Challenges It's A Long Way To The Top (Superstar Manager 2020)

[FuddledFox]

Gettin' robbed, Gettin' stoned, Gettin' beat up, Broken boned, Gettin' had, Gettin' took, I tell you folks, It's harder than it looks

This  challenge was originally created by @Scratch so all credit goes to him.

Intro

Most of us here on Vibe have achieved total domination in the game: decades of winning the league, unbeatable in the Champions League, multiple World Cups. Let's face it - it's not that hard.

Of course, most of us have achieved that when starting at a strong club. There's nothing wrong with that, but could you do it if you had to start at the very bottom? Could youwork your way up to becoming a superstar manager? 

Here's the deal: You've never been a professional player. You don't have any contacts in the game. You're unemployed, with no reputation at all. You've just got to knock on clubs' doors until one of them buys into your spiel about being an FMM legend and decides to give you a chance. Once your foot's in the door, you have to work your way up to the superstar manager event; eg:

Do you have what it takes? If so, try to cement your place at the top of the leaderboard by getting there quickest (in game). But be warned: It's a long way to the top!.

 

Notes

To keep this fair, you must start with only England (all divisions) loaded. No shortcuts by getting a job in a lower division in a country with only a couple of divisions. 

You only get the event once, so if you are not starting from scratch, you will need to delete your game.cfg file. On Android, this is found in the Documents>Sports Interactive>Football Manager Mobile 2020>normal>cache folder. If someone can tell me where it is on iPhone, I'll add it here.

You are allowed to change clubs if you like, but please note the definition of the Achievement:

You need to be a club over 5 years to achieve it, so changing clubs will set you back.

 

Rules

• You must chose a starting Reputation of Unknown and a Coaching Badge of None.

• You must load England only, with all divisions (Vanarama North/South).

• You must start unemployed.

• You can change clubs, but only within England obviously. NOTE: Changing clubs will delay the superstar manager event as discussed above.

• You can take an international job if you earn it, but you cannot start with it.

• Screenshots needed as evidence (a career here on Vibe is recommended):

  • The Manager Profile screen immediately after starting

  • The Manager History screen at the end of each season

  • Screenshots of any job changes

  • The "<Manager> celebrates managerial recognition" event (shown above) with the date achieved

  • The Manager Profile screen immediately after the superstar manager event (Manager Points will be used as a tie breaker). 

• No preferences/unlockables.

• No uses of text changes, save editor or IGE at all.

• No cheating or restarting.

• If requested you must upload your save so we can check no cheating has taken place via the save editor, failure to do this will result in you being rejected from the leader board.

• SI databases only.

• No Myclub or created players.

 

Leaderboard

@Dai_ - 1st June 2026
In order of quickest to achieve superstar status (with Manager Points used as a tiebreaker):

[leedsunited87]

I will try this challenge! Interesting

[cezzz16]

I will try this after my 1k! 

[RobNemoo]

This is just the way I like to play FM, so I want to take part in this challenge. 😎

Although I did already start a game like this, being in France currently. So in order to compete I need to start a new save with England only AND delete that file? 

[MikeF]

Going to start this now I’ve settled on a couple of tactics I like. 

[Mr Tree]

3 hours ago, RobNemoo said:

This is just the way I like to play FM, so I want to take part in this challenge. 😎

Although I did already start a game like this, being in France currently. So in order to compete I need to start a new save with England only AND delete that file? 

No, it's just that you only earn the Superstar recognition once - so you need to avoid earning it in your game in  France so that you can earn it in your English game

[RobNemoo]

Understood. Struggling in 3rd level, so no worries I will earn it any time soon.

Great challenge this, so Is will start it probably this weekend somewhere.

 

[Bluemar]

Put it on my FutureSaves list 😎😁

[FarisFarias]

I have a question for this challenge.

So I started out with "None" for coaching badge. But I went on to "Take Coaching Exam" and got gold immediately. Am I allowed to do that or should I never take the coaching exam ever for this challenge? 

[Dai_]

16 hours ago, FarisFarias said:

I have a question for this challenge.

So I started out with "None" for coaching badge. But I went on to "Take Coaching Exam" and got gold immediately. Am I allowed to do that or should I never take the coaching exam ever for this challenge? 

I did the same. Pressed it straight away, then thought, am I allowed to do this?

I just restarted & didn't press it. Until I get clarification from here anywho.

[Dai_]

 

Career thread attached. 

 

 

Proof of no editor:

[MikeF]

1 hour ago, Dai_ said:

 

Career thread attached. 

 

 

Proof of no editor:

Well done - wonder if the achievement come on June 1st as opposed to Jan 1 in FMM20...

[AdamNufc]

@Foxy During the save am I allowed to take coaching exams? Like start with unknown and no badges but if I can take an exam am I allowed to? 

I'm probably going to give this a go for my last long term save on FMM20

[FuddledFox]

1 minute ago, AdamNufc said:

@Foxy During the save am I allowed to take coaching exams? Like start with unknown and no badges but if I can take an exam am I allowed to? 

I'm probably going to give this a go for my last long term save on FMM20

I assume so but this is a repost of a a challenge @Scratch created in a previous edition of the game so he can confirm for you.

[AdamNufc]

@Scratch After starting unknown with no coaching badges am I allowed to take coaching exams throughout the save?

[Scratch]

@AdamNufc Sure. Start with nothing, but if you earn a coaching badge in the game, then fair play, you earned it! 

[AdamNufc]

5 minutes ago, Scratch said:

@AdamNufc Sure. Start with nothing, but if you earn a coaching badge in the game, then fair play, you earned it! 

Brilliant got this under way! Surprised with who offered me the job tbh! Will do a write up later on after the first season 😀

[Cockers2505]

Me and @Scratch did this on the original version, and I found swapping clubs is not the best way to get ahead, yes a better club gets you more success and easier to manage, but I found the hard way when it took at least a couple more seasons to earn the award

[Scratch]

21 hours ago, Cockers2505 said:

Me and @Scratch did this on the original version, and I found swapping clubs is not the best way to get ahead, yes a better club gets you more success and easier to manage, but I found the hard way when it took at least a couple more seasons to earn the award

Oh yeah, great point, I don't think you unlock the superstar manager badge until you've won lots and been at a club for 5 years. So if you hop clubs, you don't get the 5 year part. 

I really intended this challenge as a 'anyway to the top' thing, where you could hop around clubs etc. Maybe we should change it for next year to be won when you get the "World Class" status rather than when you get the "Superstar Manager" badge - I think that won't penalise you for changing clubs.

[TheDean]

I'm struggling to find how to clear the cache folder, I can go onto the app storage and clear the cache but it's still unlocked on my achievements on the main menu.

Will this work?

Thanks and sorry for being a noob