[FM21] The 5,000-1 Challenge

[VP.]

Season 2 Summer Transfer Window

Some deals from end of last season

Strong start to the season

[VP.]

Pics Of Signed Players

https://imgur.com/a/dbMHcyK

[karanhsingh]

Good transfers and an excellent start to the season there!

[hyrule_king]

Season 3 Review

 

Lost in the playoff final

 

Current Score: 25pts (L1 Title win)

 

Total Transfer Ins: £2.2m so far in 3 seasons

 

 

Edited June 1, 2021 by hyrule_king

[hyrule_king]

Going for it in the 4th season. Brought in a mixture of experience and youth , making sure all the first teamers are 3 1/2 stars or above. Been quite ruthless.

 

[karanhsingh]

That's a good set of transfers. Hope you can get promoted this season. 

[karanhsingh]

BARNSLEY - SEASON 3 REVIEW

And so another season with Barnsley has come to a close, here is how we got on in our first season in the Premier League.

Final finish is a respectable 13th place, with a 46 point tally. I'd have definitely taken that after a pretty bad first half of the season. We were 11th at one point and threatening to finish top half, but then returned to poor form at the end of the season.

@Mark_w as you can see unfortunately your club Leicester have been relegated, although the silver lining is they actually won the UEFA Conference League (go figure) and will therefore be participating in the Europa league alongside their Championship campaign.

The Premier league really is an unforgiving division - I have no idea how we will mount a title challenge while keeping our Championship squad intact. Which brings me to the squad stats from this season.

Faghir finishes top scorer with just 13 goals, closely followed by Oduor who has been a bit of a revelation on the left flank. Shout outs also for Rhys Williams who has stepped in ably at the back, Josh Tymon who continues his development and is an absolute BEAST from long throws, and new signing Brenner who has started off quite well at the club.

Here are the final transfers for the season, wherein you can see the 2 big moves in Jan - Brenner & ASM on loan. Although the latter promptly got himself injured for 3 months.

You can also see a preview of my first move of the summer of '24 in a bid to shore up a leaky defence. 

Couple of other things to wrap up the season:

We had our first Wembley appearance of the save as we reached the semis of the FA cup.

And we ALMOST made it through but for a heart-breaking final 5 minutes from the Premiership champions. 

The final update I want to mention is that the board is officially looking at building us a new stadium.

In addition to this there have been several improvements to training & other facilities over the past couple of years. Hopefully all of this helps our reputation & player development.

BIG summer coming up as we need to start getting in some real quality and moving up the standings. Thanks for reading!

[hyrule_king]

1 hour ago, karanhsingh said:

BARNSLEY - SEASON 3 REVIEW

And so another season with Barnsley has come to a close, here is how we got on in our first season in the Premier League.

Final finish is a respectable 13th place, with a 46 point tally. I'd have definitely taken that after a pretty bad first half of the season. We were 11th at one point and threatening to finish top half, but then returned to poor form at the end of the season.

@Mark_w as you can see unfortunately your club Leicester have been relegated, although the silver lining is they actually won the UEFA Conference League (go figure) and will therefore be participating in the Europa league alongside their Championship campaign.

The Premier league really is an unforgiving division - I have no idea how we will mount a title challenge while keeping our Championship squad intact. Which brings me to the squad stats from this season.

Faghir finishes top scorer with just 13 goals, closely followed by Oduor who has been a bit of a revelation on the left flank. Shout outs also for Rhys Williams who has stepped in ably at the back, Josh Tymon who continues his development and is an absolute BEAST from long throws, and new signing Brenner who has started off quite well at the club.

Here are the final transfers for the season, wherein you can see the 2 big moves in Jan - Brenner & ASM on loan. Although the latter promptly got himself injured for 3 months.

You can also see a preview of my first move of the summer of '24 in a bid to shore up a leaky defence. 

Couple of other things to wrap up the season:

We had our first Wembley appearance of the save as we reached the semis of the FA cup.

And we ALMOST made it through but for a heart-breaking final 5 minutes from the Premiership champions. 

The final update I want to mention is that the board is officially looking at building us a new stadium.

In addition to this there have been several improvements to training & other facilities over the past couple of years. Hopefully all of this helps our reputation & player development.

BIG summer coming up as we need to start getting in some real quality and moving up the standings. Thanks for reading!

Very nice. I think i will struggle to complete this challenge.

[hyrule_king]

Season 4 Review

Missed out in Playoffs again.

Going to be another push as i Think to get anywhere near the title in the Prem I will need at least two seasons, Promotion is a must this year. Going to freshen up the squad in Pre Season. 

£6m out of the possible £95m spent so far. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by hyrule_king

[karanhsingh]

That is really unlucky man. Keep at it. 

[hyrule_king]

2 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

That is really unlucky man. Keep at it. 

Managed to get in 45m in player sales which has helped me refresh the squad and also come up with a new 4312 tactic, 442 not working for this team.

[hyrule_king]

Season 5 Review

Finally Promoted, It took until the last day and you will see below how close it was.

£34m spent so far, so another £61m left to try and complete the challenge. We Have Season 6,7 &8 to do so.

 

I currently have 5 players from my League 1 team still in the squad and will try too use as many as Leicester did from their Championship team.

Edited June 4, 2021 by hyrule_king

[karanhsingh]

Congratulations on the promotion! And good luck for the next season. 

[VP.]

Well Premier League here we come, though we did stumble over the line in the end with a good bit of luck too. Though had It not been for Arsenal (Azeez) and Dortmund (Hakasabanovic) recalling their players in January for not being played in the agreed roles (they were still playing every game ffs) I've no doubt we would have gone up automatically.

Dreading the Premier League, we played Man Utd at home in the FA Cup and they destroyed us 5-0   Will be one of footballs small miracles if we stay up.

 

 

[hyrule_king]

7 hours ago, VP. said:

Well Premier League here we come, though we did stumble over the line in the end with a good bit of luck too. Though had It not been for Arsenal (Azeez) and Dortmund (Hakasabanovic) recalling their players in January for not being played in the agreed roles (they were still playing every game ffs) I've no doubt we would have gone up automatically.

Dreading the Premier League, we played Man Utd at home in the FA Cup and they destroyed us 5-0   Will be one of footballs small miracles if we stay up.

 

 

Make sure you get a very good goalkeeper. I paid £10m for a 4* GK and he has been incredible for me so far. 

[hyrule_king]

Season 6 Review

So two more seasons to attempt a title challenge and a positive start finishing in 13th in the first season of the Premier League.

Current Transfer Spend: £70m of £95m (Does this need to include Loan fees, which are included in the current total?)

I was very pleased with the season overall, I am happy with the formation (451) , in which i have some solid Central Mids. I have a young Brazilian Winger coming in Jan of Season 7, he looks like a real talent.

The first thing I wanted to look at was the defence, Laird was yet again very solid as the CWB(A) at RB. The two Loanee CBs were ok but still making the odd mistake, which isn't a surprise as they still have a lot of potential to achieve.

Bajic the GK I signed for £10m was amazing. (He was a recommendation of my DOF)

 

Slowly becoming the favourite signing of the save, he played mainly at CB due to lots of injuries. He was magnificent at times chipping in with a few goals as well.

[karanhsingh]

13 hours ago, hyrule_king said:

Season 6 Review

So two more seasons to attempt a title challenge and a positive start finishing in 13th in the first season of the Premier League.

