Feliks Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 GUERNSEY FOOTBALL CLUB I've always enjoyed reading about or doing saves that have a restriction on the place of birth or origin of players, with homegrown being my preferred way of playing FM. It started off with only signing Australians playing as Melbourne City, before progressing to only academy products at Ajax, and finally completing the Lisbon Lions challenge and winning the Champions League at Celtic with only Glaswegians. A recent save on this site took over the most westerly club in England, in Cornwall, and turned them into a group of homegrown heroes, and I wanted to do a similarly geographic theme for my attempt. I've decided to take over Guernsey FC, founded in 2011 to give the small Channel Island (population 63,000) a chance to progress through the English non-league system. Currently in the Isthmian Southeast Division 1 in the 8th level of the pyramid, they have 2 trophies under their belt and at one point played in the 7th tier before falling down in 2017/18. I will be taking over as an uncredentialed local manager, and using the editor to make myself unsackable and immediately remove all non-Guernsey born players from the squad. The updates will begin after the conclusion of my first season. Aim To win the Champions League with Guernsey FC whilst using players only born on the island. Rules I am not allowed to play or sign someone not born in Guernsey at any point throughout the save, including loans. Youth candidates born elsewhere cannot be signed and must be immediately released. I am allowed to sign or loan players from other clubs so long as they were born in Guernsey, I am not limited to just my own youth candidates. Hope you enjoy! Progress Season League Pos 2018/19 Isthmian Southeast Div 1 10th 2019/20 Isthmian Southeast Div 1 11th Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted February 25, 2019 Author Share Posted February 25, 2019 2018/19 RECAP My first season was rather ordinary but it would be stupid of me to expect instant fireworks with such a limited scope of players. We solidified our position in the league, saw some youngsters flourish, and sit in a very healthy position financially. League | Isthmian Southeast Division 1, 8th tier Cups | FA Cup; FA Trophy; Alan Turvey Cup Better PlayersRyan Zico-Black - 37yo left winger, 44 games, 13 goals, 10 assists, 7.02 ratingJordan Kelly - 20yo goalkeeper, 50 games, 16 clean sheets, 6.89 ratingJacob Fallaize - 20yo centre back, 48 games, 3 PoM, 6.85 rating Youth IntakeJames Wales - attacking midfielder with good determination, decision making and work rateBrad Williams - pacy, hard working wingerSammy McDonald - adventurous and unpredictable midfielder All in all a very average season, but we'll continue to slowly work towards our goals and try and establish a robust starting XI. I have a lot of young players but also a few reaching the back end of their career so I look forward to seeing how we progress or if we go backwards in 2019/20. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winski Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 Great idea for a save! I had the exact same club in mind to start a youth only save. So I'll follow your save with interest. Good luck!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phnompenhandy Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 You should add Matt Le Tissier, Le God, as eternal president! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAMRICCA Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 is there any good actual player born in Guernsey like PL or Championship level? good luck! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 On 26/02/2019 at 00:02, MAMRICCA said: is there any good actual player born in Guernsey like PL or Championship level? good luck! The best player I've found so far from Guernsey is James Harmon, a 23 year old goalkeeper for Exeter in League 2 who actually started at Guernsey FC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 2019/20 OVERVIEW It was another fairly average season but this will be a long save and I saw some big positives with some of our younger players coming on in leaps and bounds. League Table We finished in a very comfortable mid-table position, which vastly exceeded the board's expectations of fighting bravely from relegation. For most of the season we were battling around 13th to 15th but an insane run of form towards the back end of the season had me at one point dreaming of playoffs before we dropped away again. It was helped by the fact we were absolutely horrid in the cups as you'll see below: Best ElevenJordan Kelly; Danny White, Jacob Fallaize, Jamie Dodd, Liam Mahon; Tom de la Mare, Charlton Gauvain; Matt Loaring, James Wales, Sammy McDonald; Robbie Legg Youth Intake It was another average youth intake this season, marred by the fact that the best prospect was born in Ireland and had to go. After 3 players from the intake (White, Wales and McDonald) made my Best Eleven last season, I hoped we could unearth some more gems this time around. One player from the intake, Tom Baxter, became the club's youngest ever player at just 15 years 241 days. Tom BaxterLiam StewartAndrew Helm Next Season I still think we're a few seasons away from promotion but we'll keep on battling and keep putting games into some promising youngsters in the hope we can develop a decent team of Guernsey players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Keep plugging away Feliks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted March 5, 2019 Author Share Posted March 5, 2019 2020/21 OVERVIEW Well, it had to come eventually. After a couple of seasons hanging on, we've been relegated from the 8th tier down into the 9th and it's time to focus fully on youth development so we can rocket back up the leagues. League My tactics were very clearly found out as we failed to win a game after January and so we'll be heading down into the 9th tier next season with a very young squad. Cups Another poor season in the cups as well. Best Eleven Jordan Kelly; Connor Raggett, Jacob Fallaize, Jamie Dodd, Paul Lindsey; Charlton Gauvain, Tom Baxter; Brad Williams, James Wales, Liam Stewart; Robbie Legg Youth Intake In such a poor season, the one silver lining was the fact we had a superb youth intake. Ryan Lee - already our best playerConnor HudsonPat O'NeilGareth Relf Next Season We're set to drop down a division and so I'm gonna to purely focus on developing these youngsters. I'm going to cut some of the older and more expensive players in the lineup because I think we have enough quality and potential to stay up for a couple of seasons before moving onwards and upwards once they finish developing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phnompenhandy Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 I love a failed campaign, me I'll be rooting for you next season. Out of interest, have you ticked a 'no-sack' box or has your board tolerated your relegation in keeping you in a job? What did they say about it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 11 hours ago, phnompenhandy said: I love a failed campaign, me I'll be rooting for you next season. Out of interest, have you ticked a 'no-sack' box or has your board tolerated your relegation in keeping you in a job? What did they say about it? I've made myself unsackable in the in-game editor in anticipation of relegations. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosse Posted March 6, 2019 Share Posted March 6, 2019 Have you considered all Channel Islanders or is it Guernsey only? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feliks Posted March 6, 2019 Author Share Posted March 6, 2019 5 hours ago, Fosse said: Have you considered all Channel Islanders or is it Guernsey only? Just Guernsey. Jersey actually produces some decent regens at big clubs whereas all the Guernsey regens come through me. Ultimately though it's Guernsey FC not Channel Islands FC so I've stayed true. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 On 06/03/2019 at 03:47, phnompenhandy said: I love a failed campaign, me I can relate to them. Quite amusing when your best player with 5* CA has just come through your youth set up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phnompenhandy Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 5 hours ago, Nobby_McDonald said: I can relate to them. Quite amusing when your best player with 5* CA has just come through your youth set up. My normal modus operandum is to cling on avoiding relegation in the first season and wait until March for the first intake to bail me out. By the end of the second season I generally have a full squad of intakes with maybe one original old warhorse amongst the 15 and 16 year olds. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 My first season on FM18 with Bishop's Stortford have given me two players in the youth intake that have straight into the first team squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDuck24 Posted March 11, 2019 Share Posted March 11, 2019 Had a thought to do the same, but then decided I wasn't insane enough to try it. Good luck, hopefully once enough years have passed for you to get enough decent regens, you should be able to climb your way up the leagues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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