Non-League - When to Sign Contracts?

[steve.battisti]

Hey, so, could use some help. Using DanFM's database to do a level 10 non-league save. 

Nearing the end of season 1, and one thing I'm struggling to understand is when to start signing players for next season. Perhaps I'm too steeped in American football, but I felt like I kind of needed to wait for the end of the season, but now it seems like my competitors are all making a million signings. So, should I be signing players now, in early April, even though the existing league year won't end until the end of June?

My biggest concern is that I don't even know what my budget will be next year, as my club is massively in debt. 

Any thoughts welcomed, thanks!

[phnompenhandy]

9 minutes ago, steve.battisti said:

Hey, so, could use some help. Using DanFM's database to do a level 10 non-league save. 

Nearing the end of season 1, and one thing I'm struggling to understand is when to start signing players for next season. Perhaps I'm too steeped in American football, but I felt like I kind of needed to wait for the end of the season, but now it seems like my competitors are all making a million signings. So, should I be signing players now, in early April, even though the existing league year won't end until the end of June?

My biggest concern is that I don't even know what my budget will be next year, as my club is massively in debt. 

Any thoughts welcomed, thanks!

Any time and all the time. Your players should be on amateur or non-contract forms, which means they only get paid when they play matches or sit on the bench. They can (and do) leave at a moment's notice, so you need to have a shortlist of players to bring in at short notice. One method is to bring in hordes of trialists, play them in U18 or friendly matches, and get your coaches to assess who to ask to join the squad.

[steve.battisti]

8 hours ago, phnompenhandy said:

Any time and all the time. Your players should be on amateur or non-contract forms, which means they only get paid when they play matches or sit on the bench. They can (and do) leave at a moment's notice, so you need to have a shortlist of players to bring in at short notice. One method is to bring in hordes of trialists, play them in U18 or friendly matches, and get your coaches to assess who to ask to join the squad.

Thanks very much. I've done pretty well with getting free agents in on trials and signing them to start last season, but I couldn't figure out when was the right time to start locking people in for NEXT season when I have no idea what the wage budget will be!

[phnompenhandy]

1 minute ago, steve.battisti said:

Thanks very much. I've done pretty well with getting free agents in on trials and signing them to start last season, but I couldn't figure out when was the right time to start locking people in for NEXT season when I have no idea what the wage budget will be!

"Wage budget" is a bit of a part-time/full-time contract thing. My players are all on non-contract terms. I just checked my finances page - the accountant has put down a figure of £238 per month for wages spent, but she's also written £416 per month for 'wage total'. I don't know exactly what those figures mean myself. For the last match we played, the club paid out £165 to players, for appearance fees, unused sub fees and goal, assist and clean sheet bonuses. Any player not in the matchday squad doesn't get a bean.

[steve.battisti]

56 minutes ago, phnompenhandy said:

"Wage budget" is a bit of a part-time/full-time contract thing. My players are all on non-contract terms. I just checked my finances page - the accountant has put down a figure of £238 per month for wages spent, but she's also written £416 per month for 'wage total'. I don't know exactly what those figures mean myself. For the last match we played, the club paid out £165 to players, for appearance fees, unused sub fees and goal, assist and clean sheet bonuses. Any player not in the matchday squad doesn't get a bean.

Interesting. The team I inherited is almost all on part-time contracts that also include appearance bonuses.

[phnompenhandy]

2 hours ago, steve.battisti said:

Interesting. The team I inherited is almost all on part-time contracts that also include appearance bonuses.

Oh I see. Is that at Level 10? There are smaller clubs that don't have part-time contracts.

[Brasilia88]

At that level, you will have many options with free agents. 

I admit never having played THAT low,  but having free loans might help your finances too. Perhaps even a senior affiliate will do. 

In the search area add youth aps and you might find some gems. 

[steve.battisti]

12 minutes ago, phnompenhandy said:

Oh I see. Is that at Level 10? There are smaller clubs that don't have part-time contracts.

Yes, it's interesting. I signed with this club because they have a big wage budget, comparatively. But they are also massively in debt. So, it will be interesting to see how it goes.  I've since managed to sign a few players. I'm not thrilled with my squad heading up a level, but I can't imagine the level of play is THAT different between level 10 and 9, so I'm hopeful I won't be in immediate danger of getting relegated back down.

[steve.battisti]

8 minutes ago, Brasilia88 said:

At that level, you will have many options with free agents. 

I admit never having played THAT low,  but having free loans might help your finances too. Perhaps even a senior affiliate will do. 

n the search area add youth aps and you might find some gems. 

