Lower League Team Managers ,I have an important question to ask...

[Seabear]

Just thought i would share my progress, I have really enjoyed this save so far and I'm probably spending more time on this that my united save which is saying something. Showed the league position and transfer i did. As you can see most if not all my transfers are free and most of the players i let go are on free as well.
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Started my save unemployed, took over the club when they were in 17th or something.

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2nd season, brought in 22 players or something crazy? This was a struggle managed to scrap automatic position on the last day with a draw against Southend who were right below us.

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3rd season, again brought in more free transfer. Did more scouting so i didn't have to go through the pain of giving everyone who were released trials. Sitting pretty on top of the league, was predicted to finish in 23rd by the media! Guess they don't know much Went on a crazy run of form from the end of october till now. Really didn't expect us to be top of the league, thought we would struggle after first few games. Losing 5 out of the first 7 games of our season, getting knocked out in both cups. Would have been happy with mid table, now that its half way done i got my sights set for promotion. Still think we'll struggle but now that we're up here I don't want to go back down!

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EDIT: Literally just finished this game! BEATEN ARSENAL at home! Absolutely buzzing with the boys. I doubt we'll go far but this is a result to cherish! Have rejected multiple job interviews from Ligue 1 teams, Spanish and Italian second division teams. As well as teams in the same league who are below me? why would i join?

SECOND EDIT: Now going to do a story on this specific save so if you guys would head over and show your love it would be great!

 

[Ursulla]

Thanks for sharing your incredible success...Keep this thread alive until more courageous managers will join...Now I am waiting to see if someone can do it without using players for trials...I mean you can invite players for trials,just don't look at their attributes but judge them on their actual performance on trials and decide to sign or don't let go like in real life...That would be the ultimate challenge...I hope SI would address that in a future patch...I mean they went all the trouble to make scouting better and forgot about the trials workaround...Obviously also without using genie scout which is also cheating..
By the way the media predict according to your team status at the beginning of the season ,they don't know which players you are going to sign that would change the balance of the league...

 

[McTabish]

Help with Conference North

Hi Guys, great to hear that some people are having fun with FM15.

I'm still having a nightmare in Conference North. It seems to me that its very much a race to get out of the division at the first time of asking. If you don't get promoted, the finances at the club are usually so bad you get all your budgets cut.

I am still trying to get going with Solihull but my board won't even pay for me to go on a training course. I wish you could use your own money that you have earned like your coaches sometimes do - that would be a nice way to make your contract/salary actually be useful and not just drain your finances further.

I have faired better after the last hot fix which cut the score in my game from 76 goals down to just 35 ;-) using a DM/Anchorman has really helped to shore up at the back - managed to concede the 4th fewest goals in the league even with a 7th place finish but I have really lacked goals even with Bogle getting 26 and Knights getting 10.

Maybe its just a lot tougher this year and Si are forcing everyone down the Man City/ Man Utd route as they are the only teams that seem to have any money.

 

[seacow]

i am in the conference and making 250k a year with hyde, you just need to be clever with your money, utilise free loans and non contracts

 

[sexandviolence]

I usually have a fitness coach and goalkeeper coach (well normally 2 of each at a higher club, but one of each for a lower club) that cover the first team, reserves and youth, just when hiring one ensure they have a decent skill rating for working with youngsters. Then when picking your other, regardless of their job title, ensure their skills between then have a broad range, ensure they all are as good as possible for motivating/working with youngsters, but then have one good at defending, another attacking etc. I would normally have a manager and assistant, however an assistant might cost more, when its really all about coaching. I am quite OCD about setting up my coaches and backroom staff, its important to have a good base to build on

 

[Ursulla]

Hi Guys, great to hear that some people are having fun with FM15.

I'm still having a nightmare in Conference North. It seems to me that its very much a race to get out of the division at the first time of asking. If you don't get promoted, the finances at the club are usually so bad you get all your budgets cut.

I am still trying to get going with Solihull but my board won't even pay for me to go on a training course. I wish you could use your own money that you have earned like your coaches sometimes do - that would be a nice way to make your contract/salary actually be useful and not just drain your finances further.

I have faired better after the last hot fix which cut the score in my game from 76 goals down to just 35 ;-) using a DM/Anchorman has really helped to shore up at the back - managed to concede the 4th fewest goals in the league even with a 7th place finish but I have really lacked goals even with Bogle getting 26 and Knights getting 10.

Maybe its just a lot tougher this year and Si are forcing everyone down the Man City/ Man Utd route as they are the only teams that seem to have any money.

I was enjoying reading your thread...Using you salary to help you going on to courses is really something SI should put their mind to it...That is something real life managers whould do...What is the point of earning a salary without having any uses for it...

Using DM is something I always do as I regard him the most important player of my team...

Try to arrange friendlies at home against teams near the town you manage which are considered as rivals to your club...Those games whould sell much more tickets than usual...Also if you have a parent club arrange a game against them...

Don't hire any staff for youth team except if you find HoYD above 2 stars...If you are lucky he might just find someone that you make a profit out of him...

Remember that staff members have a few roles so you should search all the roles and hire them for the role is most suited for you...

Play with small pool database of players so that whenever you need money you get better chances of selling your players...

Don't sign players who ask for high wages...Look for those who ask for lower wages...Usually those players are not of English nationality like scotish or Irish...

When you start a new game play all the leagues of Great Britain so you can sign players out of those leagues...Those players are quite cheap comparing to those english players...

Loan players for free until the end of season at the most important roles of your formation...Like a GK or DM.... Also if you loan a player for 3 months and he is really useful but you quota of long term loans is already full you can still extend their loan for another 3 months !
Yoo need to be always active in the transfer market and look for bargains...If you see one of your players wanted by few clubs try to sell him with the highest fee you can get...

If anyone else has more practical hints ,bring it on...We need any advice we can get on Lower League management except winning cups and getting promotions...

 

[Ursulla]

One more thing I have just remembered...During contract negotiations most players asking me for a bonus if a I manage to stay out of relegation...Instead I am offering them a bonus for the F.A Cup so if my team managed to reach that round I have the cup profits to pay them...

 

[seacow]

i am moving away from avoid relegation bonuses and offering promotion bonuses, whether aiming for promotion or not as it spurs on the team to perform better