Aberystwyth Town - European Giant

Safc-mad-scotty said:
Thanks :D Yeah, I would follow if you started a story. Do you mean the Northern Irish league or The Republic of Ireland one? The thing what put me off the league of Ireland was the fact the season ran from March to November and it just didn't feel right haha, only advice I would give is to make sure you spend the money you get from Europe wisely and try too keep an eye on the transfer market all the time as you have to snap up any quality players when they become available as it can be hard to attract decent players. Good Luck!
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Running in Ireland league currently as Drogheda Utd. Season does look weird but i'm hopeful. Expectations and money aren't that great so far so i got time to mould my team. Just need to watch the wages. Will definitely start my thread soon. Cheers
 
Stokiescott said:
See you were given a nice easy group for your Champions League debut, nice easy 6 points V Liverpool and get 4 points of both Bayern and Porto and should top the group :P lol
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Haha, unbelievably things didn't go quite as well as that but I'm still pretty pleased with how it went ;)
 
Great story mate helped inspire me to start my new save and to write about it, would you check it out and give any feedback you have
 
Liverpool obviously dreading to play you after your previous draw with them
 
Champions League Group B

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FC Bayern Munich
Liverpool FC
FC Porto
Aberystwyth Town


Match Day 1 - Aberystwyth Town vs Liverpool FC

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Excitement was all around the town of Aberystwyth as they welcomed Liverpool to the Parc y Scarlets for their first ever game in the champions league proper. Unfortunately we succumbed to a goal in first half injury time from Ryan Shawcross. Disappointing to concede a goal from a set piece but at least we kept it respectable at just one nil.

Match Day 2 - FC Porto vs Aberystwyth Town

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Second game went pretty much as expected as Porto rushed into a 3 goal lead by the 49th minute and when that goal went in I was expecting the worst. However, we were able to pull a goal back in the 67th minute through Kevin Conn and the game finished 3-1 to Porto.

Match Day 3 - FC Bayern Munich vs Aberystwyth Town

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Although it would look from the match stats that we were lucky to come away with just a 1-0 defeat, in truth Bayern didn't really create any clear cut chances against me and if it wasn't for a lucky own goal we would have snook a point. This gave me hope for our home game against them two weeks later...

Match Day 4 - Aberystwyth Town vs FC Bayern Munich

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Yes..... you did read that right. We somehow managed to beat the German giants Bayern Munich 3-0 with a brace from Kevin Conn and one from man of the match Matty Collins (who has been at the club since I started). Don't let the fact they were down to 10 men fool you as we were already 3-0 up by the time Javi Martinez got himself sent off. By far my best moment as Aberystwyth manager so far!

Match Day 5 - Liverpool FC vs Aberystwyth Town

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3rd place in the group was now looking a real possibility with both us and Bayern on 3 points and us ahead of them due to head to head results. It was looking as though we were going to take a point home from Anfield until Shane Long popped up with a winner in the 79th minute for a 2-1 Liverpool win. The bad news was that Australian under 21 international center midfielder Kevin Dindone broke his leg (or foot, can't really remember) and will be out for 5 months! Good news is Porto beat Bayern so we just need to match their result on match day 6 to finish 3rd and qualify for the Europa League knockout rounds.

Match Day 6 - Aberystwyth Town vs FC Porto

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Porto proved to be far too strong for us in the final group game and easily put us to the sword with a 2-0 victory. Fortunately, Luis Suarez snatched a 93rd minute winner for Liverpool at Bayern meaning we qualified for the Europa League knockout rounds. This started a trend for late goals which would keep us in Europe..... ;)

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So.... we drew Chelsea in the first knockout round with the winners playing the winners of the Napoli vs Rubin Kazan tie.....
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How good were Aberystwyth when you started? Just wondered what expectations you had in your first season? Seem to now be the best team in the country
 
MrStu01 said:
How good were Aberystwyth when you started? Just wondered what expectations you had in your first season? Seem to now be the best team in the country
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Ermmm..... I think our league expectation was around 3rd or fourth, they did have 2 very good center midfielders for the level though in Sean Thornton and Matty Collins.
 
Season 7 - The Rest

Europa League 1st Knock Out Round

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Chelsea FC vs Aberystwyth Town

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This result probably doesn't quite match the Bayern result but it isn't far off. Playing at home in the first leg we knew that if we kept a clean sheet we would have a great chance in the second leg and so we were very happy with a 0-0 draw. Into the second leg and it looked like we were heading out with a 1-0 defeat until Pierce Sweeney flicked on a corner at the front post for Nicholas Ioannou, center half on loan from Manchester United, to sweep it in at the back post and we went through on away goals. Napoli awaited us in the second knockout round after disposing of Rubin Kazan

Europa League 2nd Knock Out Round

Aberystwyth Town vs Napoli FC

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The first leg of the tie was played in Napoli and we succumbed to a 1-0 defeat. Lewis Doyle missed a massive chance in the 87th minute and I honestly thought this left us with no chance due to the lack of away goals. In the second leg we took an early lead through center half David Atkinson but Kevin Conn managed to miss a penalty in the 33rd minute and we were nearly made to pay for it as Napoli and Edison Cavani in particular missed a few chances. It looked as though we were heading to the luck of the draw of a penalty shootout when Pierce Sweeney headed in a corner in the 117th minute to send Aberystwyth Town into the Europa League Quarter Final! Fenerbahce awaited us and although they are a lot better than us we draw confidence from knowing we have gotten past better teams in europe this season.

