FM14: The Skrill Premier, North & South thread

[robterrace]

I'm having a laugh with my Lincoln save.. Just got the 2nd round of the FA Cup, beating Bristol Rovers 7-1 in a First Round Replay.. Got Notts County in the 2nd Round, so it'll be tough.

Did them 1-0, now got Watford in the 3rd round.

[fcunitedfan]

How many different countries leagues have you got loaded in your saves? I'm thinking how many I should load when the time comes.

[Nottingham Forest]

I currently have England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Holland and Belgium down to their lowest leagues. I also have all players of nationality England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland loaded.

Decided I'll be Eastleigh. I have no attachment to them but just because of the wage budget you get. Let three players go on loans for the season and signed fourteen players. Currently spending just short of £1k over my wage budget. I'm sat top of the table going into the middle of October whilst I travel to Forest Green for the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. I should add that I am still unbeaten in all competitions having won thirteen and drew two. In the league that looks like eleven and one. Although a couple of teams do have games in hand over us so I can't see our thirteen point gap remaining for the time being.

I should add that finances are going down the pan and I have signed a few players from Reunion . I won't go into anymore details about that unless C&C wants me to.

[Mingus]

Can I just ask, Do you have to start in the North/South Division to get the English Hero Achievement?

I think you do, I got the achievement using a skrill south team, but not when i used a league 2 one, so my guess is that it always counts the lowest playable league.

[fcunitedfan]

I currently have England, Scotland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Holland and Belgium down to their lowest leagues. I also have all players of nationality England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland loaded.

Decided I'll be Eastleigh. I have no attachment to them but just because of the wage budget you get. Let three players go on loans for the season and signed fourteen players. Currently spending just short of £1k over my wage budget. I'm sat top of the table going into the middle of October whilst I travel to Forest Green for the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup. I should add that I am still unbeaten in all competitions having won thirteen and drew two. In the league that looks like eleven and one. Although a couple of teams do have games in hand over us so I can't see our thirteen point gap remaining for the time being.

I should add that finances are going down the pan and I have signed a few players from Reunion . I won't go into anymore details about that unless C&C wants me to.

Sounds good to me. I think I'll do the same kind of setup.

[Nottingham Forest]

I forgot to add that loads about 63,000 players but imo is more than enough to have a long term save but also have player depth.

[fcunitedfan]

I forgot to add that loads about 63,000 players but imo is more than enough to have a long term save but also have player depth.

Yeah, I've got about 63,000 in my new save now. Just selecting Cambridge United, then I'll be ready to take over the footballing World!

[CityAndColour]

I think with Eastleigh you pretty much have to get promoted first season financially, as they have spent so much on players in the summer. Not to mention being a full time club in the Conference N/S isn't really viable long term.

As for countries, I just load England, and then a few other top leagues on view only (usually Australia, Germany, Spain, Italy etc). Usually have around 15-20K players which is more than enough, but then again I'm not exactly running a high-powered lap top.

I also find that you can get better newgens initially in Wales, Northern Ireland etc by NOT loading their leagues, as they seem to populate in the under 19s.

[CityAndColour]

Yeah, I've got about 63,000 in my new save now. Just selecting Cambridge United, then I'll be ready to take over the footballing World!

If you can replicate their real life form you'll be doing well!

You inherit an excellent squad though, and they have the added bonus of being a traditional club you can try and restore to former glories. Maxwell in goal is probably the best in the division, while Elliot/Donaldson/Cunnington is close to the best striking trio. I'd say you could keep Luke Berry all the way to the Championship too.

[robterrace]

A quick update from my Lincoln game, as I near the end of February 2014.

I think I've adopted the Kevin Keegan school of management.

[Nottingham Forest]

First loss of the season . Still unbeaten in the league though. We travelled to Priestfield(Gillingham) for our first round FA Cup tie. If it was a boxing match it would have been stopped after 5 minutes but we kept ourselves in it and nabbed a goal with our first effort on target and second in total to go 1 up at HT. They equalised about 70 minutes just before. With 13 left I decided to go for broke and overload and try and see if we could do anything. Unfortunately whilst they had a goal disallowed they were then awarded a penalty before sealing it late on with a third.

[fcunitedfan]

If you can replicate their real life form you'll be doing well!

