The Wanderers Way: The Rise of Dorking Wanderers

[KWFM]

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After the highs, heartbreaks and drama of my last FM24 blog with TSV 1860 Munich, I am back again for a brand new long term challenge. This time we are swapping Bavarian beer halls for Surrey terraces as I dive into Football Manager 2026 with the mighty Dorking Wanderers.

Dorking’s rise through English football has been incredible in real life, but in FM26 they find themselves battling in the lower tiers once again after missing out on promotion last season. The club is still punching above its weight with modest resources although the squad is somehow expected to challenge for the title. The situation is tough and with Mr Dorking himself, Marc White, heading upstairs into the boardroom and handing over the reins, it feels like the perfect moment to jump in. This challenge has been calling for a while and I cannot wait to get started.

I learned a lot from my previous save, especially the importance of building a squad that can grow year after year and trusting the youth system much more than I used to. Last time things ended far too early. This time I am determined to see it through from start to finish, helped along by the accountability of writing this blog.

Objectives for this save

• Lead Dorking Wanderers up the football pyramid and reach the Premier League
• Win a major domestic trophy
• Establish Dorking as a top half Premier League club playing our formidable three four two one
• Build a strong coaching staff filled with club legends
• Develop a youth academy capable of producing homegrown players who become the core of the team
• Turn Meadowbank into a fortress and upgrade every part of the club along the way

There is no giant city rival to take down this time and no Oktoberfest crown to reclaim. The goal is just as ambitious though. I want to take one of English football’s most iconic modern non league stories and push it even further, hopefully with the famous bunch of amateurs crew following us around for the ride.

As with my previous blog, I will post updates three times per season

• Season preview and squad update on 1 September
• Mid season and post January window review on 1 February
• End of season round up on the final day of the campaign

And, keeping the tradition alive, I will try to get to a real Dorking Wanderers match this year and pick up a shirt to make the journey feel that bit more real.

If you are planning a Dorking save of your own or have taken them on before, let me know. I would love to compare stories and see how our careers play out.

Let the FM26 journey begin - Up the Wanderers!

 

[DisturbedOne]

Excited for this one.

 

[KWFM]

Season 1 - Welcome to Dorking!

Here we are, first press conference at Dorking. It feels a bit over the top with more than fifteen cameras squeezed into a room that probably fits five comfortably, but I appreciate the attention. I arrive with no managerial experience and very little reputation, other than being the guy who has followed the club’s journey on YouTube for years. Now it is time to prove myself.

The fans will understandably be disappointed to see Marc White step away from the dugout. There is no reason to panic though because he remains upstairs in the boardroom and will definitely be watching closely.

Meeting the Team

Walking into the dressing room, the first thing that stands out is the amount of experience in this squad. We are not the youngest team in the league, but we have several long serving players who understand the club better than anyone. Alfie Rutherford and Charlie Carter in particular will be important if we want to push on and achieve what slipped away last season, which is promotion.

We do have long term injuries to Norville Williams, Pybus and McManus, so we need cover in those positions. We also lack depth in goal, at attacking midfield and at centre back. With some ageing legs at the back we will need to bring in younger players who can handle the demands of a long National League South season.

The tactic I want to use is a 3-4-2-1. This shape does not use wingers, so our wingbacks will be responsible for most of our wide creativity. Because of that, players such as Muitt and new signing Lewis might struggle to fit in and they could be moved on to create extra room in the wage budget. In the next update I will go through the transfer business we complete.

Board Expectations

The board has high hopes for us. They expect a promotion challenge and they also want us to make reasonable progress in the FA Cup, which would give us a helpful financial boost. With the right signings I do not see why these goals cannot be achieved, especially since the media predicts us as the second strongest side in the division.

Finances

Our financial situation is healthy. We are inside the wage budget and the club has a stable balance for this level. As long as we stay sensible during the summer window, we should be in a strong position to invest in the club later on if the season goes well.

That is the starting point for the save. Time to get into the summer window and see what deals we can complete before the season begins.

Up the Wanderers. The FM26 journey starts now.

 

[The chosen wrong]

Look forward to the next update

 

[KWFM]

Season 1 – Midseason Update: A Change of Plan

(please note i've had an issue with my macbook so had to reset and restart! next few updates coming very soon!)


When I sat down to begin this save, I had a clear vision in mind: a 3-4-2-1, dynamic wingbacks, clever inside tens, and a system that would carry us all the way up the pyramid. It was bold, ambitious, and probably a little overcomplicated for where we are right now… But football management rarely sticks to the script.

After a full pre-season with the squad, it became obvious that forcing my preferred shape onto this group would mean breaking apart some of the club’s strongest assets. We simply had too many good wide players to ignore, and not quite enough depth in the wingback areas to make the 3-4-2-1 function at the level I wanted.

