last essay is due in at uni...suffice to say i've spent the last two days catching up. Absolutely bloody brilliant, oh how i beamed when the Bandits secured promotion and League Cup victory, entry in to Europe, wins over Bayern and Roma...enthralling stuff.

Really really interesting read. Quite funny how it all started as an experiment and has now, somehow come to mean quite a lot more.

I find the way how i got attached to certain members of the Super Bandits quite bizarre, how i'd always look out for the Centre Def who had left home to go to Milan, for some reason he was my hero having been the only one to leave England (bar idiot 1 i think).

Also, the managerial career of Right mid 1 is interesting, he really struggled to begin with but upon having a few big European jobs has come back with seemingly more experience having worked in different environments and hence come back to premiership and gone down an absolute storm. I think it was mentionned but i'm not sure if it's up there but can you post Right Mid 1's Staff profile if that's ok? I wonder if he got any better (hidden stats of naked stats) due to his managerial stints abroad?

[BJG123]

Originally posted by OlaGunna:

Hi Long time reader, 1st time poster.

For the amount of posts and updates that Kipfizh has done for this thread and im sure some posts on other threads. I find it a huge surprise to see he is still an amateur on the karma rankings. Shows it takes a lot of posting just to get off the basic.

Anyway wanted to say thanks for this, you are a hero to many people on here.

He has over 1000 posts, so not sure why his karma hasn't gone up.

[Guest]

Originally posted by OlaGunna:

Hi Long time reader, 1st time poster.

For the amount of posts and updates that Kipfizh has done for this thread and im sure some posts on other threads. I find it a huge surprise to see he is still an amateur on the karma rankings. Shows it takes a lot of posting just to get off the basic.

Anyway wanted to say thanks for this, you are a hero to many people on here.

I Second that!

Out of wonderment, what's the games playing time at? And what's your status on the opening screen?

Ta

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by Sazchu:

Since it seems to be request time right now, could you tell me how Scarborough has been doing these 40 years or so ?

thanks in advance.

They got relegated to the Conference North pretty quickly, and have never managed to get back into the League. They got relegated from the Conference North in 2048/49 and are in the depths of nowhere. They haven't even qualified for the FA Cup in sixteen years.

Sorry!

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by little rat:

may i make a request also and ask how stoke city have performed in your game?

Stoke are in the Championship, but have been in the Premiership on a number of occasions.

Their biggest achievement was winning the FA Cup in 2043.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by Chilliconcarnie:

is there a screen shot of right mid 1's stats at all? i want to compare him to LB 1

Right Mid 1

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by wrightinio:

Hey all, long time reader, first time poster.

Firstly want to congratulate Kipfizh on such an enthralling thread KUTGW

Secondly, just a thought that popped into my head... how many players have the Bandits PRODUCED that have gone on to be full internationals?

I know there was a revamp of the youth system within the past few years and was just wondering how effective having state-of-the-art facilities actually is

Thanks in advance

Oh and come on the Bandits!! Left Back 1 needs to move on and probably will if he's languishing in the lower half of the table around Christmas

Thanks for the compliments

As for the youth academy, it has produced next to nothing. Two seasons ago, it produced three very promising players who may well go on to be full internationals, but this was the exception to the forty years that came before.

I think the academy has given them more youth prospects, but unfortunately the random number generator has dictated that they're all pants.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by achilles elbow:

"Man Utd, a giant from years ago, struggle with their paltry reputation". - Kip quote

Kip and the rest of us - I know the experiment is around 40 seasons old, but given their high reputations/wealth etc in 2007, why have Man Utd fallen so far, and why have the likes of Sheff Wed risen so far (let alone Leyton Orient making the PL)??

We see IRL that success breeds success. Those below the "big four" in the PL struggle to break in, and Champions League wealth just adds to this as they can afford the best managers/players, and so retain their position in the top 4.

Equally, those falling down into the Championship have a good chance of bouncing back due to the parachute payments that give them a head start financially vs the other teams.

I appreciate that over decades changes do occur IRL (how often to Notts Forest win the European cup these days / would Blackburn be in the PL in 2008 if Jack Walker had never arrived?), but do you feel the AI has replicated real life well in this regard??

Tricky.

The argument currently goes that the Premiership is so cash rich that the top teams now will always be the top teams. I don't see it that way though - Leeds were there and blew it, and a side like Everton could get there with shrewd management and a couple of years in the Champions League.

In forty years an enormous amount will change. Maybe the current 'big four' will still be in the Premiership though, given their infrastructure and fan base. That said, Man City and Sheff Wed, in real life, have massive crowds week in week out but that hasn't stopped either being relegated.

So, Man Utd. In this game, I think the debt got them in the end. The interest on the loans were bad, and they didn't spend much for a couple of seasons. Couple that with a poor managerial appointment, and they slipped down the leagues, with their stars demanding to leave.

Once that happened, they went into freefall - an unhappy club who wasted their transfer budget somehow managed to get themselves relegated, and from there they were really in trouble - Championship TV money couldn't pay for their loan debt so they constantly found themselves without any spending money. It was only their huge ground that kept them afloat.

Treading water until the loan was paid off, their reputation dropped to Championship level and now they struggle. But with the loan now cleared, they are a cash rich club again thanks to their support, and will undoubtedly be back. They just need a good manager now.