You inherit an excellent squad though, and they have the added bonus of being a traditional club you can try and restore to former glories. Maxwell in goal is probably the best in the division, while Elliot/Donaldson/Cunnington is close to the best striking trio. I'd say you could keep Luke Berry all the way to the Championship too.

Like I said earlier, I probably won't be starting this for at least a fortnight. At least I've got it set up and ready to go though. Thanks for responding to my post.

[CityAndColour]

I think I've adopted the Kevin Keegan school of management.

I had a season in the Conference Premier with Leamington and finished with a 97/111 scored/against number.

[mrplufc]

Any kiddiminster saves?

[Nottingham Forest]

Any of you believe in the unbeaten run ending when you save and go off? Doing really well and I should go to bed but just incase .

[CityAndColour]

Any of you believe in the unbeaten run ending when you save and go off? Doing really well and I should go to bed but just incase .

I am a massive subscriber to this, which is awkward as I also can't switch the game off on a poor result/run.

[CityAndColour]

I hope Kendall will be capable at that level because I have my eye on him when I start in the Skrill leagues.

Incredibly he took 35 games to score his first goal (although 30 of those were sub appearances) before he got his chance to start, and he's scored five in three as we push for a playoff spot.

[CityAndColour]

We're a third of the way through the season and we've established a bit of a gap between us and the relegation spots...

Although, we owe that to the fact that four teams have been absolutely horrible. We've also had quite a few results like this and this where we've bossed the game for long periods with no result to show for it, so we could conceivably be 8-10 points better off and already out of trouble.

So, since this post we've gone 16-3-3 with a goal difference of +20, putting us in an unlikely title race. Anyone down to Wycombe in 11th can realistically win it.

Wycombe away is next.

[robterrace]

I've just sold a lad who I paid a grand total of sod all for to Leeds for £250k

[fcunitedfan]

I've just sold a lad who I paid a grand total of sod all for to Leeds for £250k

That's a tidy profit.

[robterrace]

That's a tidy profit.

I don't think that he even played a game for me.

[Aleynasdad]

After never really taking to my Bristol Rovers save I came back to my spiritual home..... the Skrill South (stii Blue Square to me!) and it was inevitable that as Whitehawk play by the park where I kicked around as a kid I saw it as my duty to take them to glory and riches.

Seriously, Whitehawk is a really good bet in this game as their squad, thoıgh a bit threadbare, is full of little gems. I would disagree with C and C and say Adelakun and Cadmore are not the stars of this team. Winterton is a more than a useful keeper at this level, Lawrence and Pearson are very tight in defence (if a bit slow), Rose is more than competent at LB and Tommy Fraser is an allaround MC. James Fraser (like Pearson) is a surprise as although his figures look low he will be very dependable. Dont get too hooked on Jake Robinson as he blows hot and cold but youll get good shifts from Erskine and Mills.

Positions that need desperate support are GK(back up), RB (big time), MC and the wings. Jerahl Hughes looks good but not much else for the wings.

A must buy is Gorgeous George O'Callaghan. If you can keep him fit he will top your assists and get a few goals along the way and he should come for a pittance of a wage (200 at max).

Currently in Feb of my first season and we are ten points clear at the top and in the FA Trophy semis.

[fcunitedfan]

I don't think that he even played a game for me.

I've got a few players they can buy if they like.

[karljlatham]

I have been playing around with Stockport (only place I could get a job as a Sunday League Yank!) and I am discovering that they have some good striking and defensive options, but no midfield. Playing a 5-3-2 and expect to have about the same results as your table. Lots of 1-0 wins, but brutal losses when the team isn't clicking.

I would be really interested in hearing more about your starting 11 and tactics used.

[mrplufc]

post a screenie of all your transfers from first season mate? and maybe current finances?

[Nottingham Forest]

I lost my first league game of the season to Whitehawk on the 5th Feb . The game had been rescheduled a number of times due both our participation in other competitions. They are currently second and have been for most of the season. I'm still 20 points clear of them but they have two games in hand .

[Aleynasdad]

I lost my first league game of the season to Whitehawk on the 5th Feb . The game had been rescheduled a number of times due both our participation in other competitions. They are currently second and have been for most of the season. I'm still 20 points clear of them but they have two games in hand .

