Hey All!

[Mattias333]

A Leeds fan without a sense of humour who would have thought it Only messing around chap, no need to be like that. To be fair we've signed a fair few decent players from Leeds so cant complain, your obviously doing something right

[tomtuck01]

I'm not a Leeds fan......

[Mattias333]

....ok then

[USMNT10]

Thanks for all the responses guys. I wish I wouldn't have made this thread a little bit later in the month. I am already losing sleep thinking about the release of this game. So pumped.

As for "picking" my favorite team, I will take my time and let it grow on me rather than actually choosing who I like.

[Mattias333]

Too right chap! Best way.

I did that when picking my MLS side. I wanted a new challenege and experience back on FM12 when it was growing stale on me and needed something to tie over until FM13 release. I took time out to learn all the different rules and I swear on my life, playing in the MLS was the best FM experience ive had in a long time, simply because it was so different to anything id ever faced in FM world.

I took over Seattle at the time and they've effectively became my MLS as I took time out to learn there history (or lack of it back then lol), watch them over the internet etc...as well as playing as them on FM12.

Wait and see what FM14 brings you chap

[Dar2000]

I'm still undecided on whether to go club hopping around Europe for a decade winning as many trophies as I can or to start with a lower league club somewhere and do a Fergie

I have a few clubs in mind that appeal to me - For some reason there are always a few clubs that stand out in my mind before each version of FM is released!

[ronaldo1026]

It's funny someone mentioned Leeds. I began following English football from the states in 91-92, when back then we were lucky to get one game a week on TV, always delayed at least a day, if not more. Anyway, Leeds ended up winning the title that season, and they were on TV quite a few times...I liked their colors because I am a Michigan fan (I was only 12-13 at the time, and this was pre-internet and I didn't have much to go by), then they signed Eric Cantona and they appealed to me even more - I knew nothing of the clubs history or fans, and just followed them however I could, mostly from Shoot! magazines bc that's all we had.

A few years later I went overseas for the 98 World Cup and started my trip in England. Visiting a cousin in Cambridge, I bought a Leeds hat from a small sports store...I wasn't as much of a fan after 92 because we started getting more soccer and coverage and I had become a big Ajax fan. But hey, whatever, the hat was simple and looked good (those colors again). From then on, pretty much every Englishman I came across treated me like ****, for no reason. On the ferry over to France I was having a beer in the bar and two older fellas asked me if I was Leeds and scoffed, I said no, I just bought the hat but I liked Cantona back in the day, figuring it would curry some favor (I was a yank who liked soccer; I figured that was all I needed to enjoy some friendly conversation). I could tell these guys really didn't like Leeds and finished my drink and got out of there before anything else happened, then shoved the hat in my backpack and never wore it for the rest of the trip.

It's normal in America to buy a hat of a city's team that you've visited (or because it looks cool), no biggie. It usually won't get you into trouble (in most places), but I learned my lesson with football clubs the hard way (or almost the hard way). To this day, I don't like Leeds, and found some small personal victory when they endured hard times after overspending in the early-2000s.

To the original poster, it's hard to pick one club these days because you're exposed to everyone now, and although it's easier to follow one club, it's also easier to develop a "wandering eye." Short advice - I wouldn't choose Leeds, unless you keep it to yourself, here in America!

[Äktsjon Männ]

It's normal in America to buy a hat of a city's team that you've visited (or because it looks cool), no biggie. It usually won't get you into trouble (in most places), but I learned my lesson with football clubs the hard way (or almost the hard way). To this day, I don't like Leeds, and found some small personal victory when they endured hard times after overspending in the early-2000s.

This goes a bit off topic, but the fan culture in the US is definitely very different to anything you see in Europe. There's not a lot of partisan mentality with fans of US sports teams and that is kind of reflected in your story - the fact that everyone hated Leeds made you embarrassed to have liked them, whereas football fans in Europe are more likely to be proud of this and use it to propagate a sort of 'us against everyone' mentality. Leeds are a good example of this as are Man Utd with their stance against the England national team when English media and fans of other teams were attacking Gary Neville and later David Beckham. I've been a Chicago Bulls fan since I was 7 or 8 years old and I visit a few message boards that discuss NBA as well as other American sports. The difference in attitude to being a sports fan over there genuinely amazes me. There seems to be almost no vitriol or hatred of other teams, their players or fans. Even when it comes to intense rivalries you're not supposed to not like (or rather, respect) the other team and their players which is kind of unthinkable with sports fans on this continent.

[flogside]

What a great thread, nice to see everyone being really helpful to a genuine newbie to the beautiful game! Nice to see instead of the arguments etc you get on lots of threads.

