Football Manager 2012..

[Plymouth Gull]

Haha, I'll look forward to it Steve.

As for my game, finished the season the other day. I started off well, got up to 15th or so and created a good 6/7 point gap above relegation. Then, disaster. I don't even know how it happened, but we lost 6 in a row. Just a shambles. We'd slipped into the bottom 4 with about 7 games to go. It was incredibly tight. We ended the losing streak with a 5-1 win over Swindon, who were 23rd. That helped us a bit, and we picked up 4 points from away games at Bournemouth and Hartlepool (the fans loved winning at Hartlepool, local rivals). Then we lost a game or two. With four games left we were 3 points clear. Then we beat Sheff Utd (2nd) 4-1 at Brunton Park, but we lost away at Rochdale in a relegation 6-pointer - got hammered 3-0 to close the gap to 3 points again. Then we drew at home to Doncaster while they won, so we were one point ahead. Going into the final day, for the final relegation spot, it could have been one of 6, literally. It was ridiculous. Anyway, we got tonked 4-0 at Scunthorpe but thankfully Gillingham couldn't win their game, meaning we stayed up, by a point. Thank goodness for that.

We're 2m in debt(!) meaning they've cut my wage bill down from 32k to 27.5k. Bit annoying, but I'm getting rid of a few players on frees who are all earning 2k/3k a week so that should clear a bit.

Going to stay with Carlisle for a bit I think - aiming to get them back on a sound financial position. Unless I start badly next season and get sacked!

[PlainmoorRoar]

BOOM

Back-to-back promotions, means im in the championship

finished 1st in L2, then sneaked into the L1 play offs on the final day, beat Peterborough over the 2-legs
mainly thanks to a 90+7th minute goal from Chris robertson!!

then smashed sheff wednesday 3-0 in the final.

Still no money in the club although i have a few decent youth prospects i may have to sell off to try and survive!!

[stevegull]

Some contrasting fortunes between Nick and PlainmoorRoar! How are you doing this Plainmoor?! You must have some kind of secret?!

Sounds like things are only going to get worse at Carlisle Nick! But i am always a fan of a challenge! I've only got to January in my Torquay game, as school as this incredible knack of getting in the way of FM! Stern John is probably my best signing, and he is joint top scorer with Mark Ellis (who seems to net every time he wonders forward). Some frankly terrible injury problems left me with McPhee as my only fit senior striker so i had to take anyone i could on cheap wages, so i brought in former gull Mamadou Sow (Remember him? I thought not...). This has left me milling around 5 points off play-offs at around 13th in the table.

Anyway, Howe and Stern are back fit now and starting to warm up, althrough i find Howe very hard to manage, you either have to fire him up or calm him down, and it's hard to know which one will be the best decision!

I'd suggest having a look at Morike Sako at carlisle. He won't come to me but he's a free agent and is frankly a physical brute, could do a job in League one IMO. (Just don't focus on his technical ability!)

Onwards and upwards!

[Plymouth Gull]

Cracking effort PR, surely you've got some money now though?!

Indeed, it probably will get worse at Carlisle, but I need a bit of stability, I can't keep getting new jobs every 3 months! :P

Mamadou Sow is a hero.

[PlainmoorRoar]

This is my best 11 from winning the L2 season

will do L1 later

[stevegull]

Interesting, PR.

You appear to have essentially the same side with the obvious inclusion of the clear goal threat of Adam, something my teams lacks.

How are the youngsters developing for you PR? I've had to play Spear quite a few times due to injury concerns so he normally gets a spot on my bench if someone is out injured, and this exposure to football has improved him immensely for me. His stats are shooting up and he has even chipped in with a few goals now. Yeoman, on the other hand, has flattered to decieve, with a few bench appearances with nothing to show of note, and he could soon be on his way for me.

[madgull]

1st in the league after six games W4 D1 L1 F11 A4 13pts.

