Career MikeF attempting: It’s A Long Way To The Top

[MikeF]

Well here we go. Was looking for a new challenge and this looks fun. Also don’t have that achievement yet (jumped ship from Dulwich Hamet when world class but didn’t make 5 years at that lvl there). 

Kicked off a new save. Unknown and no badge as requested

A couple of jobs were available from the off but no one interested in the likes of me. Applies for everything and turns out rejection is tough. 

After a a few weeks of pondering my career choice Aldershot decided to take a chance on my raw aptitude. 

Quite fitting too as they’re only 15 miles from where I’m from  

No money in the kitty and spending over the wage bill already... let’s wee what I can do here. 

[Gunners Rishi]

19 hours ago, MikeF said:

Well here we go. Was looking for a new challenge and this looks fun. Also don’t have that achievement yet (jumped ship from Dulwich Hamet when world class but didn’t make 5 years at that lvl there). 

Kicked off a new save. Unknown and no badge as requested

AdChoices

ADVERTISING

inRead invented by Teads

A couple of jobs were available from the off but no one interested in the likes of me. Applies for everything and turns out rejection is tough. 

After a a few weeks of pondering my career choice Aldershot decided to take a chance on my raw aptitude. 

Quite fitting too as they’re only 15 miles from where I’m from  

No money in the kitty and spending over the wage bill already... let’s wee what I can do here. 

Yes someone else using Aldershot! Good luck!

[MikeF]

Little update as only a few months in (busy weekend). 

6 points clear at the top of the table (it’s only November though) but I’m not here for the long haul. Purely using the club as a stepping stone and the board know it. 

I’ve decided to only apply for jobs two leagues or move above (unless they’re a newly relegated side) as one division jump won’t  help long term so I’m afraid it’s a no from me, Newport Co. League Two but struggling  a big job to turn them around.

Manager stats are pretty poor. I’m disloyal and have ripped apart the team selling the entire reserve team and some fan favs in order to get some ‘big’ names in (Hello Sam Hughes from Leicester for free). Diverting transfer fees to wage bill and hoping to pick up some more free transfers to help us climb. Until I get a better offer...

For now, I’m biding time and awaiting the call of the higher leagues...

[MikeF]

Six months in and league football is calling. 

After a solid few months at Aldershot and taking them to the top of the table, Accrington Stanley (who are they?) have taken a chance on a relatively new manager and offered me the role. 

I take the plunge from the top of VNL to the very bottom of League One. Risky move but if I can avoid relegation then this will take me closer to the top. 

From this:

To this:

Manager profile right before the move :

 

The adventure continues...

[MikeF]

Well that was a tough half season!

Accrington, as it turns out, are awful. It was a struggle to score goals let alone scrape enough points to avoid the drop. 

But...

We did it on goal difference! Luckily Wycombe had a shocking goal difference and I lucked out. Big overhaul needed this summer if were to climb the table but I’ll be looking for a new job as soon as I can. 

On the bright side - I’m obscure!

First season over and I’m up to League One football with reputation slowly growing. Very Slowly. 

[samhardy]

Took a risk there moving to Accrington! Not sure I would have done it as the way it was going you both would have been in the same division next year.

But you definitely proved yourself right by moving. Great turnaround to survive and a good start

[Ian]

It’s never easy moving clubs in the lower leagues during the season so you did really well to keep them up.

You’re now in league one well ahead of schedule.😀

Edited May 12, 2019 by 1759

[Mr Tree]

Yep agree with Sam exactly, in that I wouldn't have done it but you made it work, so well done on a Great Escape! Now for the promotion push next year 😎

[MikeF]

After a complete rehaul of the squad my boys did me proud. There was a patch of bad form about a third of the way through the season but they hung in there and grabbed 2nd place. Goal diff again!

A couple of high profile signings in Connor Wickham (who had a £900k release clause with me but was worth over £2m and scoring a goal a game so I wasn’t praying no one came in for him!). Scored 38 from 38 after missing a month or two with injuries. And Marcos Paulo as a bit of youth. Here’s hoping he’s world class in this save (but for just over £2m he probably has lower potential). 

