winfield

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I'm trying to replicate my succes on my other save as well as a more detailed guide for LLM in regard to financing with a view to getting a new stadium at around Championship/EPL level.

I've chosen Worksop of Northern Premier Premier fame and the facilities are pretty poor and the club is initially valued at $35K, however with a rich and proud history in the lower leagues winning numerous cups and trophies since its inception in 1861




I'll be doing this in half year blocks with a financial update at the end of the season

1st 1/2 of the season Recap

Step 1. Squad is culled.At least a dozen players are released on a free, and those unwilling to transfer were loaned out to lower leagues for 100% of their wages

Step 2. Sign talent. Some may call it cheating but I didn't want to have a squad entirely composed of Loan signings, so off to raid the Reunion league and the free market. None of the usual loan suspects will sign (Kakuta, Franks etc etc) so I'm handicapped here.

DC-Jim Abalancourt (18K over 48 months)
AMR-Yohann Guichard
AML-Eric Boesso
GK-Ludovic Grondin (3K over 48 months)
ST-Hamed Sacko (Just found this guy highest jumping rating I've seen in low leagues with a value of 18)
DR-Rob Gier
AMC-Eric Farro
AML-Patrick Vaz
DL-Didier Caro

Loan Signings
ST-Mikael Darnet( Nott'm)
AMC-Sean Geddes(Wallsall)
DM-Craig Roberts (Stockport)
AML C-Zeyn Latef (Sheff UTD)
DC-Tony Diagne (Nott'm)
DM-josh Falkingham (Leeds)

No-one exceptional statwise here just superior to most other players at this level.

At this stage I am still unable to run friendlies against top tier teams so I'll solely be relying on low level friendly fixture income, matchday income and prizemoney to get me through

I've opted for a 4-5-1, I find Strikers as usuall are the most expensive players in the game so have 1 good striker is better than having to find 2 mediocre ones and I'm having trouble finding any sort of decent defensive midfielder so loan signings will have to do.
I'll be running a modified version of this http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=1257 with the attacking midfielders as inside forwards and th CF as a target man in a control tactic

The board has kindly entered into a feeder club agreement with Wallsall which will net me around $12k annually.

Preseason Friendlies again SE Asian teams nets a profit of close to 180k covering 1/2 of my squads annual wages easily.

Northern Premier Premier comeptive season opens with a 20 match unbeaten run. Hamed Sacko Being an absolute terror aerially. An excellent FA Cup run with an strong effort defeating BSN incumbents Blyth Spartans and BSP powershouse Grays Athletic. Streak is sadly broken by a 1-0 loss to league1 team Stockport highlighted by a missed penaly by Tony Diagne. Still a very satisfying effort. The FA Trophy campaign also kicked off with a solid 3-0 win over Woodley sports
 
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because its my local team i just follow them really
 
I just pick teams randomly. The worse the better IMO. A better challenge and more fun

2nd half of the season 1 round up
A dissapointing loss in the 1st round of the FA trophy against BSP team Mansfield. The teams lack of pace at the back was severely exposed. However, there was success with the team winning the English North LEague Challenge Cup, Sheffield and Hallamshire FA Senior Challenge cup and winnin promotion to BSS/BSN with 4 games to spare. 1/2dozen away end of season friendlies against Gainsborough and Irish teams Galway Utd and Linfield was scheduled to genereate additional income and allow u18's to get a run.

Financially the team broke even. And with Eric Farro and Hamed Sacko being sold for 12K and 8K respectively we should be able to get some breathing room financially. Still extremely reliant on friendly fixture preseason income and prizemoney to get me through. Limits on the number of loan signing have now kicked in for my promotion to BSN forcing me to purchase players.
 
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good luck mate, your would all the luck in the world in real life ;)
 
Season 2 1/2 year round up
Something unexpected happenned. Something I've never run across in any of my low league games. I've asked the board to expand the stadium (I do this annualy) and have been told WE DON'T OWN THE STADIUM. This... was unexpected. Ok looks like another challenge.

As a few of my players were getting aging and their physical stats were decreasing they were quicly sold. Hamed Sacko and and Eric Farro were sold for the princely total sum of $20k.