As for Sheff Wed, they are proof that in FM, loyal and big crowds leads to money, and money, in the long run, leads to success. Perhaps they won't all be as successful as Sheff Wed, but that club took the base of a big stadium (for the lower leagues), a big crowd, and turned it into a success story. They also made some excellent managerial choices. Also, behind the scenes, they have a whole bunch of 170+ CA staff - this revolution hasn't simply been down to Right Mid 1.

So how do I think it's modelled? Well, I love the fact that times change. I'd like big clubs to gain or lose more fanbase than they do, but then historically successful clubs like Forest retain their support, so perhaps that's realistic.

I do want another big club to go down though - Liverpool have come close so many times.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by Jambon:

Can i enquire if AFC wimbledon ever overtook MK dons?

No, they haven't, but the MK Dons have been down in the Conference South, where AFC Wimbledon spend most of their time.

2016/17 was the closest, when both clubs were in the Conference South, MK Dons coming 3rd to AFC Wimbledon's 14th. MK Dons won the league a year later and they've never been back to that level.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by dniprofan:

I have a similar enquiry, did FC United of Manchester ever make it into League/Conference football?

No, they've never made it into a recognised league.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by derekthetree:

Just thought I'd join the long list of people to give my congratulations to kipfizh.

I noticed this thread, read the start and the end and left it at that. Then I had this niggling thought in the back of my mind... "what happended in all those years in between?"

So over the past few weeks, in my lunchbreaks , I've been working my way through the thread, following the trials and tribulations of the Bandits and all those future talents... and I have to say it was well worth it. A very fun and exciting thread to read. I'm just sad to have reached the end... for the moment.

So thanks again and, if its not too much trouble, could you let me know what level Hinckley United are playing at "nowadays"!

Glad you enjoyed it!

As for Hinckley, they reached the Conference in 2007/08 but got relegated immediately. They've spent the rest of their years bouncing between the Conference North and obscurity, and they've been out of a recognised league since 2040/41.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by CockneyPotter:

Hi

I have now read all of this Iup to date by early Dec and have been following for updates since. A true epic and fantastic read.

Just wondered if you (Kipfizh) would be interested in me ocnverting this to a dedicated website - a suitable domain name is available (banditsfc.co.uk) and I am happy to buy it and host it and then convert your epic into a site - Let me know what you think! and of course keep up the great work.

Cheers

Alan

Sounds absolutely fantastic, and feel free to go for it! If you need any info or help, drop me a line to the email in my profile.

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by hoppie00:

I find the way how i got attached to certain members of the Super Bandits quite bizarre, how i'd always look out for the Centre Def who had left home to go to Milan, for some reason he was my hero having been the only one to leave England (bar idiot 1 i think).

Haha - he was my favourite one too!

[kipfizh]

Originally posted by MrPeall:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by OlaGunna:

Hi Long time reader, 1st time poster.

For the amount of posts and updates that Kipfizh has done for this thread and im sure some posts on other threads. I find it a huge surprise to see he is still an amateur on the karma rankings. Shows it takes a lot of posting just to get off the basic.

Anyway wanted to say thanks for this, you are a hero to many people on here.

I Second that!

Out of wonderment, what's the games playing time at? And what's your status on the opening screen?

Ta </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Only 6 days, 14 hours, because most of the report writing is done with Genie Scout as a help.

Mind you, that's a lot of 40 minute train rides to work...

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Season report

The Bandits were not used to being in the news so much. Throughout the entire summer there was speculation that Left Back 1 wouldn’t make it to August, but as he started to bring new faces into the club it became clear that the board were going to give him one more chance to impress. But the smart money was still on him becoming the first Premiership manager to lose his job this season.

And so it transpired. After an uninspiring summer of signings, the season started poorly with a loss at Sunderland, before a comfortable win at home to Barnsley set them off. But with the manager under huge pressure, the next two fixtures were ones he’d rather avoid, matches against the dominant pairing of Sheff Wed and Chelsea.

But draws were gained in both games, and he kept his job despite continuing unrest in the stands. A win over Bolton in the League Cup was a welcome distraction, but the feeling was that he was one poor result away from the sack, and a dismal defeat away at QPR was the final nail in the coffin, and he was removed from his post after only sixteen months.

Neil Angus appeared the best of the candidates to replace him, and with the board choosing carefully amidst an international break, they made the right choice and appointed the experienced man. His honeymoon period was excellent, winning four and drawing one of his opening five matches, including two League Cup victories pushing them into the quarter finals of their favourite competition.

Losses against Arsenal and Charlton put them back in mid table, and until Christmas they were alternating victories with defeats and staying firmly in the central pack. The League Cup quarter final against Man City, who would finish second in the Premiership, was a tough match, but an excellent performance from veteran keeper Owen Paris and a solitary goal from Javier Esteban Martin was enough to put them through to their seventh League Cup semi final.

The alternation of good performances with bad continued after Christmas, best demonstrated when they suffered the worst defeat in their history, a 5-0 stuffing at Anfield, before hammering Burnley 4-0 just four days later. It was an impressive reaction.

As December turned to January, the transfer window opened and Angus made some shrewd signings, albeit mostly ones for the future. The fans began to get excited that they may just be turning a corner, and the players themselves were impressed by what they saw from some of the youngsters. It appeared the baton would soon be passed.