I think they are horribly underrated in FM as the database has given them very good stats. Of course, in real-life they arent performing nearly as well. Erskine, Mills and Robinson are all in double figures for goals and callaghan, parsons and taylor have all got good assists with james Fraser scoring the odd goal.... and still cruising Just after getting through to the fa trophy final against altrincham however DISASTER... Gorgeous George out for the whole season!!

[Nottingham Forest]

Well I have booked my place in the FA Trophy Final. A 3-1 loss at Halifax in the first leg and we managed to win 4-2 at our place to take it to extra time. No score in either half of that so it went to penalties. I managed to make my three subs just before the end of the game to give me 'so called' better penalty takers. Won 4-2 on penalties. Whitehawk are 16 points behind us but we do have a game in hand. Win that and it's 11 games to go with me being 19 points in front. Which if my maths is right and Whitehawk and ourselves win our games up until we next play each other we could secure the title against them.

We secured our play-off place on the 15th February but Guichard is out for 7 months(only 6 or so now) as he broke his leg .

[Aleynasdad]

Well I have booked my place in the FA Trophy Final. A 3-1 loss at Halifax in the first leg and we managed to win 4-2 at our place to take it to extra time. No score in either half of that so it went to penalties. I managed to make my three subs just before the end of the game to give me 'so called' better penalty takers. Won 4-2 on penalties. Whitehawk are 16 points behind us but we do have a game in hand. Win that and it's 11 games to go with me being 19 points in front. Which if my maths is right and Whitehawk and ourselves win our games up until we next play each other we could secure the title against them.

We secured our play-off place on the 15th February but Guichard is out for 7 months(only 6 or so now) as he broke his leg .

Just secured my play off spot (2nd march)

[CityAndColour]

I've been after Adelakun for nearly two seasons now, and he still won't even discuss terms. If I can get promoted and turn professional then maybe he'll talk?

[Nottingham Forest]

So, with five games to spare we managed to secure the title and promotion. We actually did it the game before the Whitehawk game as well. Going for record points and goals now.

[CityAndColour]

Hope you do better than my first season - we clinched the title with three games to go and then promptly lost them all, having lost just three the entire season up to that point.

And it's taken 25 matches, but we finally scored from a Rory Delap long throw!

[CityAndColour]

Well after a pretty stable season, all the match engine bugs come roaring back for the playoffs.

So only a 4-5 deficit to overcome in the second leg against Forest Green, who have scored an absurd 129 goals in the league to date.

[Chao Yang]

Playing Stockport and currently top of the league with a 5 point gap.

Lots of 1-0 wins and agonizing loses though, using a strange narrow formation with 4-1-3-2 with a DLF and a Poacher... with two BBMs and a DLP supporting them.

So far its great when it works, but wingers terrorize me baad.

[CityAndColour]

Absolutely incredible. We were woeful in the final league game at Aldershot, and then gave up a 4-3 lead to lose 4-5 in the first playoff leg at home, a match which ended with me fining FOUR players for poor performance in my anger, and having my relationship break down with two of them.

So we went to a team that scored nearly three goals a game, with a wingback deputising as a centre-half, and picked them off perfectly. They play a 4-2-4, so we countered by exploiting the middle, and every time we broke forward we had countless options through the centre. In the end it was two perfectly-timed midfield runs from Delap, combined with two composed finishes, that sends us through to the final. (I wasn't going to give him a new contract but I may have to re-consider!)

There we will meet competitive rivals FC Halifax, who also relied on two second half goals to oust Barnet in the other semi. We haven't beaten them this season (although battered them at home in a 0-0 in the penultimate league fixture) so this would be a good time to do it.

[CityAndColour]

The fairytale is complete. From being 18th a third of the way through the campaign, and from being 4-5 down travelling to Forest Green for the second leg of the playoff semis, we are now a Football League club after back to back promotions.

And what sweeter way to do it than to beat your rivals in the final? Strike pairing Wes York and Dom Knowles have been superb all season and they were peerless at Wembley, with the former bagging two goals and the latter named MOTM. Delap was terrific again and will get another contract, and for the first time I think all save, all five of my defenders got a match rating of 7+.

The turning point was on the hour mark when, with the score at at 1-0, Elliot Durrell blazed over from the spot. Within ten minutes the lead was doubled, and a demoralising own goal from Matty Pearson only minutes later summed up our opponents' afternoon.

