FM2011 as Rovers

[RedJ]

The \"Out\"s look similar to mine from my first season, but then I got loads more out in January some good signings there, good luck!

[donnybez]

Thanks, Martin Woods is one I might sell, Usually get 800k for him, but might boost it to £1,000,000 In a bid to make money, Hayter will be off too, since I only play one striker, 2 attacking wingers and 3 central midfielders and 4 defenders.


I'm still top for some reason, makes no sense, but if I go up, I'm definatly signing Jay Emmanuel Thomas

[RedJ]

You see, I hate being a sentimental bas**rd I can never sell Woods, Billy, Hayter or O'Connor, and some of the other regulars

[donnybez]

I was like that, but once you find 'that' player, you'll end up selling em to fund him

[donnybez]

Because I'm even more nice, heres a little trick


Include Brazil in your ingame nations, and choose the option December 2009, Trust me, the more time to play big teams in Friendlies (recommend Real Madrid away) and training means when the season starts you'll be ready and more then prepared

[RedJ]

Is that to improve you as a manager? :-) because I need it! Christ alone knows how I'm top of the league - we usually fall apart after I make loads of signings

[DonnyNoel]

Well despite losing 6 of my last 8 league games I survived my first season in the Premiership (2012/13).

Managed to sign some very decent youngsters in the summer and hopefully I can give them enough game time to develop. Started very poorly though and I'm 17th after 6 games, only winning one of them.

Billy, JOC and Hird are usually in my matchday 18 with Gillet, M.Woods and Shiels still part of my squad.

[RedJ]

I'm in 19th after 24 games and 6 points adrift, but I think it's something to do with the massive reshaping I did in the summer. They haven't gelled, or they weren't as good as I thought they were.

[RedJ]

OK, just to give you an idea of the kind of results we're getting, I've sat through most games singing this - \"BACK DOWN! we're going straight back down, we're going straight back down, we're going straight back down!\"

[donnybez]

Could be you require a stiffer defence

Anthony Basso

JOC
Martis
DeMerit
Van Aanholt (Chelsea) Loanee



Thats the one that helped me along. I had Finnan on a free in a bid to get the solid clean sheet record I wanted

[RedJ]

Basso's just retired, and I have McMahon, Wheater, Kilgallon and Konchesky with Lewis (sometimes Smithies) in goal. I'm in Feb 2013 now. Yet another restart may be in order... The Premiership's too good for us!

[DonnyNoel]

Well without wanting to jinx things I may be about to stay up for a second season. I'm 16th with 27 from 27. I seem to mirror the SOD way - start slowly and then pick up through the winter. I've beaten those around me and sit 8 points from danger in early March.

My team now mainly consists of up and coming youngsters from lesser European nations although I do have Joe Lewis, Scott Parker, Andres D'Alessandro, a Turkish international whose name escapes me, and, of course, Billy Sharp as established players whilst the others develop. My youth system is starting to take shape as I have the England U21 keeper out on loan as well as some promising defenders holding their own in the championship. I'm just hoping I can squeeze enough from my current senior players to keep me up for two more seasons whilst my youngsters develop! I'm still struggling to really strengthen, whilst I still fear relegation I daren't go above £25k p/w even though the board would let me.

[RedJ]

I've been in that situation (apart from the being safe part!). How much a week does D'Alessandro want? and will he not come when we're in the Championship?

[billdoor]

Try \"team blending\" in the team selection,section.

[RedJ]

Thanks!

[DonnyNoel]

RedJ wrote:

I've been in that situation (apart from the being safe part!). How much a week does D'Alessandro want? and will he not come when we're in the Championship?

D'Alessandro's agent approached me in Jan 2013 (halfway through my first premiership season). He was a free agent and wanted £35k p/w but snapped my hand off at my first offer - 1.5 years, £25k p/w with a 50% relegation clause. Come summer I got the 12monh warning about his contract. He wanted another year at £44k p/w but he accepted my first offer of a years extension at £26.5k p/w, again with a 50% relegation wage drop.

Scott Parker's agent approached me in July 2013 but I wasn't interested as I have a decent MC already. Come January 2014 he approached me again as he was still without a club and as my MC wasn't hitting the heights of the year before I opened up negotiations. He wanted 18months at £13k p/w. I offered 6months at £11.5k p/w and he took it. He's 33 so I'll closely monitor his stats to see if they start to drop off or if he gets another year.

[RedJ]

Sounds good, hope I go up this season then (restarted - actually kept the squad almost the same but added a few new faces). Jeremie Aliadiere's a decent shout for anyone still in the Championship, and Olivier Kapo.

