smcdougall
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Firstly apologies if this is placed in the wrong area.
Thought I would share my progress with my current save w/ Swindon Town. I am currently in February of my 3rd season. 2011. I won promotion to the Championship in my first season ending up runners up to Bristol Rovers. I didn’t really make any wholesale changes to my original squad I brought in Ritchie De Laet from Man Utd and Nacer Baritze from Arsenal on loan. My promotion was largely due to the fact Charlie Austin was in sensational form in front of goal scoring 36 in 43 games. The start of the second season, my first in the championship brought many backroom staff – I was able to increase from 4 coaches to 10. This increased the overall skill levels to my training which was in need of a major boost. I received just under £2 million in transfer budgets for my forthcoming season. I decided that the majority of my squad weren’t up to the vigour’s of the Championship and I was shot or quality. As good as David Lucas was for Lge 1 I needed a classy goalkeeper. Cue Alex Smithies from Huddersfield Town, costing the majority of my budget @ £1.1million. I knew going forwards with transfers I would have to be very carful so I began scouring the freebie market. Contracts were offered to Sam Hewson and Mark Randall from Arsenal and Man Utd both recently released from there contracts. I also noticed that Sol Campbell was available on a free transfer… I took the gamble and he became my highest paid player at £5500 per week. So I was now solid in goal, I had a defensive rock and signed two up and coming attacking midfielders that were of better quality than currently in my squad. I went back to the loan market again with offers for both De Laet and Nacer Baritze, De Laet accepted but Baritze chose to take a season long loan with Queens Park Rangers instead. The first few months of the season were eventful to say the least, Charlie Austin continued his excellent form scoring 12goals in the opening 10 games however he then hit a barren spell that would last until the January transfer window. Cue the transfer market again in came John Bostock for £400k from Tottenham and a contract agreed with Paul Marshall from Aberdeen for the end of the season. As the season continued my form filtered out and I dropped from the play-off positions to finish the league in 12th position. My board were ecstatic, I had originally planned to battle the drop bravely, So to finish where I did was a massive boost.
My current season started with a budget of £1.6million and the aim of a safe mid table finish, Im hoping I can secure a play-off spot this season but it may still be a little early to be looking to promotion. In terms of transfer activity I have signed Jan Venegoor of Hesselink to provide backup to Charlie Austin in front of goal and I have mad the deal for Ritchie De Laet a permanent one at a cost of £1.4 Million. Im currently in 7th position just outside the playoffs and its early Feb. Little transfer activity in January due to a lack of additional funding from the board and no real quality available on a free although I have picked up a reserve keeper – Ole Solderberg from Newcastle on a free and a loan for Jordan Spence until the end of the season from West Ham Utd. Im a million miles away from the top two places in the Championship 24points to be exact those two are currently held by Fulham and Middlesbrough. Between my Swindon Town and 6th placed Cardiff is 4pts with the gap between Cardiff and the top placed playoff team only 11points so at this stage it’s all still possible.
Main stars at the moment are Ritchie De Laet with an average rating of 7.18 and John Bostock with a rating of 7.06. Charlie Austin has started to let me down this season with a return of 7 goals in 22 starts. Hoping he will come good during the second half of the season. I think all in all im destined for another spell in the Championship after this season and then look to build a strong challenge for an automatic spot next year.
Here is my current starting 11 –
GKP Smithies
DL Kennedy
DR Amankwaah
DC De Laet
DC Spence
MC Randell
MC Douglas
MC Hewson
AM Marshall
AM Bostock
ST Austin
Thought I would share my progress with my current save w/ Swindon Town. I am currently in February of my 3rd season. 2011. I won promotion to the Championship in my first season ending up runners up to Bristol Rovers. I didn’t really make any wholesale changes to my original squad I brought in Ritchie De Laet from Man Utd and Nacer Baritze from Arsenal on loan. My promotion was largely due to the fact Charlie Austin was in sensational form in front of goal scoring 36 in 43 games. The start of the second season, my first in the championship brought many backroom staff – I was able to increase from 4 coaches to 10. This increased the overall skill levels to my training which was in need of a major boost. I received just under £2 million in transfer budgets for my forthcoming season. I decided that the majority of my squad weren’t up to the vigour’s of the Championship and I was shot or quality. As good as David Lucas was for Lge 1 I needed a classy goalkeeper. Cue Alex Smithies from Huddersfield Town, costing the majority of my budget @ £1.1million. I knew going forwards with transfers I would have to be very carful so I began scouring the freebie market. Contracts were offered to Sam Hewson and Mark Randall from Arsenal and Man Utd both recently released from there contracts. I also noticed that Sol Campbell was available on a free transfer… I took the gamble and he became my highest paid player at £5500 per week. So I was now solid in goal, I had a defensive rock and signed two up and coming attacking midfielders that were of better quality than currently in my squad. I went back to the loan market again with offers for both De Laet and Nacer Baritze, De Laet accepted but Baritze chose to take a season long loan with Queens Park Rangers instead. The first few months of the season were eventful to say the least, Charlie Austin continued his excellent form scoring 12goals in the opening 10 games however he then hit a barren spell that would last until the January transfer window. Cue the transfer market again in came John Bostock for £400k from Tottenham and a contract agreed with Paul Marshall from Aberdeen for the end of the season. As the season continued my form filtered out and I dropped from the play-off positions to finish the league in 12th position. My board were ecstatic, I had originally planned to battle the drop bravely, So to finish where I did was a massive boost.
My current season started with a budget of £1.6million and the aim of a safe mid table finish, Im hoping I can secure a play-off spot this season but it may still be a little early to be looking to promotion. In terms of transfer activity I have signed Jan Venegoor of Hesselink to provide backup to Charlie Austin in front of goal and I have mad the deal for Ritchie De Laet a permanent one at a cost of £1.4 Million. Im currently in 7th position just outside the playoffs and its early Feb. Little transfer activity in January due to a lack of additional funding from the board and no real quality available on a free although I have picked up a reserve keeper – Ole Solderberg from Newcastle on a free and a loan for Jordan Spence until the end of the season from West Ham Utd. Im a million miles away from the top two places in the Championship 24points to be exact those two are currently held by Fulham and Middlesbrough. Between my Swindon Town and 6th placed Cardiff is 4pts with the gap between Cardiff and the top placed playoff team only 11points so at this stage it’s all still possible.
Main stars at the moment are Ritchie De Laet with an average rating of 7.18 and John Bostock with a rating of 7.06. Charlie Austin has started to let me down this season with a return of 7 goals in 22 starts. Hoping he will come good during the second half of the season. I think all in all im destined for another spell in the Championship after this season and then look to build a strong challenge for an automatic spot next year.
Here is my current starting 11 –
GKP Smithies
DL Kennedy
DR Amankwaah
DC De Laet
DC Spence
MC Randell
MC Douglas
MC Hewson
AM Marshall
AM Bostock
ST Austin