darren1983

Lads, I don't like the Premier League

Well done, have added you to the HoF

Dulwich Hamlet Championship Season 2038/39 Review League - An odd season really. After back to back 8th place finishes this was the season I had been targeting for a play off push with the idea that several of our young players that came through 2/3 seasons ago would be ready for it. We opened the season with a 3-0 win at home to West Brom and my confidence began to grow. We then lost 4 of the next 6 and didn't even score for 3 straight home games. That dampened my view for the season. I wasn't too worried though as we were creating very good chances just not taking them and felt we would sooner or later. We found our form a little in Sept and things just clicked. We only lost 3 games of the next 37 games and hit top spot at the halfway stage. We never lost that place again as we cruised to the title and promotion to the Premier League. We won the league by 10 points in the end and that included us not winning in 4 games after we secured promotion. So yeah, slow start, switched off at the end but the middle we were the best team in the league by far. I fear for us next season though as not sure how ready we are for the top flight. Was nice to finally win a league title again as the last one was the National League South back in 2025! We're also a legend at the club now. FA Cup - A decent run in this for once. Beat a prem side and took the side in the conference league to extra time despite having a man sent off after just 2 minutes. League Cup - Game cam during our dodgy start, was in fact the first game of that poor run. Transfers - Loads of loans out with one big sale as Dave Raey 33A went to Watford for 7.5m. I liked him but he was, at best, 3rd choice on the right for us and that money was too good for me to turn down. We used the funds to improve training facilities. The Prem money next season will help for that, and youth facilities, next season. Squad - A couple special mentions here for Todd Rixon 32A and Zack Taylor 35B as our wide players. Dominated the league thanks to them. Also a extra mention for captain Aaron Green 26A. His first season was in the national league and he was mainly a sub (still scored 12 goals) in the 11 seasons since he's scored 20 or more league goals 6 time and at least 18 3 times, so pretty much 20 league goals a season for 9 of the last 11 season all while going from League Two to the Premier League. Youth Intake - The preview wasn't great and it turned out meh. This has made me go for a change in my HoYD this summer. His contract is up and with the bump in rep for being in the prem should give me some better options. As a result I only tagged 1 player in Finley Bourne 38A (I put the wrong year when Tagged him - it's not changed) looks Ok but can't tackle which is an issue for a CB Career Overview Season League Position Junior Coaching Youth Recruitment Notes 2024/25 VNLS 1st Good Average Promotion, Manager of the year 2025/26 VNL 10th Good Above Average First coaching badge 2026/27 VNL 2nd Good Above Average Promotion via playoffs, Manager of the season, second coaching badge 2027/28 L2 10th Adequate Above Average 3rd coaching badge 2028/29 L2 12th Good Above Average Continental C Licence obtained 2029/30 L2 15th Good Good Continental B Licence Obtained. Started on Continental A 2030/31 L2 11th Good Excellent Finished Continental A Licence 2031/32 L2 2nd Good Excellent Promoted. Manager of the year. Started final coaching badge 2032/33 L1 4th Good Excellent EFL Trophy winners. Promoted via playoffs. Completed all coaching badges 2033/34 CHMP 14th Excellent Excellent 2034/35 CHMP 10th Exceptional Exceptional 2035/36 CHMP 8th Exceptional Exceptional 2036/37 CHMP 8th Exceptional Exceptional 2037/38 CHMP 1st Exceptional Exceptional Promoted as Champions

Dulwich Hamlet 2036/37 Season Review - EFL Championship League - I don't think I've ever ended a season more annoyed with my team in any save before. We totally bottled it. 7 games to go we're home to Forest, on the back of a 10 match unbeaten run, we're 2-0 up in the 87th minute. Game ends 2-2. We then lost our next 3 including away to Ipswich where we were 2-1 up in the 90th minute and lost 3-2. We won 2 of our final 3 games but damage was done and we end exactly where we ended last season and on the same points. League Cup - Beat a league rival on pens despite having a man sent off after 5 mins. We then lost to another league rival FA Cup - Beat one prem side and were the better side at home to Spurs but couldn't score. The replay was rough as we doing well and only 1 down in the 40th minute. They then scored 4 goals before HT to totally kill us. They did win it this season so I guess there's some comfort in that? Transfers - No sales but a ton of loans out, mainly as I accidently rejected the chance to be in the U21 league so all my U21s went out on loan. Handful done well enough to be squad players next season I think Squad - Loads and loads of injuries this season meant lots of rotation and having to be flexible with formations, squad should be deeper next season but we're at that point where the players that got us here probably not good enough to push us on and the young players haven't quite developed enough yet so we'll see how it goes next season Youth Intake - The preview looked decent and the intake was..fine? Am thinking it might be time to change HOYD, one we've had now for 10 years is a model citizen but think might be worth having one with a less ideal personality but with better attributes. To be fair the U18s did win the FA Youth Cup though Jamie Cornish 37A - an wide player on the right has been someone we've needed for a while now Rabiu Muhammad 37B - we need depth in the CB area Andreas Colbert 37C - looks more of a DM than a CB to me Career Overview Season League Position Junior Coaching Youth Recruitment Notes 2024/25 VNLS 1st Good Average Promotion, Manager of the year 2025/26 VNL 10th Good Above Average First coaching badge 2026/27 VNL 2nd Good Above Average Promotion via playoffs, Manager of the season, second coaching badge 2027/28 L2 10th Adequate Above Average 3rd coaching badge 2028/29 L2 12th Good Above Average Continental C Licence obtained 2029/30 L2 15th Good Good Continental B Licence Obtained. Started on Continental A 2030/31 L2 11th Good Excellent Finished Continental A Licence 2031/32 L2 2nd Good Excellent Promoted. Manager of the year. Started final coaching badge 2032/33 L1 4th Good Excellent EFL Trophy winners. Promoted via playoffs. Completed all coaching badges 2033/34 CHMP 14th Excellent Excellent 2034/35 CHMP 10th Exceptional Exceptional 2035/36 CHMP 8th Exceptional Exceptional 2036/37 CHMP 8th Exceptional Exceptional

