Football Manager - Your Career

[Matt]

Do you play it? What team are you managing?

It can get a bit tedious at times, but it's something I like to play.
I am managing Blackpool. They have a decent team and facilities.

 

[Jake Bannister]

Since it's came it FM has been an on off game for me, I get really into a save and then eventually I get bored with it, it takes me forever to get into another one.

Right now I'm doing a save with Birmingham, did one with them when 14 came out, Great team to play with.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Yep, I'm a massive fan of FM. Probably played far too many hours since I left school. So addictive.

 

[UTBAndy]

HUGE FM fan here.

Normally work with Middlesbrough, but tend to also do an extra long save and take the worst team in the playable leagues (Someone like Eastleigh etc) and turn them around over a few seasons. Typically I tend not to do back to back promotion, but spend 2 seasons in each league as I get more time to work on a better team for the season to come

Oh and Champions League is a must!

 

[Saddlerrad]

I always find the lower league's can be quite easy with a lot of teams, but it's when you get into the Championship and beyond that it becomes hard. Especially with clubs that are just naturally small!

 

[TomWolvesFC]

I've only just recently got into it, but I've been managing Wolves and Dicko has had 30 goals and it's only February!

 

[UTBAndy]

I always find the lower league's can be quite easy with a lot of teams, but it's when you get into the Championship and beyond that it becomes hard. Especially with clubs that are just naturally small!

Yeah, this is why I generally spend 2 years developing a team in each league. Get the young'ns all up and runnung before thrusting them in to higher leagues. That way you keep the budgets down and have a steady team as they progress, and have to spend less on your transfers. This way you then get a steady rise in the income, and the manager points etc, and aren't struggling to keep your head above water, both in results and financial means when it comes to crunch time!

 

[Aaron]

I still play it quite often. Looking forward to the new one.

I've gone back to being Wolves at the moment, currently 4th in the Championship with four games to go. 2nd-5th place are separated by two points. I won't be doing the old trick of saving and re-loading games if I lose, either.

I signed Dele Alli from MK Dons before the season started and since January he has been on FIRE playing just behind my striker, which is either Vellios or Dicko.

 

[Saddlerrad]

I always find that it's really hard to get out of the Championship unless you properly build a squad ready for promotion over a few years. Finance is key also.

You planning on getting the new one?

 

[Aaron]

I always find that it's really hard to get out of the Championship unless you properly build a squad ready for promotion over a few years. Finance is key also.

You planning on getting the new one?

Definitely!

 

[Jake Bannister]

Do they still do the beta for Pre-ordering it, if so might do that.

 

[Nath Hosker]

Been playing FM since i was around 12/13 after being introduced to it by a friend (possibly championship manager then).

I have spent many an hour trying to perfect the lower leagues with freebies and unearthed gems, watching them grow into well round players and attempting to climb to the premier league summit and beyond.

Feel its one of those games again where you can challenge friends to see who can do the best with one particular team, normally starting in league two.

Never got into the habit of managing a club abroad but should do so really to try learn what they are all about.

Looking forward to seeing what the new one has instore for us all. Get my season up and running in beta mode if they will allow it this time round.

 

[Saddlerrad]

Been playing my mate today on a network game, quite entertaining just a little bit slow because of the internet connection and the processing of both our laptops!

Definetely worth a good few hours now and again though!

 

[TomWolvesFC]

Just a quick update, Football Manager 15 has been confirmed for a 7th November release! Don't forget to pre-order it from the store here!

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Oh god, it's that time of year again. Do I desperately bury my head in the sand and blot out all FM craving thoughts in my head until they pass? Or give in, and write off countless hours for the next 6 months getting nothing else done in my spare time?

 

[Saddlerrad]

Definetely the latter, because if you choose the first option then you will still undoubtyedly find your way to the game, just a few days later than normal!

 

[redblood]

Currently doing a second season with United on FM14

Made some serious changes in the summer as well. Put the emphasis on youth

 

[mattmeir]

Purchased FM07-13, but then just couldn't get into it with the host of changes around match engine etc. It was too far removed from Championship Manager for my liking.
I can't justify spending £40 on it either, so I might see if it comes down in price before buying this one.
How does anyone have the patience to spend 'years' playing it?! I tend to just rush through the seasons..! Has anyone got any hints?

 

[Madejski]

Finding it ever harder to play Football Manager now despite it being one of my favourite games. I get less and less time to play it and more features get added making each season take longer. I used to get about 12-14 seasons in, and this year I'll be lucky to get to 5. Which is a shame as I feel FM15 has been the best version for some years.

I'll try and post some kind of update after each season i've completed. Finished the first season a while back:

 

[JoeJoeJoeJoe]

In my one with Cov, I got them up first year and held for a few years in the championship. Moved to sunderland who had 5x my wage budget and took them up but got a little bored. So, I reloaded at the point of me first getting into the championship and managed to get them up to the prem.