So instead of reshaping the squad, I reshaped the idea. We moved to a 4-3-3. It might not have been the tactical manifesto I promised in the last update, but it suits this group perfectly. It allows us to get natural width high up the pitch, press aggressively from the front, and protect an experienced back line with a more balanced midfield three. Most importantly, it lets our best players play in their best positions.

And here is the biggest surprise of all: I didn’t make a single signing. For a club expected to challenge at the top, that felt risky. But I wanted to see what this current group could do with a system built around them, rather than one imposed on them.

What followed has been… better than I could have imagined.

Results

In the league, we’ve gone 24 wins, 3 draws, and just 2 losses. Let’s just say this squad has plenty about it — what a start we’ve had!

We’re still in the FA Trophy, but the only downer is that we didn’t make it to the first round of the FA Cup. Some things just don’t change down at Dorking!

Honestly, keeping it simple — with minimal instructions and a formation that fits the team perfectly — has been all we’ve needed so far.

The Squad

Playing a 4-3-3 has given us plenty of rotation options. We have at least two players for each position, which means we can rest key men without losing quality.

The trio of Carter, Taylor, and Rutherford has been particularly dangerous, especially when you add Muitt and Lewis into the mix with their delivery. The main 18 or so players in the squad have all played at least 10 games each, which makes managing the season a lot easier — especially with the lack of injuries.

Five players already have double-digit goals, and another four are on double digits for assists. It’s a joy to see all the cogs turning so well.

Now it’s time to kick on for the rest of the season. Let’s keep flying and avoid any crash-and-burn scenarios!

 

[KWFM]

Apologies, Macbook crashed so a new save has been put together and we're back on the go again! Hoping for an update early Feb!

 

[KWFM]

The time has come, update coming very soon! Some records may have been broken... thankfully not a pc this time!

 

[KWFM]

Season 1 – Champions, a Double, and a New Deal

Before we talk about the trophies, the ridiculous points total, or the goals flying in from everywhere, there is one key update. I have signed a new contract at Dorking Wanderers.

When I walked into Meadowbank at the start of the season, I arrived with no experience and very little reputation. It felt like a leap of faith for everyone involved. Marc White stepping upstairs and handing over the reins was a huge moment for the club, and there was always going to be pressure that came with that. For him to now offer me a new deal at the end of this season feels like real backing. It feels like belief. This is no longer a short term experiment. This is a project that has properly begun.

And what a first season it has been.

We did not just win the league. We dominated it. Thirty nine wins, four draws, three defeats, one hundred and twenty one points, and one hundred and twenty four goals scored. An eighty one goal difference. When you look at the table, it almost feels surreal. From early on there was a sense that something had clicked. The switch to the 4-3-3, which originally felt like a compromise, became the foundation of everything we did.

The shape suited the squad perfectly. The wide players stretched games and constantly delivered quality into the box. The midfield three gave us control and protected an experienced defence. The striker thrived with consistent service. We played on the front foot, pressed aggressively, and more often than not overwhelmed teams before they could settle. There were very few afternoons where we looked second best. Even in tighter matches, the belief in the system carried us through.

What makes it even more satisfying is how we achieved it. We did not sign a single player. No summer overhaul. No January panic buys. The same group that started pre season together finished it lifting the trophy. That continuity built chemistry, and that chemistry translated into ruthless consistency on the pitch.

The FA Trophy win only strengthened that feeling. League campaigns are about endurance, but cup competitions test mentality in a different way. Rotation becomes important. Squad harmony matters. Big moments define you. This group handled it all. Different players stepped up at different times, which sums up this season perfectly. Five players reaching double figures for goals tells you everything about how balanced this side has been. Assists have been shared around. Midfielders have contributed. Wide players have delivered consistently. It has never felt like we were relying on one individual to drag us across the line.

Looking at the squad page now, the spread of appearances stands out just as much as the goals. The core eighteen or so players have all played significant minutes. That depth, combined with very few injuries, made it easier to maintain momentum across both competitions. It never felt like we were running on fumes.

Off the pitch, things are just as encouraging. The finances are healthy, the wage structure remains sensible, and promotion gives us an opportunity to strengthen from a position of stability rather than desperation. Marc White has always built this club sustainably in real life, and it feels right that we are following that same path in this save.

Now the challenge changes. The National League is a step up in every sense. The opposition will be stronger, the margins tighter, and the physical demands greater. The big question is whether this group can rise again or whether evolution is needed to keep climbing the pyramid.

For now though, it is worth pausing to appreciate what has been achieved. First season in charge. League champions. FA Trophy winners. A new contract agreed. A clear tactical identity established.

The journey is only just beginning.

#UpTheWanderers