[FM18] AFC, A Chainsaw Massacre (2019-2036) // Basque Bonanza (2037-2040)

[MarcxD]

December 2024

Not quite as good as last month, but still very pleasing. 4 Away games and no losses, and through to the quarter finals of the cup for the first time. We'll face Ajax there.

Still in ninth, still very tight around us. 10 points behind #1 and 10 points ahead of the relegation play-offs, perfectly mid-table.

[john1]

Hope you beat Ajax!

[MarcxD]

1 hour ago, john1 said:

Hope you beat Ajax!

[MarcxD]

January 2025

Another month to be pleased with, losing to PSV is hardly a shame and Heerenveen is a very tough opponent as well. Especially happy with the cup win of course! Next up: Vitesse in the semi final.

Up to 8th now.

I've got in two new players during the month, a talented central defender in Özkul who AZ thought was not good enough for them and a midfielder in El Mahdioui. 

Decent with hopefully still time to fulfill that potential.

Overall a much needed improvement for the midfield.

The highest bid yet for a player of mine, a youth player as well. He has developed very well already so he's definitely not leaving if I have any say.

[Deisler26]

34 minutes ago, MarcxD said:

[john1]

48 minutes ago, MarcxD said:

Yesss  

[MarcxD]

February 2025

Astonishing, I don't even know how we keep getting these results! 1-1 against Ajax means in the 3 games we've played them this season we're unbeaten.... and we just calmly beat PSV in the next match. Incredible.

In 8th place , very good stuff. Play-offs (for EL) are definitely possible.

 

[Minuy600]

Go Dordrecht 🙌

No, i'm not from Dordrecht, but I like seeing them do well after the issues they've had since 15/16.

[Rikulec]

Something has definitely clicked.

[MarcxD]

8 minutes ago, Rikulec said:

Something has definitely clicked.

Definitely seems like it, cheers.

1 hour ago, Minuy600 said:

Go Dordrecht 🙌

No, i'm not from Dordrecht, but I like seeing them do well after the issues they've had since 15/16.

They can still escape the play-offs

[MarcxD]

Youth Intake 2025

Yep, another "Golden Generation".

Not one but two very promising central defenders, the position I was hoping for. Another striker as well but that position is getting a bit too crowded!

A lot of very promising stuff here, his passing attribute is the only thing I'm unhappy with really.

Great name, good attributes. Looks great!

A lot of good stuff, but as I said, he will have a hard time overcoming Sam Vos (5a) and Rijssel (2a). 

Another great name, interesting attributes - very fast already. 

Another name you wouldn't right away think of as "Dutch" - it'll be the Cape Verdean roots. Another central defender, not quite as good as Gravenberch but still shows a lot of promise. 

It will be interesting to see how these generations will develop. I currently have a couple of players with 4.5* CA stars, those are decent to good eredivisie players, will these players reach that level or even eclipse that? With Sam Vos having been the object of multiple bids he could very well be a great talent.

[MarcxD]

March 2025

A severe downturn in results, but these were really hard games when you look at it: away games against Feyenoord, AZ and VVV plus the semi-final in the cup. Lost them all deservedly, they were the better sides. Did beat NAC though, which was pleasing enough.

Back to ninth, but hopefully the morale is still high and we can push on for some more points in the last 6 games of the season. 

[The_Gato_In_Goal]

Mind letting us see Sam Vos (yp5a)?

He sounds very good from those offers.

[MarcxD]

5 minutes ago, The_Gato_In_Goal said:

Mind letting us see Sam Vos (yp5a)?

He sounds very good from those offers.

Sure!

He has been playing in the reserves in his first full year at the club (with an opportunity here and there in the first team) but next year he will join the first team squad. A lot of things to like, definitely, although he has a long way to go still. Hopefully very long

[MarcxD]

April 2025

Back to form, although the game against Go Ahead was a very poor one, even if we did score twice.

Back to eighth now, which we should be able to keep on to. Two games left, and it looks like we're making the play offs! Go Ahead relegated, but elsewhere in the bottom of the league everything still to play for. PSV looks set to become champions, even though they did draw the last 4 games... Not the most convincing of champions, with a maximum of 73 points..

