[FM18] From University to Champions League-now with U21 international side project!

[decapitated]

The idea of this journeyman save is to go from a 20 year old in charge of a university team to a professional manager managing a club people would have heard of.

Given the level we are playing at, at the moment, foreign players or jobs isn't going to be a concern for a while.

Meet Jayden Edwards-Stewart. 20 years old and from Godalming, Surrey (naturally he's a Manchester United supporter) and at Aberystwyth University where he has ended up as manager.

 

 

Unambitious targets, which is probably the best place for a 20 year old to start in management.

 

 

We are the lowest in the league for strength, aggression and tackling (not what you'd want in non-league really) but highest in flair, determination and quite good in work rate and anticipation.

Its the context of a uni team, that FM's in-game social media seems a bit more realistic. Jayden probably got into a flame war with Luke last term over Love Island or Safe Space or something and he's trolling at every opportunity. We are predicted to be 9th out of 13 in the Mid-Wales Football league division 2, and once friendlies are out of the way, we'll play each team twice so its a short season.

 

 

 

 

 

[dllu]

24 minutes ago, decapitated said:

Jayden probably got into a flame war with Luke last term over Love Island or Safe Space or something and he's trolling at every opportunity

 

Love me a good British Isles lower-league (for now) save - this one with a twist. Following!  

[decapitated]

I've made some good free transfers (i'll detail them all when we get to the end of the window) and as a result, our predicted result has been revised upwards from 9th to 6th. we also drew 2-2 with Port Talbot in a friendly who are 2 above us, though annoyingly, our no 1 goalkeeper is unsettled at the moment.

[decapitated]

Well that's all going to go on pub crawls and avocados

Trial days are amazing, I never seriously managed down this far down, but they are goldmine

You can see the exact moment the we got the scout reports back from Welsh trial day. In Welsh non league everyone is on amateur contracts, so finances aren't a concern as you can sign as many people as you like as they are paid nothing. Anyone can leave at any time if they aren't happy, so there's no worrying on that front as far as I can see. (no transfer window as far as I can see) 

This guy is the best we have, and he's probably too good for this division so we might not be able to keep him for long if we are paying him nothing.

 

We also have an ex-Liverpool youth player. Moat of our new signings are players who failed to make the grade at the Cymru alliance (1 division below the Welsh premier league and 2 above where we are), so logically you'd think they'd head for the division above ours, but no one was interested. their loss, our gain.

 

 

[decapitated]

We've been doing extremely well. A mix of tactical superiority and smart free transfers sees us bossing this division so far

Penybont are also doing well.

I'm susprised it was that many!

[cerud]

Love me a good journeyman save. Looking forward to it!

[Nobby_McDonald]

Good luck in the Student Union, er, I mean on the pitch.

[decapitated]

Penybont are ahead, but we have a game in hand and better goal difference. The Bulith Wells draw was my thought as I forgot to give a team match before the match ( Jayden was too busy checking out the new Logan Paul video on his iPhone no doubt) and as for the Penybont result, Our 17 year DM (partly signed to increase the teams aggression quota) ended up getting a straight red for a two footed lunge 25 minutes into the first half.

Even university non league teams have personal assistants it seems (Obviously Eleanor has a lot of time to kill on campus). If the university is ok with paying my coaching badges I might stay on longer than planned (though hanging around campus in your mid 20s is a bit lame, so we'll move on by then) 

Not sure many University students have children, at least on campus, 

It seems to have gone well though

If you aren't good enough to get a game for the reserve side, you aren't good enough to be captain whatever your leadership rating

Its an easy thing to deal with, as since everyones playing for free, he can simply be told to find another club at his own level.

Huffer has been travelling from North London to Aberystwyth to unsettle our right back for quite a while now. Theres probably better players nearer to home, so Jaydens been throwing him shade in the student press. 

This is what the uni's ground looks like in real life. I'm not sure you could fit 248 spectators in there. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberystwyth_University_F.C. Interestingly the home kit is wrong in the game if wikipedia is to be believed. 