As for clubs to to support its definitely a case of watch more football and see what club you take a shine too!!! Ive been an Arsenal fan for most of my life (25 out of 29 yrs) they were simply the first football team i ever heard of as a five yr old at school and i would never support anyone else. Naturally i follow my home town team (Southend Utd) and i follow other teams that hold personal interest (Chicago Sports teams as i lived there briefly and my father lives there), i have a penchant for following underdogs that over achieve (Zulte Waregem, Eintracht Frankfurt, Freiburg but ill always "support" one team and that The Gunners.

So give it some team and see what team grabs you the most! Good luck and enjoy the new game when its out and football in general!!!

[ronaldo1026]

There is some vitriol, but you're right - in general we keep our rivalries at an arm's length (a good thing), where as in Europe rivalries have more deep-seated differences (thinking Rangers-Celtic, Roma-Lazio, etc) and the fact that your cities and teams are much closer together than ours. Colleges typically have more of an "us vs. them" aspect to it because you can be actual alumni and these rivalries are generally more local than, say, Yankees-Red Sox (a big rivalry, but still two closely-located cities that are separated by a couple of hours). Unfortunately some violence has popped up in the last year or two between LA Dodgers and SF Giants fans.

An odd thing I've found in my experience, mainly with the NFL, is how huge fantasy football has become, and how players have started to trump teams I root for/against. For instance, I'm less likely to hate the Dallas Cowboys if I have Tony Romo or Dez Bryant on my team...even if 20 yrs ago I hate the Cowboys

[flogside]

Really like reading this thread

Hopefully I can add to this as well.

Not American, but German perspective. It's 1993 and CM93 finds its way into my Amiga. It's a UK game only and the EPL has not yet made its way up to the top. The name of the teams are familiar from back in the 80ies, playing the original Football Manager version. Back then I always took Darlington, just for the name.

In CM93, Sheffield Wednesday or Man Utd are the teams to be. Wednesday have Hurst, Warhurst and most notably the best player in this game, Chris Bart-Williams. Man Utd had young Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe. Hence I never went with either of them - too easy. Back then, I always went with teams which I could take on a rise from outside the top division.

That's how I ended up with Newcastle and West Brom (then just called W.B.A. which I found strangely appealing in a way that Q.P.R. never did). They were the teams in 2nd and 3rd divisions respectively which had the biggest budget and the highest reputation and therefore offered a good opportunity to turn them into something big. As we know today they turned into EPL regulars in real life as well.

Ever since I start each version of CM/FM with Newcastle, sometimes with West Brom. Of course that made me follow them in real life too. Later, living in Canada I met a guy from Newcastle who was baffled that I was able to name each and every reserves player of NUFC to him...

Add to the list Wolves from a later version. (I assume that Wolves and West Brom fans must hate each other, thus another example just how FM-biased my feelings for any British club are)

So after all, my recommendation to you (OP) would be to let FM pick your favourite team for you. It did for me and it served me well.

Check out which club would be a do-able challenge and it may get you hooked.

hth

Good post!!! Either watch more football or let FM choose for you! So out of interest what team to you support from your homeland?

[tomtuck01]

It's funny someone mentioned Leeds. I began following English football from the states in 91-92, when back then we were lucky to get one game a week on TV, always delayed at least a day, if not more. Anyway, Leeds ended up winning the title that season, and they were on TV quite a few times...I liked their colors because I am a Michigan fan (I was only 12-13 at the time, and this was pre-internet and I didn't have much to go by), then they signed Eric Cantona and they appealed to me even more - I knew nothing of the clubs history or fans, and just followed them however I could, mostly from Shoot! magazines bc that's all we had.

A few years later I went overseas for the 98 World Cup and started my trip in England. Visiting a cousin in Cambridge, I bought a Leeds hat from a small sports store...I wasn't as much of a fan after 92 because we started getting more soccer and coverage and I had become a big Ajax fan. But hey, whatever, the hat was simple and looked good (those colors again). From then on, pretty much every Englishman I came across treated me like ****, for no reason. On the ferry over to France I was having a beer in the bar and two older fellas asked me if I was Leeds and scoffed, I said no, I just bought the hat but I liked Cantona back in the day, figuring it would curry some favor (I was a yank who liked soccer; I figured that was all I needed to enjoy some friendly conversation). I could tell these guys really didn't like Leeds and finished my drink and got out of there before anything else happened, then shoved the hat in my backpack and never wore it for the rest of the trip.

It's normal in America to buy a hat of a city's team that you've visited (or because it looks cool), no biggie. It usually won't get you into trouble (in most places), but I learned my lesson with football clubs the hard way (or almost the hard way). To this day, I don't like Leeds, and found some small personal victory when they endured hard times after overspending in the early-2000s.

So you don't like Leeds United because you were bullied for wearing their colours? Christ don't share that tale with your children, it's a terrible example to put to them.