Picked up Pablo Counago and Quinton Fortune on free transfers, re-adjusted all of my budget from transfer fees to wages to purchase them, also signed Andre Helio (ST/LW), 18, formerly of Rochdale and Oliver Nicholas (DC), 19, formerly of Newcastle on frees. Alex Evans (DC)is a loan signing from Cardiff. I let Martin Rice go after some shocking pre-season performances.

Rene Howe has played his way into the second striker's position next to Counago, I was intending to play Bodin as a poacher next to him, and did so in pre-season, however due to Bodin being unavailable Howe got a run up front, and has been a regular scorer so far. Brian Saah started the season in defence with Robertson, but poor form has led to him being dropped, Ellis' good form has seen him keep his place in the side.

I'm playing short passing quick tempo football, and so far we've been playing some great stuff, thanks in no small part to Counago, O'Kane and Fortune. With a relatively strong pool of players to draw from, I'm confident that we can achieve our aim of a mid-table finish, if we're in with a shout of the play-offs or (dare to dream) an automatic promotion spot come Christmas then we'll give it our all, but until then it's a case of taking each game as it comes. ^.^

[Plymouth Gull]

Good post Madgull.

I've had a bit of a break from my game, but I played some last night - I'll give an update later on, so look out for it.

Just a quick note, I had my biggest ever FM defeat which I'll tell you about later - then I got the same scoreline again a few weeks later - prizes for the closest guess!











No real prizes..

[Eirik]

After my dreadful first season I got things going in my second season, and was promoted after finishing second in the league. I must say that Jamil Adam is a massiv player. He is a one man attack and scoring for fun. Also had a decent run in the FA cup and got Liverpool away in the third round. Lost 3-0 but got a descent chunck of cash from the game. Still had a big issue with my wage bill.

In my first season in L1 I now have 25 players and still are just under my budget. I fear that Adam will be gone after this season as I have no chance of meeting his wage demand. I am now 10 games into the season I am two points clear at the top of the table. Happy days and may it continue.

My lineup is:


-Eirik-

[TUFC92]

I'm finding it really hard to get into this game at the moment! Very frustrating because I really want to but for some reason as soon as I turn it on I'm not interested!

[Plymouth Gull]

Right, so, if you remember, I stayed up with Carlisle by the skin of our teeth last season. The clubs dire financial position meant that I had my wage budget cut by 3/4k, a tad annoying.

Still, I got rid of the majority of the squad, releasing most players on frees, getting the wage bill from about 32k p/w down to 11k p/w, giving me plenty of room to manouvere. I since signed several players, so now I'm 3k over my wage budget again, but I have a better squad. I brought in 150k by selling some crap player, but the fans weren't happy about it. I started at home to Preston, lining up in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation, thinking that the season was going to be good. We went 1-0 up in 4 minutes, good start. However, from then it went downhill. We lost 1-4. Then we continued to be awful and were in the bottom 6 - the board weren't happy.

I reverted back to a flat 4-4-2 now, with this being my team;

Kyle Letheren - pretty awful keeper but I had no goalie until the day before the season started so I just panic-bought him.

Carl Jenkinson - loanee from Arsenal - doing a decent job but injured frequently.
Alex Bruce - free transfer
Steven Swinglehurst - youngster at the club before I joined, chips in with a few goals
Federico Bessone - free transfer

Toni Silva - free transfer
James Berrett - already at the club but had a broken leg all last season
Adam Barton - free transfer
Peter Halmosi - free transfer

Benik Afobe - loanee from Arsenal
Danny Hoesen/Will Keane - both frees.

Afobe is a tank - scored 19 in 19 games this season. Into the Semis of the JPT and a recent 6 game unbeaten run took us up to mid-table, which I'll be happy with this year. It would be nice to win the JPT though.

[stevegull]

You've had a complete clearout Nick!

I'm suffering for my stupidity regarding my wages last season. I did eventually get it under control but it was too late and it saw my budget slashed for this new campaign. I managed the mighty Torquay to a couple points off the play-offs in the end but in reality, i was never really a serious contender for those spots. My team simply failed to find the net regularly enough, or leaked goals when i did manage to get some people scoring.