 

 

 

 

[decapitated]

one more screenshots I forgot

Ian is a good sub, but I wouldn't have signed him if I had known we'd have a free run at whoever we wanted at Welsh trial day.

 

 

 

[decapitated]

That Brecon Northcote game should have been a lot closer except their sole striker failed in 4 on ones with none of our players near him against our keeper.

Penybont have run into bad form of late which is lucky for us. 

[decapitated]

 

We end November with our first loss. 

[decapitated]

We have a comfortable lead now. Over the next four months until the league ends in April there are only 7 matches left so the main problem is match fitness.

I've been getting linked with half a dozen jobs, either  from clubs one step above in the Welsh league pyarmid or small time English clubs. I intend to stay here until the end of the season at least, probably for longer. I see no reason to forfeit the credit for the league title win, and the coaching badge funding for almost anything. Football Manager doesn't simulate university teams accurately. I can sign who I want for free and up to a certain level very good players will give up a paypacket to play here. I had a game once when I was the Scotland NT manager and the AI managed Stirling University team got as high as league one there, with players of the calibre of Jordan Rossiter and Kyle Lafferty playing for free on amateur contracts for them. There is a limit though as we can never go pro. If any of you want a challenge, try taking a university team to european glory (the highest ranking is Cardiff Met in the Welsh premier league) but that's not what this save is about  

 

[dllu]

29 minutes ago, decapitated said:

Over the next four months until the league ends in April there are only 7 matches left so the main problem is match fitness.

This seems to be an annoying bug with lower-league custom databases. The matches are never evenly distributed throughout the season.

[ToMexico!!]

You should take a look at Loughborough Uni through your save and see who they can attract, they've had Walcott, Choudhury, Kazaiah Sterling, Deeney to name a few in the first 4 to 7 seasons. 

[decapitated]

23 minutes ago, ToMexico!! said:

You should take a look at Loughborough Uni through your save and see who they can attract, they've had Walcott, Choudhury, Kazaiah Sterling, Deeney to name a few in the first 4 to 7 seasons. 

Its susprisngly often that notable footballers end up at non league clubs in England. Wayne Rooney ended up at Quorn in one guys save.

Although I'm starting out at a uni team, and aim is to have a journeyman save starting at a low uni team as a student and working my way up (hopefully!) to elite football.  

[decapitated]

Things took a very unexpected turn. First off, we were in a title deciding game with 2nd placed Talgarth Town where if we won we'd win the title and I got so caught up in it I didn't take as many screenshots as I should have done. The local press went big on it with a dozen question press conference and a tunnel interview (presuambly given in a near by underpass as there no tunnel at Vicarage Fields). The game went a bit wrong to say the least. We are in our Green away kit here

 

Defensively solid for the whole season then letting in a goal like that!. we managed to draw, but I wasn't best pleased.

 

 

 

 

As events turned out they would shortly be regretting spending that money.

 

For the past 2 months, I've literally been linked to 4 or 5 jobs a week. I didn't take them as since I'm roleplaying as a feckless student, the idea of relocating to the Welsh Valleys or really lower league England to work for free didn't appeal. However, if an offer came in that are so ridiculously attractive that no feckless football mad 21 year old wouldn't grab with both clammy smartphone clutching hands, then I'd take it. 

It started like this . Bangor City (2nd in the WPL) had a vacancy as their manager quit to join Kiddiminister in the conference north and I was informed I was the press favourite to get the role. 

Now what 21 year isn't going to at least apply, not that I was expecting to get an interview......

 

 

Since I wasn't expecting to get the job, I half-assed the interview even accidentally clicking the wrong option once. 

There honestly must have been any other sensible candidates, as they offered it to me. Jayden being Jayden, he switched his degree course to Bangor Uni and accepted and I doubt he'll put much stock in what he's promised them. Thing is Jayden and me role playing him might have made a colossal error. The team is in the middle of an injury crisis, seems to be lacking players in basic positions (only one natural centre back! no attacking wingers!) and judging from the players I have, the past manager must have been a miracle worker. It looks like he jumped ship for Worcestershire at just the right time.