On the pitch, the Bandits received an awful FA Cup draw, going to Anfield again a little over a week after being torn apart there. But a much improved performance saw a 1-1 draw gained, and the pride of at least taking them to a replay. It would get so much better, as by way of revenge Liverpool would be played off the park in the second match, the Bandits running out comfortable 3-0 winners.

With the team in mid table, unlikely to challenge for Europe or get sucked into a relegation battle, the cups were proving to be important, but the League Cup draw was unkind, pitting them against Sheff Wed, who for the third year in succession, were dominating all that came before them. They would end up winning the Premiership by another huge margin of thirteen points, and as the League Cup winners for the past two seasons, it was an uphill battle.

Sky were busy building up the clash, pointing to all the history between the clubs. Twice in successive years they played each other in the final, winning one each, while out of the previous six League Cup semi finals the Bandits had won an impressive five. Could they continue that fine record?

The home leg came first, and with Finley and Martin missing, the strikeforce looked weak. Sheff Wed took the lead through a penalty, and more injuries meant that Tom Sayer, the club’s 19 year old star youth prospect, came on for only his second appearance up front. But he was to star in a fantastic turnaround, scoring both goals as the Bandits won 2-1. Sheff Wed missed a penalty that would’ve handed them the initiative, but the tie was evenly poised going into the return leg.

With the fixture computer playing pranks on the two teams, they would face off again in the Premiership, Sheff Wed again coming to town four days before the second leg. This time, they would score a late winner to head back up north with all three points.

The second leg was one of the best performances in the club’s history. By half time, they had raced into a 3-0 lead at the home of the world’s dominant club, and despite having a man sent off, extended the lead to 4-0 in the second half, Scott McDermott completing his hattrick. Sheff Wed scored two late consolation goals, but they were never going to be enough as the Bandits eased into their sixth League Cup final.

The other team from Sheffield, Sheff Utd, came to town for an FA Cup match and were also knocked out, before the Premiership campaign came back into focus. As before, their form stuttered as they alternated wins with defeats, before a disappointing exit to Championship basement club Notts County in the FA Cup. With the league season petering out into mid table mediocrity, it all came down to the League Cup final, where once again they would square off against a resurgent Liverpool team.

The first half was shaded by the Bandits, with the Liverpool keeper pulling off a number of good saves, but two Liverpool goals in the second half did for them, despite the Bandits having the bulk of the play. Liverpool’s stopper would end up with a ten, and the Bandits would leave with a painful 2-0 defeat, and the knowledge that only the league remained.

They were ninth, and it would take a monumental effort to challenge for a European place, and with six games to go and some form restored, it appeared possible. But they would score only twice in the final six games, picking up only two points to slip back to 11th, their worst finish in seven years.

So the season, ultimately, was a massive disappointment, yet the Bandits still retain the notion of optimism. Under previous managers, they could see that their club was heading in the wrong direction, with an aging first team and no up and coming stars. Now, however, the poor form of the first team can be excused as the team itself is largely the construction of prior regimes. The exciting prospects are now bursting through, however, with Thomas and Sayer quickly improving, and a number of starlets purchased by Angus in January.

They will once again be absent from Europe next season, but they are a team in transition. Will Angus get the time he needs to turn this club around?

Honours: League Cup (2044, 2047)

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Season summary

2006-07, English Conference South - 1st, FA Trophy - Winners

2007-08, English National Conference - 7th, FA Trophy - Final

2008-09, English National Conference – 7th

2009-10, English National Conference – 9th

2010-11, English National Conference – 6th

2011-12, English National Conference – 18th

2012-13, English National Conference – 5th

2013-14, English National Conference – 1st

2014-15, English League Two – 21st

2015-16, English League Two – 21st

2016-17, English League Two – 6th

2017-18, English League Two – 6th

2018-19, English League Two – 7th

2019-20, English League Two – 6th, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – South Semi Final

2020-21, English League Two – 10th

2021-22, English League Two – 1st, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy - Final

2022-23, English League One – 13th, Johnstone’s Paint Trophy – South Semi Final

2023-24, English League One – 11th, League Cup – Final

2024-25, English League One – 11th, League Cup – Semi-Final

2025-26, English League One – 18th

2026-27, English League One – 17th

2027-28, English League One – 14th

2028-29, English League One – 20th

2029-30, English League One – 1st

2030-31, English Championship – 14th

2031-32, English Championship – 10th, League Cup – Final

2032-33, English Championship – 12th

2033-34, English Championship – 8th

2034-35, English Championship – 21st

2035-36, English Championship – 2nd

2036-37, English Premiership – 17th

2037-38, English Premiership – 12th

2038-39, English Premiership – 15th, FA Cup – Semi-Final

2039-40, English Premiership – 11th

2040-41, English Premiership – 14th

2041-42, English Premiership – 13th

2042-43, English Premiership – 11th

2043-44, English Premiership – 6th, League Cup – Winners

2044-45, English Premiership – 9th

2045-46

English Premiership: (Pos 3), P 38, W 18, D 9, L 11, F 55, A 46, GD +9, Pts 63

(Media Prediction: 9th)

