Career Superstylin' - a long way to the top

[StuartM]

New year, new game, new publisher, new colour scheme - same old challenge to start with!

Yes, its a long way to the top. I do like this challenge (even if I have made a meal of it in the past) as I think it gives a bit of variety and challenges you when its not clear which players to go for and how to setup tactically.

So, as you know, the idea is to start out unemployed and unknown.

No great strategy from me on how to start, I just applied for all the available and was offered 2 jobs, Bromley and Boreham Wood... as I started with Bromley last time and the fact that Boreham Wood had more available wage budget and 4 star youth...

Wish me luck, this may take me some time!

Edited November 12, 2023 by StuartM

[malekhit]

what are your career goals?
Do you have a club you would like to run?
Good luck

[StuartM]

6 minutes ago, malekhit said:

what are your career goals?
Do you have a club you would like to run?
Good luck

Thanks!

I'm fairly open minded at the moment, on my last effort I switched clubs after a season but I think I might stay put unless it is an offer I can't refuse.

Previously, I've gone back to the bottom and I worked my way back again. I might try that and try to capture all the trophies I can.

[Dai_]

Best of luck mate. 👍

[StuartM]

So I did warn you it would be slow progress... I have now finished season 1!

As I got in fairly early, I looked at the available free transfers and loans but only really needed a small number of adds to get to a decent looking squad.

I opted to start with one of my most effective FMM23 tactics, its nothing special - there are better on the index but I picked it to see if the match engine has changed much for FMM24. It doesn't seem so to me and we had a decent start.

We solidly progressed and I managed to pick up a silver coaching badge by the end of the season.

Nothing too dramatic happened but I did have a curious sending off - where there was nothing in the commentary but one of my guys got a ban and we did have 10 men when the equaliser went in... maybe Chris Kamara was covering the game!

We barely wobbled in the run in and secured the title in good time.

Finishing the season with a nice looking 103 pts.

Which gave me the star maker tag, a nice touch in this year's game I think.

We were also progressing nicely in the FA Trophy and met Wealdstone in the final, whom we dispatched without too much drama - double winners and a good start to this one.

Thanks for taking a look, lets see what level of challenge League Two brings!

[StuartM]

And we continue on... this really is going to be a slow burner! I did my usual and topped up the squad with as many good free agents as I could then added a few loanees to put a cherry on top.

We started well, motoring on from last season.

Which brought some attention from other clubs, I thought if I got offered the next division up this season then I would take it.

Same divison and horrible dynamics for both Forest Green and Gillingham so I'm going to stay put and try and reap the rewards of the youth facilities we've got.

On the pitch, it was pretty much plain sailing and we secured automatic promotion and the championship in due course.

One of my better points tallies I think! This got me the trophy hoarder tag but really I should have had another double to justify that. We had a poor start in the EFL Cup final and were never in it really.

I think I was helped by having two good strikers this season. Wakefield was a free arrival from Birmingham who have now signed him back for £2.5M and Tezgel a loanee from Stoke who I was hoping to get back again. This is what 19 shooting in League Two can get you!

Hopefully League One can be a rinse and repeat. Thanks for taking a look.

[rabi3]

Great job. 

[StuartM]

Season Three is finally done!

There was a bit of a run on the players that got me into League One. I got decent money for most of them but being a miserly Yorkshireman, I couldn't bring myself to spend it even in a game😂. So whilst the squad was plenty decent, it wasn't as overpowered as last season.

There was a terrible penalty shoot out in the League Cup, fortunately my keeper stepped up!

Last season, Charlton denied us a double by beating us in the EFL Cup final. This season they did the job earlier 😔.

We were well placed at half way, poised to strike if we could managed to click.

The click never quite came, we drew a lot of games but we held our nerve enough to secure automatic promotion.

My freebie striker from Chelsea's academy and my best prospect shone this year, before I sold them off for a combined £28M in the summer!

Thanks for taking a look!

[StuartM]

Season Four update - Championship

Here is where I have often been stuck with this challenge, it seems to be the biggest step. I went deep in to the transfer market and upgraded as much as possible. I struggled to fill the striker position though... so I'm hoping for someone to step up.

We started well and then stumbled a touch. I expected this as we acclimatise to the division (is this a real thing in FMM?) and then found ourselves drawing a lot (again).

Still, playoffs were in reach and we were getting the posession and the chances... we just needed to be better in both boxes.

The second half of the season was super frustrating... we just didn't score the goals and when we did we gave away leads and drew and drew and drew...

So it wasn't to be a 4th successive promotion and it was the season of consolidation I expected at some point.

I think I'll stick to my guns for season 5 and see how we are faring at the mid-point... My approach has not done too badly overall.

Edited December 28, 2023 by StuartM

[StuartM]

Season Five - Championship take 2

I was hoping for plain sailing this time, to strengthen and have a good shot at automatic promotion... My squad was getting big so I started to offload fringe players but I couldn't resist going for lots of loans to try and make it this time.

Last season was frustrating and this one started off okay but with an even more distinct lack of goals. It really did test my resolve!

This was my biggest FMM'ing of this career but it was far from a one off unfortunately.

So at the midpoint, we were in touch but making life too difficult for ourselves.

Things continued in the same vein but then a few glimpses of hope emerged and we even managed this which was overdue!

We secured the playoffs but I wasn't sure what to expect. We faced Sheffield United who had edge us in the regular season games.

This took us to the richest game in world football, against Everton, who we had beaten against the run of play near the start of the season before they got their own back in January. To add to that, I couldn't play the two of theirs that I had on loan.