The league splits up after 22 games, and we have 5 left to play. My aim is to do well enough to get 4th place and get into Europe, but I doubt I'm going to be there by the end of next season unless I get a lot of my type of players in. Youth squad looks very promising though.

 

 

only 3 titles and 8 cup wins. No pressure then! 

 

I'm a bit guilty about jumping ship so soon, but what 21 year old wouldn't want to manage in the WPL in a team thats likely to qualify for Europe? I think it ruins realism somewhat that I was their main candidate. I think the game judges talent rather than success. Obviously a 21 year old with quite a few coaching badges and a 75% win percentage is going to appeal, but would they have gone for Jayden over someone at much bigger club than Aberystwyth University? probably not, but I take the opportunities the game gives me. Jagerbombs all round in the student nightclubs of Bangor I guess?

 

 

[ToMexico!!]

Big move within Wales there. Now to crack the Total Network Solutions domination. 

[decapitated]

Due to a mixture of a late sleepless night with the England match and a minor family medical emergency (nothing to worry about, but time consuming) I've not progressed that far today.

See, this 'reserving judgement' thing concerns me. The squad has only been this successful due to what can be loosely called 'AI Voodoo'. At the moment we are going to have to play 4-3-1-2 with various players in unfamilar roles due to injury/overloaning player shortages. It was a struggle to find enough players for CB/CM positions. I believe I could make a success of this role if I was given a chance to restructure in the inter-season break, I would definitely make a chance of it, but tanking in the final 5 games is a real possibility and it depends how much judgement they intend to reserve based on the end of this season and how much I don't mess it up.

 

 

I've noticed this happening on other games where the lower leagues in Wales are activated. Either Penrhyncoch or Cardiff Met have amazing english (never Welsh) regens who always get snapped up by English clubs. I'm guessing its a bug rather than design?

[Nobby_McDonald]

From university to the city.

[decapitated]

 

I'm one of the cheapest on a wage bill that the chairman is seeking to cut. I suppose student labour comes cheap!

Its normal for players to only get 1 year contracts, but the AI was a bit lazy in renewing this years players. When I talk to them, they all say they want an increase in the coaching standards which I think should be possible. When my Assistant Managers contracts runs out, I'll get a new one, and we'll advertise for better coaches as a priority

My plan to recruit english non league player particularly those at the english trial days has hit a hitch with many players finding Bangor a bit too 'foreign' for them, even the Welsh ones!

8 hours ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

From university to the city.

It's acutually another University city (not many in Wales!) so Jayden could carry on his studies if he lasts that long 

 

 

for those not clued up on Welsh geography, this is the distance between the clubs.

 

 

 

[decapitated]

 

first signing for next season. He's certainly better than what we have now

 

To put this in the English context, this is as if the manager in charge of the top league 2 team was offered the chance to manage a top 6 EPL club. Loyalty only goes so far in football.

As you can see from the formation name, I didn't have the best hopes for our first match

It didn't go that poorly though.

 

 

[decapitated]

The results weren't as bad as I feared. 

We got into Europe which will be a good lads trip away to Moldova or Kosovo or somewhere like that.

Two of our summer signings, though the real star attraction is this guy below

Former Man U trainee!

I've decided not to post about this seasons achievements so much as most of it was down to the previous manager. Hewitt is refusing to sign a new contract unless we increase his wages by five times, which with our tight chairman theres no way thats ever happening, so he'll be off on a free in the summer.

This is our best youth prospect from this years intake. Unfortunately we already have a much better GK prospect. 

I've decided not to get a new assistant manager this season as our chairman is extremely tight over funds especially for staff members. Hopefully some success in the league will lead to successful requests for more investment.

 

It also seems (and this happened in the Aber Uni days) Jayden upset Paul Heckingbottom, though how and why that happened I don't know. 

[Nobby_McDonald]

Well done qualifying for the Europa League.

[decapitated]

16 hours ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

Well done qualifying for the Europa League.

Most of that work was done by the previous manager but thanks  

 We just had a very unexpected (by Welsh standards) run into europe

that 4-0 away win was unexpected to say the least.

we took 200k (enough to pay our entire wage budget for a year!) for the 2nd round tie.