[deltablue]

If you leave it you'll definitely find yourself warming to clubs, so best to just let it take it's course rather than choose and see what happens. I have no 'local' or 'family' team unlike most football fans so I ended up being an Ipswich fan that way, admittedly after a very good season but there were still a lot of things to like about them and I seemed to know quite a bit about them already and it was with relegation oddly enough that the bond was confirmed.

[Lawlore]

Or, just pick Gillingham. You'll never see them on the TV, but it'd be nice for there to be four of us fans. I'm getting sick of the other two guys.

[ronaldo1026]

So you don't like Leeds United because you were bullied for wearing their colours? Christ don't share that tale with your children, it's a terrible example to put to them.

Well, I didn't really support Leeds and I was traveling solo and getting **** from nearly every English man, woman or child I came across while wearing their hat. I didn't realize why until I found out that basically every club in England's fans despised them, which is truly an impressive feat.

[tomtuck01]

Well, I didn't really support Leeds and I was traveling solo and getting **** from nearly every English man, woman or child I came across while wearing their hat. I didn't realize why until I found out that basically every club in England's fans despised them, which is truly an impressive feat.

Oh, so you were scared to be different?

No idea why you think every other clubs fans despise them. Talk about getting things so very wrong.

[ronaldo1026]

Oh, so you were scared to be different?

No idea why you think every other clubs fans despise them. Talk about getting things so very wrong.

Why have you twice tried to derail this thread by making machismo innuendos from behind a keyboard (backed up by emoticons!) by trying to **** all over my story? This was 15 years ago; I'd imagine the situation might be different now, it might not be. Move on.

[tomtuck01]

Why have you twice tried to derail this thread by making machismo innuendos from behind a keyboard (backed up by emoticons!) by trying to **** all over my story? This was 15 years ago; I'd imagine the situation might be different now, it might not be. Move on.

Don't mind me, I've just picked up on the fact that your dislike for Leeds United is somewhat peculiar given the tale you have told. If anything, I'd have thought the incident would have reaffirmed your good feeling for the club at the time and make you dislike other fans, not make you dislike Leeds.

Your story basically intrigued me as it seemed a bit back to front in the way you came to the end result.

[ronaldo1026]

It didn't come across like that, but fair enough. I suppose it could have gone that way, I wish it had gone that way for me but it didn't. I actually don't have a real favorite English team despite watching it for over 20 yrs. None really grabbed me in the "this is my team" way. I hadn't thought of that experience that way.

[USMNT10]

This goes a bit off topic, but the fan culture in the US is definitely very different to anything you see in Europe. There's not a lot of partisan mentality with fans of US sports teams and that is kind of reflected in your story - the fact that everyone hated Leeds made you embarrassed to have liked them, whereas football fans in Europe are more likely to be proud of this and use it to propagate a sort of 'us against everyone' mentality. Leeds are a good example of this as are Man Utd with their stance against the England national team when English media and fans of other teams were attacking Gary Neville and later David Beckham. I've been a Chicago Bulls fan since I was 7 or 8 years old and I visit a few message boards that discuss NBA as well as other American sports. The difference in attitude to being a sports fan over there genuinely amazes me. There seems to be almost no vitriol or hatred of other teams, their players or fans. Even when it comes to intense rivalries you're not supposed to not like (or rather, respect) the other team and their players which is kind of unthinkable with sports fans on this continent.

I agree with what you are saying, but I disagree with a portion of it. There is absolute hatred between people who are fans of rivals here in the states. People kill each other quite frequently or at least commit some violent crimes over it.

also the sad thing is that fans of their own teams are now hunting down players of their own teams and threatening them and their families. Not just out in public or at the game, but at the player's homes.

So the hatred and violence between sports is there, here in the states. Of course not on the level of Europe and then clubs. But unfortunately, it gets violent here in the states. It isn't like everyone is partisan and just loving each other regardless. Of course there are some logical people who see more in sports and too intelligent and sane to hurt someone or verbally abuse someone just for the simple fact that they like another team.

But also, here in the states, it is a bit watered down. There are so many sports that it is just not the same as it is in other countries. In other countries, like Europ, Soccer is pretty much it. Here in the states, there are extremely passionate fans, but it is spread across various sports that it is a bit watered down. And the same can be said for the talent of our athletes. Our BEST athletes plays football, then baseball, then basketball. In other counties, their best athletes play soccer. I couldn't imagine how huge soccer would be here in the states if it was the #1 sports. Unfortunately, it is no where close to that.

But I do agree about the sports hats and gear. A lot of people here in the states where hats, jerseys and other gear of teams just for how they look and not because of the actual team. You'd never catch me doing that. I'd never wear gear other team. But even then, I don't really wear sports clothing.

