Career Cockers2505 Takes Oldham Athletic Back to the Big Stage

[Cockers2505]

Oldham Athletic rise to the Premiership after 22 years stuck in Englands forgot about lower leagues of football.

                  

My reason's for starting this Career path was simply to try and get Oldham Athletic, a club I have loved and followed since I was 6 years old, and living around Manchester with everyone supporting Man Utd or Man City, it was a hard slog justifying why I chose to support a little club, when there was so much more around when you include Bolton, Bury, Stockport (decent side in the early days), Leeds, and then not so far away the likes of Liverpool, Everton and Tranmere, to name but a few.

So my love for the club has seen myself follow them from the highlights of the Premiership, and as one of the founder members (In their first season back in the top flight, the club finished 17th and became one of the founding members of the newly formed Premier League. After two further seasons at the top level, Oldham faced relegation yet again and during the following season) to reaching Wembley in 1990 in the Football League cup, only to lose 1-0 to Nottingham forest.

We have gained records, Frankie Bunn scoring 6 goals in a 7-1 win, Andy Ritchie scoring in every round of the League cup to the final, same final we lost

We have sold some really good players, that went on to become top, if not world class - Dennis Irwin, Mike Milligan, Paul Warhurst, Andy Goram, Earl Barrett to name some

And where are we now, stuck at the bottom of the First Division of the English League, crowds of 4000 - 4500 at home, a dismal attendance record, the Stadium is now called Sports Direct Park after Newcastle's Mike Ashley put some of his cash in, so even the Famous name of Boundary Park as gone, famous because no matter what the weather anywhere in England, it is always either raining or freezing cold due to how high the Ground is above sea level

So with all that said, I simply want to remember FFM 17 where Oldham was in the Premier League fighting with the BIG boys, hopefully contending to reach the dizzy heights of the top 10, if not top 5 slot, and hopefully contending for Cup honours again

So after all that, can I take Oldham to the top before FFM 18 releases, and I forget this Career and move on...

I have selected a Tactic that I have been playing with for some time, I have never really bothered to post Tactics, as all the challenges usually stipulate 'Own Tactic', but as this version is coming to an end, I'm sure this Tactic will also

What is it you say, well let me show you...

 

As you can see it's a 3-4-3 Formation, nothing special, just my preferred for this Career thread

 

Again, I'm sure there will be critics questioning my motives and choices, but that's what is good about this Career, I'm trying to enjoy and not be to worried about what others opinions are

So this is not going to be an overnight success i'm sure, but simply a way to enjoy the game again and see my beloved football team where they belong after 22 years (well in the dream world that is...)

Please read and follow if you want, and comments would be appreciated if you see fit, otherwise, thanks for reading, and here starts the journey...

To be continued...

[sbstransit]

have a good and rewarding career! hope to hear from your journey soon

[Cockers2505]

Thanks @sbstransit & @Eogtuc0910 it's simply to enjoy rather than stress over 

My adventure begins -  a few rewards in my first season, and my Tactic worked well for a club with half decent players.

My first award for the excellent work 

Always good to see your players awarded, can only boost their morale

Can't get the all inclusive No 1 manager of the month, but I'll keep trying...

End Of Season 1 - How did we do using the 3-4-3 Tactic, a few tweaks with Roles but kept the same formation...

Promotion first time around, and the finishing position is...

I'm sure the critics will mention the amount of losses and goals conceded, but look, Oldham to the Championship first time around and without playing in the play-offs, that in itself has been a bonus, the challenge is only just beginning...

Some players stats...

Spoiler

End of season awards...

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Thanks for reading, let's see if I can have the same success in the Championship...

[nauczysz mnie grac]

A good start, but now it will be hard for you as a darling to conquer the league. By the way, a very good start, good luck

[FuddledFox]

Great start .

Its always more satisfying when you have success with the club you love even if its just a computer game. 

[Cockers2505]

thanks @FuddledFox and @nauczysz mnie grac my first season in the Championship will be hard due to lack of funds to improve the squad, my cunning plan is to scout for talent that will make immediate impact

[Cockers2505]

Season 2 

Back in the Championship, and I knew it was going to be hard, but I stuck in and finished reasonably!!!!

Enough said, lets move on, nothing seen...

Spoiler

 

 

[nauczysz mnie grac]

only six points loss to the promotion meeting. I thought there would be a lot more loss of points

Gomes - is that young of Benfica?

 

[Cockers2505]

yes @nauczysz mnie grac it is, but at 17 he was only a loanee, but did me proud

[Scratch]

Great start mate, very good first season, consolidated in the second season, hope you can push for promotion this year! I gotta say, I remember Oldham Athletic in the Premier League back in the day and I always had a soft spot for them. Hope to see you get them to the very top! ?

[Cockers2505]

Thanks @scratch99 ill do my best

Update, Season 3 

So my second season in the Championship is going well, I got manager of the Month Nov & Jan, plus Rooney is still keeping up getting runner up player of the month for the month of Apr...

Spoiler

By time I reached April, I had the news I was waiting for...

I had guaranteed getting back into the Premiership after only 3 seasons, this was something to cherish...

So where did I finish in the momentum time for the history of the club...