Intertoto Cup: Qualified for UEFA Cup

UEFA Cup: Group Stage

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: 4th Round

2046-47

English Premiership: (Pos 2), P 38, W 19, D 13, L 6, F 63, A 40, GD +23, Pts 70

(Media Prediction: 5th)

Champions League: Group Stage

FA Cup: 4th Round

League Cup: Winners

2047-48

English Premiership: (Pos 5), P 38, W 17, D 9, L 12, F 52, A 52, GD 0, Pts 60

(Media Prediction: 3rd)

Champions League: 1st Knockout Round

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: Final

2048-49

English Premiership: (Pos 9), P 38, W 13, D 15, L 10, F 50, A 49, GD +1, Pts 54

(Media Prediction: 5th)

UEFA Cup: Semi Final

FA Cup: 3rd Round

League Cup: 3rd Round

2049-50

English Premiership: (Pos 11), P 38, W 15, D 7, L 16, F 53, A 52, GD +1, Pts 52

(Media Prediction: 7th)

League

FA Cup: 5th Round

League Cup: Final

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - Best and Worst

General

Stats

Finance Overview

New records:

Highest Attendance: 139993 v Sheff Wed, League Cup semi final 1st leg (previous: 139992)

Biggest Defeat: 5-0 v Liverpool (a), Premiership (previous: 4-0)

This season:

Best player – Johnstone, 7.44

Top scorer – Finley, 20

Worst player – Hernandez, 6.16

After two years at the top, Barcelona knock the Bandits off the top of the rich list by less than a million.

Rich Clubs

[kipfizh]

Bandits report - First XI Summary

GK: Johnstone (30, 173/173) – 7.44

LB: Mnguni (32, 159/175) – 6.84

CB: de Jong (29, 170/170) – 6.88

CB: Fatih (27, 169/173) – 7.17

RB: Stroud (23, 157/177) – 6.73

LM: Jones (30, 159/183) – 7.03

CM: Remy (27, 166/166) – 6.42

CM: Reid (28, 165/170) – 6.46

RM: Lamberti (28, 145/146) – 6.73

ST: Martin (27, 178/178) – 7.15

ST: Finley (29, 168/169) – 7.23

Average age – 28.2 (up from last year’s 27.5)

Average CA – 164.5 (up from last year’s 163.9)

Average rating – 6.92 (up from last year’s 6.72)

With the switch back to 4-4-2, Neil Angus is making much better use of his squad than Left Back 1 ever did. The most notable aspect of this is Martyn Jones, who was averaging only just over six in a central midfield role last but now in his favoured position of left wing is playing very well.

The average age goes up a little, mainly because young Thomas was dropped as the third choice centre back, but with the youth players brought into the club this is now less of a worry. The average ability goes up despite the arrival of Lamberti, with a CA of just 145, while the performances of the team are much improved from last season. It seems they are in transition and really could push forwards next season.

[kipfizh]

Bandits report – Outside the first XI

Dropped:

Corradini (RWB): Hansen replaced him for the first half of the season, then Stroud was signed and sealed his place.

Thomas (CB): With the switch back to 4-4-2, one of the three centre backs had to miss out, and it was young Thomas. His time will come again.

Sold:

Dreyfus (CM): The right winger, who was played in central midfield last season, sees his loan spell end and is replaced with new signing Reid.

Prospects

Sayer (19, 125/174) gained another 20 CA points, and memorably came on in the first leg of the League Cup semi final with Sheff Wed, scoring both goals to set up a trip to the final. Rarely given an opportunity this season because of the strikers ahead of him, he is nonetheless an excellent prospect.

Ellis (17, 101/174) seems to be quite the player, and also managed to score in a rare appearance this season.

Thomas (21, 155/173) is back in the prospects section after losing his first team place thanks to the formation switch, but gains four points of CA and has a bright future.

Forde (21, 134/168) is versatile, but is yet to break into the Bandits side on a regular basis.

Thomas is on the brink of the first team, while Sayer and Ellis have impressed in their rare cup outings. Forde is less of a prospect but a useful player nonetheless, especially given his ability to play in a number of positions.

The future is bright if these players are kept and a few more brought in. Will Angus continue this long term plan?

[kipfizh]

Competitions - Other stats

England successfully completed their World Cup qualifying campaign, winning all ten matches without conceding a goal, and will travel to Mexico in fine form. They will open their campaign with group stage matches against Holland, Japan and Colombia.

For the third season running, Sheff Wed ran away with the Premiership, this time winning it by thirteen points from Man City in second. Liverpool enjoyed a resurgence to finish fourth, while the Ben Clayton effect took hold at Chelsea, who dropped to seventh. After fourteen seasons in the Championship, Man Utd head straight back there after getting relegated again, along with Newcastle and Barnsley.

West Ham, who also finished third in the Premiership, lifted the FA Cup, beating the luckless Barnsley in the final, but it was Oldham who provided the story of the competition, the League One side reaching the semi finals. Hapless Kendal Town extended their own record losing streak in the cup, with their eleventh straight defeat in the qualifying rounds.

A resurgent Liverpool beat the Bandits in the League Cup final, and are now the club with the most League Cup wins (11), while the Bandits’ semi final first leg match with Sheff Wed held not only a record number of fans at their ground, but the most in the competition’s history, with 139993.