Incoming talent was added from the free tranfers list with the major coups being

AM L F/C-Stephane Monsanto
AM R ST-James Younghusband (yay a Filipino international my 1/2 Filipino blood is beaming with pride, must do some research to see if James Younghusband and Rob Gier is still in the squad IRL. I'm also trying to make the Phillipines semi competent on the world level in another save - that's a challenge)
MC-Jack Creswell (on loan from Walsall)
D LC- Liam Murray
DM-Anthony Griffith

Also as major upgrade John Morling has been named Assistant Manager. His technical nous will come in handy.

In order to keep wage costs down I will be reliant on my youth squad for depth and as cannon fodder for mid week friendlies that I have scheduled to generate income.

1st half of the season provided a strong start to the BSN title campaign. A 13 match undeafeted run in BSN play sees the mighty Tigers sit atop the BSN ladder with a 4 point lead.
Horrific scheduling however marred the campaign with Worksop having to endure a heavy copetitve match schedule early in the season. The FA Cup campaign was a mild success with victories over Hednesford, Thurrock and Braintree Town, but a heavy defeat against L1 outfit MK Dons marred the campaign.

Financially the club has seen a massive boost to it's coffers with a near 500% increase in finances. Much of this can be attributed to regular friengly fixtures against Premiership reserve squads which have seen bumper crowds at New Manor Ground and away friendly fixtures against Irish and Northern Irish clubs. The U18's has been fielded for these fixtures and they have been doing a magnificent job of being competitive in these games.
 
Season 2 second half roundup




A mighty display of football from the Tigers with the team adding major silverware to add to its collection. After a gruelling schedule in the first half of the season, the schedule eased significantly in the seconf half of the season allowed a fresh and more focused team to come out and compete. With the improved financial state of the club the team was able to secure youth to bolster its depth with CM Harry Pell, F/C Thaer, CM Louis Almond joining the club as hot prospects. But most importantly the loan signing of Callum Harrison (Sheffield Wednesday) added much grunt in the centre of the park an pushed the team all the way to 2010/2011 BSN champions. But that's not all - this form translated into a magnificent FA Trophy win. The Tigers left in their wake high profile teams such as York, Luton Town and Oxford on their way to the final. A thrilling match up against reigning FA trophy winners Wrexham saw the mighty Tigers stumble to the line with a 3-2 victory over the heavily backed Red Dragons. One of the most exciting finishes ever in any of my games, with Wrexham throwing everything but the kitchen sink at my back 4 and keeper in the final 10 minutes.

finanically the club has had a massive boost to it's finances with a nearly 300K alone being earned through TV revenue due to the FA trophy win.

Also as a side note congrats to Barrow on winning the FA Trophy IRL.
 
Good luck mate - nice start but just a thought - you could maybe try and do monthly updates to try and get more people interested. But looks good and i'll try and follow ;)
 
Nice going, its good to see more lower league managers around didn't know that friendlies raise so much money :) will try that
 
Wat tactic do you use mate?
Cause on my Boston United game, I can't seem to find the right one!
 
Wat tactic do you use mate?
Cause on my Boston United game, I can't seem to find the right one!
Sorry for the late respose
I've used 3. From BSN/BSS to L1 I used this with a few tweaks (attacking, fluid setup)

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=1257
1 complete forward/poacher dependson your player skillset. one winger set to inside forward(attack) other is winger (attack). This is so the box doesn't get overcrowded in attack. One CM as deep lying playmaker(key position), the budget ensures the team won't have the greatest passers but having one superior passer makes the play have better direction and not a lot of careless turnovers in midfield which puts your back 4 under pressure. Also train him to try killer balls often. And the other CM as ballwinning midfielder just to create turnovers and get the ball to the playmaker .Dm is an Anchorman same job as the ballwinning mid. Also fulbacks (defend - man marking) and the Centrebacks are set to Limited defenders (cover-zone marking) and limited defender (stopper-Man marking). Standard size pitch, and the corners are tweaked with one CB to challenge keeper other to attack far post, my striker attack the ball from deep and my best longshots guy lurking outside area. Obviously set the corner delivery to far post. I think there is a corner trick but I don't use it. Fullback and 2 mids stayback - safety first here IMO. I have the line slightly high as well (2 or 3 notches past normal). Always have a retain possession touchline shout.