 

 

[MarcxD]

May 2025

Pretty good end to the season!

We jumped over Vitesse in the last match to finish as 7th! But it doesn't really matter, since they won the Cup. We'll have to face Feyenoord in the Play-offs for Europa League football, while VVV will face NAC in the first round. This will be very hard but the play-offs so far have been kind to me.

( @Minuy600 I'll let you know if Dordrecht make it through the play-offs!)

[MarcxD]

Play-Offs

It wasn't to be, sadly! At this moment in time Feyenoord is just better. We didn't embarrass ourselves though, which is something at least.

Sorry, @Minuy600, Dordrecht didn't make it. RKC did though, @Deisler26 !

They actually made it all the way, after an exhilarating match, so next year we will face RKC in the Eredivisie!

[Deisler26]

YASSS!! 

[Minuy600]

oh rip

It's quite fun to see the unpredictabillity of the promotion/relegation increase over the years. Gives a nice spin on things.

[ITFC_Blue]

Get in there RKC! 

[MarcxD]

On 16-11-2017 at 13:23, Minuy600 said:

oh rip

It's quite fun to see the unpredictabillity of the promotion/relegation increase over the years. Gives a nice spin on things.

Definitely. I like the fact that Rijnsbursgse Boys are still in the Jupiler league, as they have survived four years in a row, formerly amateurs Katwijk have also survived thrice now.

I'm planning to do a big survey of all the clubs in 2027 (biggest transfers, new stadiums, owners etc) after 10 seasons have passed in the game. 

[MarcxD]

Season Review 2024-2025

Very good year even though we had a rough start. Hopefully we can keep that up this next year, another top half finish would be good.

AFC the biggest overachievers again and Mees de Wit surely has been worth getting in, huge performance from him this season.

 

I've been rewarded personally for the first time as well, by winning the manager of the year award.

Huge amount of money (for AFC/Dutch football anyway!), last year even as first I didn't even get this much money ever so I'm guessing either inflation or just the rise of reputation has increased this quite a bit. 

This helps a lot, and quite a bit of the money has been put to use right away again:

Best Eleven's:

(Usually I would post a squad screenshot with some info here but forgot to do that and I've already passed the season update mark now. My bad.)

I did take a dynamics screen screenshot, interestingly the youth players are still "other", most of the team supports me even if the number has been higher before. Players like Leidsman, Gyasi and Walian will be leaving after this season. They will be replaced by youth players at first, we will see if there's any transfers I can do to make another step up.

[MarcxD]

Season Review 2024-2025

Very good year even though we had a rough start. Hopefully we can keep that up this next year, another top half finish would be good.

AFC the biggest overachievers again and Mees de Wit surely has been worth getting in, huge performance from him this season.

 

I've been rewarded personally for the first time as well, by winning the manager of the year award.

Huge amount of money (for AFC/Dutch football anyway!), last year even as first I didn't even get this much money ever so I'm guessing either inflation or just the rise of reputation has increased this quite a bit. 

This helps a lot, and quite a bit of the money has been put to use right away again:

Best Eleven's:

(Usually I would post a squad screenshot with some info here but forgot to do that and I've already passed the season update mark now. My bad.)

I did take a dynamics screen screenshot, interestingly the youth players are still "other", most of the team supports me even if the number has been higher before. Players like Leidsman, Gyasi and Walian will be leaving after this season. They will be replaced by youth players at first, we will see if there's any transfers I can do to make another step up.

[MarcxD]

Is PSV Kidding?

[MarcxD]

Pre-Season 2025

Have gotten pretty much the same budgets as last year while we're getting quite rich! Oh well, I was not really planning on buying this summer anyway. Go Youth!

I signed an Ajax youth player who they released at the end of may, but he may very well never make it. Elsewhere there has been only been outgoings, a few contracts ended and for the first time (!) I sold a player for actual money, Noa Benninga. He has been a loyal servant on the midfield since my first season in charge but now he had become the 5th or 6th MC choice, Santi Phurueng (yp5d) has eclipsed him for example, so I agreed to sell him when Sparta offered some money for him.