Marseille won their first Champions League trophy in nineteen years, beating Chelsea on penalties in the final after drawing 2-2. The French side went on an impressive run in the competition, hammering Inter 5-0 on aggregate in the semis. Meanwhile, QPR triumphed in the UEFA Cup, hammering Milan in the final. Championship side Chesterfield, who won the FA Cup last season, went out in the first round.

[kipfizh]

Player reports – the original Bandits

Goalkeeper 1 – Retired from playing 03/07/2032

2032-, Sunderland (scout), CA 170, PA 170

2033-2034, Liverpool (scout), CA 170, PA 170

2034-2047, West Ham (assistant manager), CA 162, PA 170

2047-, Bandits (assistant manager), CA 143, PA 170

Remains the Bandits’ assistant manager despite the sacking of Left Back 1, but the club are struggling at the moment and in transition.

Goalkeeper 2 – Retired from playing 27/06/2032

2032-, Tottenham (scout), CA 170, PA 170

2033-2034, Birmingham (assistant manager), CA 170, PA 170

2034-2042, Leeds (assistant manager), CA 169, PA 170

2042-2043, Leeds (manager), CA 170, PA 170

2043-2044, No Club, CA 170, PA 170

2044-2045, Arsenal (manager), CA 170, PA 170

2045-2046, No Club, CA 167, PA 170

2046-2048, Morecambe (manager), CA 163, PA 170

2048-2049, No Club, CA 161, PA 170

2049-, Newcastle (manager), CA 154, PA 170

Joined Newcastle at the start of the season and once again struggled badly, getting them relegated after a poor season.

Left Back 1 – Retired from playing 30/06/2030

2030-2031, Scunthorpe (fitness coach), CA 110, PA 110

2031-2034, Tottenham (assistant manager), CA 110, PA 110

2034-2035, Tottenham (coach), CA 110, PA 110

2035-2041, Tottenham (assistant manager), CA 110, PA 110

2041-2042, Tottenham (manager), CA 109, PA 110

2042-2048, England (manager), CA 90, PA 110

2048-2049, Bandits (manager), CA 88, PA 110

2049-, No Club, CA 88, PA 110

Was sacked after a poor start to the season at the Bandits, and having been jettisoned by his favoured club, is out of work.

Right Mid 1 – Retired from playing 25/04/2026

2026-2027, Aston Villa (youth coach), CA 130, PA 130

2027-2035, Chelsea (assistant manager), CA 130, PA 130

2035-2037, Chelsea (manager), CA 130, PA 130

2037-2038, Roma (manager), CA 130, PA 130

2038-2042, Chelsea (manager), CA 129, PA 130

2042-2043, No Club, CA 130, PA 130

2043-2045, Milan (manager), CA 126, PA 130

2045-2047, Barcelona (manager), CA 124, PA 130

2047-, Sheff Wed (manager), CA 116, PA 130

Claimed the Premiership with Sheff Wed for the third season running, but for once that was his only trophy of the season. They remain the dominant force of English football under his guidance.

Centre Mid 1 – Retired from playing 02/07/2030

2030-2032, Liverpool (youth coach), CA 110, PA 110

2032-2039, Reading (coach), CA 109, PA 110

2039-2040, No Club, CA 108, PA 110

2040-, Yeovil (coach), CA 101, PA 110

Has now been a coach at Yeovil for a decade, but still doesn’t rate them as a favoured club. They have a fantastic season though, finishing third in League Two and winning promotion.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis - Teams and Managers

Premiership

1 (1). Sheff Wed, Right Mid 1 (60, 116/130)

2 (7). Man City, Ian Hare (54, 113/120)

3 (5). West Ham, Danny Gamble (63, 92/120)

4 (6). Liverpool, Wayne Heard (56, 109/120)

5 (8). Crystal Palace, Scott Tait (53, 105/110)

6 (4). QPR, Allen Mortimer (56, 111/114)

7 (3). Chelsea, Ben Clayton (56, 85/93)

8 (15). Aston Villa, James Reynolds (52, 103/106)

9 (11). Sunderland, David Bullimore (58, 108/110) (new manager)

10 (P), Charlton, Matthew Sadler (48, 131/131) (new manager)

11 (9). Bandits, Neil Angus (63, 121/137) (new manager)

12 (16). West Brom, Adam Pullen (56, 108/120)

13 (14). Arsenal, Gary Doyle (52, 120/120)

14 (12). Burnley, Thomas Benton (45, 62/62) (new manager)

15 (2). Derby , Radim Kucera (48, 170/170) (new manager)

16 (P). Scunthorpe, Lewis Flanagan (58, 127/138)

17 (17). Tottenham, Joey Kamara (51, 116/120) (new manager)

18 (10). Newcastle, Goalkeeper 2 (60, 154/170) (new manager)

19 (P). Man Utd, Febian Brandy (61, 90/101)

20 (13). Barnsley, James Ainslie (44, 120/120)

Right Mid 1 claimed his third successive Premiership crown with Sheff Wed, and again managed it comfortably. Behind him, Ian Hare continued his fine revival of Man City while Danny Gamble comes towards the end of his illustrious career.