Current Transfer Spend: £70m of £95m (Does this need to include Loan fees, which are included in the current total?)

I was very pleased with the season overall, I am happy with the formation (451) , in which i have some solid Central Mids. I have a young Brazilian Winger coming in Jan of Season 7, he looks like a real talent.

The first thing I wanted to look at was the defence, Laird was yet again very solid as the CWB(A) at RB. The two Loanee CBs were ok but still making the odd mistake, which isn't a surprise as they still have a lot of potential to achieve.

Bajic the GK I signed for £10m was amazing. (He was a recommendation of my DOF)

 

Slowly becoming the favourite signing of the save, he played mainly at CB due to lots of injuries. He was magnificent at times chipping in with a few goals as well.

A good solid season there, and Arbeloda does look pretty amazing! 

Hope you can push on next season once more.

[karanhsingh]

I have not had much time to play recently, but will do a quick update of the Transfers at the start of season 4 (summer of 2024). 

Two BIG signings, one in defence and one in attack.

I really hope that Max will be able to shore up our defence, and also continue his development with us.

Michael Olise becomes our most expensive player ever, and the first truly big signing of the save. Hopefully will make the AMR spot his own.

Finally, also chuffed about the loan signing of Alan Velasco. Keen readers may recall he was on loan with us in the Championship, so if we can keep him around he may end up getting us some extra points for the challenge too 

My aim for this season is definitely to break into the top half of the Premiership, if we can make a run for the Conference league place or similar, would be great. We need to continue progressing if we are to reach the ultimate goal of actually winning this ultra competitive league.

[hyrule_king]

Season 7 Update - Title Push. 

£14.5m left of the £95m budget. 

After the 8 seasons i will be carrying on this save as normal, really enjoying it.

It is going to be a huge task to overturn the big 6, they have spent big during the pre season.

A few players I have brought in myself:

Free Transfer - He Looks a solid CM, will be working on his passing.

I beat off the likes of City, Juventus and Bayern for this player, he looks incredible and will be used as my CWB(a) at RB, Laird will be backup.

Another Man City Loanee like Velasco above. Will b used as my DLP(CM), Ignore the Media description , with that Dribbling and crossing he isn't being used as a winger.

On Loan from Chelsea, costing me a whopping 87k a week, but looks worth it.

Mahrez type of player, very technically gifted.

[hyrule_king]

Not gone well in season 7, on the verge of sack. Tried to be too expansive in the way we were playing and haven't won in 10 games. Bottom of the league. ;(

[hyrule_king]

Round 2:

 

[Rainbowz]

Gonna give this a go. I'll power through this challenge since I tend to use Instant Result, but that'll probably make it 10 times harder since I can't tactic big clubs down.

Forgot to screenshot this at the start. Kinda wanted a more exciting team than the generic Rotherham, but rules are rules. Will post my pre-season stuff soon

 

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2021-22 Transfer Window

Managed to hold onto everyone important by promising promotion back to the Championship, which I expect to achieve. Guess I'll be in massive trouble if I fail. Ihiekwe is the only annoying loss, since he was one of my better defenders, but he definitely wasn't irreplaceable and at 28, wasn't going to improve.

Signing 1 - Anthony Gordon (Loan) | I signed him in June, so he didn't appear on the list. An amazing inverted winger for this level, I expect to rely on him heavily for promotion. 

Signing 2 - James McAtee (Loan) | I managed to get Manchester City as a senior affiliate, so will be making the most of their talented academy. Originally signed as a striker, McAtee will slot in as an inside forward for me. Like Gordon, he's brilliant for this level and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Signing 3 - Slobodan Tedić (Loan) | The last loan, I swear. I originally wanted a young striker to build around, but couldn't find anyone good for a permanent deal. Tedić has consistently been a star for me in other lower-league saves so I knew I had to bring him in to Rotherham. I'm expecting big things from him

Signing 4 - Sean Roughan (300k) | I've got really high hopes for this kid. At 18, he's already so well-rounded and gets into my first team already. 300k looks like a steal if he develops. I reckon he could be a key player for me in the coming years.

Signing 5 - Rodrigo Macedo (120k) | A low-risk bargain here. Love the look of him as a backup striker and if he can develop, he could be a real star. I'm not expecting him to be a world-beater or anything, but in a few years we could have a tidy striker on our hands

Signing 6 - Cian Harries (475k) | My Ihiekwe replacement, Harries looks a bargain for the price. So well rounded and an excellent ball player, I expect him to excel in this league. Doubt he'll improve much at 24, but will definitely be a key player in the next couple of seasons

The Squad

I'm operating with a bit of a smaller squad than I'd like, but I don't want to bloat my club with 2 - 2.5* CA players when I could be using that money on wonderkids in the next 1-2 years. I definitely think there's enough quality here to get us promoted. I'm going to try and use this season to develop some of our younger players, hopefully getting them ready for Championship football next year. I know I'm relying on loans for key areas, but I think I'd be a fool not to with City as our affiliate.

Prediction and Start

How it started                                                                 How it's going

I think 6th is a little harsh. Realistically, only Hull and Sheffield Wednesday have stronger squads than us imo, and both have stumbled at the start while we've gotten off to a flier. I strongly back us for automatic promotion, if not the title with the squad we've got, barring any massive injuries or player sales. 

I'll likely only do pre-season and end of season updates, maybe mid-season if something big happens.

Potential Wonderkid?

Surely not already? This guy was generated at the club before I took over. He's already attracting interest from some top Championship/mid-table Premier League teams. He definitely looks a promising player and I'm planning on making him my 2nd choice this season. If that 5* potential is true, I could have my GK spot sorted for this entire challenge. Even if it's only 4*, he'll still be a reliable PL backup if he reaches that potential. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

 

[karanhsingh]

2 hours ago, hyrule_king said:

Round 2:

 

Good luck! Luton have produced two absolute gems through their academy in my save. 

[karanhsingh]

42 minutes ago, Rainbowz said:

Rotherham 2021-22 Transfer Window

Managed to hold onto everyone important by promising promotion back to the Championship, which I expect to achieve. Guess I'll be in massive trouble if I fail. Ihiekwe is the only annoying loss, since he was one of my better defenders, but he definitely wasn't irreplaceable and at 28, wasn't going to improve.

Signing 1 - Anthony Gordon (Loan) | I signed him in June, so he didn't appear on the list. An amazing inverted winger for this level, I expect to rely on him heavily for promotion. 

Signing 2 - James McAtee (Loan) | I managed to get Manchester City as a senior affiliate, so will be making the most of their talented academy. Originally signed as a striker, McAtee will slot in as an inside forward for me. Like Gordon, he's brilliant for this level and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Signing 3 - Slobodan Tedić (Loan) | The last loan, I swear. I originally wanted a young striker to build around, but couldn't find anyone good for a permanent deal. Tedić has consistently been a star for me in other lower-league saves so I knew I had to bring him in to Rotherham. I'm expecting big things from him

Signing 4 - Sean Roughan (300k) | I've got really high hopes for this kid. At 18, he's already so well-rounded and gets into my first team already. 300k looks like a steal if he develops. I reckon he could be a key player for me in the coming years.