The friendlies were pretty good, beating all 3 foreign clubs we played, while drawing against home opposition. It was very disappointing to draw against Genemuiden though, lower league opposition (Hoofdklasse actually, which means 5th tier! - not that it means all that much with all the leagues below the Jupiler League being inactive, but still). Not the best way to go into the season.

Still predicted to finish last, for the first time though AFC's reputation (in stars) is not lower than everybody else in the league. 2.5* Now, just like a lot of other teams. (The highest reputation is 3.5*, which is what the top 6 predicted have).

Also, for some reason I have got in a fight with the RKC manager. I had been so supportive of them getting promoted, and now this?

You said we were going to be relegated and now you're annoyed I responded? I hope you get sacked.

 

 

[MarcxD]

August 2025

A bit of a bizarre start to the season, tons of goals scored but 3 draws. The only win came in what was on paper probably the toughest game.. Haven't lost yet, so that's something to be really happy about.

Good start on the table, but obviously this is still meaningless. 

[Deisler26]

1 hour ago, MarcxD said:

 

Also, for some reason I have got in a fight with the RKC manager. I had been so supportive of them getting promoted, and now this?

You said we were going to be relegated and now you're annoyed I responded? I hope you get sacked.

 

 

[MarcxD]

September 2025

Really good results, still unbeaten as well! 

It doesn't mean much, and we have played a game more than a couple of sides but right now we're in 4th!

[MarcxD]

October 2025

The first losses of the season, with the one against Ajax to be expected but disappointed to go out in the cup already, especially against Jupiler League opposition. Glad to rebound with a win against Heracles in the league though.

Still exceptionally well positioned in the table, 3rd! Couple of clubs can overtake us when they play their games in hand though.

Belgian youth player has become Dutch now. Imagine his face when he was told the Dutch league actually has no foreign player limitations at all. 

[MarcxD]

November 2025

Great hard-fought results this month, beating AZ was very surprising. The goals are mostly coming from Sam Vos (yp5a), who is now very clearly the #1 striker at the club, but sadly Mees de Wit is not quite contributing as much as he did last year. Since Vos is still only 17 years old it's worrying to rely so much on him.

This is him now. He's also the first of my players to have been called up for the Dutch u19 team - he's actually got an u21 invite right now.

Unbelievably we're second now, but since there's so big a discrepancy between the amount of matches the teams have played a 5th or 6th place is a more realistic place. PSV running away with it so far.

[MarcxD]

December 2025

Great month, and I've added the goalscorers to show how important Vos is.

[MarcxD]

Just noticed this:

I can't remember having seen facilities upgrades taking 2 years, have no idea why either. When they were approved they were scheduled to be done in 2026. Bit weird.

[Deisler26]

4 minutes ago, MarcxD said:

Just noticed this:

I can't remember having seen facilities upgrades taking 2 years, have no idea why either. When they were approved they were scheduled to be done in 2026. Bit weird.

I had this on 17. I think it's a bug.

[Rikulec]

Vos looks like a proper wonderkid in the making.

[patrikholm]

Wow, what a season so far. And Vos 

[MikeyJ]

Very interesting

Vos is nuts, hope he turns out to be the next big star!

[MarcxD]

4 hours ago, Deisler26 said:

I had this on 17. I think it's a bug.

Allright, a bit annoying.

3 hours ago, Rikulec said:

Vos looks like a proper wonderkid in the making.

I hope so, certainly for the Eredivisie he looks very good. Hope I can keep hold of him for a while.

2 hours ago, patrikholm said:

Wow, what a season so far. And Vos 

Thanks! 

36 minutes ago, MikeyJ said:

Very interesting

Vos is nuts, hope he turns out to be the next big star!

Cheers, I hope so too  

[MarcxD]

January 2026

The game crashed in January and I had to replay the Heerenveen game, we actually won it this time! A friendly and two good away games followed in January.

Now we really are a clear second, pretty huge lead over Ajax... It's a little bit early to say but this is the first season we have a shot at being the highest placing club from Amsterdam.

