HunterKiller Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 I love this time of year! Football and rugby seasons in full swing, plus of course the release of one of the most addictive games ever (in my opinion). Add that to a week off work, and I am pretty much in heaven! This will hopefully be a tale of success in Europe; I will be hoping to start in Sweden as this is where I had the most success (relatively) on FM10, before moving to one of the 'big' leagues. Here goes! Game Info Version 11.1.0 database, no edits. Leagues loaded (all to lowest level) - Belgium, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Gemany, Holland, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Spain and Sweden. Database Size - Large Game Start Date - England (July 2010) Career History Harnosand (Swedish 2DN) - 08.07.2010 - 19.08.2010 Err, no trophies Droylsden (English BSN) - 01.11.2010 - 01.12.2013 (resigned) 2012-13 - Promoted to BSP via playoffs. Manager of the season (BSN) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Season 2010 - 2011 (Part 1) - Harnosand (Swedish Second Division North) So, I got my wish to start in Sweden, newly promoted Harnosand hiring me on 8th July 2010 to turn their season around. The team was in 11th place when I joined, three points from safety. By the time I left on 19th August 2010 after a humiliating 4-1 home defeat to Umedalen, they were pretty much adrift. The team was awful, and there was no room in the wage budget to bring through any new blood. The stats from my time in charge? Six games, four points with eight goals scored and 14 conceded. No screenshots I'm afraid, let's just pretend this never happpened eh? Season 2010 - 2011 (Part 2) - Droylsden (English Blue Square Bet North) After the debacle that we do not mention above, it was almost three months before another side was foolhardy enough to offer me employment. Droylsden had been predicted to be challenging for the playoffs, but were struggling down in 18th when I arrived, with a host of injuries and overpaid, underperforming players. Despite the fact that the club was already over wage budget, I was able to bring in a few fresh faces most notably up front where the squad was perilously thin. An Argentinian (who had trouble settling) and a South Korean (who didn't) pulled us away from relegation. Best match was probably a 3-0 spanking of then-leaders Eastwood, where Mr South Korea banged in an impressive hat-trick. A good end to the season (4 unbeaten) saw us climb to the dizzy heights of 16th, the highest since the start of my tenure. With a host of contracts running out in the summer, the plan is to have a huge clearout and bring in my own players for an assault on the playoffs next season! League Table Transfers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted November 7, 2010 Share Posted November 7, 2010 Sounds like you have a bit of a job getting to that stage so quickly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Thanks Deltablue, things have definately improved this season! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Season 2011-2012 - Droylsden (BSN) Mid Season Update Squad The summer saw a whole raft of changes, with many of last seasons underperformers let go on free transfers. This freed up a massive chunk of wages, and I set about rebuilding the team with cheaper, younger players. The squad still feels a bit thin though, but there is plenty of room in the wage budget to add bodies at this stage. Squad List Transfers Competitions League - We started the season with a bang, beating Altrincham 4-3 away from home in a thrilling opening game. This was a bit of a false dawn however, as many of the following games were scrappy affairs. We managed to grind out a lot of 1-0 wins to put us in contention at the turn of the year, and the last game of 2011 saw us despatch 3rd placed Worcester with an impressive 4-0 victory. The amount of fixtures at the moment is taking it's toll, but we are still in a great position to push on into the playoffs. League Table Cups - The FA Cup adventure ended in the 3rd Qualifying Round as we slumped to a 2-0 defeat away at Gainsborough; FC United of Manchester were beaten in the previous round via an unimpressive replay. We are into the second round proper of the FA Trophy however, beating non-league Leigh Genesis and holding firm to a 1-0 lead to despatch Grimsby from the Blue Square Premier. Southport will be our next opponents, away from home. Players A number of the free transfers brought in over the summer have done a good job so far, but the three best have been: Adil Yussuf - Tanzanian-born striker, took a while to find his feet but has started banging in the goals. Has also provided a good number as well. Wayne Graves - One of the few older players in the squad, Wayne has been solid in the centre of the park and has also contributed 5 goals from midfield. Jack Bartham - Very impressive at right back, Mr Consistent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 8, 2010 Author Share Posted November 8, 2010 Season 2011-2012 - Droylsden (BSN) End of Season Update Squad I was fairly happy with the squad put together before the season start, and made only a couple more signings during the season. Squad depth was really tested in December/January/February, with poor conditioning, suspensions and injuries robbing us of a settled team. We came together again at the end of the season though, and the future looks promising for next year with a number of youngsters maturing. Squad Transfers Finances Competitions League - The first half of the season was very good, seeing us end