Full season review to follow.

[Aleynasdad]

I've been after Adelakun for nearly two seasons now, and he still won't even discuss terms. If I can get promoted and turn professional then maybe he'll talk?

Ill give you to him for free now or wait to the end of the season and hell be off anyway

[CityAndColour]

Ill give you to him for free now or wait to the end of the season and hell be off anyway

Well I got him in the end, on full time terms. I am guessing he is far worse in real life?

[Aleynasdad]

As I said earlier, the Whitehawk stats are, I think, exagerrated a little in the game. Dont think it should be any better than Dorchester.

[Nottingham Forest]

So, as the season is finished I thought it would be best to give a quick update in regards to how we did and what the next steps are for us to progress.

Here is how the league finished;

Only gone with the top five. We started off the season great and we ended up setting so many new records at club and divisional level this season. In terms of goalscorers in all competitions here's how that looks;

Quentin Boesso - 40 goals in 47 games. 28 in the league. He got 11 assists.

Yohan Guichard - 31 goals in 39 games. 23 in the league. Broke his leg in our first defeat of the season against Whitehawk. He got 15 assists.

Ben Strevens - 24 goals in 34 games. 18 in the league. Broke his ankle in October and missed 3 months. He got 12 assists.

Eric Farro - 28 goals in 58 games. 20 in the league. He's only a winger . He got 17 assists.

Alexis Siala-Chamba - 15 goals in 57 games. He's a winger as well . He got 21 assists.

For the club we broke the record for;

Club

Top League Goalscorer: Quentin Boesso with 28.

Youngest Player, Most Assists, Youngest Goalscorer: Alexis Siala-Chamba(28)

Oldest Player, Oldest Goalscorer: Eric Farro

Fastest Goal: Yohan Guichard in 24 seconds. He broke this record twice at least.

Most Goals in a Match: Quentin Boesso with 4.

Most Games Won in a Row: 14

Most Games Without Losing: 20

Divisional

Most Games Without Losing in League: 28

Most Games Won in a Row: 12

Most Team Points: 109

Most Team Goals: 122

Transfers

There's going to be a fairly big overhaul of the squad as I look to improve our depth of the squad and get rid of anyone moaning.

Here's the players who could leave;

Ross Flitney - Back up keeper and didn't play. On high wages so will go.

Jack Dovey - Third choice keeper out on loan. Done his cruciates and is out for another 13 months.

Chris Dillon - Fifth choice centre half. He's been moaning for a while but still has a year left and is on reasonable wages.

Dean Beckwith - Started off as third choice centre half but forced his way in as first choice. Out of contract and on £1k a week. He wants to stay, or did and on less wages. It's just about giving him the back up role which he wanted at the time. Unable to offer the wages at this present moment in time.

Will Evans - Versatile but hasn't played. Moaned a lot and on high wages so will be leaving.

Chris Todd - Started off as first choice paring with K'Bidi but lost out through form. Getting on and on high wages. Will probably leave.

Dan Spence - Never going to make it so will be going.

Damian Batt - Not a bad player and has done well. Wants a lot more than I'm willing to give in wages so will probably leave.

Mike Green - Back up left back and no more. On highish wages so will leave.

Jamie Collins - Moaned about not playing. Will be leaving as only ever going to be back up.

Brian Kerr - An expensive mistake and never really forced his way into the first team permanently.

Glen Southam - The captain. Didn't play much to start off with and was moaning. A few injuries meant he got a chance and he took it. He's ageing and on high wages. He's willing to take a paycut but I can't offer him the rotation role just yet.

Ludovic Drula - Only ever back up and always moaning after not playing enough. Will be leaving.

Jai Reason - Only ever back up/rotation but done well. If the he's willing to take more of a wage cut then I'll consider keeping him.

Yemi Odubade - Sixth choice striker and was transfer listed from before the first game of the season. Made one sub appearance in a cup. On £1k a week so will be gone.

Romone Rose - Only ever been a back up winger and not a great one. Not played any league games and only two sub appearances in the cups. Wants a small increase on his low wages. May look to keep him but he has been moaning.

Corey King - Sent out on loan. Not going to make it so will be leaving.