I totally ripped the team apart and built it stronger. Also changed formation this season to focus on Wickham as lone striker and have an AM.

my profile:

 

No suitable jobs came up so it looks like I’m staying here for the foreseeable unless I can bag a prem job. Unlikely with my reputation currently. 

Championship, here we come. 

Edited May 13, 2019 by MikeF
Typo

[S4NCH0]

Really nice going, the prem job looks very unlikely, why not look for a bigger Championship job?

[MikeF]

8 hours ago, S4NCH0 said:

Really nice going, the prem job looks very unlikely, why not look for a bigger Championship job?

Yeah, applying for prem jobs is just annoying my board. Might look at a bigger champ club but reckon I can drag these guys up to the prem in two seasons so maybe I’ll hang around. 

I think Stockholm Syndrome is setting in too - I kinda like these guys now. But that’s not the challenge!

[MikeF]

This should be called the ‘skin of my teeth’ challenge. 

In a season that had it all, and despite a very patchy final third of the season...

They’ve only gone and bl00dy done it!

Premiership here we come. And a MOTY award to go with it.

This is not going to be easy. Unless I can find a job somewhere higher up the table but no one worthwhile is willing to take a chance on me yet.

Most of my creative players were on loan but I’ve got a couple of decent goal scorers so I’ll carry on my tactic of concede lots/score more! This season I scored by far the most but also conceded more than any other team in the top 12. I’ll need to rethink my Overload tactic maybe! Although I did nearly make a miraculous comeback against City in the FA cup from 4-0 down to 4-3 and coming close to getting a replay. Alas it wasn’t to be.

My regional reputation precedes me! Although not enough for any decent clubs to give me a job. Looks like I’m here for the long haul...

Stats aren’t great as no player is safe when pushing for the top but my board like my budget management at least ha. 

[MikeF]

Season 4

Been busy this week so taken a little longer to get through this season. 

Good season in the end. Looked like I was going to get a Europa League spot but a run of 6 losses in a row at the business end of the season put an end to that. Was 6 points off in the end. 

Had a good cup run and got to the semi of the Carabou Cup where City demolished me with 10-3 aggregate score (2-2 home leg. Away leg - ouch). 

Cheeky MOTY award though!

Forgot to take a screengrab of the league before new season progressed but here’s the history page. 

Manager stats as usual. 

Strangely no huge shift in stats this season but and no one really got sacked last season so jobs weren’t there but sticking with these guys and pushing for Europe this season.

[MikeF]

Season 5

Quick update as have been away for a few days so this season took longer to finish. 

Not much change. Managed to scrap a Euro spot. Tried to buy a few youngsters to develop when I should have got some established players so was quite inconsistent but did bag the MOTY award again. Points haven’t changed much and no other jobs around again. This is going to take me some time...

Although did manage to pull this signing off...

He’s 31 and I’m paying him a stupid amount but the team needs make a big jump in stature this year so all my eggs are firmly in Salah’s basket. Note: this was after I took Manager screenshot so players sold/bought doesn’t reflect this. 

Edited May 21, 2019 by MikeF

[S4NCH0]

Wow. Just caught up. I didn't expect Salah or any big name at all. 31 year old salah is a massive player, he'll help the team take a huge leap forward I am sure.

[MikeF]

Season 6

Sped through this one as has the day off. 

Had a good Euro cup run but missed out on a CL spot by one point. I did however win the FA Cup, beating City in a 3-2 classic. The DVDs are already flying off the shelves in Accrington.

 

Salah was good but didn’t really fit my formation as out and out winger so I sold him to PSG in the summer for what I paid for him almost. I like to think he helped raise the profile of the club so worth spending all my budget on his wages. 

My reputation is National now and racked up a few points last season with good cup runs:

Forgot to show off this little beaut that came through the Accrington Academy a couple of seasons ago. I farmed him out on loan and he’s looking pretty awesome:

He’s a striker naturally but is also green all down the middle so actually I’m using him as my B2B midfielder and he bangs in a few goals there. He’s new to the first team but coming along nicely. I would play him up front but I’ve got Isak as lone striker and he’s a goal a game kinda guy. Love a good home grown player though! Seems a waste for B2B but not sure he can lead the front line just yet. 

