[FM20] The Busby Babes

[bennymc2007]

Hello, FM fans!

I've been using my self-isolation productively and have re-created the Busby Babes.

They replace 2020's Man Utd in-game and it's a fairly accurate recreation of the side at the end of 1956-57, the team's last full season before the Munich disaster. I'm really excited to share this because United's history is a big part of the myth around the club and creating this side makes me feel like I'm bringing them back to life in some small way.

I've had to take some liberties along the way, but here's an idea of what I was going for...

• The club has a full compliment of staff, directors and players from the first team down to the U18's.
• There's no "W-M" in football now, so I've gone for a default 5-4-1 which sacrifices an AMC for the sake of an extra DC, but feel free to use whatever tactic you want.
• Some player positions don't really translate into the modern game, so for some I've opted to give them either more defensive or a more attacking set of attributes, and for others I've allowed them to have more positions on the pitch and versatility.
• Included some players/staff at the club who weren't strictly there on 1st July 1957 such as Harry Gregg and Jack Crompton, but it makes sense to add them in from the start for the sake of gameplay. Some staff roles are combined as clubs seemed to have been run by about 10 people back in the day, unlike now.
• Edited histories of competitions such as the English Premier League, Champions League, etc, in order to give the side more historical context.
• Players and staff have full histories as far as I know them from my research.
• Attributes etc are my own opinion. I'm a United fan, so I've probably romanticised a little, but when Bobby Charlton is telling you Duncan Edwards is the only player who made him feel inferior, then he's just got to be a God-tier player.
• Club records, affiliates, rivals and legends have been edited, although some of them don't register in the game. I'm not sure why, must be a quirk of the editor, but I'm afraid you'll have to suspend your disbelief for some of them.

Download here! The Busby Babes.fmf

If you don't know, put this file in your "editor data" folder located at "Documents\Sports Interactive\Football Manager 2020\editor data"

Potential issues:

• The owner of the club tends to retire in the 1st season and it's a bit of pot luck as to who takes over.
• If you leave the AI to run United, Busby sometimes spends like a maniac. I've reduced United's budget to combat this as well as messing with his tendencies, but just so you know!
• Man Utd, I mean the real one. At first, I released all of the players/staff on frees, but it didn't have the right feel. Instead, they're a fake team with no division called "Man Red" with a 90 year transfer embargo. It wasn't perfect, but it works.
• I've defaulted "staff responsibilities" to roughly what they would've been back then, so you will likely want to alter these if you take over, depending on how you like to play FM.

This database is best paired with 2 custom "edt" files that will allow the addition of real-life youth players to come through the club's youth intakes in the following 5-6 years, as well as a more realistic board takeover (although for the takeover, it is kinda hit and miss as to whether or not it works).

be_a_newgen.edt 7.26 kB · 11 downloads

future_chairmen.edt 1.11 kB · 9 downloads

Place these files into "Steam\steamapps\common\Football Manager 2020\data\database\db\2040\edt\permanent". If it asks you to over-write the existing files there, say yes. (you might want to back them up first)

Enjoy! If you have any feedback, good or bad, please let me know below.

 

[bennymc2007]

Updated competition wins...



Accurate (as much as poss) kits...



Full compliment of staff...




First Team players...




Player attributes, PPM's, personality and positions all researched...




Details of each player's history including debut, first goal and competition wins all included, where known...



Second nationalities, place of birth, international details etc included where applicable...



Previous injuries and/or injuries that may well have been suffered around July 1957 are also included...

 

[Crayth]

Great work mate!

 

[Jedd95]

Wow, so in depth mate. This is quality.