the year firmly in the playoff positions. A lack of goals soon meant we were struggling however, and games that we had been winning 1-0 were turning into 0-0 draws and 1-0 defeats. We dropped like a stone, going as low as 10th before stabilising in 8th position, where we finished four points outside of the playoffs. All in all, a satisfactory season with only a lack of goals hurting us in the end. I was handed a new 1-year contract shortly after the end of the season. League Table Cups - The FA cup campaign was a short one, but the FA Trophy provided more success. After dumping BSP side Grimsby out in the first round proper, we faced BSP Southport away. We went 1-0 up, and held on until the last 10 minutes where our poorer fitness failed and we conceded two soft goals. Players A really good effort from the whole squad, with some backup players performing a lot better than expected. Top three though: Jack Bartham - Absolutely outstanding at right back, we really suffered when he was unavailable. 10 yellow cards is too many though, and I will be expecting him to improve his temperament. Nadir Çiftci - Brought in towards the end of the season to improve our frontline, and he delivered. William Ekong - Good young centre back who really improved his performances this season. Has a bright future ahead, hopefully at Droylsden! Next season, we will hopefully be able to maintain a challenge for the playoffs. With the tightest defence in the league, all we need to do is improve going forward and we can be a real force. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
benrollo Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Getting closer mate! Full on assault on the playoffs next season I reckon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maw74 Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Shame about the second half of the season, but you have turned the team into a good side so promotion could be possible next season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 Thanks for the comments benrollo and Maw74, playoffs is definately the aim for this year! Season 2012-2013 - Droylsden (BSN) Mid Season Update Squad Not as many changes this summer, but the players that did come in were those that I felt would add that extra bit of quality, especially going forward. The most notable were Swiss U-21 international winger Karim Frei, and (amazingly) ex-Colchester frontman David Mooney who was a massive coup for the club. Matt Fry also came in to strengthen the defence, and soon formed an effective partnership with fan favourite William Ekong. Squad List Transfers Competitions League - Again, we started brilliantly, a run of twelve straight wins taking us 8 points clear at the top at one stage. The most satisfying win by far was a 5-2 demolition of Alfreton at their ground; Alfreton manager Nicky Law has been winding me up for months now! However, recently relegated Cambridge were consistently good and overhauled us towards the end of the year when we again began to stutter. It is still pretty tight at the top though, and a playoff place is certainly within our reach at this stage. League Table Cups - With the financial situation at the club starting to worry me, a good cup run was needed. We overcame lower league opposition in the first two qualifying rounds before being drawn against BSP Southport in the last round before the league clubs entered. They ended our FA Trophy run last season, and the boys were desperate to put that right; we ran out 2-0 winners at home, comfortably one of the best performances of the season so far. The first round proper saw us come up against League One side Swindon at our ground. We were battered for the majority of the game, but poor finishing from Swindon saw the score at only 1-0 as we entered the last 10 minutes. We pushed forward looking for the equaliser, and Mooney was the hero as he slid in to convert a low cross at the far post and earn us a lucrative replay! The return game saw us take a 3rd minute lead courtesy of captain Shaun Saiko, but we were pegged back just two minutes later. Swindon then went ahead on the hour mark, and left-back Adam Scorfield looked to have thrown the game away when he received his marching orders with ten minutes to go. Incredibly, Saiko popped up again with 82 minutes on the clock to take the game to extra time as my lads refused to lie down. The extra half hour saw Swindon take control though against our depleted and tiring ten men, and they racked up three goals to give the scoreline a slightly flattering look. All in all though the cup run netted us around £100k, which halved the club's debt, but did seem to have a detrimental effect on our league form. Players Notable players so far this season: William 'King' Ekong - The Dutch centre back is turning into a commanding presence, also adding a danger from set pieces. Steven Foley - Dangerous winger, but injuries have hampered his season so far. Shaun 'Psycho' Saiko - Has really found his niche this season in the middle of the park, but again injuries have restricted his appearances. David Mooney - To be honest, Mooney has been a disappointment so far, not scoring the amount I expected. Needs to improve if we are to gain promotion; has also somehow managed to attract interest from League Two clubs! