Saving the Scottish Game

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Season 16 Review


Laudrup & Pavlovski leave Parkhead as Celtic finish outside the top 2 for the first time in over 30 years. Lucas Leiva takes over as manager
Ross County are taken over. Could this be the start of there progress up the table? Well probably not with hiring previously sacked manager Steven Fletcher




Rangers 2028/9
Season stats
View attachment 345479




SPL - 2nd
Scottish cup - Winner
Scottish League Cup - Winner
Europe - Europa League - Quarter Finals




Progress on all fronts. Almost pipped Dundee Utd to the title but our form was dire against the top 4 and that was the difference between nabbing the title and 2nd. No complaints over winning 2 trophys was a nice return to years gone by for me. A step further in Europe too as the Rangers project is almost complete.






SPL Review



Dundee Utd - 5/10 Still the best but only just. There depth is unreal. Star quality is down a little bit but Paul McGowan really let himself down in the cups and Europe.


Celtic - 5/10 - Yet again hitting 70 something points in the league and not finding any trophys. 3 seasons have now passed without them lifting a trophy led to the end of Michael Laudrups 13 seasons at the club. All of this with the two best forwards in the league in Matt Marshall & A Spurs loanee Scottish forward Sam Fitzgerald


Rangers - 7/10 - We scored a crazy amount of goals. Im expecting a title challenge again next year.


Hearts - 7/10 - Shocked the SPL by shoving there way past one of my old sides Aberdeen. Paul Cherrie got even better this year leading the team in goals and assists


Aberdeen - 5/10 - Sanchez was amazing once again and is the one man leading my former team forward but he cant do it all himself Alan Thompson, Sort it out.


St Mirren - 6/10 - Despite spending a net £8m last season there was little progress overall after only just getting back into the top 6.


Motherwell - 5/10 - Added 6 players from new feeder team Monaco put them right back down to the bottom 6.


Hibs - 5/10 - Another 8th place finish. Side was led by old man Gabriel Iancu who was by far the stand out player at the club


Dunfermline - 6/10 - Another year and there still here. Time for Collins to put the final touches to start moving into the battle for 6th rather than surviving due to poor sides coming up.


Ross County - 6/10 - The lucky side of the bottom 3 who just managed to avoid the relegation places. Like years gone by having a established goal scorer in Charlie Graham was the difference.


Cowdenbeath 4/10 - Tried to loan in half a squad of players to survive 1st time back


Hamilton 3/10 - As per usual Hamilton go right back where they came from.






Champions League Final
Man Utd 1-0 Juventus
View attachment 345478
REVENGE!!! Juventus were the better side again but a Man Utd team still featuring De Gea & Januzaj in there starting side.




Europa League Final
Hull 0-3 Paris SG
View attachment 345477
PSG destroyed Hull in the final after the English side waltzed to the final.






Season Awards




Player of the year
Ryoo Hak-Young
View attachment 345476
The 2nd award for the Korean winger

Top Scorer
Daniele Fonsato
View attachment 345475
First non Dundee Utd winner in 6 seasons but only 23 goals is not really worthy of being the winner

Young Player of the year
Dominik Leicht
View attachment 345474
The German winger immediatly broke into the starting 11. Next year i think he'll explode onto another level.

Manager of the Year
Darran Donald

A small consolation for not winning the League is getting my personal award back.

Team of the Year
View attachment 345473
5 Rangers players only 3 from Dundee Utd


Continental Standings


National Coefficients
View attachment 345472
Scotland stay 7th. but close the gap on Germany for the 2nd season in a row with France not too far away either.