[USMNT10]

Ok, so correct me if I am wrong. I think I understand it after it has been broken down to me in this thread.

UEFA Champions League - Winner of BPL and other top European teams qualify and go into a tournament with each other. In the BPL, and similarly in other country's top league, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place team goes into the playoff and the winner also qualifies for the Champions league and the other two go to the Europa? This is probably wrong and where I am confused.

UEFA Europa League - Same type of league as UEFA Champions League, but it is a step below and some of the top end clubs from the BPL who didn't qualify for the UEFA Champions league plays in this league. So it is pretty much the "B" league, where the UEFA Champions League is the "A" league.

FA Cup - Not as big as the Champions and Europa League, but it is prestigious because all Clubs from ALL professional levels in Europe can play in this league.

UEFA Euros - The tournament where the European National Teams play. And the highest National Team tournament outside of the World Cup. And happens every 4 years.

Am I close? Where does the Super Cup fall between the 3 club tournaments I just listed?

Also, what are the regular season months for the BPL? Are the other leagues in other European countries the same? What month does the UEFA Champions league and Europa start and when is the championship match? The same with the FA Cup?

[soccer.joel]

FA Cup - Not as big as the Champions and Europa League, but it is prestigious because all Clubs from ALL professional levels in Europe can play in this league.

Also, what are the regular season months for the BPL? Are the other leagues in other European countries the same? What month does the UEFA Champions league and Europa start and when is the championship match? The same with the FA Cup?

FA Cup is England only, other countries have their equivalents.

UEFA Super Cup = CHampions League vs Europa League winner

BPL goes from August to May and most of Europe is the same including the Championship. Champions League and Europa League go from september to may but there are qualifiers before that

[USMNT10]

FA Cup is England only, other countries have their equivalents.

UEFA Super Cup = CHampions League vs Europa League winner

BPL goes from August to May and most of Europe is the same including the Championship. Champions League and Europa League go from september to may but there are qualifiers before that

Thanks. So is the Super Cup really that big, or is it just an extra match added to attract viewers and make the money? Like, winning the Champions League is bigger than the Super Cup, right? But winning the Super cup is bigger than winning the Europa?

[Lawlore]

Champions League- correct, although not just the winner of the Premier League qualifies. Different countries get to enter a different number of teams (England's top four all enter). It's to do with the strength of the leagues, UEFA Coefficients etc. about how many slots each country gets in the competition, and in which round teams enter.

Europa League- That's correct.

FA Cup - It is a domestic knockout trophy in England- only teams in England compete in it, not teams from any other country. Other countries have their own equivalents (for example, Spain's "Copa del Rey"). But yes, teams from all domestic levels in England can compete in it- it is prestigious within England.

UEFA Euros (European Championships) - That is correct. The timing is such that it runs two years offset from the World Cup years- for example, 2010 was a World Cup year, so 2012 was a European Championship year. 2014 will, of course, be a World Cup year, with 2016 being the next Euros year.

In terms of times... the Premier League (and other English divisions) runs from late August to the end of May, and generally other leagues in Europe run at the same time.

The Super Cup is a glorified friendly match between the winners of the Champions League and the winners of the Europa League, played somewhere at the start of the season. The media likes to pretend it means something, but really, it doesn't- it is played at half-pace, with much smaller attendances than the final matches of the Champions League and Europa League. Think of it as you probably would an All-Star game- an interesting curiosity, but nothing to take too seriously.

The Champions League and Europa League also both run at the same time- the Champions League Final is scheduled for the end of May, with the Europa League final generally the week before that, in mid-May.

The FA Cup Final is generally the last game of the domestic calendar, played at Wembley Stadium at the start of May as a way to round off the season. However, due to previous fixture congestion, sometimes there are still league matches to be played afterwards. Ideally, there wouldn't be.

[soccer.joel]

Thanks. So is the Super Cup really that big, or is it just an extra match added to attract viewers and make the money? Like, winning the Champions League is bigger than the Super Cup, right? But winning the Super cup is bigger than winning the Europa?

Super cup is smaller than winning the CL. Its really just an extra match for viewers but often has other significance such as this years super cup

[USMNT10]

Champions League- correct, although not just the winner of the Premier League qualifies. Different countries get to enter a different number of teams (England's top four all enter). It's to do with the strength of the leagues, UEFA Coefficients etc. about how many slots each country gets in the competition, and in which round teams enter.

Europa League- That's correct.

FA Cup - It is a domestic knockout trophy in England- only teams in England compete in it, not teams from any other country. Other countries have their own equivalents (for example, Spain's "Copa del Rey"). But yes, teams from all domestic levels in England can compete in it- it is prestigious within England.