Its a long way to travel to Israel from Salford to say the least.

[Blyth Spartan]

Wales, i somehow love Wales!!

All the best wished to you Sir (as long you keep your squad a majority of Welsh players that is!

[decapitated]

 

Things are going pretty well so far. TNS the only real challenge so far.

Some of tbe bookies odds just before the start of the season

two new free signings formerly of Swansea City's youth team.

And the only non Welsh signing I've made I think

7 hours ago, Blyth Spartan said:

Wales, i somehow love Wales!!

All the best wished to you Sir (as long you keep your squad a majority of Welsh players that is!

Due to the fact impossible to get non-Welsh players (and indeed some Welsh players themselves on occasion!) to sign for a WPL team at the moment due to it's 'foreign-ness' I've forced to Welsh-ify the squad whether I like it or not  

It seems Welsh non-league is a great place for English regens. Is that design or flaw?

A few goals for you. First is a goalkeeping area, and the 2nd is a good team goal from a corner. 

[Blyth Spartan]

Well in my save, The New Saints dominants the league pretty much, with far better facilities and being the only professional club. The New Saints is based in England so their regens are English. The other pure Welsh clubs dont get any good regens so they sign players from lower English clubs. That is basically was is happening in my save, 3-4 years in. 

[Nobby_McDonald]

On 10/07/2018 at 15:15, decapitated said:

Its a long way to travel to Israel from Salford to say the least.

Surely Turner Stadium is your ground and not Hapoel Be'er-Sheva's?

[decapitated]

8 hours ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

Surely Turner Stadium is your ground and not Hapoel Be'er-Sheva's?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turner_Stadium

 

Quote

The Turner Stadium (Hebrew: אצטדיון טרנר‬), officially the Yaakov Turner Toto Stadium Be'er Sheva (Hebrew: אצטדיון טוטו באר שבע ע"ש יעקב טרנר‬) is a football stadium in Be'er Sheva and the home ground of Hapoel Be'er Sheva. It was named for former Be'er Sheva mayor Yaakov Turner.

 

19 hours ago, Blyth Spartan said:

Well in my save, The New Saints dominants the league pretty much, with far better facilities and being the only professional club. The New Saints is based in England so their regens are English. The other pure Welsh clubs dont get any good regens so they sign players from lower English clubs. That is basically was is happening in my save, 3-4 years in. 

That's not been my experience unfortunately

 

[decapitated]

Not a good month as our away form slumped.

We did beat TNS away though after two of their players got sent off at the same time

Luckily none of our rivals have taken advantage of our slip=ups but its tight at the top of the table.

Vance will be by far the best player we have when he joins by a long way. Oldham and Glasgow Rangers were sniffing around him, but only we offered him a contract.

 

[decapitated]

A mixed month results wise where we get knocked out of both cups and are inconsistent in the league as well.

TNS have finally got into gear which is worrying

£220 deducted from £110? 

You can see why Brighton, Rangers and Bournemouth have been interested in him. There also seems to be a lot of great regens in the Welsh lower leagues, a lot of them English. It doesn't seem all that realistic but I'm not complained.

[kidthekid]

2 hours ago, decapitated said:

A mixed month results wise where we get knocked out of both cups and are inconsistent in the league as well.

TNS have finally got into gear which is worrying

£220 deducted from £110? 

You can see why Brighton, Rangers and Bournemouth have been interested in him. There also seems to be a lot of great regens in the Welsh lower leagues, a lot of them English. It doesn't seem all that realistic but I'm not complained.

you might make a fortune of him in a few years.

[theBlackPrince]

Definitely cannot fault you for the move, might not come up again for a while!

[decapitated]

Mostly good results so far

 

The WPL table now splits in two so we play the teams 2nd-6th twice and the bottom teams play each other.

 

I've not had that before

I was also linked to East Fife in Scotland several conference and conference north/south sides and quite a few Irish sides.

 

[DarylGouilard]

Your idea is very good actually! It reminds me of Kevin Nicholson, a Bangor City manager. Hopefully you could end up managing your favorite club, Manchester United!

[Rikulec]

Wonderful idea for a save, really creative. Will be following.