Ellis top-scored for me with 10 goals, with Stern John a close second with 9. Howe got off to a flyer for me, but then went 14 hours of football without a goal, which left me scrambling around my squad looking for some goals, McPhee netted a couple, and Scott McBride (Good signing if you have scottish leagues active). Mamadou Sow remarkably chipped in with 3 goals in 2 starts, but got injured which curtailed his loan. He really does have terrible stats, but he was cheap and scoring goals for his french club, so i got him in.

New season, just doing pre-season. Shipped out a few of the big wage-earners, with Morris sold to Barnet, Lathrope to Burton and a few others on the transfer list, most notably Brian Saah and Chris McPhee. Only selling Saah because he is on 1k a week, and he is normally on my bench.

In terms of big signings, i got in a right winger from QPR who's name escapes me atm, but i will update this later. He's VERY good and i think should be in the Championship. Also signed this French striker whos name i have also forgotten, but he has raw pace and can finish as well. Ben Hutchinson has also joined me, so i hope this season i will have some more firepower up front, although Hutchinson and Stern John have now been ruled out for 2 months each.

Hoping my defence can hold firm for my promotion push, as i don't have enough in the budget to get in a good-quality CB.

Onwards and upwards! (hopefully!)

[Plymouth Gull]

I have Steve! Still like 2/3k over my wage bill though haha! Also, the biggest defeat I mentioned above was a disastrous 9-2 deficit at Doncaster. About 5 games later (all of which were unbeaten) I lost 9-2 again, this time at home to Crystal Palace. I travel to Doncaster in FA Cup Round 2 if I win my replay at home to Bournemouth.. part of me is saying not to even bother as I'm not going to win at Donny! Also I drew former club Darlington away in the JPT Semis.. should be fun.

Ellis is a machine on FM, or he was on FM11 anyway!! Saah on a grand a week?! What!? Terminate his contract!

[stevegull]

Haven't got much further, but a few things have changed for me, so i thought i'd post on this again.

First things first, saah managed to agree a move away, but got injured for 8 months as he was about to go, so after failing his medical i released him on a free. Mcphee then left to go to Kidderminster, and although the wages were eased i had to get in more players, due to surreal injury problems. My new French striker (Abdou Dieye) lasted 2 games, scored in both, and is now out for 6 months. So with Stern John out, and with Rene Howe not impressing, i signed Alan Connell from Swindon, and he is starting to come into the game now. Hutchinson and Connell start up top for me, with Howe and Spear on the bench. Matteo Alberti is the QPR winger i mentioned i signed, and he is fairly inconsistent, but he does have awesome stats for League Two.

Half way through September, and i'm sat 4th in League Two, and once again it's goals that i seem to be struggling for, and my threadbare squad is starting to crack with even more injuries. I perhaps unwisely decided to pay big on wages for first team players, with some less than impressive backups. my striker Ben hutchinson hasn't been particularly impressive, but with only Howe and Spear waiting in the wings, he has kept his place.

Desperately need to trip the wage bill (STILL) and i have a few players in mind, with Danny stevens possibly the next one for the chop!

Feeling pretty positive for the rest of the season, and it can only get better once my big signings return from injury!

How far on is everyone else? My progress stalled due to a mystery illness unfortunately!

[Eirik]

Just finished my first season in League One yesterday. With six games to go I was two points off a playoff spot, but I didn't manage to win any of those games so I ended up in 11th. I got Jamil Adam injured with five games to go and with him out I never looked like scoring. My backup striker just didn't quite step up.

My squad just gets smaller and smaller for each season. They count 22 players this time around and I still manage to spend all my wage budget My star striker Adam wants to move to a bigger club. Thank God I have him on a long term contract. Guess I'll have to sell him at one point to save my finances. Currently I am about £200K in the red.

Hopefully I can finish this season a bit stronger than the last and at least secure a playoff place.

-Eirik-