UEFA Euros (European Championships) - That is correct. The timing is such that it runs two years offset from the World Cup years- for example, 2010 was a World Cup year, so 2012 was a European Championship year. 2014 will, of course, be a World Cup year, with 2016 being the next Euros year.

In terms of times... the Premier League (and other English divisions) runs from late August to the end of May, and generally other leagues in Europe run at the same time.

The Super Cup is a glorified friendly match between the winners of the Champions League and the winners of the Europa League, played somewhere at the start of the season. The media likes to pretend it means something, but really, it doesn't- it is played at half-pace, with much smaller attendances than the final matches of the Champions League and Europa League. Think of it as you probably would an All-Star game- an interesting curiosity, but nothing to take too seriously.

The Champions League and Europa League also both run at the same time- the Champions League Final is scheduled for the end of May, with the Europa League final generally the week before that, in mid-May.

The FA Cup Final is generally the last game of the domestic calendar, played at Wembley Stadium at the start of May as a way to round off the season. However, due to previous fixture congestion, sometimes there are still league matches to be played afterwards. Ideally, there wouldn't be.

Thanks. Good stuff. I've learned a lot these past few days lol.

So, the top 4 from the BPL go on into the Champions League...those 4 can't play in the Europa, right? So then what seeds within the BPL qualify for Europa?

[soccer.joel]

Thanks. Good stuff. I've learned a lot these past few days lol.

So, the top 4 from the BPL go on into the Champions League...those 4 can't play in the Europa, right? So then what seeds within the BPL qualify for Europa?

the next 3 play in Europa. Teams who come 3rd out of 4 in their Champions League Group or lose their play-off go into Europa

[USMNT10]

the next 3 play in Europa. Teams who come 3rd out of 4 in their Champions League Group or lose their play-off go into Europa

Oh ok, Do they like skip a round of the Europa since the Champions and Europa both start at the same time and was playing champions matches when the Europa started?

Has there been a club to basically sweep the various cups? Like, win their own league, win the Champions, win their own countries domestic cup like England's FA cup?

[Lawlore]

Fifth goes into the Europa, plus the FA Cup winner and the Capital One League Cup winner.

You can only qualify for one or the other of the two competitions from your domestic league. Champions League qualification trumps Europa League qualification, so if you finish 3rd in the League and win the FA Cup, you qualify for the Champions League from finishing third, and the Europa League spot goes to the team finishing 6th in the League.

However... there's always a however.

There is a point as the competitions are in progress where eight of the teams knocked out of the Champions League (at the group stage) then "fall into" that season's Europa League instead, as a kind of consolation prize. It's a bit silly and not worth worrying too much about, but since you did ask, it means a team can start by qualifying for the Champions League, get knocked out at a particular point but then carry on in that season's Europa League. Chelsea did just that last year, in fact, and went on to win the Europa League.

[USMNT10]

Fifth goes into the Europa, plus the FA Cup winner and the Capital One League Cup winner.

You can only qualify for one or the other of the two competitions from your domestic league. Champions League qualification trumps Europa League qualification, so if you finish 3rd in the League and win the FA Cup, you qualify for the Champions League from finishing third, and the Europa League spot goes to the team finishing 6th in the League.

However... there's always a however.

There is a point as the competitions are in progress where eight of the teams knocked out of the Champions League (at the group stage) then "fall into" that season's Europa League instead, as a kind of consolation prize. It's a bit silly and not worth worrying too much about, but since you did ask, it means a team can start by qualifying for the Champions League, get knocked out at a particular point but then carry on in that season's Europa League. Chelsea did just that last year, in fact, and went on to win the Europa League.

5th place of what? The BPL? Champions? Also, what is the Capital One league Cup?

So what about the winner of the championship league...not the Champions league, but the championship league, the league a tier under the BPL. Is a promotion the only reward they get? Do they qualify for the Europa?

[Lawlore]

Both the Europa and the Champions League have a set of Group Stages, which run at around the same sort of time.

In the Champions League, it is eight groups of four, playing each other twice in a round-robin format. The top two teams in each group go on to the knockout part of the Champions League.

The eight teams finishing third in those Champions League groups are the ones who fall into the next round of the Europa League, joining the teams who finished 1st or 2nd in the Europa League Group stage.

So:

Champions League:

Qualifying Stages > Group Stage (8 groups of 4) > top two qualify for Round of 16 > Quarter Final > Semi Final > Champions League Final

Europa League:

Qualifying Stages > Group Stage (12 groups of 4) > top two qualify and are joined by 3rd placed teams from the Champions League groups for Round of 32 > Round of 16 > Quarter Final > Semi Final > Europa League Final

[Lawlore]

5th place of what? The BPL? Champions? Also, what is the Capital One league Cup?