Well done @scarp I knew you were getting close. Congrats. Have added you to the HoF

Getting ever closer @scarp I find that if you've got a side making champions league quarter finals regularly then just need luck of the draw and you win it.

Congrats @fries added to the HoF

Season 2035/36 Championship Review League - Similar to last season really, started the season well but second half we fell away, difference being is that this year we pretty much finished where we should have according to the xG table. We also suffered a lot of injuries in the second half of the season which cost us but also meant I was able to give game time to my promising youngsters. We pretty much matched last season, won a couple more game but about the same really. Feel like in the next couple seasons we might (I stress might) be looking at a proper promotion push as long as people continue to develop, FA Cup - We're just not a cup team really, probably because I tend to rotate a bit too much League Cup - Same as above really Transfers - Managed to get some loans to actual league clubs (bottom 4 of league two but still) which is nice Squad - Think this is the best the squad has been for a while where I don't worry now when I have to rotate or even make subs like I have done the past couple of seasons. We have to move on a few players this summer though as they can't play at this level but I feel more confident doing that this summer Youth Intake - A little disappointing after the preview. Looked like we would get some quality depth but as it was it was fine. Personalities are worrying though, not sure why they've started to be less than good again. Lewis Pickering 36A - Another potential wide option, after struggling here for a few years we now have 3 or 4 players who could break through now Ethon O'Halloran 36B - a different type of striker to what we have now Career Overview Season League Position Junior Coaching Youth Recruitment Notes 2024/25 VNLS 1st Good Average Promotion, Manager of the year 2025/26 VNL 10th Good Above Average First coaching badge 2026/27 VNL 2nd Good Above Average Promotion via playoffs, Manager of the season, second coaching badge 2027/28 L2 10th Adequate Above Average 3rd coaching badge 2028/29 L2 12th Good Above Average Continental C Licence obtained 2029/30 L2 15th Good Good Continental B Licence Obtained. Started on Continental A 2030/31 L2 11th Good Excellent Finished Continental A Licence 2031/32 L2 2nd Good Excellent Promoted. Manager of the year. Started final coaching badge 2032/33 L1 4th Good Excellent EFL Trophy winners. Promoted via playoffs. Completed all coaching badges 2033/34 CHMP 14th Excellent Excellent 2034/35 CHMP 10th Exceptional Exceptional 2035/36 CHMP 8th Exceptional Exceptional