 I confess I'm not great about the loan thing. I'm determined to try to loan in some players once the next season starts. (I can't figure out a way to sign someone to a loan for next season while the current season still has two months to go. Am I missing something there as well?) 

 

[Brasilia88]

3 minutes ago, steve.battisti said:

 I confess I'm not great about the loan thing. I'm determined to try to loan in some players once the next season starts. (I can't figure out a way to sign someone to a loan for next season while the current season still has two months to go. Am I missing something there as well?) 

 

The clubs have to put them up for loan. That will only get into effect next season. However, look for free agents in the leagues above you the moment their contracts run out. 

This tip is gamey, but it will save you some time and effort. Go to the desired  league, e.g. Vanarama S/N. Select transfers and youth departures. You'll have that entire list as free agents who probably want to sign for you. The higher up you go, the higher the league you can select. 

[kevhamster]

3 hours ago, phnompenhandy said:

"Wage budget" is a bit of a part-time/full-time contract thing. My players are all on non-contract terms. I just checked my finances page - the accountant has put down a figure of £238 per month for wages spent, but she's also written £416 per month for 'wage total'. I don't know exactly what those figures mean myself. For the last match we played, the club paid out £165 to players, for appearance fees, unused sub fees and goal, assist and clean sheet bonuses. Any player not in the matchday squad doesn't get a bean.

Even when on non-contract terms, that player's appearance fee will count towards the wage budget.

If you have a non-contract player, their appearance fee will be calculated in the wage budget, but not the whole amount.  This isn't exact as I'm working from memory,  but I think it counts somewhere between 30 to 40% of the appeance fee towards the wage budget, so for the purposes of giving an example, a non-contract player with a £100 appearance fee would take up something like £40 of the wage budget.

[steve.battisti]

31 minutes ago, kevhamster said:

Even when on non-contract terms, that player's appearance fee will count towards the wage budget.

If you have a non-contract player, their appearance fee will be calculated in the wage budget, but not the whole amount.  This isn't exact as I'm working from memory,  but I think it counts somewhere between 30 to 40% of the appeance fee towards the wage budget, so for the purposes of giving an example, a non-contract player with a £100 appearance fee would take up something like £40 of the wage budget.

That's very helpful, thank you. Especially because in a few weeks I think most of these guys' part-time contracts expire, so they are all likely to be on non-contract at that point, I think, if I don't release them...?

[kevhamster]

2 minutes ago, steve.battisti said:

That's very helpful, thank you. Especially because in a few weeks I think most of these guys' part-time contracts expire, so they are all likely to be on non-contract at that point, I think, if I don't release them...?

If they're on a contract with an end date, when that date comes they'll either stay on non-contract terms or leave.  I'm not sure you'll know which one will happen until that day arrives in-game.

[steve.battisti]

I'm at this point in my season again where the games are over and I'm just trying to get things set up for next season. Of course, my wage budget got cut by 1/3, and after offering some extensions and being turned down by a few, I have gaping holes in my roster. I've got like 9 players signed to contracts into next season, and no youth players capable of even making it onto the bench. Maybe a few of the others will roll over to non-contract and stick around, but my best players I can't afford to extend, and they have the dreaded "WNT" next to them anyway. So, I'm planning for life after them.

At any rate, to confirm some of the things mentioned in this thread:

1. I cannot sign players to loans until the new league season starts (in my case July 1).
2. I can't sign any players whose contracts are expiring on June 30 until July 1, unless their team agrees to a transfer.

Are those correct?

And if so, the list of actions I can take before July 1st includes:

• Identify / shortlist players who I'd like to offer a contract on July 1
• Trial and potentially sign FAs
• If I find a player who is with a club now, but whose contract is running out, I can offer a transfer to his team, and if accepted, I can negotiate terms with that player, potentially nabbing him before he becomes a FA.

Is that pretty much it?

Thanks!

[phnompenhandy]

7 hours ago, steve.battisti said:

no youth players capable of even making it onto the bench.

Well, you say that. A lot of us who manage at this level, myself included, do "Academy-Only" saves, where we NEVER buy or loan in players and only use what the youth intake gives us. And we tend to do alright. Have another look - you should find some of those intake kids will be okay as bench fodder.

[steve.battisti]

11 hours ago, phnompenhandy said:

Well, you say that. A lot of us who manage at this level, myself included, do "Academy-Only" saves, where we NEVER buy or loan in players and only use what the youth intake gives us. And we tend to do alright. Have another look - you should find some of those intake kids will be okay as bench fodder.

Fair enough. Budget has forced my hand in that regard anyway.