So what about the winner of the championship league...not the Champions league, but the championship league, the league a tier under the BPL. Is a promotion the only reward they get? Do they qualify for the Europa?

5th place of the Premier League, that's correct. The Capital One League Cup is a secondary domestic cup in England, contested only by the 92 English League teams. I mentioned it back in post #33- it is not as prestigious as the FA Cup.

The team winning the Championship division only wins promotion to the Premier League, the do not qualify for any European competition.

[USMNT10]

5th place of the Premier League, that's correct. The Capital One League Cup is a secondary domestic cup in England, contested only by the 92 English League teams. I mentioned it back in post #33- it is not as prestigious as the FA Cup.

The team winning the Championship division only wins promotion to the Premier League, the do not qualify for any European competition.

But they can play in the FA cup, right? Except that their qualification has nothing to do with them winning the Championship league, right? So does every single English Football club compete for the FA cup?

hahah damn, there are just so many different types of cups. Definitely hard for Americans to learn and get use to. Over here it is much different with our sports. You play the regular season, playoffs, championship game and then it is over.

[laytish]

Hi, I don't really post on the forums, but have loved football ever since I was introduced to the game, strangely it was my older sister who introduced me to football, she would watch Man United matches just to see Ryan Giggs, who she loved, so he was the first footballer that I knew of, and Manchester United being the first team, I supported them.

That was back in the early 1990s, now 20 years on I still support Man United, but I follow other teams, for different reasons.

Doncaster Rovers - My local team, I go to home games when I can, and had a trip to Wembley for the League One Play-off in 2008, beating Leeds 1-0.

AC Milan - As I learnt more about football, in England and across Europe, I began to know who the players were, Paolo Maldini being my favourite, so began liking AC Milan and checking how they perform.

There are teams around the world I keep an eye on through playing FM.

On Football Manager my first save is always as Manchester United, followed by Doncaster Rovers to get a feel for the game and learn about the new features etc. I then move into lower leagues and around different leagues around the world.

How you should go about picking a team to follow is entirely up to you, every team has a history, some more than others, checking how teams have done in the past could be help you choose.

You could also read up on who are regarded as great managers and which teams they have had success with. A quick search on Google and you will find lists of who is regarded the greatest and which teams they've managed.

You could also look at stats or records, and pick a team which has a record you like, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_records_in_England#Others has lots of records from teams in England.

FM can also help you learn about football in England and around the world. Every League and cup competition rules screen which include all the information you should need.

These two images are taken from the game, hope they help you out.

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/4418/rpne.png

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/3923/mbhc.png

[ssestig]

Domestic Competitions in England:

Premier League teams play in PL, FA Cup and Capital One Cup

* Top 4 play in Champions League the season after

* 5th qualifies for Europa League along with FA Cup and COC winners (or 6th and/or 7th if the winners finish top 4)

* Bottom 3 get relegated

Championship teams in Champ, FA Cup and Capital One Cup

* Top 2 get promoted to PL

* 3rd to 6th playoff for last PL spot

* Bottom 3 get relegated

League 1 teams in L1, FA Cup, Capital One Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy

* Top 2 get promoted to Champ

* 3rd to 6th playoff for last Champ spot

* Bottom 4 get relegated

League 2 teams in L2, FA Cup, Capital One Cup and Johnstone's Paint Trophy

* Top 3 get promoted to League 1

* 4th to 7th playoff for last League 1 spot

* Bottom 2 get relegated

Blue Square Premier teams in BSP, FA Cup and FA Trophy (A cup for BSP and below)

* Only champions get promoted to League 2

* 2nd to 5th playoff for last League 2 spot

* Bottom 4 get relegated

Blue Square North/South teams in BSN/S, FA Cup and FA Trophy (A cup for BSP and below)

* Leagues are divided into 2 geographical regions [some teams may be in BSN one season and BSS the next or vice versa]

* Champions of each get promoted to BSP

* 2nd to 5th of each league playoff for other 2 BSP spots

* Bottom 3 get relegated into the 3 leagues below (not on FM) and leagues are geographically sorted

[ajw10]

Got to point out that if a team that has already qualified for Europe and then wins the FA Cup it doesn't go to 6th place at all. It would go to the runners up if they haven't already qualified for Europe.

[BiggusD]

Got to point out that if a team that has already qualified for Europe and then wins the FA Cup it doesn't go to 6th place at all. It would go to the runners up if they haven't already qualified for Europe.

This will change from next year, I think.

[Mattias333]

If you leave it you'll definitely find yourself warming to clubs, so best to just let it take it's course rather than choose and see what happens. I have no 'local' or 'family' team unlike most football fans so I ended up being an Ipswich fan that way, admittedly after a very good season but there were still a lot of things to like about them and I seemed to know quite a bit about them already and it was with relegation oddly enough that the bond was confirmed.

was it after the Finidi George era delta or was it the past european glories that took you to the dark (depressed) side.