Competition Rankings
View attachment 345471
Move over Eredivisie. You may be on Sky Sports 5 but your behind the SPL which is now 7th on the list as the best 3* League




In the Club rankings Rangers fly up the Rankings again to 49th. Dundee Utd drop a place to 5th, up two Celtic 18th, Improvement for St Mirren 36th, Hearts 71th and Aberdeen 99th all improve. rest are between 142nd and 181st



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Season 17
2029/30


Pre Season
I take over as France manager. Will only be for 1 year i figured the chance to take over the European Champions and team ranked No1 in the world a year before the world cup was worth the time it will hold me up.
3 red cards in 2 games
We break the club transfer record for incoming & outgoing in doing so to bring back the clubs 2nd best regen forward so far


Targets
SPL - 2nd
Scottish Cup - Final Appearance in either cup
Scottish League Cup - Final Appearance in either cup
Europe - Europe After Christmas


I expect a top 2 finish but still think Dundee Utd are much better than we are so another cup is my best hope of a trophy. In Europe if we can reach the Champions League i'd hope to get a top 3 finish but our poor European record in the past 20 season my make the draw very difficult






Transfers
View attachment 345346
The last of our dead wood players leave along with £33m worth of talent. Sadly i spend big too. £10m over 5 youth players and £15 on bringing home a star regen.




In




Sam "Fitz" Fitzgerald - ATT
View attachment 345344
I wont deny it i grosley overpaid for a former youth team player who was snapped up by Tottenham for under a million in 2025. Only perk is he's back on a long term deal and we got £3.2m of the transfer fee due to a clause in his contract taking it down to £11m. He will be Rangers answer to Jack Love




Nicola Tamburini - ATT
View attachment 345343
By far the better of the two strikers i picked up. Nicola was a freebie i picked up at time when it seemed Fitz was out of my price range. I will play him a much as possible this season to try and hike up his fee when i plan to sell him next summer. Will probably be my European forward.




Lukas Pocta - MC
View attachment 345342
Cant go wrong with a young Czech or Croatian player! He'll fill the gap thats appeared in my midfield while the younger players continue there development




The Youth players. Most will be getting plenty of football this year and are already back up players.
View attachment 345337View attachment 345336View attachment 345335View attachment 345334View attachment 345333View attachment 345332






Im still working on a few more deals i hope to announce in the August update






Out
6 First team players from last summer are gone. Chris Chaplain should have stayed for back up but to give youth a chance he was let go. Melvin Bender was in the last year of his contract and it was not worth what he was asking for to renew, I was always selling top scorer Fonsato in the summer as i felt his stock was at its highest for a mediocre European player when i can use his cash to buy a potential Scottish wonderkid. Rachid Benali's sale may turn out to be a mistake but necessary with the amount of youth talent breaking through, Same with Nir Amiel however the midfield depth is not as strong and Jon Stephen my former back up keeper who is harder to replace than i expected. Very little talent in the regen keeper and those with talent want to much money.




Staff
No Changes again. Next year maybe as a bulk of contracts are up for renewing.






Around the League
View attachment 345341
Ranger totally dominate the transfer page with 8 of the top 11 deals
Dundee Utd and Celtic make some awesome looking youth signings Hearts sign nobody at all, first time i've seen that & Motherwell are the only side to rely heavily on loans.




FM Season preview
View attachment 345339
Were still only 3rd! Again the top 6 should be the top 6 unless Motherwell's youngsters prove to be something special. Relegation fight could be interesting ahead of Cowdenbeath.






Current Starting 11
View attachment 345338
Uriel Medina is promoted to starter along with Jan Votava. Lucas Pocta will get a chance to be a starter but Osamu Igawa & Arnauld James arent too far behind. Cliver O'Conner & Nicola Tamburini are the only other players there without youth team responsibilities.



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August


Attention Klippybo i've found your Hererra
Perfect start to the SPL
We reach the Champions League Groups but its not all good news for Scottish teams.




Fixtures
View attachment 345232




SPL
View attachment 345231
Top 3 kick off as expected with Aberdeen & St Mirren staring slow. Inverness & Ross County leave the northern sides at the bottom.




Europe
View attachment 345230
After reaching the last 2 finals Juventus should walk this group. We'll fight Ajax for 2nd and Slovan Bratislava will be out for a upset.


Dundee Utd get as average group as you'll see and in the Europa League Celtic play Twente, Steaua & Maccabi Haifa. Aberdeen lost on away goals to Anderlecht while Hearts were embarassed by Aris and cup finalists Hibs were out even earlier to Botev




Transfers


SPL
View attachment 345231






In


David Lopez - GK
View attachment 345229
Back up keeper


Eduardo Gauna - MC
View attachment 345225
Im certain someone on this web site has spent there life looking for the next Aitor Hererra. Well too bad i got him!




