U23 League FM20

[daleuk8]

I have been in the EPL with Swindon for 2 seasons we have an U23 squad but we are not in any U23 league, the board don't seem to offer it?

[daleuk8]

Any advice?

[fat mole]

Pretty sure there's a problem with this and there's not much you can do. I'm in the same boat, have been doing some searching lately and we're not alone.

 

No League invite for this player's Luton U23s

Still not invited after 3 seasons

No league invite for York U23s

No U23 league invitation after having an U23 side for 8 seasons

Mod replies saying it's something to do with EPPP ratings not refreshing. I don't know what they are.

Player says he's never invited to a league with the U23s

Player can't get Torquay youth sides invited to leagues plus mod reply about EPPP ratings

Telford U23s not being invited for this player

Player replies to Telford post, having the issue with Cambridge

Bath City not getting invited, a couple of other people chime in

Player turned down the invitation with Spurs one year, never got invited back

Loads of people having the same problems over on the Steam forum

 

My own story is that I'm with Southport, currently in 2030/31 season. We didn't have an U18 or U23 team when I took the job. Created a U23 team about 3 seasons in, and an U18 side 4 or 5 in and neither team has been invited to a league yet. Still just friendlies all the time for both.

 

I don't have the best youth set up yet, but at level 2 it's good. We got to the FA Youth Cup final last season but still no invites for any leagues for either the U23 or U18s.

 

They're not going be fixing this in August, 10 months after release, let's face it.

 

Edited August 5, 2020 by fat mole

[stoned_assasin]

Is there nothing on this at all??? same issue, i have an under 23 squad but i get no invitation to a league is this save doomed on that front, will it fix itself or can i fix it myself via purchasing the ingame editor and doing something there?

[anagain]

Having an U23 league doesn't mean you must be in an U23 league. I know for a fact that AFC Bournemouth have an U21/U23 squad and don't enter a league. They play in the Central League Cup and the Premier League Cup as well as playing friendlies. They also play in the Hampshire Senior Cup.

Have a look at the Central League for last season and you will see that not too many teams actually enter. https://uk.soccerway.com/national/england/central-league/20192020/south/r55372/. That is just six teams in the South and I believe there were 6 teams in NE and NW.

For some lower level development teams it is possibly better to play friendlies or cups with your U23s than enter leagues. Or at least makes little difference to development of players.

As for Swindon playing in the EPL. Well, as I said above, Bournemouth's U23s do not play in a league, and did not when Bournemouth were in the EPL. Bournemouth's academy is, I believe, only level 3. I don't believe Swindon's U23 squad is higher than level 3, and just because you are promoted to the EPL it does not make that U23 squad level 1 or 2. From what I can see on the website above, Swindon do not enter a side in the Central League currently.

 

I do think it would be a nice addition to be able to ask to enter a league with your U23 squad, of course. I suspect it will be very much a board decision as to whether to enter a youth league, but I have no doubt a manager's opinion would be asked.

At the end of the day though, I don't think it makes a huge difference to player development to not be part of an U23 league. Sending out young players on loan should give them better development than any youth fixture. For a Swindon team in the EPL, send your U23 prospects out on loan to L1 or L2 clubs and they will get a much better boost to their development. Use friendlies with the U23 squad to boost match fitness for fringe players in your first team squad.