[Mr Tree]

good stuff mate, keep it going! and yes Miley looks decent!

[Gunners Rishi]

Really well done

[MikeF]

Season 7

2024/2025 - a season they will live forever in the memory of all Accrington Stanley fans. 

- A brand new 30,000 stadium started building 

- Homegrown lad Aspen ‘Smiley’ Miley on the verge of becoming a club legend at the age of 20 (18 goals and 12 assists played in random positions). He’s ready for the first team now for sure

- Euro Cup campaign including a 6-2 AET (1-1 after 90 mins) demolishing of Bayern in the Semi and a 5-2 hammering of Villarreal in the final

- A close run, yet ultimately victorious Premiership campaign winning the league. Just

Oh and my manager stats. MOTY and Continental. Utd job came up but I didn’t get it. Probably for the best as they finished 6th so no CL. 

The board have very high expectations now. This season won’t be easy...

[MikeF]

Season 8

 

Smashing through these as have a few days off work. Good season all round. 

Won the Prem again. Lost in the final of the CL which was gutting. 

And my boy Miley is officially a beast. Turned down a £140m bid for him after the season finished too.

Tough when my 2nd choice striker is also a goal a game type of guy but I’ve got a soft spot for Miley. Here’s no. 2:

Finally World Class - I’m guessing the achievement comes in Jan (did someone say that in original post?). Haven’t had it yet anyway. 

Will carry on til I get it anyway...

[MikeF]

Just realised I have this achievement as I can start with Superstar reputation so guess it won’t come again. 

Anyway, 5 years+ at club and World Class reputation complete so would have been achieved. 

I call that challenge complete? 

[Mr Tree]

Yep, per the original post, you have to wipe your config file so that you can register an official time. So a good career mate, but I think you can't get on the leaderboard unfortunately 🙈

[MikeF]

I’m on iOS so can’t delete config file I think. 

Ah well, that sucks

[MikeF]

Ah. Just found you can reset all achievements on iPhone in settings...

Clears everything but might just do it anyway for something to do haha.

Let’s call this round a warm up as don’t know the exact point I reached World Class. 

—-

Seems to have worked... although I still have option of starting with world class rep but all achievements are now showing a ? so here’s hoping it’ll work this time round! I’ll know soon enough. 

Round 2 coming up...

Edited May 27, 2019 by MikeF

[MikeF]

Take Two...

Manager stats as requested. Unknown rep and unemployed. 

Not much about but after several months of applying for jobs (and turning down a VNS team) I’ve been offered two jobs in VNL. 

Dag & Red and Chesterfield. 

Chesterfield have better facilities and a whopping two points more (16th in league) so I went with them. Board want to push for title so high expectations but I wouldn’t aim for anything less anyway. 19 games played when I joined and 19 points off top. Let’s see what I can do here...

And Manager stats after taking job. Same as above but with club confirmed:

[MikeF]

Season 1 complete 

After doing well with Chesterfield and dragging them up to a potential play-off position, top of the league Leyton Orient came in for me. 

Easy decision as they were massively ahead in top spot. 

There was a possibility of meeting my old team Chesterfield in the FA Trophy final but they lost in the semis. Successful 1st season all round for me I’d say. 

My stats at end of season:

[MikeF]

Season 2

Tried out a new formation built around this team that is a lot more solid at the back. Came 2nd in league and now up to League One. 

Manager rep moving onwards and upwards after a decent cup run so on the lookout for a new job ASAP. Not that anyone wants to employ me however! Well, anyone worth moving to. Keep getting offers from the bottom of my league. No thanks.

The slog continues...

[Mr Tree]

Keep up the good work... Well, move away from bloody Orient, then keep it up!

[lm151102]

How do you build your tactics?

[MikeF]

6 hours ago, lm151102 said:

How do you build your tactics?

I’ve got tactics I always use when I have decent players. For low league, keep it simple as poss. 3 up front works nicely for low league I find. And just try to overload opposition (but not using ‘overload’ or you’ll concede a lot too). build it around the players you have as opposed trying to retrain or do anything complicated. Low league players are a simple bunch  . Also keep instructions as simple as possible. But of trial and error.