Im obviously biast in my opinion of a certain blue and white suffolk side.

[Mattias333]

5th place of what? The BPL? Champions? Also, what is the Capital One league Cup?

So what about the winner of the championship league...not the Champions league, but the championship league, the league a tier under the BPL. Is a promotion the only reward they get? Do they qualify for the Europa?

Your comments are reminding me of myself when I went on to an american forum asking questions about the workings of the MLS! So Funny!

Its tricky to get your head round when its so different to what your use to. It will come though. More you watch it the easier to understand it becomes.

The league table is 20 teams battling it out to be no1, where as in the MLS yes you win the supporters shield finishing 1st but really thats not the key thing, its winning the end of season playoffs that counts, whether you finish 1st or 5th or where ever in the league table lol.

[USMNT10]

Your comments are reminding me of myself when I went on to an american forum asking questions about the workings of the MLS! So Funny!

Its tricky to get your head round when its so different to what your use to. It will come though. More you watch it the easier to understand it becomes.

The league table is 20 teams battling it out to be no1, where as in the MLS yes you win the supporters shield finishing 1st but really thats not the key thing, its winning the end of season playoffs that counts, whether you finish 1st or 5th or where ever in the league table lol.

Hahah heck I don't even know exactly how MLS works. But I do know it is different. And that they have an actual playoffs and that their acquiring of players is different. Plus, they have the draft. That is all I know about the MLS.

[BiggusD]

Hahah heck I don't even know exactly how MLS works. But I do know it is different. And that they have an actual playoffs and that their acquiring of players is different. Plus, they have the draft. That is all I know about the MLS.

Hehe. I know that unless the MLS removes its silly restrictions on transfers, wages and that "draft" it will never be a real competitive league. America has everything necessary to become a leading football nation, but as long as young talents must move to European "backyard leagues" in order to develop, I fear that the recent progress will stagnate.

It is also curious that the front figure of capitalism does not have market-oriented rules for their main football league, while Russia does.

[USMNT10]

Hehe. I know that unless the MLS removes its silly restrictions on transfers, wages and that "draft" it will never be a real competitive league. America has everything necessary to become a leading football nation, but as long as young talents must move to European "backyard leagues" in order to develop, I fear that the recent progress will stagnate.

It is also curious that the front figure of capitalism does not have market-oriented rules for their main football league, while Russia does.

I agree. But it seems like the founders of the MLS what theirs to be different, thinking it will be better than way. But I agree that american soccer should be formatted like European football. Also youth/amateur sports, not just soccer is different. Kids here go through unrelated and unaffiliated levels and do it mostly by their parents orders to become more active and not become obese. Over there in england I don't believe they have high school and college sports. Here, if kids have serious soccer youth programs, things would be so much different, but there are just a bunch of hippies out here who sue if their 300lb 10 year old doesn't get playing time. The people and economy is just different here and that is why unfortunately sports is set up the way they are here and why you don't see competitive youth and amateur programs. The ones who dont belong there and aren't good enough drown it out by their over protective parents. So here, the youth programs are nothing like youth programs over there.

[Äktsjon Männ]

Hehe. I know that unless the MLS removes its silly restrictions on transfers, wages and that "draft" it will never be a real competitive league. America has everything necessary to become a leading football nation, but as long as young talents must move to European "backyard leagues" in order to develop, I fear that the recent progress will stagnate.

It is also curious that the front figure of capitalism does not have market-oriented rules for their main football league, while Russia does.

USA will never be a leading force in football not because of the MLS and its rules but rather because of how football is seen over there by the coaches and all other people involved with sports. 'Soccer' in the US is a game for women and small kids. All the promising athletes get picked to play handegg, baseball, basketball, then maybe ice hockey. Football is an afterthought and until that changes there really isn't a place for a fully competitive 'free market' US football league. I'd say the current format is beneficial because native players have a chance to be drafted and play. In an open market version involving more money the teams would be flooded with foreigners leaving the very few native talents with nowhere to go because, let's face it, USA isn't really that much of an appealing scouting target for even the 'backyard league' teams from Europe.

[BiggusD]

I agree. But it seems like the founders of the MLS what theirs to be different, thinking it will be better than way. But I agree that american soccer should be formatted like European football. Also youth/amateur sports, not just soccer is different. Kids here go through unrelated and unaffiliated levels and do it mostly by their parents orders to become more active and not become obese. Over there in england I don't believe they have high school and college sports. Here, if kids have serious soccer youth programs, things would be so much different, but there are just a bunch of hippies out here who sue if their 300lb 10 year old doesn't get playing time. The people and economy is just different here and that is why unfortunately sports is set up the way they are here and why you don't see competitive youth and amateur programs. The ones who dont belong there and aren't good enough drown it out by their over protective parents. So here, the youth programs are nothing like youth programs over there.

