Mikeyp77

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Having been silent reading numerous BAP stories over the last few days I've decided to finally complete one myself. I've never really had a good go at a story so hopefully you'll enjoy this one and read it. Feel free to comment any advice you have on it.

I've followed similar trends to others and have left all attributes the same but changed to a manager preference so that when he retires he will become a manager for me to use of Fm16. I started with 90 CA and had a PA of -9. Hopefully therefore making my player a decent performer but not a superstar straight away.

I've set his favoured club as Newcastle and obviously Sunderland as disliked so he doesn't join them (hopefully). I've also put him as eligible for England and Wales, therefore hopefully representing me as closely as possible (other than being a good player).

I am going to attempt this as a first person viewpoint with a story line. I will attempt to make some detail but not over the top so that we can also get down to the interesting stuff- seeing how he develops.

I hope you enjoy it. Please do give feedback as I want to have a good go at a proper story
 
I was woken suddenly with the sound of my phone vibrating on the bed side table. Judging by the lack of light outside it was still the middle of the night. I looked at the phone, it was my Dad. I couldn’t work it out, he was away on business but it was unlike him to call me in the night, especially on a school night.

‘Mike, it’s your Dad’, he sounded a bit drunk. ‘I’ve just bumped in to some guy who claims to know a thing or two about the upcoming trial day’. All of a sudden my heart skipped a beat. I had been hoping for a few months now to hear from someone regarding the trials. My brother attended them three years ago and has since secured himself a contract over in Wales. Dad acted as his agent for a year before he landed his first official contract with The New Saints.

’What do you know?’

‘I’ve just been speaking to an agent. I told him all about your recent cup run with your local side and how well you played. I also told him about your recent trials and he seemed a bit interested’. I started to get excited now. I’ve been plying my trade for my local side since I was about 8. When I was 14 I was invited to the academy in Ipswich, I spent a whole year there before spraining my ankle in a game. The club didn’t think I quite had what it was to make it so decided to release me from the academy. After that I spent a couple of months at Colcehster academy but I suppose my confidence wasn’t there as I struggled to show them what I was capable of. Now here I was hearing of another opportunity to show what I can do.

‘What did he say about that?’

‘He said you sounded like a good prospect. Seemed excited about the chance to meet a player who has had a few runs in academy’s. He wants to see you in action first though. This Saturday we need to make sure we get some sample videos of you playing. He’s given me his email address and we need to send them to him’.

‘Okay, thanks Dad. Can you thank him for the interest he’s shown!’

It was safe to say I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. With the trials just two weeks away I knew I had to play the best game of my career on Saturday otherwise I could give up on my hope of being a professional player.
 
The start of something special

‘Hello Mike, nice to meet you. I’m Sean Jones. I presume your Dad has talked to you about me?’

‘Yes, I’m very excited about the opportunity’

‘Well that’s good to hear. Having watched your videos and your performance in the trial day I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that you’ve interested a few of the scouts who were watching. Now before we get ahead of ourselves we need to discuss the next few steps of me becoming your agent. Then once we’ve done that I’m sure we can start to contact a few of the scouts and offer you around.’

‘Will the scouts not come to use regarding offers?’ I was getting a little worried at this point. I knew I hadn’t played as well as I could of. I managed to score an easy chance early on but then received a big blow from an opposing CB and struggled to run off the knock, being substituted at half time.

‘I won’t sugar coat it. It’s a cut throat world in football. The scouts will have seen potential in you, but they will have also seen you be clattered by that big boy at the back. We need to make sure we can now sell you to them to get the best deal for you. So don’t go thinking you’ll be attracting attention of the Manchester Uniteds of this world. We need to start small and grow your reputation. Does that sound okay?’

‘Well I guess you know what’s best for me’. I was a little disappointed to hear that I may not have done enough to get people to come after me. But if my new agent could secure me a deal then I can’t start complaining.




A week later I got a phone call from Sean Jones.

‘Hello Mike, it’s Sean’

I couldn’t contain my excitement. ‘Have you heard anything??’

‘Haha, I see you want to get straight to the point. I’ve spoken to a few of the scouts and they were impressed by you. However, only one club was willing to actually offer you the opportunity to train with the club. How do you feel about travelling to Accrington?’

If I’m honest, I had no clue where Accrington even was. But did I care about that? ‘Of course I will travel to Accrington. A club is a club and I’ve wanted to be a professional since I was 5’.