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 Season 2012-13 - Droylsden (BSN) End of Season Update Squad Again, very few changes made throughout the season, with only young 'keeper Reice Charles-Cook added as backup. A number of players were shown the door as I attempted to trim the wage budget due to cuts by the board. In general, I wanted to keep a solid feel around the team, and felt that we had a good depth to the squad. Squad List Transfers Finances Competitions League - Having finished the year sliding to 3rd in the table, I had a sinking feeling that the disappointment of last year where we faded badly would be repeated. However, the strength of the squad shone through, and we were able to hold on 3rd with a points tally that would have won us the league outright last season! On then, to the dreaded playoffs... League Table Playoffs - We drew Nuneaton in the semis, a team that had pushed eventual winners Cambridge hard until the end and featured two of the league's top scorers. We were away for the first leg and on the back foot for the majority of the first half. A switch to a counter-attacking mentality proved to be a managerial masterstroke (ahem) as Adi Yussuf connected with a Mooney cross just after half-time to give us an undeserved lead. Twenty minutes later, centre back Alexander Smith bundled home from a corner to give us a two goal cushion; Nuneaton huffed and puffed for the remainder of the game but were unable to breach our sturdy defence. The home leg was a bit of an anti-climax, Nuneaton taking the lead in first-half injury time but unable to push on for the equaliser. The final saw us take on Barrow, who had knocked out 2nd placed Gainsborough in a shock result. Both teams looked nervous, but we had the better of the first half. Our dominance was converted into a lead when winger Steven Foley tormented his full-back before picking out Dali Gomez with a perfect cross, and he made no mistake with a firm header. We continued to dominate the game in the second period but were unable to find a crucial second goal despite Barrow being reduced to ten men; fortunately William Ekong was on dominant form at the back, and we closed out a nervy win. Blue Square Premier, here we come! Cups - The FA Cup run described earlier was a financial godsend, with BSP Southport beaten in the final qualifying round to set up a mouthwatering (kind of) tie with Swindon in the first round proper. We put up a good account of ourselves, and the League One team took until extra time in the replay to end our dream. We also reached the 3rd Round of the FA Trophy, knocking out BSP team Bury and non-league Guiseley before capitulating 3-1 away at Northwich. Players David Mooney - Slow start to the season, but really took on the scoring mantle after halfway. 20 goals in total (19 in the league) means he also has a number of League Two clubs sniffing around, but we need to keep him for the challenges ahead next season. Jack Bartham - Again, the right back was superb and is also attracting interest from elsewhere. 8 yellows and a red during the season shows he still needs to improve his discipline. Shaun 'Psycho' Saiko - A really solid season in the centre of the park; unfortunately picked up an injury towards the end of the campaign which saw him miss out on the playoff glory. Steven Foley - The Irish winger really came alive in the second half of the season, providing numerous dangerous crosses for the strikeforce. Next Season Understandably, I am slightly apprehensive about the step up next year, although our performance in cup games shows that we are capable of matching BSP teams. A new keeper is priority, as first-choice James Gilpin did not convince me this season, and I hope that we will be able to keep hold of the likes of Mooney and Bartham for the forthcoming campaign. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted November 10, 2010 Share Posted November 10, 2010 Well done. How well do you think you'll do in your first year up? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 10, 2010 Author Share Posted November 10, 2010 Thanks deltablue! To be honest, I'm not all that confident. We had real barren spells in front of goal last season, and the defence wasn't as watertight as the season before. We definitely need a new 'keeper, probably a left back and quality in midfield to have a chance plus holding on to players like Bartham and Mooney. Money is tight though, so I'm not sure what the board will provide! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted November 12, 2010 Share Posted November 12, 2010 Well done Hunter. Good luck in the Football League. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HunterKiller Posted November 12, 2010 Author Share Posted November 12, 2010 Thanks Nobby - could have done with a bit more luck though.... 1st December 2013 - Droylsden (BSP) Update Well, the Droylsden adventure is over as I decided to walk away with the club struggling in the BSP. We were on an awful run, morale was low and the disciplinary problems were mounting; I just couldn't see a way to turn it around. Here is the state of play at the end of my reign: League Table Squad We had started well, but losing key players to injury and suspension really cost us, and we were on a downward spiral. I also felt that the board lacked ambition, as they cut my wage budget for the second season in a row and continually refused to install facilities to bring through our own players. I do feel that the squad has the quality to survive in the division, but I am not the man to do that, although I am still proud of my achievements at the club. Holidaying now for a new job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted November 13, 2010 Share Posted November 13, 2010 I meant the Conference Premier of course! Quitter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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