Signing 5 - Rodrigo Macedo (120k) | A low-risk bargain here. Love the look of him as a backup striker and if he can develop, he could be a real star. I'm not expecting him to be a world-beater or anything, but in a few years we could have a tidy striker on our hands

Signing 6 - Cian Harries (475k) | My Ihiekwe replacement, Harries looks a bargain for the price. So well rounded and an excellent ball player, I expect him to excel in this league. Doubt he'll improve much at 24, but will definitely be a key player in the next couple of seasons

The Squad

I'm operating with a bit of a smaller squad than I'd like, but I don't want to bloat my club with 2 - 2.5* CA players when I could be using that money on wonderkids in the next 1-2 years. I definitely think there's enough quality here to get us promoted. I'm going to try and use this season to develop some of our younger players, hopefully getting them ready for Championship football next year. I know I'm relying on loans for key areas, but I think I'd be a fool not to with City as our affiliate.

Prediction and Start

How it started                                                                 How it's going

I think 6th is a little harsh. Realistically, only Hull and Sheffield Wednesday have stronger squads than us imo, and both have stumbled at the start while we've gotten off to a flier. I strongly back us for automatic promotion, if not the title with the squad we've got, barring any massive injuries or player sales. 

I'll likely only do pre-season and end of season updates, maybe mid-season if something big happens.

Potential Wonderkid?

Surely not already? This guy was generated at the club before I took over. He's already attracting interest from some top Championship/mid-table Premier League teams. He definitely looks a promising player and I'm planning on making him my 2nd choice this season. If that 5* potential is true, I could have my GK spot sorted for this entire challenge. Even if it's only 4*, he'll still be a reliable PL backup if he reaches that potential. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

 

Good luck, the young keeper look very promising indeed. 

[hyrule_king]

1 hour ago, Rainbowz said:

Rotherham 2021-22 Transfer Window

Managed to hold onto everyone important by promising promotion back to the Championship, which I expect to achieve. Guess I'll be in massive trouble if I fail. Ihiekwe is the only annoying loss, since he was one of my better defenders, but he definitely wasn't irreplaceable and at 28, wasn't going to improve.

Signing 1 - Anthony Gordon (Loan) | I signed him in June, so he didn't appear on the list. An amazing inverted winger for this level, I expect to rely on him heavily for promotion. 

Signing 2 - James McAtee (Loan) | I managed to get Manchester City as a senior affiliate, so will be making the most of their talented academy. Originally signed as a striker, McAtee will slot in as an inside forward for me. Like Gordon, he's brilliant for this level and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do.

Signing 3 - Slobodan Tedić (Loan) | The last loan, I swear. I originally wanted a young striker to build around, but couldn't find anyone good for a permanent deal. Tedić has consistently been a star for me in other lower-league saves so I knew I had to bring him in to Rotherham. I'm expecting big things from him

Signing 4 - Sean Roughan (300k) | I've got really high hopes for this kid. At 18, he's already so well-rounded and gets into my first team already. 300k looks like a steal if he develops. I reckon he could be a key player for me in the coming years.

Signing 5 - Rodrigo Macedo (120k) | A low-risk bargain here. Love the look of him as a backup striker and if he can develop, he could be a real star. I'm not expecting him to be a world-beater or anything, but in a few years we could have a tidy striker on our hands

Signing 6 - Cian Harries (475k) | My Ihiekwe replacement, Harries looks a bargain for the price. So well rounded and an excellent ball player, I expect him to excel in this league. Doubt he'll improve much at 24, but will definitely be a key player in the next couple of seasons

The Squad

I'm operating with a bit of a smaller squad than I'd like, but I don't want to bloat my club with 2 - 2.5* CA players when I could be using that money on wonderkids in the next 1-2 years. I definitely think there's enough quality here to get us promoted. I'm going to try and use this season to develop some of our younger players, hopefully getting them ready for Championship football next year. I know I'm relying on loans for key areas, but I think I'd be a fool not to with City as our affiliate.

Prediction and Start

How it started                                                                 How it's going

I think 6th is a little harsh. Realistically, only Hull and Sheffield Wednesday have stronger squads than us imo, and both have stumbled at the start while we've gotten off to a flier. I strongly back us for automatic promotion, if not the title with the squad we've got, barring any massive injuries or player sales. 

I'll likely only do pre-season and end of season updates, maybe mid-season if something big happens.

Potential Wonderkid?

Surely not already? This guy was generated at the club before I took over. He's already attracting interest from some top Championship/mid-table Premier League teams. He definitely looks a promising player and I'm planning on making him my 2nd choice this season. If that 5* potential is true, I could have my GK spot sorted for this entire challenge. Even if it's only 4*, he'll still be a reliable PL backup if he reaches that potential. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

 

 

Matt Crooks is a fantastic little player on FM. 

[Rainbowz]

18 hours ago, hyrule_king said:

Matt Crooks is a fantastic little player on FM. 

Haven't been able to get the best from him, but I'm playing him pretty deep in fairness. I'd love to have him at AM but it just doesn't fit my system.

[Rainbowz]

19 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Good luck, the young keeper look very promising indeed. 

He's improving all the time too and even got called up for Wales u21s. Need to find excuses to start playing him soon.

[hyrule_king]

3 hours ago, Rainbowz said:

Haven't been able to get the best from him, but I'm playing him pretty deep in fairness. I'd love to have him at AM but it just doesn't fit my system.

B2B was the best role for me, when i used him. Had Matt Grimes next to him as DLP.

[Rainbowz]

Jesus Christ.

[Rainbowz]

WTF!? He was contracted and had provisionally signed a deal, how the **** has he gone on a free? Feel like the game has robbed me here.

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2021-22 Season Roundup

We absolutely dominated the league, more so than I expected! I wouldn't even say we were spectacular, we 1-0/2-1'd our way past a lot of teams early, then built up enough momentum to steamroll our way to the title in March. It never looked in doubt, glad to get out of League 1 first time. We were super disappointing in the cups, being knocked out by League 2 Tranmere in both competitions which was annoying, a good FA Cup run could've done wonders. I couldn't care less about the Papa John's Trophy and purposely played a weak side so my players wouldn't get tired.

January Signings

So, uh, I may have panicked a little about our depth in January and signed a bunch of players. Will they be good? Who knows.

Signing 1 - Chadi Riad (120k) | Signed from Barcelona B, Riad looks like a solid cover option for our defence with a bit of potential. Not expecting him to be a key player, but I'm not afraid to throw him into the team when needed.

Signing 2 - Martin Šviderský (230k) | The first real panic signing, Šviderský still isn't that bad. He'll offer good cover for a number of positions, and if his technicals improve, he could be a tidy little player

Signing 3 - Adrian Akande (loan) | I was stupid and didn't realize McAtee's loan was only until January. Thankfully, Arsenal loaned me Akande who filled the void nicely. Even if they didn't stop complain about me playing him at RW instead of LW.

Signing 4 - Idris El Mizouni (120k) | My Anthony Gordon replacement going forward, he looks far better than a 2.5* CA to me. Already looking great with 7 goals in 13 games, I hope he can kick on in the Championship.

Signing 5 - Bjorn Hardley (165k) | My scouts really over-hyped this guy as a potential PL centre-back, but I've seen worse. Definitely an okay option if I have an injury crisis, but not someone I want to rely on.