A bunch of outgoing transfers, mostly loans. Only one to an active league club was Verhoeven to Almere City in the Jupiler League.

[Sheriff7]

Beautifull save mate keep up good work...

[MarcxD]

32 minutes ago, Sheriff7 said:

Beautifull save mate keep up good work...

Thanks man!

[MarcxD]

February 2026

Strong results again with some last minute winners! Couldn't keep up the winning streak against Feyenoord but that is to be expected.

7 points lead to Feyenoord .... 8 more games to play.

[MarcxD]

Youth Intake 2026

You guessed it, another golden generation. Since one of the best players at the club is a 18-year old in Vos it is not that surprising that some of these players should have potentials that can rise to his current ability. Beyond that lies the unknown.

quite a few players to watch out for, yes, but yet another striker! 

His key attributes are definitely here already, very good. Really his only problem will be the competition for his spot, since I only use one striker. 

The 'diamond' of the generation, and it's not hard to see why.  Precisely what we lacked, a brave, decently aggressive DM. With very good technique as well, plus all of the other good stuff. Very excited about this guy.

[MarcxD]

March 2026

The match of the save so far started the month off!! An incredible 5-3 game derby game against Ajax, and we deserved the win. Really great stuff. 4 more points in the other 2 games of the month. 

Which means that with 5 games to go Feyenoord has crept a little bit closer to us in the table, but we've also gotten closer to PSV. 6 points behind them, 5 points lead on Feyenoord now. Top 3 should be in the bag now. That means Champions League...... We have a 5k stadium (not even seater only)!!

[MarcxD]

[MarcxD]

End of season 2026

We didn't dominate quite as much as in the previous months but we did play the champions PSV at home. The absolute highlight was a stunning 5 goal fest from Sam Vos against RKC...

The lost points haven't mattered though, Feyenoord lost some matches. So we ended as second after an amazing season! So Champions League it is next season! Bizarre.

We'll have a new stadium at some point, hopefully it'll have a decent size.

Next year we won't be the only side in the Eredivisie that was amateur in 2017, since Katwijk has been promoted from the Jupiler League!

[andychar]

Unbelievable achievement getting Champions League Football! 

[Deisler26]

at Sam's victim...

[MarcxD]

5 minutes ago, Deisler26 said:

at Sam's victim...

At least they managed to stay up!

 

32 minutes ago, andychar said:

Unbelievable achievement getting Champions League Football! 

Thank you.

[MikeyJ]

No idea how you have managed to do this well, but good on you

 

[MarcxD]

Season Review 2025-2026

The Heerenveen match isn't the one I would've picked as match of the season since we beat Ajax 5-3, but otherwise a nice review to look at.

PSV the clear and deserved champion, look at those wins they talk about here. AFC were the biggest overachievers, of course, and you might notice that Sam Vos won the top scorer!

He missed out on the talent of the year award though, perhaps because there was competition from another youth player, whose average rating was one of the highest of the entire league...

I won the Manager of the Year award for the second season in a row and am now finally favoured personnel... 

Best Elevens:

Not too sure about the subs the game chose again, there were quite a few players who had more minutes and higher average ratings as well.

Bayazit and Kusi already over 200 games and certainly Bayazit will still be playing most games next season. Kusi might have more trouble with quite a few defensive talents coming up. We will be saying goodbye to Iallouchen whose contract is ending. 

As you can see, not only did Sam Vos play a huge part, three other youth players made the first team this year. Most astounding were two players, Phurueng because he has developed really well, while van Oeveren was perceived as one of the weaker players from the fifth intake. Look at him now. 

A great allround midfielder already, and only 18 years old. He has performed the best out of all the players at the club if you use the average rating as an accurate metric for that, as a box to box midfielder.

This guy has been lucky in that the competition for the left back spot was very weak, so he had the ability to get a lot of game time. 

This should help us out in the long term, bigger wages, the stadium upgrade etc. Until now the chairman has not interfered in the transfers and I hope to keep it that way, as long as we have a good amount of money in the bank I think he's less likely to.