Well I studied a year in England and one of the spare time activities was football. I joined thinking it would be nice and recreational just to discover that the University team arranged a internal friendly match meant to let the team pick the best players, indicating that the University League is quite competitive. There were also other foreigners quite obviously unprepared for the competitive nature of the club.

I found it weird that the info brochure for the football club did not inform foreign students about the football culture of the universities in England. But sure I did have fun even though I didn't get to join the team - the other guys at the Hall of Residence invited to play recreationally in the evenings and I joined that instead

[shnen]

'Soccer' in the US is a game for women

Is this true? I had no clue

[deltablue]

was it after the Finidi George era delta or was it the past european glories that took you to the dark (depressed) side.

Im obviously biast in my opinion of a certain blue and white suffolk side.

It was the '5th followed by relegation' days of 12 or so years ago. I wasn't even alive during the Robson era.

Anyway more on topic... For a while I was thinking 'poor guy' having to understand so much about the way things are organized over here in Europe whether it's so different from in North America, with a lot more competitions interrelated to each other in various ways, but I've been reminded that it definitely goes both ways. It's not that hard to understand if it's been explained a few times but it's seems odd at first. Good education on both sides of the pond here.

[realtimshady]

Yah I like the MLS, just haven't followed it closely lately. I need to though. I live an hour from San Jose. So they would be my team without a doubt.

Just found this thread. We should talk, I am also near San Jose, and a recent discoverer of Football Manager!

I've heard from elsewhere that the best course of action is just to watch a lot of different teams, and one of them will pick you.

[daylight]

Welcome to the world of FM.

If you really want an experience then I would suggest taking over a team in the lower leagues in England.

You will fall in love with the club, you will take them from unknowns to world beaters, you will love how you bring in a young player on a part time contract and take him through the leagues and how you will love him like a son.

People enjoy the game in many ways but to bring a small team into the elite is something you will always remember, also that 1 player from that historic rise will stay with you long after you stop playing, that is FM.

[realtimshady]

USA will never be a leading force in football not because of the MLS and its rules but rather because of how football is seen over there by the coaches and all other people involved with sports. 'Soccer' in the US is a game for women and small kids. All the promising athletes get picked to play handegg, baseball, basketball, then maybe ice hockey. Football is an afterthought and until that changes there really isn't a place for a fully competitive 'free market' US football league. I'd say the current format is beneficial because native players have a chance to be drafted and play. In an open market version involving more money the teams would be flooded with foreigners leaving the very few native talents with nowhere to go because, let's face it, USA isn't really that much of an appealing scouting target for even the 'backyard league' teams from Europe.

Don't be so sure. Yes, soccer doesn't have the mainstream prestige that NFL and the other sports do, but it's also the fastest growing youth sport in the nation, and has been for quite some time. Some of those kids are very competitive, and all of them grow up. Plus, MLS is over 20 years old now - which means there's now a large number of former professional players living in the US, many of them raising children of their own. And the NFL has problems of its own: the Concussion question isn't going to go away anytime soon. It may be an unavoidable part of the game, but people can always choose to avoid the game (and I think one day they will).

As for it being a game for women, that's just a consequence of our women's team winning the world cup. When the women's world cup came into being, we had had the best infrastructure in place to develop top teams - the NCAA, a professional league, and the fact that many of our best female athletes chose soccer. Anyone watching the last world cup will agree, that gap has pretty much closed, and going forward our women's NT will face similar challenges to our men (though the NCAA is still a high quality option for women).

And as for how people see soccer, that's largely because the NFL is still where the money is. The biggest challenge to soccer growing in popularity in the US is the fact that the clock doesn't stop - which means you can't have commercials on television, which means networks can't make boatloads of money televising the game. Once they figure that out, the tv exposure will come, and with it the fans. Backward, but that seems to be the way we do things over here.

As for an open market league, that's a possibility too. MLS was built the way it was because survival was the goal - previous open market structures had failed before. And, with the growth of the league came the Designated Player rule, which allows some "free-market" transactions. As for future growth, we'll see. Major League Baseball is pretty much a free-market system, whereas the NFL is very much not. Both seem to be doing OK.

[CMdan44]

Really like reading this thread

In CM93, Sheffield Wednesday or Man Utd are the teams to be. Wednesday have Hirst, Warhurst and most notably the best player in this game, Chris Bart-Williams. Man Utd had young Ryan Giggs and Lee Sharpe. Hence I never went with either of them - too easy. Back then, I always went with teams which I could take on a rise from outside the top division.

this made my heart sing.

I miss the days when Wednesday were one of the teams to be