[bessacarrover]

just won the title on 111 points with rovers 40 games unbeaten and billy sharp top scorer on 44 goals

got a new contract and got alot of money to spend 23 million in total

got rid off brooker,clarke,webster

signed keiran gibbs (loan)
danny rose (loan)
ryan mason
ben alwick
jonathen woodgate
joe murphy
kieran dyer

maybe a couple more coming in   im in dreamland                  

[DonnyNoel]

Well my younsgters are starting to mature into very good players and I'm 28 games into my 3rd Premiership season (5th in total) and I'm sitting 11th with 38pts so practically safe already.

The summer will see the exit of Gillett, Woods, Shiels, Friend and Copps leaving me with only Billy, JOC & Sam remaining from the start of the game. Billy is a regular sub with JOC and Sam more back up players. With Parker, D'Allessandro and my Turkish winger all hitting 33 I think they will be leaving too meaning I'll be under pressure to sign quality replacements and continue in my quest to become a stable mid-tableside for a couple of years.

[RedJ]

Sounds as though it's coming together. I've had to restart yet again but I think I've found a squad that works at last!

[Guernsey Exile]

Sounds like a challenge mate, might take the plunge and purchase it, im still on FM 2010 at the moment

[RedJ]

I had FM2010, and I was actually quite surprised to find how much harder 2011 is! that, or I'm just a rubbish manager and the fact that the simulation is deeper than ever has caught me out

Look forward to hearing updates if you decide to buy :-)

[Filo]

Bought my lad fm2011 for Christmas, so last week I thought I would have a go, I went 28 games without a win in the league before getting the sack, I got that desperate, I played Neil Sullivan up front and he scored in his first game, I did have a giant killing to my name by beating Man Utd in the 3rd round of the cup 3-0

[RedJ]

It really is difficult. I've followed the advice of a post here and started in December 2010 by activating the Brazillian league. It helped a lot.

[Akinfenwa]

I ended up finishing 2nd last season (13/14) and got to the quarter finals of the Champions League but Arsenal were too good for me, as were they in the Premier League because they won it by a good margin.

I'm currently in January in the 14/15 season and have surprisingly just gone top of the league. Will I win it? Probably not, I don't expect to be as good in the second half of the season because the fixtures seem harder. Still, I'm through to the Champions League knockouts again but this time I've got an easier draw (PSG) because I finished top of the group.

I'm raking the money in from the Champions League and it makes a huge difference, especially as I still pay relatively low wages. Hopefully the ground will be expanded with the money as I get the same capacity crowd of 19,981 every game.


Click to maximise

[RedJ]

I'm looking to expand, as we had a number of sellouts last season (finished 10th in the Championship, my first season). Hoping to go up as I've been given a decent budget.

Well done by the way! good to see Forest in the drop zone ;-)

[DonnyNoel]

Finished 11th in my third top flight season.

Forgot to mention I'd signed Michael Mancienne on a free and he scored 9 from CB! Just had a poor transfer window though with only Carlos Vela to show for my efforts (only £2.6m but £45k p/w which is a good £15k more than anyone else). He's 26 so hopefully will get 4 good years out of him whilst my young strikers continue to blossom. My England U21 keeper is ready to challenge Joe Lewis for the #1 jersey so hopefully a top half finish and a cup run is on the cards.

In terms of \"recognisable\" names I have:
Joe Lewis
Michael Mancienne (who won an England cap last season whilst playing for me)
Billy Sharp
Kyle Lafftery
JOC
Carlos Vela

Decent youngsters I have signed (that may not be good on your games!)
Jack Butland
Dennis Borodin
Robert Beres
Gilbert Ndweni
Oscar Sosa

Only problem is the ground. It's been expanded to 20.4k but despite filling it every week the board can't buy the ground as they say we can't afford it.

[RedJ]

Sounds like Mancienne is a must buy. Sign him up!;-) I always seem to have a good run of about 5 games at the beginning then fall away to mid table obscurity. Don't buy Frazer Forster - dud keeper.

[Akinfenwa]

Oh yeah...

Chelsea 0-3 Doncaster

That result has just put me back top on goal difference after 29 games. I've also just won the Carling Cup for the third time beating Birmingham 1-0 in the final again.


I'll put on some screenshots of some of my better players although it won't be much use as most of them are newly generated by youth teams (then I poach 'em ).
- Jose Saint-Louis
- Matias Ezequiel Schelotto
- Miguel Veloso
- Anderson
- Yaya Sanogo
- Chidi Okeke
- Khaled Zaalani
- Alex Smithies
- Angel Gimenez
- Fabiano

[RedJ]

Sanogo and Smithies are good. Not heard of t'others, but they look quality.