We didn't need them! We deserved it on balance but of course did our best to make it interesting with a late own goal.

We're on our way to the Premier League!

[StuartM]

I've got a double update today...

Season Six - Return of the Prem

Having reached the top level, I often find that instead of lots of decent players I need to start concentrating on getting the right quality so I spent most of my budget on a winger and striker. Annoyingly, I retained my star CB with a new contract and it went to his head, spoiling my squad dynamics that had been carefully honed (bit of OCD on my part).

There are some really strong teams and the top players are still at a good level in season 6 so expectations of consolidation are in order I reckon.

I actually thought that we'd started okay!

At halfway, we were battling gamely but the clinical finishing of our opponents and our wastefulness were grating a bit!

My new striker levelled up a bit and we started to get a few more goals and we edged our way into midtable and an okay finish for our first year at the top.

Perez was the new guy, a Mexican regen with a good personality - I'm hoping to keep him and see if he can fire us to glory in the coming years.

Thanks for popping by!

[StuartM]

Season Seven - The Difficult Second Album

After a reasonable first season I had hopes of kicking on strongly. I have been starting to doubt my tactic, which I hadn't deviated from at all, in recent seasons due to the lack of goals but that was only in the back of my mind to begin with.

Transfer wise, I went for potential over current ability and we had a slow start. We continued to struggle in both boxes and I starting playing with team instructions before reverting to my original at the half way point.

We were way down the table but my new playmaker and goalkeeper from the summer came in amd we slowly improved.

We had the start of a cup run.

Which led to an interesting draw, just a few options eh?

It did out to be United, who we despatched.

On to the final where we were favourites!

Laouafi (the playmaker) making the difference with free kicks. Get in!!

We ended up with a decent finish in the league, a small push on from last season.

And it seems like the FA Cup just isn't enough for some people...

(Realised I mentioned these guys but didn't show them)

Thanks for taking a look

[StuartM]

No, I didn't forget about this one . I have been playing slow and updating slower! I've got a few more updates for you...

Season Eight - Kicking On or Kicking Off?

Perez managed to get in the World XI, a bit generous I thought but he is decent.

We got a bit of a tubbing in the Charity Shield, hopefully just a blip .

Our halfway state of play wasn't too bad.

But we were having some seriously frustrating games.

Spoiler

But this one took this biscuit, almost a phone breaker!

We were doing quite well in Europe so maybe it was the fixtures playing a part.

But I couldn't help but be disappointed with our league performance.

We then flopped in the Europa League final, which meant no European football next season... This one might go on a bit longer and I got a great new label .

A bit harsh, seeing as it was only the 2nd final I've lost and one was the Charity Shield.

Thanks for stopping by

[StuartM]

Season Nine - A New Shape

I was getting pretty annoyed by breakaway goals from my possession focused tactic so I made a shape change to play with wingers, hoping for less vulnerability and better quality chances at the business area of the pitch.

It seemed to be doing the trick.

Happy enough with where we were at halfway, could we challenge?

But there was still plenty of frustration!

We were getting the type of results we needed, getting our own back against United.

It was looking good.

But we fell short with a late stumble... more cause for optimism though, hoping that I can get over the line soon with this one.

[StuartM]

Season Ten - Stop Making a Meal Of It Stu!

Clearly, this is the season when an overpowered squad and tactic cleans up right?

FFS!

Oh, do p1ss off Watford!

I did resist the frequent temptation to bin this off and we climbed the table gradually.

The league was going to be a tall order but we were going well in the Champions League.

We disposed of top of the table Chelsea.

Went through against Villareal. Meanwhile, in the league we were still doing this... bloody Watford again!

We couldn't do anything right domestically...

So Europe it was then and we made light work of Arsenal in the semis

A very average league campaign wrapped up with too many draws.

Could we sort out our big game problems for the Champions League Final?

No problem! The jinx was lifted.

And then, quite generously, I got called to a gala dinner. Superstar at last!

Thanks for taking a look!

Since doing this, Ive tried another fornation and I'm killing it... if only I tried that here! 

[bcfclee27]

38 minutes ago, StuartM said:

Season Ten - Stop Making a Meal Of It Stu!

Clearly, this is the season when an overpowered squad and tactic cleans up right?

FFS!

Oh, do p1ss off Watford!

I did resist the frequent temptation to bin this off and we climbed the table gradually.

The league was going to be a tall order but we were going well in the Champions League.

We disposed of top of the table Chelsea.

Went through against Villareal. Meanwhile, in the league we were still doing this... bloody Watford again!

We couldn't do anything right domestically...

So Europe it was then and we made light work of Arsenal in the semis

A very average league campaign wrapped up with too many draws.

Could we sort out our big game problems for the Champions League Final?

No problem! The jinx was lifted.

And then, quite generously, I got called to a gala dinner. Superstar at last!

Thanks for taking a look!

Since doing this, Ive tried another fornation and I'm killing it... if only I tried that here! 

Can you share your new formation and tactics mate.

[StuartM]

2 hours ago, bcfclee27 said:

Can you share your new formation and tactics mate.

Ah, I'm not that precious about it but I wouldn't want to spoil your fun. If you started from the Black Hawk and tinkered with it you wouldn't go far wrong. Post with what you're trying to do with it and you should get some feedback .

[Dai_]

Well done mate. 👍

[StuartM]

Cheers Dai!

[Dai_]

2 minutes ago, StuartM said:

Cheers Dai!

Always an enjoyable career to follow, pal.