End of Season Awards

Player of the Season - Dan Barlaser

Just an all-round consistent player. Has done great things from a deep role on the pitch, keeping everything ticking over. He'll be key for me in the Championship, and a player I'm potentially looking at to be a good PL player for me.

Young Player of the Season - Rodrigo Macedo

This was unexpected. The kid brought in as a project for the future was an immediate hit. Bagging 14 goals in 28 games, Macedo was a key player in getting us promoted. I think I may have stumbled upon a gem here. My only worry is he's picked up 2 month-long injuries this season. If he stays fit, he could be a potential star throughout this save.

Goals for Next Season

I know I'm meant to say survival is the goal, but I think we can go a bit better. I'm aiming for a lower-midtable finish. I think we have the players and the resources to do it. Recruitment in the summer will have to be key, but I've got my eye on a few targets already. I'm excited to see what the future brings for Rotherham

• Finish lower-midtable without being dragged into a relegation battle
• Strengthen the squad with some key players in key areas
• Sign a few youth prospects with the goal of developing them into PL-level stars.

[rifinskim]

Sheffield Wednesday, here we go!

It seems as if I have a double pickle ahead of me in this challenge, as my team is in a dire financial situation. This guy looks like he will be my Andy King. Let's go!

Edited June 12, 2021 by rifinskim

[allisiaa]

As previously mentioned I would hold back a bit on the posting for a while to make room for others. Nice to see new people taking up this challenge! Therefore this will be a quick summary of what has happened so far in my second attempt, with Coventry.

Just a reminder of what kind of save this is - I'm playing with free transfers only. No loans, no freebies if I have to pay compensation fee, no trades.

League One provided stiff competition as we actually were 3 teams who finished with over 100 points. Ended up as Champions. We also won the Papa John's trophy.

 

Was pretty happy with the transfers I got in both during the League One-campaign, but also in the summer transfer window ahead of the Championship season.

 

Long story short: We lost out in the playoff final after Middlesbrough scored a devestating winning goal in the 94.minute.

 

Another summer transfer window in the Championship provided us with additional talents and quality which gave us enough push for promotion in the second attempt. It felt as no team really wanted the promotion to the Premier League as we actually won the Championship even with 11 losses. 

 

Points so far:

Championship champions: 75 points

League One Champions: 25 points

EFL trophy: 20 points

If I eventually succeed in winning the Premier League I suspect it will be hard to beat Leicesters score of 5000 points. The "League One" player, Gustavo Hamer, is at best a mediocre player. As I experienced with Barnsley this player is quite important as he can provide us with thousands of points as well as bonus points.

(Not sure how to add pictures and place them where I want before I post, so will shortly add pictures and edit the post to provide proof of progress/points gathered)

 

 

 

 

 

Transfers during the first season in League One:

Spoiler

Transfers during the second season, in the Championship:

 

Spoiler

Transfers during the third season, in the Championship:

 

Spoiler

 

Edited June 12, 2021 by allisiaa

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2022-23 Pre-Season

So, back in the Championship. I'm writing this before our first game of the season (in July for some reason), so my squad isn't finalized yet. I'll do another update at the end of the transfer window, edited to this post.

The predictions kinda put us where I expect at the moment. We're definitely not the worst side in the division, but when you see some of the names up the top, we're miles away in terms of quality. The Championship looks absolutely stacked this year, but I'm confident we can achieve my predicted lower-midtable finish. Anything above 16th is a win for me.

Transfers

With no-one of note leaving, let's focus on the ins. I'm definitely not done in the transfer market, but here's who I've brought in so far.

Signing 1 -Michael Ruth (Free) | A low-risk signing, I'm not expecting much from Ruth as I've loaned him straight out to St. Johnstone. I'm keeping an eye on his development though, he could prove useful or could be shifted for a nice profit.

Signing 2 - Aaron Pierre (34k) | An excellent, experienced CB for a tiny fee, I'm happy to get Pierre in. I expect him to start for us this season, and will hopefully be a solid backup as we progress.

Signing 3 - Kian Breckin (Free) | Another signing for the future. I love the high determination, and he doesn't exactly look awful stats-wise. If he develops, he could be a very useful player. If not, we lose nothing.

Signing 4 - Paulino (Free) | I messed up here. When I approached him, I was told he'd definitely get a work permit. Then when he joined, all of a sudden he didn't have one. Such a shame because he looks a great player. Will try to loan him out/move him on.

Signing 5 - Samuel Edozie (Loan) | Once again taking advantage of our affiliation with Man City, Edozie looks an excellent replacement for Gordon. A really tricky winger who can score as well as assist, I'm expecting him to come big this season.

Signing 6 - Christopher Scott (Free) | Really happy to get Scott in, he looks a great all-round player. Signed after his release from Bayern, I expect him to compete for places across the midfield. I'll likely train him as a winger too, since he has the attributes for it. Just a nice all-round option

Signing 7 - Sonny Lewis (215k) | Turning my attention to the future, Sonny Lewis could be very exciting. Definitely not ready for first-team action yet, but if that 5* potential is true, he could be a gem. He played a lot for Newport last season and hopefully keeps developing.

Signing 8 - Ömer Beyaz (Loan) | I couldn't resist bringing this guy in when I saw he was available for loan. He looks an incredible CAM for this level and will only improve. Really excited to see what he can do in our team, I'm hoping he can be the difference-maker in our side.

The Squad

So this is how our squad looks so far. There are definitely some areas I'd like to improve (RW and a backup keeper mainly), but overall I'm happy. I think this squad as it is should see us easily staying up. As mentioned I'm definitely looking to build on this though, don't be surprised to see a few new names soon.

Another Wonderkid?

I was told not to expect much from our youth intake last season, but Ramone Dale definitely proved my HOYD wrong. After losing Ebdon out of nowhere, I'm really glad we've got a young prospect I can pin some hopes on. Technically he needs some work, but mentally he's excellent and not bad physically too. I'm definitely keeping a close eye on this kid, if some of those stats grow by 2-3, we're looking at a seriously good midfielder.

End of Transfer Window Update

Not as much business done as I'd expected, but I don't think my squad needs any more. 

Signing 9 - Josh Martin (Loan) | Martin provides everything I need in a supporting winger. Plenty of ability all-round. I expect he'll be a key player for me this season, and maybe someone I look to sign permanently.

Signing 10 - Will Mannion (110k) | An ex-FM wonderkid if I remember correctly, I'm not expecting Mannion to be England #1 in this save, but he looks an excellent backup keeper. Wouldn't surprise me if I can sell him for profit in a few years too.

Signing 11 - Morgan Rogers (Loan) | An unfortunate signing, Machado got injured for another month and I realized I only really had Kayode as backup. Rogers will provide solid enough cover if Machado is plagued with injuries, but I hope the worst is past him.

An Unexpected Start

We're 3rd! Yes, it's only 7 games in, but I'll take what I can get. We've had an excellent start to the season, getting some strong results against decent teams. However, we're yet to play the big boys of the division (although we did shock Newcastle 1-0 in the EFL Cup). I know this isn't going to last, so I'm posting it and enjoying it while I can.

Current Points: 25 - Won League One Title

Money Spent: £1,935,000

Edited June 13, 2021 by Rainbowz

[karanhsingh]

On 11/06/2021 at 22:39, Rainbowz said:

WTF!? He was contracted and had provisionally signed a deal, how the **** has he gone on a free? Feel like the game has robbed me here.