Ben Clayton, having become manager of Chelsea, is taking them backwards at an impressive rate, and will surely be sacked before long, while Derby have a dramatic plunge from second to fifteenth. They have now hired an excellent manager though, and are likely to recover.

Matthew Sadler leads Charlton to midtable in their first season back, but Burnley are in massive trouble after hiring poorly.

Promoted from Championship

1 ®. Leeds, Mark Nicholson (48, 119/119) (new manager)

2 (12), Chesterfield, Matt Knight (54, 124/130)

6 (4), Morecambe, Tommy Spurr (62, 60/84)

Leeds and Chesterfield are well set, but Morecambe are in dire trouble with a manager like that.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis - Reputation

(league position in bold)

1 (1). Sheff Wed (1) – 9545 (-118)

2 (2). Chelsea (7) – 8947 (-202)

3 (3). QPR (6) – 8458 (-146)

4 (4). West Ham (3) – 8340 (+8)

5 (5). Liverpool (4) – 8218 (-43)

6 (6). Bandits (11) – 7914 (-219)

7 (9). Man City (2) – 7723 (+341)

8 (7). Sunderland (9) – 7649 (-130)

9 (14). Derby (15) – 7547 (+545)

10 (-). Charlton (10) – 7304 (-1)

11 (17). Crystal Palace (5) – 7165 (+534)

12 (8). West Brom (12) – 7163 (-283)

13 (12). Arsenal (13) – 7043 (-76)

14 (13). Aston Villa (8) – 7006 (-26)

15 (-). Scunthorpe (16) – 6779 (+3)

16 (15). Tottenham (17) – 6769 (-189)

17 (18). Burnley (14) – 6611 (+305)

18 (11). Newcastle (18) – 6217 (-981)

19 (-). Man Utd (19) – 6077 (+82)

20 (16). Barnsley (20) – 6023 (-703)

Promoted sides

Leeds – 8119 (+778)

Chesterfield – 6426

Morecambe – 6617

Not too much change at the top of the list this year – the top six remain in the same order, with all but West Ham losing a little reputation. The Bandits have the biggest drop in the top six, after another season out of Europe. Man City make a decent climb after coming second in the league, while Crystal Palace’s excellent top five finish forces people to sit up and take notice.

At the other end, Newcastle plummet after their relegation, while Man Utd and Barnsley also sit well adrift of the rest of the league.

Leeds should have no trouble staying up, their recent European stints ensuring their reputation stays up even though they spent a season in the Championship, while Chesterfield and Morecambe have a fighting chance if they bring in the right players.

[kipfizh]

Premiership Analysis – Team Ability

(league position in bold)

1 (3). West Ham (3) – 74.33 (+1.19)

2 (4). Chelsea (7) – 74.20 (+1.15)

3 (2). Sheff Wed (1) – 73.49 (+0.09)

4 (1). Liverpool (4) – 73.33 (-0.17)

5 (5). Arsenal (13) – 72.51 (-0.49)

6 (6). Tottenham (17) – 71.54 (-0.40)

7 (9). Aston Villa (8) – 70.48 (-0.71)

8 (7). Sunderland (9) – 70.41 (-1.22)

9 (8). Bandits (11) – 70.17 (-1.27)

10 (12). QPR (6) – 70.07 (+0.54)

11 (15). Derby (15) – 69.06 (+1.39)

12 (-). Charlton (10) – 68.89 (+0.97)

13 (10). Man City (2) – 68.87 (-1.96)

14 (11). Newcastle (18) – 68.64 (-1.51)

15 (14). West Brom (12) – 68.53 (-0.22)

16 (16). Barnsley (20) – 67.96 (+0.35)

17 (-). Man Utd (19) – 66.86 (+0.69)

18 (17). Crystal Palace (5) – 66.77 (+0.25)

19 (-). Scunthorpe (16) – 66.24 (-1.03)

20 (18). Burnley (14) – 65.07 (-0.19)

Promoted sides

Leeds – 66.60 (-2.30)

Chesterfield – 63.48

Morecambe – 65.07

West Ham rise back to the top after making excellent improvements to their side, while Chelsea also improve in quality to move into second. It is a measure of how poorly Ben Clayton is doing at Chelsea that he has taken them backwards even though their squad is so strong.

Sheff Wed drop to third despite improving, while Liverpool fall three places to fourth. Sunderland and the Bandits lose a lot of quality, while Derby improve. Man City, despite finishing second, suffer a big drop in quality, which they’ll look to address with Champions League football on the horizon.

After one season in the Championship, Leeds cannot avoid losing some of their top players, while Chesterfield particularly need to dip into the transfer market.

Overachievers : Man City, Crystal Palace

Underachievers : Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham

Title Prediction : Sheff Wed to make it four in a row

Relegation Prediction : Spurs, Morecambe and Burnley to go down

[kipfizh]

Summary

It has been a dramatic season for the Bandits. After so much stability, they made another managerial change, sacking Left Back 1 and replacing him with the experienced Neil Angus. The new manager will probably only continue for a couple more years, but he is making the right sort of signings, focusing on ensuring the Bandits have a squad for the future.

On the pitch, they reached another League Cup final but lost it, while another poor season in the Premiership means that they will once again be missing out on European football.

Angus needs time to build up his squad, and hopefully a couple of strong signings in the summer could see the Bandits push forward again. Will he get the time he needs before the board gets impatient, or will he retire with the job only partly done?