Out
Japanese wing back Makoto Oyama left so others could get a chance to progress.



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September


Shameful performance at Tanadice then a last minute collapse at Hearts put a dent in our title push
Fell 2-0 behind QOTS then finally kicked into some good form and scored 4 second half goals compleated a perfect comeback
Thrashed Slovan so 3rd at least should be ours






Fixtures
View attachment 344929




SPL
View attachment 344928
Dundee Utd are 5 points clear and with the next 3 sides split by a point. 4 sides fighting out for 11th with Inverness not far behind


Europe
View attachment 344927
Perfect start as we demolish Slovan so Europe after Christmas already looks safe




France
View attachment 344926
We won both our games going into the decider in Slovakia



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October


We win every game including beating Ajax in Amsterdam and Juventus comfortably at Ibrox
Youth side waltz through in the League cup but Dundee Utd await in the Semi finals
We close in on Dundee Utd at the top of the SPL






Fixtures
View attachment 344765




SPL
View attachment 344764
3 points split the top 3 as Aberdeen & St Mirren join us in the top 6. Cowdenbeath & Inverness loose ground at the bottom.




Europe
View attachment 344763
We fought back again in Amsterdam to get what was the biggest win i thought i was going to get to put us in Pole for 2nd place but the Juve game has made a believer out of me, Almost




France
View attachment 344762
Two wins settle the group and top spot. Just awaiting the draw in December now.



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November


Juventus thrash us in Turin but then fall out of the competition on match 5.
Three straight wins in the SPL but 2 were very close fought things where late goals saved us.


Fixtures
View attachment 344374


SPL
View attachment 344373
The Top 3 are still as close to each other as they are clear of the rest of the teams. Motherwell are keeping up with the battle for 4th. Nobody from 8th down can feel safe




Europe
View attachment 344372
Our results went as expected but i was stunned to see Juventus going out as Ajax beat them in Holland. The final game decider at Ibrox will decide who wins the Group. Ajax must win!



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December


We beat Dundee Utd & Celtic but loose to Hearts in the middle!
Stunning comeback to beat Ajax and win our Champions League Group
Great world cup draw for France


Fixtures
View attachment 344317


SPL
View attachment 344316
Only goal difference keeps us off top spot as Dundee Utd went goal wild. Celtics results leave them 6 points off the pace. The bottom two become left at the bottom.




Europe
View attachment 344315
Juventus pull level with Ajax for 2nd but loose out on head to head. Bayern finished bottom of there group.


Last 16 Draw

Sporting Vs Rangers
View attachment 344313
The Portugese side edged out Spanish Champions Bilbao to get through. Dundee Utd got Spanish opposition in Almeria as did Celtic in the Europa League they got Osasuna.




World Cup Draw
View attachment 344312
Could you make a easier world cup group?





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What the **** has went on in Europe? No Barca, Real, Bayern and Blackburn manage to qualify for the CL... Looks like you're not the only manager that's trying to make other teams competitive
 
TurboGav said:
What the **** has went on in Europe? No Barca, Real, Bayern and Blackburn manage to qualify for the CL... Looks like you're not the only manager that's trying to make other teams competitive
Click to expand...


Barca and Real havent won it since 2023 & 2021. Bilbao won it 5 times Atletico 2. They have been the top two with Barca 2nd or 3rd. Real Madrid havent been in the top 3 since 2024. Werent even in Europe last season. Doing a total Man Utd on us.


Speaking of Man Utd they, Spurs and Man City are usually top 4 Chelsea were dominating the league up till 5 years ago. Arsenal and Liverpool are bottom half


In Germany Freiburg are the top side Bayern & Furth are next Dortmund usually mid table


Serie A winners Juventus are the sole great side, Sampdoria are teh only other constant in teh champions league. Rest are all over the place Roma have spent the last 5 years in Seria B and are still there
 
Dear Darran,

Upon hearing the message that was passed onto me by my mother from yourself and now finding out that you are manager of the side that no Aberdeen fan should ever be manager of I feel as though you are not happy with life.

