The first game i did this year was Gateshead got them all the way to the premier league and 3rd was my highest finish before i started a new game. Was really enjoyable. Cant remember everything i did but have a few things that might help.
Lumpy is right Magnay is definitely worth keeping he is good til league one and decent in the championship as backup.
I would also keep Donaldson as he was prolific for me as a poacher. I pretty much sold or released everyone else excluding James brown as he is injured long term.He isn't worth his wage though so id move him on asap.
In terms of signings there are some good ones you can do on the cheap:
rob lainton - Bolton reserves, GK, you can get him on loan and occasionally they will accept an offer of £0 (league 1 standard)
Nicholas bignall - reading reserves, ST, you can get him on loan and often they will accept an offer of £0 (league 1-2 standard) he is very quick and will tear apart this division.
Craig Sutherland - Blackpool reserves ST, you can get him on loan and often they will accept an offer of £0 (league 1-2 standard) like bignall he is very quick and will tear apart this division. He was the stand out player for me scored over 40 goals in the season and i signed him for £0. I kept him until the championship where he still did a job as an impact sub.
Ashley Eastham - Blackpool reserves CB, great loan signing to play alongside magnay.
Luke O'Neill- Burnley reserves RB very solid loan signing.
Jamie Devitt - Hull city reserves, AMRL, i played him left wing and he was a regular goalscorer.
Robin Shroot - Stevenage reserves, M/AMR really good right winger (hence Devitt playing left side)
Steven Gregory - Bournemouth, good holding midfielder i also got for a £0 offer.
if you can get eric addo as centre back he is a tank sometimes he will accept 500 quid other times he wants 4k so its pot luck really but when i had him i played him as a ball playing defender stopper.
Like lumpy said just fill up the squad with frees the more leagues you have on the more options you have id recommend Denmark and Norway their lower leagues are full of really good amateur players you can sign for free. Its always a gamble changing the whole team but your predicted finish is mid table anyway so there's nothing to lose.
if you have denmark on check out pelle weber - he has been epic for me on a different save with cambridge
and norway morten seifert - goal a game striker.
Sorry its so long got a bit carried away lol anything else i can help you with let me know