Sheff Wed hammer the rest of the Premiership once again, but the cups are spread around more this year. Internationally, it is World Cup year again – who will be the stars this summer?

Bandit’s former manager watch

Justin Edinburgh has retired.

Steve Brackstone has retired

Gary Perry has retired.

Dean Glover has retired.

Martin Lawton has retired.

Danny Gamble took West Ham up two places to third in the Premiership, and won the FA Cup, but is still said to be disappointed at how things are going.

Phil Edwards has retired.

Ben Clayton is taking yet another club backwards, but amusingly this time it is Chelsea, who fell to seventh after the poorest season in a long time.

Stuart Davies has retired.

Left Back 1 has been out of work since sacked by the Bandits.

[kipfizh]

World View - Ones to watch

Your annual guide to the stars of tomorrow:

Andre Luis (19, 123/198) is a Brazilian attacking midfielder with a Spanish passport, who is currently plying his trade with Barcelona. The ‘next Zinho’ is quite a talent, and has already caused quite a stir – with his contract expiring in the summer he is moving to Barca’s great rivals, Real Madrid, on a free transfer.

Raymond van Dijk (18, 110/195) is a Dutch right back and a graduate of Ajax’s famed academy. He has played one match for the first team and actually scored on his debut. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Previous tips

Carlo Lupo (34, 146/198), the Italian centre back, lost ten points of CA, but did the unthinkable, and joined Derby on loan after falling out of favour with Barcelona, playing a major role in keeping them in the Premiership.

Patrick Schmidt has retired.

Pereira (33, 121/187), the Portuguese defensive midfielder, lost 16 more CA points, but cannot get into Bayern’s team anymore and will retire in the summer.

Tony Allison (30, 168/192), the winger and forward, lost 12 points, and is still a West Ham regular, but his performances are much poorer than they once were.

Ronnie Blundell (29, 180/195), the central midfielder, started his decline, losing seven points of CA, playing reasonably for Real Madrid without setting the world alight.

Hugues Guichard (28, 179/195), the French striker, loses another eight points of CA, but gets back in the Bayern Munich side, scoring 18 goals in 30 matches at an average of 7.53.

Bjorn Strand (27, 193/193), the Norwegian striker, stays at his peak for the third season in succession, and has another fabulous season for West Ham, scoring 25 goals.

Ante Bacic (28, 184/189) the Croatian central defender, loses three points of CA, but after a decent start to the season at Inter, joins Barcelona for 16.25m and plays fantastically well for them, displacing Carlo Lupo from the team.

Henrik Berg (27, 181/188), the Norwegian left winger, rose three more points of CA, but is now unlikely to reach his peak. For the second season running he struggles at Inter, playing poorly and scoring only one goal.

Umit Abdulkadir (25, 197/199), the Turkish striker, didn’t gain on his CA at all, so misses out on the chance to hit his potential this season, but scores ten goals in sixteen matches for Real Madrid, and has a ridiculous 173m minimum fee release clause.

Sergey Sergienko (26, 193/193), the Russian central midfielder, gained his final three CA points, but despite being firmly established as a world beater, continues to struggle for Inter.

Reiner Helbig (24, 184/199), the German defensive midfielder, continued his very slow improvement, gaining one more point, and is really struggling at Chelsea, averaging a very poor 6.42.

Leonardo (23, 185/185), the Brazilian striker, has now hit his superb peak, but incredibly refuses to leave Internacional, where he scored another nine goals in ten matches. He may be the best player never to play in the European leagues in many years, and he signed a new contract only in January.

Peter Schulz (25, 188/188), the German striker, is still at his peak, as he has been for three years, but didn’t have such a prolific season, scoring thirteen goals. He may have been distracted by his upcoming move to Bayern Munich, who are pinching him on a Bosman.

Gary Cooper (24, 182/182), the English centre back, gained his final six points of CA, and finally settled at Arsenal, playing well for the first time. However, he is now slightly unsettled.

Fabrizio Bucci (24, 199/199), the Italian striker, stormed to his astonishing potential and his still only 24. With another 28 goals this season, and 40 in 41 caps for Italy, he is set to be the star of this summer’s World Cup.

Joe Galloway (23, 177/190), the English left back, rose four more points, playing very well for West Ham once again.

Guillaume Charton (23, 183/194), the French goalkeeper, gains just one points of CA, but continues to star for Lyon and France. He will be tough to beat this summer.

Juan Perez (20, 170/194), the Mexican right winger, gains another ten points of CA as he races towards his massive potential, and averaged 7.90 for Chivas. He is a couple of weeks away from recovering from a broken ankle, and having made his international debut this season, he will be desperate to prove his fitness ahead of the World Cup, where they are the hosts.

Aaron Lomas (21, 152/198) the English striker, slowed his improvement down, gaining just seven points, and he made the inevitable move from Scunthorpe to Chelsea on a free transfer. However, they loaned him to Aldershot, where he played well, and the Bandits have now lodged a 15.5m bid.

Primoz Kercmar (21, 151/190) the Norwegian defensive midfielder, gained another ten points, and moved again, this time to Lyon, who paid Sunderland 2.5m for him. He has barely played for his new club.