Pipped at the end by Brentford, I mean come on Brentford and Oldham achieving automatic promotion to the Premiership...

Player Stats...

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Ambassa finishing well with second overall in the leaderboard top strikers...

 

 

End of Year Awards...

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Ambassa gets Player of the Year...

I earn myself Manager of the Year, what a proud moment to be reaching the dizzy heights of the Premiership again after over 25 years...

 

Did some wheeling and dealing in the transfer market...

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So Season 4 sees myself in the Premiership once again, can I survive or will the inevitable happen and I come straight back down...

to be continued...

[FuddledFox]

Well done on promotion and I'm confident you can do better than just stay up.

[nauczysz mnie grac]

The first season in the EPL is usually heavy, but with free transfers you should create a good team that will be able to afford

[sbstransit]

well done on promotion! stay them afloat and hope to see you challenging for FA/league cup soon!

p.s. you might want to seek for 2nd scorer to keep them up in EPL

[Scratch]

Congrats on promotion! 

I'm back you for a solid mid table position next year, with maybe a run at the European positions! Good luck mate. 

[Taff]

Just caught up and you're already back in the EPL great work Cockers, sure they will stay up and just get better each season

You'll have it won within 4 seasons 

[Cockers2505]

Thanks guys, I'm wading through the transfer market for (not over the hill) talent that can still do it in the Premiership, i'll be happy with a top 10 finish or push it to a place in Europe.

Update on Season 4...

Not doing so well according to the Board...

Spoiler

Yet, I even surprised myself in the first 7 games..

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The biggest shock I got which will helped me through the season was...

So I bought this guy for next to nothing...

As you can see 230K was a steel considering he scored on 12 goals but his value was £22.5M which is only good for such a small club, when the unexpected comes along in the name of A.Madrid...

Wow, who could turn down that kind of money, couldn't snap their hands of quick enough...

A couple of players was bought with the transfer money...

Spoiler

A few good wins before I show end of the season league position...

Spoiler

 

End of season awards...

So the final position of Season 4...

A good top 3 finish for my first season is a brilliant result, just need to build on the team for next year...

My striker took to goalscoring record also, another bonus...

to be continued...

[FuddledFox]

Excellent first season in the prem. Good luck in champions league and title challenge in season 5

[sbstransit]

WaAAaaa.. champs league qualification! Once you work on the defence, then you will be EPL champs! good luck

[Taff]

Cracking first season in the EPL mate and some very good business in the transfer market as well

[Scratch]

Haha, sorry for underestimating you (I said maybe a run at European qualification, but you smashed that!). Great job! ?

[Cockers2505]

Thanks @FuddledFox , @Taff and @scratch99.

@sbstransit as I get more money i'll hopefully improve the defence to cut the amount against me, but it's a gamble with my Formation.

Update Season 5...

So after 4 seasons my career history looks like this...

I've taken on Cameroon as a little side project, otherwise my record so far...

Had to mention this one, bought Sadiq after the money from my player to A.Madrid, only played him 10 times and Arsenal came in with an offer I couldn't refuse, with a small club like this the more money, the better my chances...

A couple of awards through the season, not bad as only second season in the Premiership...

Spoiler

Season was going so well, Europe was just as successful for me...

End of season awards...

Spoiler

And then the unexpected happened...

I mean come on I was only playing 1st Division football 4 season ago, and now Premiership champions second season in the Premiership, and with such a small club, small budget, staff and some shrewd buys in the transfer market...

Final League positions...

A couple of reasonable goal scorers taking turns as the main striker of 3...

Spoiler

So was this the icing on the cake after clinching the league...

Took it by the one goal, but that's all it needs...

I never thought I would have this much success within such a small space of time, and with my 3-4-3 formation that looks like it wouldn't hold up to much...

A few wins worthy of a mention...

Spoiler

So where do I go from here, the Champions league, FA Cup and League cup and then who knows, but before FFM 18 I should be able to boast of my achievements with Oldham Athletic, and yes I'm sure many out there are saying WHO???

thanks for reading and your comments of support, hope it's worth the efforts for those who like to read about other successes...

to be continued...

 

[FuddledFox]

What a great season! congratulations.

[Cockers2505]

thanks @FuddledFox, kind of wondering to broadcast the formation incase others want to try it but haven't looked at my career path???

[Taff]

Dude congrats this is huge and in such a short space of time

Nice to Cavani finally playing for a decent team ?

[Cockers2505]

Thanks @Taff, I must admit I didn't expect the success so quickly, what do you think I should do about the Tactic, share with all or just leave as is?

[sbstransit]

fantastic players and management there. congrats!

[FuddledFox]

8 hours ago, Cockers2505 said:

thanks @FuddledFox, kind of wondering to broadcast the formation incase others want to try it but haven't looked at my career path???

I always like seeing other people's tactics so definitely share.

[Taff]

8 hours ago, Cockers2505 said:

Thanks @Taff, I must admit I didn't expect the success so quickly, what do you think I should do about the Tactic, share with all or just leave as is?

Personally that’s down to you I know some people don’t like to share their tactics but I’ve personally never had an issue sharing

but it has to be your decision at the end of the day 

[Scratch]

Well done mate. Great season! Sorry to hear you're being sacked for Paul Scholes to come in...