Feel very inadequate compared to @Padders

Dulwich Hamlet Season 2034/35 Championship Review League - I was going to say that on paper it was a good season but we won more, drew more, lost less, scored more, got more points and finished 4 places higher than last season so by pretty much all counts it's a good season. A very good season in fact. The issue is the way the season unfolded. We started great and after 23 games we were 4th with 41 points. The thing was though that were overperforming so much, our xG had us in 18th while we sat 4th! I figured there would be some regression to the mean and that's what happened as we took 28 points from the final 23 games. We had a run of 4 straight losses all by 1 goal and in 3 of those games we conceded the losing goal in or after the 90th minute. Those fine margins killed us really. I fear next season will be much more of a struggle as the young players I'm banking on are still a season away from being ready I feel so we're relying on the core of the side that was playing in League Two really. FA Cup - Was a an OK run at a time where our league form was suffering. The Newcastle game was rough as we had a red card after 3 minutes. League Cup - I just can't ever get going in this. Transfers - Our best season for sales but neither were ones I was happy with with. We lost James on the summer deadline day for a release clause I'd been trying to remove but he wanted to go to a bigger side. Losing him really harmed our wide options throughout the season which was annoying. Griffith 31A was more annoying. Our best CB wanted a bigger club too. Came to me last Jan and we agreed if someone bid 7m for him he could go. No one bid for me till this Jan where I turned down a 4.5m bid and he kicked off saying I'd broken a promise and he was going to leave on a bosman at the end of the season. So I tried to sell him asap and only got 1.6m (with another 1.5m in extras) annoying but I was able to use their sales to max out youth coaching and recruitment at least. Squad - Still a small one but we do now have a U21 squad which is good as I hated having to have 18 year olds not yet ready to play be in my main squad. Got my eye on 4 or 5 players I'm hoping will step up but still think we're a season away from that so another season with juggling the squad and playing around with formations when needed. Youth Intake - I was excited by the preview as we really needed wide options and I was happy enough with what we got Sean Samuel 35A - best player in the intake I think. Issue is that in the final game of the youth season he did his ACL and is out for 8-10 months Zack Taylor 35B - a lovely looking option wide left Connor Gallagher 35C - not that one! However looks a good option on the right Career Overview Season League Position Junior Coaching Youth Recruitment Notes 2024/25 VNLS 1st Good Average Promotion, Manager of the year 2025/26 VNL 10th Good Above Average First coaching badge 2026/27 VNL 2nd Good Above Average Promotion via playoffs, Manager of the season, second coaching badge 2027/28 L2 10th Adequate Above Average 3rd coaching badge 2028/29 L2 12th Good Above Average Continental C Licence obtained 2029/30 L2 15th Good Good Continental B Licence Obtained. Started on Continental A 2030/31 L2 11th Good Excellent Finished Continental A Licence 2031/32 L2 2nd Good Excellent Promoted. Manager of the year. Started final coaching badge 2032/33 L1 4th Good Excellent EFL Trophy winners. Promoted via playoffs. Completed all coaching badges 2033/34 CHP 14th Excellent Excellent 2034/35 CHP 10th Exceptional Exceptional

So after following the FM world cup over last week it gave me the bug to play again, I started several saves but couldn't connect so I return to my Dulwich save. This update is going to be a bit weird though as I don't remember anything from the first half of the season as it was over a month ago but the second half is fresh enough at least! Dulwich Hamlet Season 2033/34 EFL Championship League - First season after promotion and staying up is always the target, we did that but not without some scares. Won our opening 2 games then only 1 win in 12. We had 2 or 3 spells where we picked up points in batches but then long spells without a win, as you'd expect from a newly promoted side. We never dropped lower than 19th so were never really in any danger. A nasty habit of throwing away leads was annoying but a more than credible 14th place was fine by me. League Cup - Not great, rotated a lot and it showed FA Cup - Struggled past a National League side then got hammered by a Premier League side Transfers - few loans out is all. Almost had a big sale in Jan but I got greedy and pushed the price too high. That'll learn me! Squad - It's an odd one in that our starting 1`1 is more than a match for around 80% of the league I reckon (despite my coaches rating most the players national league level) but we struggle when having to use players outside of out best 11 which is an issue when making subs and probably why we threw away so many leads. We have depth in quantity but not in quality. Going to take a few seasons of staying here to build that up I think. Youth Intake - I mean I was excited by the preview and think that was well founded with me tagging the most players from a single intake this year Michael Jones 34A - coaches think of him as a winger but, if I can get strength and vision up I like him as a Mezzala with that pace, finishing and dribbling Adam Scott 34B - Def more of a wide option than a ST for us I think Jason Codrington 34C - Full back that can play both sides Kassim Peltier 34D - Always nice to have a keeper Ally Brown 34E - A DM that can tackle, is two footed and a decent size? I probably should have ranked him much higher now I'm looking at it Callum Uprichard 34F - needs work on the physical side but another option for Mezz Derrick Diallo 34G - Not sure if he's a CB of FB yet but looks a prospect at both Career Overview Season League Position Junior Coaching Youth Recruitment Notes 2024/25 VNLS 1st Good Average Promotion, Manager of the year 2025/26 VNL 10th Good Above Average First coaching badge 2026/27 VNL 2nd Good Above Average Promotion via playoffs, Manager of the season, second coaching badge 2027/28 L2 10th Adequate Above Average 3rd coaching badge 2028/29 L2 12th Good Above Average Continental C Licence obtained 2029/30 L2 15th Good Good Continental B Licence Obtained. Started on Continental A 2030/31 L2 11th Good Excellent Finished Continental A Licence 2031/32 L2 2nd Good Excellent Promoted. Manager of the year. Started final coaching badge 2032/33 L1 4th Good Excellent EFL Trophy winners. Promoted via playoffs. Completed all coaching badges 2033/34 CHP 14th Excellent Excellent I think that's everything, been a while since I did one of these! However I am enjoying being back and relearning my players and the plans I had for them

Incredible work @Daddy been a joy following the save. Have added you to the HoF

I feel ya, I was enjoying my time at Dulwich but then had to take a few days off and I just can't get back into it and the thought of starting a new save fills me dread so I've just stopped playing all together. Hopefully I'll find the buzz again in time for FM25

Congrats @djsterry doing it in England is a massive slog. Have added to the HoF

Yeah like XaW said, load the 4th division even though it's unplayable (though I think if you get relegated from the 3rd the 4th becomes active but don't quote me on that) and pick what team you like and just save scum their results. Obviously the worse team you pick the longer/harder it'll be to save scum their results.