It seems to me you are punishing yourself for something and you cant let it go. Just walk away and you will find life (and your soul) will be much better.

But then again Man Utd lost at home to Swansea so you probably feel worse now!!!!

Kindest Regards
Your Friend
Kris.

SSSSSSSSWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
 
I love when FM gets a bit mental like that! I remember when in 2012 AC got relegated in 202-odd and didn't come back for 25 years... Strangest thing I've seen
 

January


Aberdeen destroy us 5-1 at Pittodrie a week before Celtic destroy Dundee Utd 6-1 at Parkhead
Record goals for a game is broken as we played against St Mirren in a 7-4 victory
Hibs are taken over


Fixtures
View attachment 343898


SPL
View attachment 343897
A Strange month of results bring Celtic back into the title race. St Mirren fall off the pace for 4th place. Bottom 2 sink deeper into trouble




Transfer Window
View attachment 343896
Only Aberdeen spent over £1m



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February


1000th Game as a manager comes against Falkirk in the cup
Dundee Utd beat us 1-0 in the League Cup Semi Finals & in our SPL clash to strengthen there hold on top spot
Sporting thrash us in the 1st leg of the last 16



Fixtures
View attachment 343811


SPL
View attachment 343810
Celtic are almost out of the hunt as we fall 5 points behind United. St Mirren too look like missing the top 6 again thanks to on loan Celtic striker Lee-Matthews at Motherwell.




Europe
View attachment 343809
We were very unlucky. Had double the chances but everything Sporting touched turned to goals. The dominance gives me hope for the 2nd leg.






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March


Need a replay but finally get past hibs and into the cup Semi finals.
Throw away another 3 points to Aberdeen. That could decieded the League


Fixtures
View attachment 343588



Europe
Rangers 5-4 Sporting
View attachment 343586
Briliant fightback in the 2nd leg but i had faith!




​
 
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April


Man City Destroy us in the Champions League
Unbeaten month domestically keeps us in the title hunt
Thrash Livingston in our simple run to the final




Fixtures
View attachment 343557




SPL
View attachment 343556
Were hanging on by a thread! Top 4 almost certain to finish where they are. Cowdenbeath & Inverness tied at the bottom on points and goal difference. Cowdenbeath have score 3 goals more and thats all that splits them




Europe
Champions League Quarter Final
Man City 7-1 Rangers
View attachment 343554
We were beaten halfway through the 1st leg so youth and back ups made the final score look embarrassing. Dundee Utd go on to the Semi's while Celtic were thrashed in the last 32 by Osasuna



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May


Aberdeen almost catch Celtic for a Champions League Spot but have to settle for 4th
Cowdenbeath loose the battle at the bottom Inverness wil Play Falkirk for the final SPL spot.


Fixtures
View attachment 343514


SPL
View attachment 343513


Scottish Cup Final
Rangers 1-3 Dundee Utd
View attachment 343512
I decided to go for it and play a more attacking formation due to my shortage of players. Couldnt even name 7 on the bench!



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Season 17 Review


Dundee United win a second Champions League title beating Man City 1-0 with my hero Jack Love scoring the vital goal
Inverness with there bit final against Falkirk


Rangers 2029/30
Season stats
View attachment 341947



SPL - 2nd
Scottish cup - Runner Up
Scottish League Cup - Semi Finals
Champions League - Quarter Finals



We had Dundee Utd on the ropes till the New Year. This year i'll blame the 3 teams that accounted for all 7 of my defeats Hearts, Aberdeen & Dundee Utd. Ok i dont expect much against United but Aberdeen & Hearts should not beat us as often or as badly as they did this season. No cups either but again the Orange monster from Dundee cant be expected to be beaten then in Europe im quite happy with a Quarter Final run and loosing to the Finalist






SPL Review




Dundee Utd - 10/10 - Was tempted to knock off a point for failing to get 100 points but the quadruple is something i didnt even come close too so well done Paul McGowan. "Tips hat" As in my day the wingers now Bastian Schafer & Ryoo Hak-Young were the superstars like Bayerns Robben & Ribery




Rangers - 7/10 - For our Success in Europe and only the European Champions between ourselves & a domestic treble i'd say good grounds for optimism. Next year should be my last at Ibrox




Celtic - 5/10 - Yet again hitting 70 something points in the league. No challenge in either cup and they should have got further than the last 32 in the Europa but all our teams were a let down there this year. Reasonable 1st season for Lucas who added quite a few good looking youngsters




Aberdeen - 7/10 - A much improved performance by Aberdeen giving Alan Thompson a reprive. I always rave about Sanchez but with 20 goals and 20 assists he dominated the side like never before. Really hope he's still there when i go back.