[decapitated]

If we can hold our nerve we should be able to win the title.

I declined both of them. I promised the Bangor board I'd see out my contract without going for any new jobs, and plus I'm not throwing away a WPL win to go for a lower level conference north/south team. 

Signing Crittenden seems to be paying off

Again the quality of regens in the Welsh lower leagues is remarkably high

 

[Northernpilgrim]

Great work so far. Following with interest

[ToMexico!!]

In my save there was a point where I was in the 7/8th tier of English football and Premier League and Championship teams were snapping up youngster from teams around me all the time then one summer it stopped. This was probably four to six seasons into my career. That may happen in your save too at some point. 

Great work so far in Wales.

[decapitated]

This of course means.....

A golden age indeed!

£15 a week pay rise!

Thats serious money for WPL, and since we were getting several hundred grand a game for our Europa League win and only 15k for winning the league, it's clear where my priorities should be next season.

This seems an amazing transfer until you realise no one currently based outside Wales (even for Wales based English clubs wants to sign) Still it means I can buy whoever I like in Welsh football. Well nearly anyone, the idiot director of football I inherited managed to alienate a great young player from Bala so much in negotiations that the deal broke down. I sacked said director of football now I had the influence (his habit of hiring as many rubbish youth players to free contacts could have been tolerated, but not this) but the guy still wouldn't sign

the player of the season a TNS striker was the same age but I guess they wanted to give them both something.

I always wondered what they'd said if you went and watched a match by the club your manager supports

Shaw doesn't want to stay in Welsh football for any longer and is leaving on a free to probably join Ryan Giggs at Carlisle. We've been busy yet frugal on the transfer market as you'd expect.

The boards not keen on the Owen signing but thats the one I'm most pleased about.

 

 

 

 

 

[ToMexico!!]

Owen looks like he will be a great signing. Well done on the Welsh title, that will do your reputation some good for sure. 

[Nobby_McDonald]

Superb effort winning the league.

[decapitated]

A fairly good european campaign given the gulf in quality between us and our opponents in their favour. We also earned a lot of money through competition money.

We had a lot of our top players poached by English sides of varying quality and it was difficult to get any money for them as the game judged them as being worth less than £500. Thankfully Crittenden had 20 clubs after him so that meant we could squeeze a bit of money out of Everton. There might still be more transfers as the window isn't over yet. 

The season starts soon. I might wait until theres a gap in the heat wave before starting it though.

 

[Northernpilgrim]

Good luck for the new season

[Nobby_McDonald]

On 25/07/2018 at 10:52, decapitated said:

The season starts soon. I might wait until theres a gap in the heat wave before starting it though.

 

October then, and it will snow two weeks later.

[Northernpilgrim]

4 minutes ago, Nobby_McDonald said:

October then, and it will snow two weeks later.

Ever the optimist, Nobby

[Nobby_McDonald]

Yeah, as if it will snow in October.

[decapitated]

Theres a gap in the heatwave from saturday to wednesday so I should hopefully complete the next season then  it will be warm, but not boiling like it has been this week if the forecast is correct.

[decapitated]

Finally got back onto this today (real life got in the way unfortunately) as you can see we've had a great start to the season

Unfortunately so did TNS, and they have a Brentford youth player (a Finland under 21 international) up front who is miles better than anyone else in the league

I've applied for the vacant Wales U20 position. I aim to do it at the same time as Bangor (if they make me choose, I'll go for Bangor). Interestingly my old personal assistant at Aberystwyth University is now working for the Welsh FA. Nice work if you can get it.

[decapitated]

It's not been the best month really

We've fallen to 2nd and that loss to Carmathen at home was a match we should have won, and some of the goals we conceded were too ridiculous to be believed. 

Defensive recruits are needed in the window and he is the first.

Crawley are interested in him. He's not good enough to do well there, but theres no way I can stop him leaving if he wanted to

Not least as I tried my own escape route in the English football league. Blackpool are 24th in league two facing relegation with a squad that was predicted be in the play-offs. Would have been an interesting project. It's the only club job I've seriously considered whilst at Blackpool

interesting