So far in the prem, it's tough as can be expected. I just lost 7-1 to Chelsea mainly down to me being too attacking.

Jordan Willis is my best player, now valued at 7.5 million

 

[SUTSS]

I took advantage of all the big teams having a shit season at once and won the Premier League with Norwich. Middlesbrough and Southampton also made the top 4. Don't think I'll ever top it in FM. Although getting Lowestoft to the prem and staying there on the old one is right up there in terms of achievement.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Right, I'll recap on my save that I was posting about on TFF... On FM14, as I can't work FM15 and got frustrated as hell last time I played it.

Started off unemployed with auto experience, and I was getting rejected even for Conference N/S teams, so retired and made a new manager with Professional Footballer experience. Started with Derby, sat 23rd in the Championship when I took over late March, took them to 19th with a great end of season run. Come the next season, board provided me with no money, played about 10 matches, and couldn't get above 15th so I resigned in September. 2 weeks later Leeds (sat in 20th in Championship) came knocking, we flew up the league, taking 2nd on the last day to win promotion. Leeds wanted me to cut the wage budget and provided me with only £11million (even though the projected balance was £40odd million), tried to make improvements but just couldn't manage it, so quit the day of their first game back in the Premier League. Looked at their job advert and after I'd spent every penny I had at Leeds they were offering the new manager £15million and a bigger wage budget. c***.

Spent a bit of time unemployed following this, as I knew I could get a Premier League job, and lo and behold, last season's FA Cup runner up and Championship Champions Watford come knocking when sitting in 17th in the Premier League (2 places above my old Leeds side I must point out), they had qualified from the group stages of the Europa League too. Took over on 16th of Jan. Only managed to get 3 players in, all on loan as the budget at Watford is tighter than it was at fucking Leeds. Brought in Pamic, Vutov and Nicky Law on loan. Since I've took over, in the league we have P13 W4 D4 L5, so just about survivable circumstances. Sat 16th 5 points clear of relegation with 3 games to go. The Europa League has been my pride and joy so far. 1st knockout round I played Brugge, beat them 2-0 at home, 2-2 away to go through 4-2 on aggregate. Sevilla followed this, beat them 2-1 at home and 3-2 away to win 5-3 on aggregate. Next up was Leverkusen 1-1 away and a 2-0 win at home. I face Man United in the Semis and if I get through that, Liverpool or Shakhtar in the final.

I'm hoping for a nice big budget next year now anyway as our estimated balance is currently £67.43million, the balance itself sits at £27.2million right now. Hoping for survival and a Europa League win, obviously, but we shall see how things go on that front.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

I've only fucking done it!

Scraped a 1-1 draw in the first leg against United before scoring with my only two shots on target at Old Trafford to win 3-1 on aggregate!

Got to the final, and well...

Where the fuck that came from, I don't know! Performance of the fucking season, fantastic!

Final table:

Aaand results since I took over:

Best season (well, half I suppose) I've had on FM for a long time.

 

[Pyeman]

That's a bloody good effort with Watford. You must have been buzzing your tits off after the EL final! Conrgats. have you had next season's budget through yet?

I'm currently in Jan 2020 with Burnley, sitting 3rd in the league but both Chelsea and Liverpool are only 1 point ahead. I've been in the Champions League for three years now after winning the EL prior to that. The key to my success has been transfer dealings. Being able to pick up players for cheap and selling them on for £30 million plus has enabled me to compete with the top teams.

I am finding it harder this year to make the jump from contender to champion. Usually within two years of getting into the Champions League I can win the league, but this year it's not been quite so straight forward. Really enjoying this year's version though.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

That's a bloody good effort with Watford. You must have been buzzing your tits off after the EL final! Conrgats. have you had next season's budget through yet?

I'm currently in Jan 2020 with Burnley, sitting 3rd in the league but both Chelsea and Liverpool are only 1 point ahead. I've been in the Champions League for three years now after winning the EL prior to that. The key to my success has been transfer dealings. Being able to pick up players for cheap and selling them on for £30 million plus has enabled me to compete with the top teams.

I am finding it harder this year to make the jump from contender to champion. Usually within two years of getting into the Champions League I can win the league, but this year it's not been quite so straight forward. Really enjoying this year's version though.

They gave me £21million and about £500k a week wages. Made a few changes to that as I wanted some players, paid a lot over 48 months and ended up with a nice spend of £38million in the end, bringing in Sam Byram and Gael Kakuta from my old Leeds side for a combined £14million, brought Will Hughes from my old Derby side for £15million, Timo Horn from Koln on a free, he has 4 star ability and 4.5 star potential, never heard of the lad, but seems solid so far... Jack Grealish came in from Villa for £9million, and Nathen Baker came in for free as I needed cover at centre back and he apparently had a 3.5 star potential and 2 star ability, having signed him, I realise my scout got it horrifically wrong as he has 2 stars for both.