Yikes, that is unfortunate. Guess you didn't have him signed up? Otherwise I don't see how its possible.

On 12/06/2021 at 21:52, rifinskim said:

Sheffield Wednesday, here we go!

It seems as if I have a double pickle ahead of me in this challenge, as my team is in a dire financial situation. This guy looks like he will be my Andy King. Let's go!

Good luck - wonderful club, I had a fun stint with them during FM20.

On 13/06/2021 at 00:54, allisiaa said:

As previously mentioned I would hold back a bit on the posting for a while to make room for others. Nice to see new people taking up this challenge! Therefore this will be a quick summary of what has happened so far in my second attempt, with Coventry.

Just a reminder of what kind of save this is - I'm playing with free transfers only. No loans, no freebies if I have to pay compensation fee, no trades.

League One provided stiff competition as we actually were 3 teams who finished with over 100 points. Ended up as Champions. We also won the Papa John's trophy.

 

Was pretty happy with the transfers I got in both during the League One-campaign, but also in the summer transfer window ahead of the Championship season.

 

Long story short: We lost out in the playoff final after Middlesbrough scored a devestating winning goal in the 94.minute.

 

Another summer transfer window in the Championship provided us with additional talents and quality which gave us enough push for promotion in the second attempt. It felt as no team really wanted the promotion to the Premier League as we actually won the Championship even with 11 losses. 

 

Points so far:

Championship champions: 75 points

League One Champions: 25 points

EFL trophy: 20 points

If I eventually succeed in winning the Premier League I suspect it will be hard to beat Leicesters score of 5000 points. The "League One" player, Gustavo Hamer, is at best a mediocre player. As I experienced with Barnsley this player is quite important as he can provide us with thousands of points as well as bonus points.

(Not sure how to add pictures and place them where I want before I post, so will shortly add pictures and edit the post to provide proof of progress/points gathered)

 

 

 

 

 

Transfers during the first season in League One:

  Reveal hidden contents

Transfers during the second season, in the Championship:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Transfers during the third season, in the Championship:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Great going once again, are you using the same tactics?

13 hours ago, Rainbowz said:

Rotherham 2022-23 Pre-Season

So, back in the Championship. I'm writing this before our first game of the season (in July for some reason), so my squad isn't finalized yet. I'll do another update at the end of the transfer window, edited to this post.

The predictions kinda put us where I expect at the moment. We're definitely not the worst side in the division, but when you see some of the names up the top, we're miles away in terms of quality. The Championship looks absolutely stacked this year, but I'm confident we can achieve my predicted lower-midtable finish. Anything above 16th is a win for me.

Transfers

With no-one of note leaving, let's focus on the ins. I'm definitely not done in the transfer market, but here's who I've brought in so far.

Signing 1 -Michael Ruth (Free) | A low-risk signing, I'm not expecting much from Ruth as I've loaned him straight out to St. Johnstone. I'm keeping an eye on his development though, he could prove useful or could be shifted for a nice profit.

Signing 2 - Aaron Pierre (34k) | An excellent, experienced CB for a tiny fee, I'm happy to get Pierre in. I expect him to start for us this season, and will hopefully be a solid backup as we progress.

Signing 3 - Kian Breckin (Free) | Another signing for the future. I love the high determination, and he doesn't exactly look awful stats-wise. If he develops, he could be a very useful player. If not, we lose nothing.

Signing 4 - Paulino (Free) | I messed up here. When I approached him, I was told he'd definitely get a work permit. Then when he joined, all of a sudden he didn't have one. Such a shame because he looks a great player. Will try to loan him out/move him on.

Signing 5 - Samuel Edozie (Loan) | Once again taking advantage of our affiliation with Man City, Edozie looks an excellent replacement for Gordon. A really tricky winger who can score as well as assist, I'm expecting him to come big this season.

Signing 6 - Christopher Scott (Free) | Really happy to get Scott in, he looks a great all-round player. Signed after his release from Bayern, I expect him to compete for places across the midfield. I'll likely train him as a winger too, since he has the attributes for it. Just a nice all-round option

Signing 7 - Sonny Lewis (215k) | Turning my attention to the future, Sonny Lewis could be very exciting. Definitely not ready for first-team action yet, but if that 5* potential is true, he could be a gem. He played a lot for Newport last season and hopefully keeps developing.

Signing 8 - Ömer Beyaz (Loan) | I couldn't resist bringing this guy in when I saw he was available for loan. He looks an incredible CAM for this level and will only improve. Really excited to see what he can do in our team, I'm hoping he can be the difference-maker in our side.

The Squad

So this is how our squad looks so far. There are definitely some areas I'd like to improve (RW and a backup keeper mainly), but overall I'm happy. I think this squad as it is should see us easily staying up. As mentioned I'm definitely looking to build on this though, don't be surprised to see a few new names soon.

Another Wonderkid?

I was told not to expect much from our youth intake last season, but Ramone Dale definitely proved my HOYD wrong. After losing Ebdon out of nowhere, I'm really glad we've got a young prospect I can pin some hopes on. Technically he needs some work, but mentally he's excellent and not bad physically too. I'm definitely keeping a close eye on this kid, if some of those stats grow by 2-3, we're looking at a seriously good midfielder.

End of Transfer Window Update

Not as much business done as I'd expected, but I don't think my squad needs any more. 

Signing 9 - Josh Martin (Loan) | Martin provides everything I need in a supporting winger. Plenty of ability all-round. I expect he'll be a key player for me this season, and maybe someone I look to sign permanently.

Signing 10 - Will Mannion (110k) | An ex-FM wonderkid if I remember correctly, I'm not expecting Mannion to be England #1 in this save, but he looks an excellent backup keeper. Wouldn't surprise me if I can sell him for profit in a few years too.

Signing 11 - Morgan Rogers (Loan) | An unfortunate signing, Machado got injured for another month and I realized I only really had Kayode as backup. Rogers will provide solid enough cover if Machado is plagued with injuries, but I hope the worst is past him.

An Unexpected Start

We're 3rd! Yes, it's only 7 games in, but I'll take what I can get. We've had an excellent start to the season, getting some strong results against decent teams. However, we're yet to play the big boys of the division (although we did shock Newcastle 1-0 in the EFL Cup). I know this isn't going to last, so I'm posting it and enjoying it while I can.

Current Points: 25 - Won League One Title

Money Spent: £1,935,000

Good season there, Dale looks like he could develop into a solid BWM for you.

[karanhsingh]

BARNSLEY - 2024-25 mid-season review

Here is the Premier league table at the turn of the year.

We made a couple more signings in Jan.

Including one big one, a new club record.

And he also adds to the growing Argentinian + South American contingent at the club. He looks fantastic - only downside being the low determination. Hopefully he can gain a few points in that area.

General musings - this challenge is going to be tougher than I thought, which is certainly reflective of real life. I think when Leicester did perform the miracle (which is what it was make no mistake) they were helped by the big clubs all having average seasons or being in transition. Now the way that things are both IRL and in-game, it seems impossible to win the EPL without being almost flawless in all areas. Currently in my save United top the table with a staggering 59 points in 23 games. The lowest points tally to win the league in the past 4 years has been 87. The level of the competition is insane.