Pace/Acceleration is key for me. If I'm faster than the opposition I can push higher up because my team can run down breakaways, I can take more chances and try to press more to try and win the ball in more dangerous areas and create more opportunities. I don't sign players with a speed value less that 11 and that's only if they havea 13+ acceleration. I prefer a minimum 13 speed and a 12 acceleration value for every position. Also I hate players who can't jump or head the ball, I avoid players with a value of 7 or less value for heading/jumping in the midfield and strikers my minimum for these are 10. I want to win the ball in the air and on the ground as high up the pitch as possible. Also the teamwork stat is massively underrated IMO

I like 4-5-1 in low leagues as Strikers are expensive and it's easier to find good wingers IMO


I currently use these 2 in the Premiership and Championship 1 is a home tactic and one is away tactic or

Home
http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/downloads.php?do=file&id=1534
attacking mid (has tries killer balls often PPM)is set as Advanced playmaker(attack) and back 4 is setup exactly the same as above

Away (or when I come across an extremely defensive formation eg a team with a sweeper or a 5-3-2,4-2-2-2or 4-1-4-2 or anything with a DM)
http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/f72/complete-dominance-t26042.html
One CM is set as deep lying playmaker and back 4 is setup as detailed as above


Pick a tactic and stick with it.

EDIT:
Also none of the tactics I've used are plug and play - no matter what they say I am very very reliant on touchline shouts, pre-match scouting and analysis of formations. I am very dependent of pre match scouting for PPM's which I rely on to set OI's. Likes to beat offside, cuts inside, tries killer balls, gets forward are the most dangerous PPM's and must be accounted for. I also cheat a bit and find the opposition centre back who has the worst composure, decisions and passing and have my guys tackle him hard and close him down. I want him to stuff up so I put pressure on. I scored goals regularly in the low leagues from poor clearances, dallying on the ball and poor passes by doing this. Doesn't really work for high level teams but lots of poor mental stats in lower leagues which makes it a useful tactic. I adjust depth and width according to pitch size so I can give my players time and space on the ball.

If you want to know why I changed is it's because I couldn't find wingers with the attributes I wanted by the time I got to championship. They were either too old or wouldn't sign for my team. And my guys were steadily losing a pace due to their age
 
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and how do you play in that league cos mine only goes down to bsn/s
 
Are you going to do another post soon? I am interested because I am managing Fleetwood Town who started in BSN currently in league 2, this is my 3rd season. But the club is struggling financially, I think i may have got it back on track though. How are your finances doing?
 
I'll do one soon, I'm in my 10th season in the EPL and have won the treble 4yrs in a row and CL 2times in a row.
 
****** **** ya doin well do ya think youll leave them to go to another challenge
 
Season 3
Another strong season, a succesful campaign sees the squad with no major additions win BSP from start to finish. Finances continue to be supplemented by preseason away friendlies to SE Asian teams generating 250K and midweek friendlies to Premiership reserve squads and Irish and N.Ireland teams generating 5-10K p/w.

A solid FA cup run with a massive 1-0 upset win over Championship side Charlton in the 6th round and a strong showing against Arsenal in the 7th round was the highlight of the season, A succesful defence of the FA Trophy generated another 300K boosting coffers to 2mil.

Promotion means that for the first time in the club's history they can no claim professional status

****** **** ya doin well do ya think youll leave them to go to another challenge
Was manager of Czech republic in 2018 and got them to WC finals, now manager of Brazil. I'll try to win the 2026 WC before retiring

Are you going to do another post soon? I am interested because I am managing Fleetwood Town who started in BSN currently in league 2, this is my 3rd season. But the club is struggling financially, I think i may have got it back on track though. How are your finances doing?
I'm doing this retrospectively now, but from what I remember it is crucial that you generate at least 60-70% of your annual wages in your preseason, it gets harder in L1,L2 and Championship as you get barely anything for winning and you need higher wages and matchday revenue was pretty poor for me (obscure rep barely filling a 3500 stadium) keep wages as low as possible. 500k-600k p/a was my limit. In the preseason I schedule away friendlies every 2 days and only play players for a half. (Note all money values are in AUD)Also in contract negotiations change the annual increase to 5% instead of 25% it makes a massive difference and I've yet to have a player reject. You must aim to win JPT at the very least or go very deep in the FA cup. (I always prefer to win minor trophy vs a deep cup run). But I never made a financial loss until my promotion year from the Championship and all the funds were used to build a new 16000 seat stadium
 
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