Hearts - 6/10 - They were a bit off the boil this year were Hearts but finishing where they should be. Squad looked really light at the end of the year so perhaps a clear out is in Malkey MCKays plans




Motherwell - 7/10 - I do find it amusing that the team that used loans to finish in the top 2 when i started the game were beaten to a top 6 place by the only side consistently still doing so. Motherwell had a gem of a Celtic youth to look out for in the future Mick Lee-Matthewes




St Mirren - 5/10 - Failure to get into the top 6 is not where the Saints should be after there investments. Danny Lennon has a lot of questions to answer this summer




Hibs - 6/10 - Another 8th place finish, 3rd season in a row. Did well to get as close to the top 7 who are far better quality sides than Hibs who spent £1m on Dunfermline players through the season such was there desire to secure 8th




Dunfermline - 5/10 - Same as Hibs but not as good. John Collins called it a day at the end of the season




Ross County - 6/10 - Were never in danger of relegation from Christmas onwards. This was more down to how bad the bottom 2 were than any progress on Countys part.




Inverness - 3/10 - harsh perhaps but came up got beaten badly often and were perhaps unfortunate to have to return and do it all again next year. Former rejects of mine Bruce Small & William Gauld were the only ones ending the season with dignety




Cowdenbeath 3/10 - No Loan depth this time and a dreadful side as i've seen in the top flight went down very much humbled. really missed there star youngster Barry Reid who left for Everton at the start of the season






Champions League Final
Man City 0-1 Dundee Utd
View attachment 341946
To be fair they took the game to City. good for the Countrys coefficants but sad to think of what titles i could have won. Never mind it was for the greater cause! 10 of my players from my time were in the squad of 18 for the final.




Europa League Final
Chelsea 1-2 Bilbao
View attachment 341945
A horrific domestic season where they only just creeped into the Europa League in 7th offered some small compensation with the Europa League Crown






Season Awards




Player of the year
Tony Dawson
View attachment 341944
Never really noticed him till now but what a coup for United he was last summer. 88 England Caps and a solid career at Chelsea




Top Scorer
Matt Marshall
View attachment 341943
I did say that Marshall & Fitzgerald was the best strike force in the League last season. Cheers for backing up but i hope next year its the other way around




Young Player of the year
Dominik Leicht
View attachment 341942
First player to retain the award. Improved quite a bit but i think theres still more in the tank.




Manager of the Year
Paul McGowan
View attachment 341941
No complaints this time. I know when im beat!




Team of the Year
View attachment 341940
4 Rangers players form the spine of the team with Dundee Utd also mass contributors 1 each from Celtic & Aberdeen






Continental Standings




National Coefficients
View attachment 341938
And here's the day we've been all waiting for. Thanks to awful seasons in Germany & Russia were now ranked a rediculous 5th just 1000 points behind France in 4th and even better for the future the next two seasons we'll drop are our worst over the past 5 seasons. We'll now have 3 Champions League spots! 2 in the groups and 1 in the best placed playoff from 2031/32. Only 3 spot now in the Europa League 1 right into the Groups, 1 in the Playoff and the final team in the 3rd Qualifying Round







Competition Rankings
View attachment 341939
Still 7th for Scotland but Russia jumps Germany into 5th






In the Club rankings Rangers fly up the Rankings again to 31th. Dundee Utd climb back to anew high of 3rd, Celtic drop 1 spot to 19th, St Mirren down 3 to 39th, Hearts up 6 to 65th and Aberdeen creep up to 91st all improve. rest are between 134th and 166th




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