Crusaders F.C. - The European Crusade

[Arazar]

I'm a Linfield fan, you've signed some good players from them like Mulgrew and Burns during the first few seasons! Nice to see them go full time too. I do hope you get a new stadium soon, finances are in good shape and maybe add in the to do list of winning the champion's league? Just so the save continues on a little longer

Haha, yeah the CL is definitely on the list. Also on the list is winning the World Cup and Euros as Northern Ireland manager (although I'm not the boss yet).

The Linfield guys did serve me well; Mulgrew, Billy Joe Burns and Aaron Burns especially are very good players. Linfield's wage bill is about 2 million/year now compared to most NI teams at around 300k/year or lower, so they are definitely stepping up. They also have better Youth Recruitment than us which should serve them well long term.

 

[Arazar]

Good going mate!

In terms of the youth recruitment I got to 2037 with Aberystwyth on FM13 and even after 5 Champions League's and 1 Europa League title I don't think we were ever able to get our youth recruitment above average. It doesn't really matter though because it seems you are getting some of the best Northern Irish youngsters anyway and increasing it would only increase the chances that you would start bringing in foreign youngsters in your youth intake.

Also, the attendances problem was my biggest annoyance with the save! We eventually got a new stadium after winning the CL a couple of times but I think it only held 9,000 people and we didn't fill it for most home league games and some CL games, even though we were one of the top 3 most reputable clubs in the world! I assume it was only because Aberystwyth is such a small town though, whereas Crusaders are located in Belfast so there should be loads of room for improvement for your attendances once the club reputation improves a bit more.

Anyway... good luck in the Champions League this year. Think you can steal 2nd place but it will probably be better to get 3rd as you'll have a better chance of winning the Europa League at the moment, which would give your reputation a great boost. Keep up the good work

I can sense a similar fate re: attendance for Crusaders, I just hope you're right about the bigger town being a factor.

You're right, I'd probably take 3rd over 2nd in our group. This might be our last year with Rooney, McGeady, Milner and Brittain before they drop off completely, so a potential Europa League run like when we got to the QF 2 seasons ago is a much more attractive prospect than being dumped out of the CL at the first KO hurdle!

 

[GenericUser]

This is a great story and thoroughly enjoyed the read keep up the good work buddy

 

[Crazay]

Is this still going? I was really really enjoying this story

 

[Arazar]

Is this still going? I was really really enjoying this story

Fear not, Crusaders have not died, I simply have exams next month and am preparing for them at the moment. It WILL be back and I WILL be getting into the 2030's! In the meantime I suggest reading Kerguelens' Icelandic story, he's got a great save which is quite similar in many ways! I'll be back...

 

[Arazar]

Wow, looking back, probably my most proud FM save. To get so deep into a game and overcome so many obstacles is an achievement I may not match ever! I will try, but if I can't ever get the same enjoyment from FM15, I may bring this series back and there is unfinished business long term!

 

[Kerguelen]

Wow, looking back, probably my most proud FM save. To get so deep into a game and overcome so many obstacles is an achievement I may not match ever! I will try, but if I can't ever get the same enjoyment from FM15, I may bring this series back and there is unfinished business long term!

I hope you do this save again on FM15.