With the Ayala transfer my spend is now up to around 42 million GBP. I do believe we have a really solid squad now, but we are still clearly some way behind the best. However one thing that I have decided is that from now on any players to join need to be absolute top class and a clear step up from what we have. 

I am also struggling on the continuity aspect now because a number of players around from the League One/ Championship days are complaining about lack of play time and think they aren't good enough for this level (which is probably true). I will let them leave if they want to for realism - no point keeping them just for the challenge sake. We are down to 14 players as of now who qualify - I do hope to keep this at 10 which would be the same number Leicester had. If we ever do win the title!

[Rainbowz]

"So Rainbowz, how is the challenge going?"

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham Mid-Season 2022-23 Update

The wheels have come off, kinda. From looking excellent in the league, we've hit a rough patch. Despite dominating xG and stats in games, we can't seem to finish teams off and we're suffering for it. I know promotion shouldn't be the aim this season, but the collapse we've had is really worrying.

Top Performers So Far

1) Bjorn Hardley

Now this is a massive surprise. A guy I described as "overhyped" and "not someone I want to rely on" is currently the best performing player in my team! I don't really know how, compared to our other CBs he's one of the weakest, yet just keeps performing. My coaches also seem to agree with my scouts now and are touting him as a potential Premier League player. One of the reasons I love FM is stuff like this, a random guy I expected little from turning out to be a key player.

2) Josh Martin

Now onto a player I did expect to be key. Martin is developing nicely and looks a top-quality winger for this level. In fact he's developed an annoying amount, so it's unlikely Norwich will let me have him back as they look set for relegation from the Premier League. Still, for while I have him I hope to keep getting the best out of him.

3) Ömer Beyaz

Unsurprisingly, the wonderkid Beyaz rounds out my top 3 performers. He's not really developed as much as I'd hoped, but he's still an excellent CAM for this division, and hopefully Tottenham will let me have him again. Maybe he hasn't lit the competition up like I expected, but he keeps the team ticking along, and has bailed me out of a few games. Really happy to still have him.

Manager's Thoughts

This season is a weird one. On the one hand, we're outperforming our expectations with a squad that has no right being where it is. On the other, we're hemorrhaging money and there isn't too much interest in our players to generate the much-needed cash to get the improvements needed to put together a promotion-challenging squad. My plan is to continue buying young, promising wonderkids who can immediately get into our squad/make our bench, and hope they develop. I have some extremely promising looking players in my shortlist, but just don't have the funds to get them. I'm worried I'm going to spend the majority of this challenge stuck as a mid-table Championship team without the resources to push for promotion. If I get some money, I think I can make some big things happen, but so far there's nothing on the horizon.

 

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2022-23 January Transfer Window

Out

Macedo sadly leaves us, but £10m for a player we signed for a 20th of that is amazing. Plus we get a nice 40% sell-on fee. I kinda wished we could keep him, as I envisioned him turning into a solid Premier League striker, but I needed the money, and while good, he's not irreplacable.

In

Oh boy do I have some players to show you. Some diligent scouting on my behalf has turned up some absolute gems.

Signing 1- Hiroki Abe (Free) | Although he doesn't join until the summer (annoying as his work permit dealings carried his signing date past January), I'm excited to sign Abe who looks like a great inside forward with a bit of room to grow. I'm not expecting fireworks, but I think we'll get some good things from Abe

Signing 2 - Diogo Henrique (£450) | One of those odd players with a tiny release fee, Henrique cost us the same as an Xbox Series X. And like an Xbox Series X, he's not available yet, joining us in over a year. He was wanted by some big teams, so signed him with nothing to lose. He doesn't strike me as a future star, but I've been wrong before.

Signing 3 - João Pina (975k) | Portugal has been a happy hunting ground for me, and I'm keeping that going with Pina. A really fast, dynamic RW/ST with a lot to be excited about. If he lives up to that potential, we could have a star on our hands. He joins us in a year's time and will be an excellent squad option

Signing 4 - Arian Kalantari (£545k) | Now this is weird. I was browsing the England u19 squad looking for players with expiring contracts, and found a guy playing in Iran for Persepolis. I initially thought it was a loan, but no. Weirder still, he generated at the club. Weirder even still, he looks amazing! So glad to get this transfer done before another team notices him. He's the type of player who'll be worth millions in a few years time. An absolute bargain!

Signing 5 - Evann Guessand (Loan) | Okay, this was a panic buy. With 1 day left of the transfer window, I still hadn't replaced Macedo and needed someone as Kayode isn't quite up to standard and Rogers has been awful. Guessand looks great though, and would have definitely been our main striker. I say would have, because on deadline day I found the guy underneath him.

Signing 6 - Vincent Grosjean (£925k) | What. A. Player! A technical marvel seemingly with bags of potential, I have really high hopes for this guy. 17 dribbling and 17 finishing and needless to say bonkers for this level. Physically he's lacking, but I'm hoping with a few years of coaching under his belt, he'll turn into an absolute machine.

Manager's Thoughts

FM is a crazy old game. I went from having no solid striking options and panicking the day before deadline day to having 2 amazing options and another joining soon. I was really worried about attracting some star wonderkids to our team, but I think the additions I've made here are nothing short of amazing, if I may say so myself. A top-half finish this season will give us the perfect platform to mount an assault on the playoffs next year. If some of these players develop, oh boy I think I'll have a hell of a squad.

 

Edited June 14, 2021 by Rainbowz

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2022-23 Season Review

I don't ****ing believe it. WE'RE PROMOTED!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

I did not expect this in the slightest. Somehow my ragtag group of PL academy rejects, Rotherham originals and a couple of youths has gotten themselves promoted to the Premier League. Oh my god we're going to get absolutely killed. Not a single one of our players is Premier League quality and the majority are considered by my coaches to be mid-low level Championship or high-level League 1. We've been given a cool £30m to spend next season, but I'm not sure if double that would be enough, especially sticking to the confines of this challenge. I promise I haven't savescummed at all, I didn't even want this promotion. I'm staring down the barrel of losing 1000 points due to relegation now. I'm going to have to FM like I've never FM'd to stay up.

The Promotion Winning Side

Honestly, there's nothing particularly impressive about my tactics. I run a slightly modified version of the default fluid counter-attack. This team is just something special, I've never had anything like this in my years of FM.

End of Season Awards

 

Player of the Season - Josh Martin

The Norwich loanee was a standout this season, bagging 10 assists and 4 goals to help us to promotion. Sadly, I don't think I'll be able to make him a permanent member of the squad, with Norwich asking for around £30m for him. Maybe I can try to unsettle him and force their hand, but I think I can do better for less. Still, it'll be sad to see him go.

Young Player of the Season - Bjorn Hardley

The fact that Hardley was our second best performer with an average rating of 6.96 says everything about our season. If you told me this guy would make 10 appearances when we got promoted, I'd be surprised. The fact he's played 32 and has the 2nd best average rating? I'd have laughed at you. But here he is. I think it's down to his incredible pace at CB, combined with some solid attributes where they count for the position. No way he can cut it in the Premier League...right?