Graham Thomas (19, 153/198), the English centre back, went up another fourteen CA points, and played the occasional match for Arsenal, doing well when he got the chance.

Francisco Javier Rua (21, 156/192), the Spanish left winger, gained fourteen CA points, and played adequately for Valencia before Chelsea saw enough to pay 10m for him. He has been appalling for them so far, averaging 6.18 despite being a regular.

[kipfizh]

World View - World beaters

For the first time, Fabrizio Bucci (24, 199/199) reaches the top spot, and deservedly so. The 24 year old has been prolific for years, and after another stunning season for Inter, he is threatening to dominate this summer’s World Cup. His international record is frightening.

Fabrizio Bucci

After only one year at the top, Turkish striker Umit Abdulkadir (25, 199/199) falls off the top spot because he fails to improve his CA. However, he still scores plenty of goals for Real Madrid, and is likely to join Bucci at the 199 mark and challenge the Italian for major honours. Unfortunately for him, he won’t be at the World Cup as Turkey failed to qualify.

Umit Abdulkadir

Bjorn Strand (27, 193/193), the Norwegian striker, remains at his peak, but with the improvement of Bucci he is now down in joint third. Scoring another 25 goals this season, he is as prolific as ever, but like Abdulkadir will be staying at home in the summer as Norway did not qualify for the World Cup.

Bjorn Strand

Joint with Strand is Russian central midfielder Sergey Sergienko (26, 193/193), who again struggled despite his clear ability. He is powerful and creative but just can’t enforce himself on Inter’s midfield. Russia’s failure to qualify for the World Cup means that Fabrizio Bucci will be the only world star on show.

Sergey Sergienko

[kipfizh]

World View - Distribution of 180+ CA players

The clubs

Inter – 5 (-) (199, 193, 185, 181, 180)

Real Madrid – 4 (-1) (197, 188, 185, 180)

Roma – 3 (-) (187, 181, 181)

Chelsea – 3 (-1) (184, 181, 180)

Bayern Munich – 2 (-2) (187, 185)

Milan – 2 (-1) (185, 184)

Liverpool – 2 (-) (182, 181)

West Ham – 1 (-1) (193)

Hamburg – 1 (-) (188)

Internacional – 1 (-) (185)

Barcelona – 1 (+1) (184)

Deportivo – 1 (-) (184)

Lyon – 1 (-) (183)

Valencia – 1 (-1) (182)

Veracruz – 1 (-) (182)

Arsenal – 1 (+1) (182)

Lazio – 1 (-) (180)

QPR – 0 (-1)

Total – 31 (-6)

Even with the number of star players dropping by six, Inter remain on top with five, including two of the world’s four 190+ players. Real Madrid and Chelsea remain up there, while Roma are becoming quite the force.

Barcelona and Arsenal come back on to the list, but QPR fall away.

The leagues

Italy – 11 (-1)

Spain – 7 (-1)

England – 7 (-2)

Germany – 3 (-2)

Brazil – 1 (-)

France – 1 (-)

Mexico – 1 (-)

Total – 31 (-6)

With six less stars to go around, none of the leagues gain any, but Serie A is still a clear leader, especially with the Premiership continuing to lose them.

There remain seven leagues on the list, a far cry from the usual four.

The nationalities

Germany – 5 (-)

France – 4 (-2)

Spain – 4 (-1)

England – 3 (-1)

Italy – 2 (-1)

Norway – 2 (+1)

Brazil – 2 (+1)

Turkey – 1 (-)

Russia – 1 (-)

Portugal – 1 (-)

Holland – 1 (-1)

Croatia – 1 (-)

Greece – 1 (-)

Chile – 1 (-)

Scotland – 1 (-)

Peru – 1 (-)

Czech Republic – 0 (-1)

Romania – 0 (-1)

Total – 31 (-6)

In a crucial World Cup year, it is Germany who reach the top spot for the first time in many years, knocking France down to second along with Spain. England are the weakest they’ve been in a World Cup year for a long time, especially as their three stars are all only just over 180, while Portugal are far below where they’d expect to be.

Brazil will be looking to make a mark in their home continent, as the tournament will be held in Mexico.

[kipfizh]

Phew, that was a long one! I think I've spammed this thread enough for one night....

[Hello From Hell]

Nice one kip, looking forward to seeing how Man United do!

[Sazchu]

Loved it, really happy to see man united crash down to the championship again, hope they do a few years of freefalling and also hoping to see the bandits back in europe soon.

KUTGW kip

[chopper99]

Great update as always

I'm very excited about the Bandits bid for Aaron Lomas, I hope to god they get him. If the manager keeps targeting players like that then I think good times are ahead.

[Ste93]

awesome update as always kip.

just a personal enquiry, how are my team Bury doing? i half remember you mentioning getting relegeted to below the confrence north (!!!) jw if we got back?

KUTGW!

[CockneyPotter]

BanditsFC.co.ukOK Everyone I have started the development of a dedicated Bandits F.C website. Very early days but over the coming weeks it will

get up to date with the story on this forum.

Any suggestions, ideas etc etc please feel free to email webmaster at [@] bandits.co.uk

Cheers

Alan

[JRHaggs]

May we have an Aaron Lomas screenshot, please? Exciting stuff as usual.

You're the man!