On the other side of things, I released 8 players, loaned out 7, only one with a view to sell and with a monthly fee was James Butterfield, £20k a week, 100% of wages and Villa can sign for £2million at any point. Sales were Ross McCormack (second season in a row I've sold the lad, sold him at Leeds and now I've come to Watford and pissed him off again) for £2.1million, Scott Sutter joined Young Boys for £1.1million, Jonathon Bond went to City for £725k and Almen Abdi was sold to Fulham for the same price. After shuffling the budgets about to make ends meet properly, and rather than going for avoid relegation, telling the board I'd finish mid-table, my wage budget is now £681k a week and I'm spending £663.5k a week, only have £38k left in the kitty.

Pre Season went alright with the assistant in charge:

Red Bull Salzburg 1-3 Watford
FC Dornbirn 0-7 Watford
Wolfsberger AC 1-4 Watford
Rapid Wien 1-5 Watford
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Watford
Watford 0-1 Dortmund
Watford 2-0 Racing Club De Lens
Wycombe 0-1 Watford
Canvey Island 1-4 Watford
Watford 3-0 Monaco
Watford 3-2 Fiorentina

Only done one competitive game, winning 2-1 against West Brom with a 90th minute winner from James Vaughan.

This could be a better season than the last!

 

[Saddlerrad]

Much like the 'Current FM thread' of days gone by, I thought we'd merge this thread and change the name! Let's hope this is a thread of FM glory!

 

[JJH]

FM 15 - what a game.

Got it for Christmas and already spent close to 200 hours, that's to go with the 500 hours on FM 14, and the 400 on FM 13 (not that I'm proud.. )

I did a save with Cheltenham, got them into the playoffs, lost the semi, and got offered the PNE job. I went in, got them runners up in my first season, made some cracking signings in the summer, such as Nathan Ake, John Fleck, Callum Robinson, Ryan Mason, Stephen Warnock, and then a consortium takes over, and I get sacked..

I did then go to Burnley in the Premier League, but got bored and started a new save.

 

[Pyeman]

They gave me £21million and about £500k a week wages. Made a few changes to that as I wanted some players, paid a lot over 48 months and ended up with a nice spend of £38million in the end, bringing in Sam Byram and Gael Kakuta from my old Leeds side for a combined £14million, brought Will Hughes from my old Derby side for £15million, Timo Horn from Koln on a free, he has 4 star ability and 4.5 star potential, never heard of the lad, but seems solid so far... Jack Grealish came in from Villa for £9million, and Nathen Baker came in for free as I needed cover at centre back and he apparently had a 3.5 star potential and 2 star ability, having signed him, I realise my scout got it horrifically wrong as he has 2 stars for both.

On the other side of things, I released 8 players, loaned out 7, only one with a view to sell and with a monthly fee was James Butterfield, £20k a week, 100% of wages and Villa can sign for £2million at any point. Sales were Ross McCormack (second season in a row I've sold the lad, sold him at Leeds and now I've come to Watford and pissed him off again) for £2.1million, Scott Sutter joined Young Boys for £1.1million, Jonathon Bond went to City for £725k and Almen Abdi was sold to Fulham for the same price. After shuffling the budgets about to make ends meet properly, and rather than going for avoid relegation, telling the board I'd finish mid-table, my wage budget is now £681k a week and I'm spending £663.5k a week, only have £38k left in the kitty.

Pre Season went alright with the assistant in charge:

Red Bull Salzburg 1-3 Watford
FC Dornbirn 0-7 Watford
Wolfsberger AC 1-4 Watford
Rapid Wien 1-5 Watford
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Watford
Watford 0-1 Dortmund
Watford 2-0 Racing Club De Lens
Wycombe 0-1 Watford
Canvey Island 1-4 Watford
Watford 3-0 Monaco
Watford 3-2 Fiorentina

Only done one competitive game, winning 2-1 against West Brom with a 90th minute winner from James Vaughan.

This could be a better season than the last!

Sounds like you've made some solid additions. Timo Horn is a great keeper; I had to fork out £9 million to get him.

Do you always play that many pre-season games? I never usually do more than 6/7.

 

[JaseTheVillain]

Left it to the assistant to organise and chucked a couple of money spinners in myself (Fiorentina and Dortmund are the ones I made I think). Besides that, the squad still aren't that used to my tactics so needed as much match practice as possible. How Koln let Horn's contract run out I don't know. Idiots if you ask me. I've gone from Karl fucking Darlow to Timo Horn.

 

[yellow]

its good to be home