Manager's Thoughts

Oh my god we're screwed. I had thought maybe we could get the playoffs next season, then look to get promotion once we'd bedded in a good squad and some of our wonderkids had developed. But no, this team just doesn't know when to quit and decided to go up 2-3 seasons before I'd planned. We're in the deep-end now. I think our survival really depends who else goes up with us. Blackburn are decent, but we can definitely beat them. I'm hoping Birmingham or Derby go up out of the playoffs. They're around a similar level to us, so with some good additions they could be a nice source of 6 points for us next year. If Fulham or Newcastle go up and strengthen, we could be doomed. The Premier League doesn't really have any easy teams, maybe Burnley and Bournemouth at a stretch, but they still outclass us in all departments. It's going to be a long summer of recruitment for me. We need improvements everywhere and I'm going to eat into my overall budget to get them done. Pray for me, this next season is going to be rough.

Points Earned: 25 (League 1 win)

Money Spent: £4,370,000

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2023-24 Season Preview

Oh god, the Premier League. 2-3 seasons before I'm ready for it. Let's see how this goes.

Well, it's not quite 5000-1. Clearly though we should be happy with anything other than dead last according to the bookies. Still, the amount of teams over 100-1 gives me hope we can pick off enough to stay up. The top 4 are absolutely insane though, having assembled mega squads in the 3 seasons since the challenge started. Man City especially have a squad that looks unbeatable. 

Transfers

This is a key transfer window, and I think I've done all I can. It doesn't help our reputation is still really low for the PL, so finding players willing to join is difficult. I could've spent a lot more money, but I'm wary of going too hard, too soon in this challenge. If I stay up and establish myself as a Premier League team, I'd like the option to make one or two £20m - £30m signings who could really propel us to a title fight in the future. Anyway, let's focus on the dealings I've made.

Nothing spectacular on the outs. Woods was a 3.5* PA regen, no idea why QPR wanted him but I'm not too sad to see him go. 1.3m with a nice sell-on clause for a player who'd never get near my first team is always nice. Now, for the important thing, the ins.

Signing 1 - Abdallah Sima (£5.75m) | There’s a lot to get excited about here. Technically incredible, mentally solid and physically great too, Sima just offers so much. You can see his standout stats and see why I’m so excited. My only worry is how to play him to get the best from him, but I’m not too worried. We needed quality and Sima provides it.

Signing 2 - Jaime Mayorga (£1m) | With Olosunde being a perennial moaner, I wanted to sort the future of the RB slot. Mayorga looks amazing for that spot. Physically and mentally great for his age, if those technicals develop, I could have an amazing full-back on our hands. Was wanted by Liverpool too, so I’ve got reason to be excited.

Signing 3 - Jordan Touranarigha (£3.5m) | Our defence was definitely our weak point going into the Premier League, so I was quick to reinforce is. Touranarigha brings quality across the board and slots perfectly into a ball-playing defender role. With a little room to grow as well, I’ve got hopes he can be a key player for us.

Signing 4 - Javier Montes (£9m) | Our biggest signing and despite his young age, I hope you can see why. Montes offers everything I want in a CAM. He’s quick, creative and a good playmaker and he’s only just turned 18! I think I’ve got a special player on my hands here. If he can develop, I see him becoming something special. I’ll be watching his development very closely.

Signing 5 - Rhys Williams (£1.7m) | I think I’ve got a bargain here. Williams looks like a ready-made PL centre-back, who also has a bit of room to grow. I expect him to be pivotal this season and for seasons to come. Fits perfectly into our team and offers a lot.

Signing 6 - Rayan Cherki (Loan) | Only the one loan this year, but a really important one. As I didn’t expect to be in the Premier League, I thought Abe would suffice at LW. In this division though, we need something extra which Cherki provides. Although not the fastest, at inside forward he offers everything I need and will hopefully give the team the extra quality I need to stay up. Plus I’ve never managed him before on FM, so I’m excited to see what he can do.

Signing 7 - Leandro Arroyave (£2.1m) | I really wanted to improve our goalkeeping situation. Johansson is a good keeper, but if I’m to challenge for the title, I need a bit more which Arroyave provides. I think he can definitely be a top quality keeper in the future. He'll miss the first few games as he doesn't join until the end of August.

Signing 8 - Ignacio Penoni (£4.5m) | Although my CMs are my strongest point, I still feel like they need something else. Enter Penoni. He’s an exciting-looking DLP who I think can grow into a key player in this side.  I’m not expecting him to be an instant game changer, but over time he could be very important. He joins us in January and will likely be a rotation option with some of our more experienced CMs.

So, that's it for transfers. Maybe you expected more, but I think who I've brought in gives us a decent platform to build off. I was never going to be able to assemble a strong Premier League level team in this transfer window, but I think I've got enough to fight to stay up. I'm hedging on a lot of these players (and some I already have) to develop in the next few years and become star Premier League players. Maybe that's asking a lot, but I think I need a bit of luck to complete this challenge.

The Squad

Considering a 3* player is considered a good Championship player, it's clear my team could be better. However, I think there's enough about this team to stay up now. Some of my players are deceptively good, with their stats all where they need to be for their positions. One trick ponies, yes, but they're really good at that one trick. Combine that with my more dynamic players such as Cherki and Sima and I think we stand a chance in this division. I hope so, at least.

Wonderkid Watch

Meet Tamaș! Generated this year, I think he's got potential to be a bit of a star. He already looks a solid advanced forward at 16 and with a bit of development, could turn into something amazing. Whether or not he'll have a part to play in the timeframe of this challenge remains to be seen. But beyond, I think he could be a key player for us within the next 10 years.

Manager's Thoughts

Well, we're in the Premier League now. I think this challenge is going to be insanely hard. Even with 6 years in the Premier League with all of the money and reputation that would give me, I think the current top PL teams are just too strong and the timeframe is too short. To pull this off, I need my young prospects to absolutely bloom and even then, I think I'd need a Leicester-esque season where the top teams struggle and I manage to pick up the scraps. That's exactly what happened last season to get me promoted, but even then I only managed 2nd. I think I've got a chance to complete this challenge, but even then I need a lot of things to go right

 

Points Earned: 25 (League 1 Title)

Money Spent: £31,920,000 (£63,000,000 remaining)

[karanhsingh]

Some solid signings there, Sima looks excellent! Surprisingly I had not heard of him before. Good luck! 

[karanhsingh]

BARNSLEY SEASON 4 WRAP UP

The 4th season turned out to be a pretty memorable one, and certainly the best till date as we shot up the league places. Here is the final table.

As you can see we finished in 2nd place and thus qualified for the Champions League, although we never really threated Man Utd who ran away with the title.

These are the fixtures from the 2nd half of the season after the last update. We put together a really strong run of form. Although we still come up short away from home against the big sides.

I was especially bummed about the FA Cup wherein we beat City away to reach the quarters, with only 2 big teams left - and were rewarded with another away trip to Manchester. This time we couldn't repeat the miracle.

The squad stats from a memorable season - we also switched from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2 which seems to have really unleashed the strikers. Best performers for me were definitely Brenner up front and Josh Tymon at LB. Followed by record signing Michael Olise who was a consistent threat on the right wing. 

Brenner in fact also won the golden boot in both England and Europe this season. Absolutely spectacular from the Brazilian, and I really hope he can keep it up once teams start giving us more respect next season.

And one final positive update - the Board have decided to press ahead with plans for a new stadium. The capacity will be approximately 10k more than the current one, and it will take 2 years to build.