Geoff Dunn - Youth team player who will be leaving.

Stuart Fleetwood - Got injured in our last pre-season game and was out for seven months. When returned he got 2 in 4 but struggled slightly. He's the highest paid player and fourth choice so will probably go.

Craig McAllister - Fifth choice and never had a look in. Played poorly when he did. Will be leaving.

Sam Wilson - Loaned out youngster. Will be leaving.

So it's going to be a few faces out and hopefully a few in as we embark on the Skrill Premier.

[Nottingham Forest]

Could potentially be tough next season . Ben Strevens has agreed to move to Hereford who have been promoted to League Two. Batt is going to be leaving and is going to Gateshead iirc. Managed to get Southam to sign a new deal.

[Nottingham Forest]

Just had my confirmed expectations and budgets through for the upcoming season. The board want a top half finish along with us having the same wage budget. Of which we're over spending at the moment. We've also had to move in with Gosport due to our stadium not meeting requirements and the board having to improve and expand that. We're also in a financial mess as well.

[robterrace]

I'm just starting season 3 with Lincoln. Got my first youth intake coming into the first team squad now, as well as a few signings that I've made. Think the average age of the squad is about 22..

[Aleynasdad]

B*gg** me! Won the Skrill South and FA trophy and board gave me 50k salary cap AND demanded promotion to league 2. Good news is as our ground is being upgraded we get to play at the AMEX!

[CityAndColour]

2014/15 review - Guiseley AFC - Skrill Premier

League table

Graph

Squad

Transfers

A stunning season in reality. Over the first ten or so games we looked like relegation fodder, conceding goals left right and centre. And then something clicked around November, and we started to steadily climb the table with 16 wins in 22 games. At this point we were in a title race, and while we faltered by only winning one of our last three, we more than made up for it in the second leg of the playoffs, and then in the final with a crushing victory.

Player-wise, much credit must go to my front three of Dom Knowles, Josh Wilson and Wes York, who combined for an incredible 72 goals and 54 assists. Unfortunately the latter will be departing after not being interested in renewing his contract. Ryan Kendall (not in squad list as I took the screenshot after he left) scored all of his seven goals in the final six weeks, keeping us in the hunt, and Shane Killock was the pick of our defenders.

So we now become a full time club, and will be able to scout throughout the UK and Ireland.

[CityAndColour]

2015/16 preview - Guiseley AFC - League Two

Transfers

We're obviously predicted to finish 24th, but with only two relegation spots, it's a lot easier to achieve safety. Financial fair play regulations also come into play, but our allowed wage budget is £6K per week under the allowed amount so there's no issue there.

A lot of the budget was taken up with getting players on full time deals as well, but we managed to get a few signings in. After two seasons of chasing him, I finally managed to get Hakeem Adelakun on a free to add some steel to the midfield. Matty Taylor comes in as a direct replacement for the departed Wes York (who is still unattached, predictably), and attacking midfielder Theo Lewis is a favourite of mine from previous FM incarnations.

Also, our ability to scout outside of England has already reaped benefits, with this player due to join us at the end of his contract on January 1st:

Unfortunately we're over our wage budget and have to use several youth players to fill out a match day squad of 18, so some loans may be required.

[CityAndColour]

Not a bad way to get our first three points of the season...

• The club's first ever Football League win
  
• The club's biggest ever win
  
• My first player with a 10 rating on FM14 (new captain Knowles)
  
• First time I've ever seen three goals in three minutes
  

We also knocked Championship side Peterborough out of the League Cup on penalties in the first round.

[jlawlor91]

Made a couple of changes to the original database, swapping Kings Lynn Town into the Skrill North (where they will hopefully be next season) and updated a few recent in and outgoings. Looking forward to getting started although the team won't be half as good as the rest as the league!

[Nottingham Forest]

So I've completed pre-season and we see 19 players leave on frees with four players who I would have liked to have leaving for new teams. Incoming we see 14 players join the club including a former England International who has become the captain. I also have given a contract to a player who scored 21 goals in 30 games for Whitehawk last season. I did want his strike partner as well but he wanted too much. Our pre-season results have been as follows;

3-1 win against Torquay

5-1 win against Southampton under 21s

7-0 win against Calne

4-0 win against Hinksey

[CityAndColour]

Lee Hendrie?