‘That sounds great, do you think you could put your Dad on the phone and I can arrange some further details about getting you there and meeting the correct people’.

I passed the phone to my dad, I couldn’t believe it. Accrington Stanley were willing to take me on. The only thing I knew about Accrington was playing as them a few times on Fifa, maybe I could finally meet some of the players who won me the League 2 title on manager mode! I quickly made a phone call to my brother in Wales. He was delighted for me. He told me that he had just sealed a loan move and was expecting to have lots of game time in an effort to impress the manager. I was delighted for him. Growing up we’d always know that I was the better footballer but it was great for us to both now be in the professional game.



View attachment 218814
I was delighted to sign my first contract, all be it a youth contract, with Accrington. Hopefully I would start to develop in to a useful player before seeking a bigger club once I'd developed
 
I was nervous. I was finally getting my chance to meet the boss. It would only be an informal meeting but Sean had told me this was a good opportunity for me to impress. I would also be meeting John Townson, the u18s manager.

Hi Mike, I’m John Coleman, manager here at Accrington and this is John Townson, your new u18s manager’.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet both of you’ I replied, shaking their hands.

‘Now this is nothing formal, it was just a good opportunity for me to meet you, I like to be heavily involved in all areas of the club so don’t be surprised if you ever see me down the youth facilities. I won’t like, we’re currently struggling with injuries so now is a good time for you to show me what you have and who knows, you may feature at some point for the first team. Now John is going to show you to the changing rooms and then you’ll meet him outside for some training and meet the rest of the kids. Most people at the club won’t be here for another hour or so, so make sure you’re ready and prepared to work hard.

‘Thank you Mr Coleman, it has been really nice meeting you’.



The boss wasn’t wrong. Just weeks in to pre-season and the club was seriously struggling with strikers. With the first team preferring two up front this was a good opportunity. I was competing with fellow u18s striker Rhys Webb for a place in the first team. We’d already been told my John Townson that one of us were likely to be called up for the game against Southend.

I couldn’t believe it when I was told by John that the boss wanted me to train with the first team in preparation for Saturday. What was more, during the warm up, regular striker Marcus Carver suffered a knee injury. This was it, my opportunity to impress on my very first game, I would be in the starting line up!I made a good account of myself. I didn't get on the score sheet but had managed to stay on the whole game and we got our first point of the season as well.
 
Turned on its head

It was new Years eve. Things were going well. I’d managed to score in my second game and set a youngest goal scoring record. The club weren’t doing well, we were in the relegation zone but I did manage to bag myself a few goals in my first half season. Everything seemed to be going perfectly.


Mid way through January I got a call from the boss. He wanted me to meet him in his office. I excused myself from the weight training session and found myself wandering towards an office I hadn’t stepped in to since my first day. I couldn’t work out what was going on. I was trying to rack my brains to see if I had done anything wrong. Nothing that I could think of. Knocking on the door I was told to enter and was therefore surprised to see Sean Jones sitting there.
View attachment 218811

JC: ‘Come in Mike, take a seat’ He sounded cold, not the same warming guy who had congratulated me for scoring the winner in our last game. ‘I’ve invited you and Sean here as we’ve had some contact with some major clubs. They’re interested in taking you from us’.

SJ: ‘Mike, I’ve spoken to Mr Coleman, obvsiouly he is very determined to keep you here, but understands what this could mean to you.’

JC: ‘You’ve been impressing, you haven’t looked back since that first game. You got your break in the team and kept yourself there. I’m very impressed by it. Four premier league teams have enquired about you. Newcastle, Burnley, Leicester and Totenham.

MP: ‘Newcastle?’ I couldn’t believe it, my boyhood team had made an enquiry about me

SJ: There’s some very big teams there. Obviously me and Mr Coleman will discuss a few things but we thought it would be best to let you know the situation.

JC: ‘You don’t need to return to training. I imagine your head is all over the place at the moment. This is a lot of news for a 15 year old to take. If I am correct it’s your birthday tomorrow? Get yourself some rest for today and we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow to discuss this more.

I excused myself and caught the bus back to the club hotel which was used for younger players who weren’t living with their families. I immediately called my parents and brother to discuss things. They were obviously delighted for me but Jonny gave me some key words of advice. He made sure to ensure that whatever I did I wouldn’t be sitting on the bench. I was too young to not be playing week in week out.
 
I was trying to rack my brains to see if I had done anything wrong
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