Europa League Quarter Final

Aberystwyth Town vs Fenerbahce

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It had to come to an end at some point I suppose. The first leg was once again at home and we went behind early on before Kevin Conn pulled us level. They once again went ahead but once again Kevin Conn pulled us level at 2-2. I maybe then made a massive in going attacking for the last 10 minutes to try to get the winner as we missed a great chance through Lewis Doyle in the 91st minute, only for Fenerbahce to hit us on the counter attack and get a winner through Moussa Sow. We did manage to win the away leg 1-0 however we went through on away goals. Overall, it was an absolutely great season and we done far better in Europe than I ever imagined. It will be a massive come down to earth if we don't qualify for any group stage European football next season. We also won the domestic treble, but will not bother to bore you with that...

Club and League Improvements
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The league moves up to 81st in the league rankings while the club makes a massive jump to 77th in the European club coefficients. We also now get two teams in the second qualifying of the Europa League, lets see if any of our fellow Welsh clubs can take advantage and finally qualify for Europe. We also have arranged a glamour friendly with Spanish giants Real Madrid so we shall see how we match up against them, although we may have to play a reserve team if it is between two champions league qualifiers. We have drawn Valur FC of Iceland in the second qualifying round and shouldn't have much problems getting past them. Also have signed a few extra scouts to improve our scouting knowledge and it has unveiled lots of African players who would improve our team and would be willing to come to us however none of them currently qualify for work for work permits :S Oh and we also got our first big transfer budget at around £2.5 million with an extra wage budget of £10,000 a week however this will likely be adjusted.


The next update I plan on doing is a squad report but I will be happy to post any screenshots that people want to see, so just ask if there's any particular screenshots you want.


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Awesome Season 7 looks like the club is going in the right direction for a small Welsh town. Hopefully my Irish season can live up to the billing. Really enjoy following this thread.
 
MrStu01 said:
Awesome Season 7 looks like the club is going in the right direction for a small Welsh town. Hopefully my Irish season can live up to the billing. Really enjoy following this thread.
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Thanks pal, when you planning putting your story up?
 
You weren't lying when you said it was your best season yet! Haha. Well done mate. Keep going, definitely got a follower in me!
 
omg in just 7years you have built your club up well done my hats off to you
 
Aberystwyth Town - Squad Report (Part 1)

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Goalkeepers

Lewis Price - 1st choice keeper and goalkeeping coach signed for 24k, does a decent job but I am on the lookout for a replacement if a better player becomes available, although the same could be said of many positions.

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Graham Phelan and Huw Morgan - both of these players came in he youth intake a couple of seasons ago, not sure if they will ever hold down the number 1 jersey but we'll have to wait and see. Morgan is out on loan this season and I will try to give Phelan at least 10 - 20 games

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Right Backs

Jonathan Mc'Stravick - First Choice right back signed from a Northern Irish team for 5k a few seasons back. Has some major competition from this next guy though......

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Liam Brace - Possibly the best player to come out of our youth system so far. He is pushing for a 1st team place this year and has the potential to improve quite a bit. He has had quite a bit of interest from English clubs but no bids anywhere near big enough to tempt me.

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Left Back

Simon O'Brian - He has done a brilliant job as 1st choice left back since he came through our youth system early in the save, however he may be demoted to second choice left back if I can get a work permit for the Jamaican international left back.

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Center Backs

Pierce Sweeney -the main man signed from Reading for 85k a few seasons back. Fans player of the year last season and numerous brilliant performances in Europe and possibly the reason we did so well in Europe last season! Look at that average rating for continental competitions last season on his history page.

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David Atkinson - Important first team squad member member, lost his position as first choice center half last season due to a loan player who has come back however will be challenging to get it back this season with the next player.......

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Will Ilderton - Another graduate of the famous Aberystwyth Town youth system. A good center half who is pushing for a place in the 1st 11 as he has very good potential to improve. I will be attempting to get 1 more center half in the transfer window so depending on whether I get a back up or a 1st choice will decide what role Ilderton plays this year.

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Just taking a quick hour off from my TNS save so thought id catch up on your story,Great stuff..I just managed to get into the champions league group stage too...The money is amazing for what we usually get aint it?? haha

We both got the unbeaten season achievement in the same season,But you bettered me!! i got 28 wins and 4 draws..

Maybe we should go head to head with our teams in a online match? the battle of wales!!
 
calcal said:
Just taking a quick hour off from my TNS save so thought id catch up on your story,Great stuff..I just managed to get into the champions league group stage too...The money is amazing for what we usually get aint it?? haha

We both got the unbeaten season achievement in the same season,But you bettered me!! i got 28 wins and 4 draws..

Maybe we should go head to head with our teams in a online match? the battle of wales!!
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Haha, congrats on the Champions League! How did you get on in the group stages? One thing I would really advise if you haven't done so is hire scouts with high knowledge of obscure countries such as it will show more players who are of a higher ability to come to you. I have just done this at the end of this season and it's I've got an eye on a couple of quality Africans if they can get a few more caps and qualify for a work permit :D
 
Safc-mad-scotty said:
Haha, congrats on the Champions League! How did you get on in the group stages? One thing I would really advise if you haven't done so is hire scouts with high knowledge of obscure countries such as it will show more players who are of a higher ability to come to you. I have just done this at the end of this season and it's I've got an eye on a couple of quality Africans if they can get a few more caps and qualify for a work permit :D
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And congrats to you too!

Finished bottom lol had Bayern,Juve and Shakhtar..1 point with 1 game to go against Juve,Realised how far iv'e still got to go yet!

Yeah i got scouts in south america? got 2 brazilians with portugal as a dual nationality! Been offered alot of free agents released from good teams around Europe? they bolster my squad a treat,

Can honestly say your topping me at the minute when it comes to europe though tbh..Your showing in the Europa league was a great effort!

Have you had any luck stadium wise? They wont expand my at all!
 
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