[karanhsingh]

BARNSLEY SEASON 5 PREVIEW - summer of 2025

We have reached that stage of the challenge now where we really need to go for it. Which is reflected in our summer business.

Two big signings (both add to the growing Argentine contingent at the club) and one former player brought back for a bit of experience. 

That is none other than John Stones, probably the most famous graduate of our academy. He will spend the season on loan with us.

Meanwhile, Lopetegui is a wonderkid who looks like a very solid defender, and should immediately provide us a real step up in quality at the back. I am looking at him and Max Normann Williamsen to be my first choice CB partnership for the remainder of this career.

His teammate from River, Sebastian di Costanzo also joins us on a bumper contract. With the move to a 4-4-2 I needed another option up front where I am planning to play this guy as a DLF. Again he should provide us with good quality and hopefully can develop further.

One last transfer to show is the free transfer of a young Romanian GK.

Who also looks absolutely amazing! However sadly his work permit got rejected (despite being a full international) so he will be going out on loan - I am really hoping we can get his permit sorted next season at least. 

With this we are now up to approx. 70m pounds in spending (75m with clauses) which probably means I have like one big transfer left before we hit the limit. Need to see how much we can push on this season. 

I don't think a title challenge is realistic still given just how good the squads of the likes of United, Liverpool, Man City & Chelsea are. But at the very least we need another top 4 finish and we need all our players to really develop & gel together. Then, I think we may be able to challenge next season at least.

[Rainbowz]

18 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Some solid signings there, Sima looks excellent! Surprisingly I had not heard of him before. Good luck! 

Thanks! Sima is a weird one, he's a real player but randomly just appeared at Slavia Prague this year in-game, despite me not having the Czech league loaded. Maybe because I'm in the Premier League, the game is loading in players from CL/EL clubs. Still, not going to complain about getting him for a bargain price.

[Rainbowz]

Kill me. Had no idea this was a rule and they're crucial for me right now. Ugh this challenge can be so frustrating

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2023-23 Mid-Season Update

Things are going...surprisingly well! I think I may have overestimated the strength of some of the bottom-half PL teams. They look strong when in reality their squad is around 4 - 4.5* CA, similar to mine without injuries. That said, the top teams in this division absolutely destroy me. 4 or 5-0 losses are just an acceptance against the likes of Man City at this point.

Transfers In

Just the 1 signing in Tai Sodje from Manchester City for £300k. His contract was expiring this year so I managed to snap him up. Happy to get more competition up front with Grosjean and Kalantari not really firing. So glad he's willing to be a squad player too, I've got too many Championship level guys thinking they should be starting every game in the PL.

Top Performers

1) Abdallah Sima | Unsurprisingly, Sima is almost carrying this team. Unfortunately, his injury proneness has hampered him, but in 16 appearances he's managed 10 goals and 3 assists. I really hope he stays fit more often, if we're to progress we need him in the side.

2) Dan Barlaser | Despite having a more rotational role, captain Barlaser has really stepped up this year, currently holding a 7.1 average rating. His all-round ability has been a massive help this season, filling in where needed and doing an excellent job.

3) Leandro Arroyave | What a goalkeeper! After a rocky start, Arroyave really came into his own, keeping 4 clean sheets this season and earning 3 POTM awards. The fact he's only 18 and won't reach his peak for at least another 10 years excites me. Barring anything horrific, I think we've got our GK spot sorted for this challenge.

Manager's Thoughts

One of the most frustrating aspects of this challenge is trying to keep my players happy. I've got 3* CA players thinking they should be on 50k a week starting every game, complaining when I so much as enquire about someone who plays in the same position. Having a player from League 1 start for me in a title winning season might be difficult, since they all seem content to get upset over the smallest of reasons and want to leave. 

The other issue I've run into is buying players. This save seems cursed for getting cheap wonderkids. All of the big teams have locked down their top prospects to long deals, so getting some of the standard FM wonderkids on frees is looking impossible. Even when they can join me, even 3-3.5* CA players don't want to join due to our poor reputation. I'm having to raid South America for my talent, and I don't know how long I can keep it up for, especially with the 6 player limit ruining my plans. Sticking to a £95m budget is gonna be tricky. I feel like I'll need one or two £50m + to compete. I guess we'll see though

[allisiaa]

Just a short update. No further points for the challenge - the first season in Premier League (and 4th season in this challenge) ended in 4th place and Champions League next season.

A few very important signing before this season. Apart from Youssouf Koné and Kenny Lala all of the signings were cruicial in the good season we ended up with. Koné the most disappointing and actually had to use Bright Arrey-Mbi as a left back to keep a certain quality in the first team.

Especially pleased with the signings Arrey-Mbi and newgen Patrick Lebongo. Had to fight of some of the biggest clubs in Europe to complete these transfers.

 

Would probably have lost Arrey-Mbi this summer due to a small minimum release clause to clubs in major competitions - but as we qualified to CL ourself we luckily managed to throw enough money at him to keep him with us.

Need a bit of quality in a few, key positions to keep improving. Will be challenging to strengthen the squad further as I only can sign players without contract, and the options seems sparse this summer. The problem is that for every player I need to improve the team it actually means dropping players that would give me points for the challenge... But without improving I will not be able to complete this challenge anyway, so.. let's see who will join us when they leave their clubs.
 

Premier League table:

Spoiler

 

 

 

Edited June 19, 2021 by allisiaa

[Rainbowz]

Rotherham 2023-24 Season Review

I'm absolutely over the moon with this! 8th when we were expected to finish last is fantastic. I think what I hoped would happen did, that my young team would develop as the season went on and would turn into Premier League level players as they kept playing. I got lucky and avoided major injuries, so everything that could go right did. That said, you can see the quite frankly ridiculous gap between the top teams and everyone else. I can see us becoming "best of the rest" pretty quickly, but cracking that top 4 is going to take something special.

Player of the Season

With 17 goals from the right-wing, there's no surprise that Sima is my player of the season this year. He's adapted to Premier League football far better than I could've hoped and still has a bit of development to go. I can see him being a key player in the squad for years to come, as long as the big boys don't start taking notice of his goalscoring exploits.

Young Player of the Season

Like Sima, Arroyave has seamlessly adapted to the much stronger league and looks an amazing goalkeeper. The fact he's only 18 is quite frankly scary, I honestly believe he can develop into one of the best goalkeepers in the world. Hopefully we can keep him at the club, as I don't think I'll be able to find a replacement for him.

The Team

Arroyave

Mayorga - Williams - Torunarigha - Roughan

Wiles - Penoni

Sima - Montes - Cherki

Sodje

Manager's Thoughts

I'm hoping we can build on this season and aim for Europe next year. My squad is developing really nicely and I think there are a couple of potentially world-class players in the squad. My biggest problem is sticking to the budget of the challenge. For some reason my save seems really stingy with the quality of players available on free transfers, with clubs seeming to prefer to let their wonderkids rot in the u23s on 5 year deals than release them as I've seen in other saves. If I want the players to challenge for titles in the future, I've got to pay up and I just can't do that. I'm hoping that changes in the next couple of years. There's only so many South American wonderkids I can buy before I reach the £95m cap and I can't keep hoping on potentially good players, I need the ability here and now. Still, I think in the next few years, barring any catastrophic injuries, the youngsters I have should develop into star Premier League players. I still need the top teams to stumble if I'm to ever win the title though.