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Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge.
The production of youth players from the Rangers squad got me to thinking that it might just be possible with this game to do something that I've always wanted to do, but never been able to achieve. Not only have a squad of all Scots, which I've done and been successful with, but to go a step further and actually raise my own players. Impossible? Perhaps, but I'll probably supplement my attempt by bringing in youths that have been rejected by other clubs.
I have decided to start a new game for this, because of the name bug thing. No offence to anyone who might really be called Chik Lee MacDonald, but I wanted my players to have sensible names.
Running CM 0304, Med DB for speed, Scots DDT, and I have the Scots and Irish League running, because I've decided to skip ahead a year so that the story starts with my first batch of youths. I have taken Forfar for this story, and they have reached Division One with my guy on Hols, after the game started in March 2004. I've taken the liberty of adding some decent youth facilities, and I've given us an all seater 1800 capacity stadium, which, if things go to plan, should be increased at some point in the future. (I've set it with the editor.)
I used Nygreens editor for this, and there are no silly regen names. I hope you enjoy this as much as I intend to enjoy playing it
Oh yeah, my other challenge will run to its conclusion, which shouldnt take very long. I hope.
01-26-2004, 05:46 AM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #2
I suppose their initial reaction should have been expected. They assumed I was insane. There was no way a club like Forfar could have ambitions to reach the SPL, never mind win it, not in this day and age where money ruled football and less and less people actually cared enough to attend games. To build state of the art training facilities, and create a modern youth academy seemed insane. Until I waved the cheque in their faces.
I'll pay for it all I told them, I'll even help with the stadium, we can rebuild it. We can be successful here, you only have to trust me.
Of course they had no reason to trust me, but money talks, and my only stipulation was that they make me manager. Money talks, and so they did.
That was a year ago, and after guiding the side to the Second Division title, the first fruits of the new youth academy have just begun to ripen. A handful of raw young talent, that will hopefully be moulded and shaped and become first team players at the club. Thats the theory, thats the dream.
I may well be insane, but I do believe I'll be having the last laugh....
01-29-2004, 10:34 AM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #3
Ok there was a slight problem with the save that meant compo an players histories weren't be recorded, and the players histories were all messed up. I've no idea what caused it, as I've restored the clean db, and then step by step made the minor editings I had done the last time, and it seems to be fine. So I'm starting it again. Its a relatively minor problem, but even so.
01-30-2004, 07:44 AM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #4
They say if the pre-season goes badly, then you're in for a cracking season. Well in many ways, this preason has been an utter disaster, starting with a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Crewe, and ending with Kevin Byers breaking his leg against Forfar Albion, and it looks like he could be out for pretty much the whole season. We'll also be without Martin Maher for a month, and in general things don't seem to be going very well. But we'll just have to roll up our sleeves and get on with it.
Of the youths that have come through, none look ready to walk into the first team, although strikers Steven Murray (16) and Alan MacDonald (15) would seem the best best of the current crop. There a number of transfer's in, probably the most significant of which would be Rangers duo Graeme Smith abd Fraser Coyle, and ex Celtic keeper David Marshall. It may well take the squad time to gel together, and the loss of Byers is going to be hard to take. Our target is to stay up, and if we can do that, we'll have achieved something.
Squad 2004-2005
Goalkeepers
Mark Brown (24) One of the original squad, a decent keeper who will start out as No1 and the others will have to dislodge.
David Marshall (18) Ex Celtic youth keeper, snapped up on a free.
Graeme Smith (21) £150,000 signing from Rangers.
Craig Samson (20) Ex Killie keeper, comes in on a free and will be the reserve team keeper this season.
Defence
Steve Florence (32) Experienced original squad member who should help the younger lads along.
David McClune (21) Another of the original squad, a distinctly average player who will serve as back up.
Ross Forsyth (21) Decent left back who arrives from St Johnstone for £100,000.
Mark Dempsie (23) Former Hibs player, brought in from St Mirren for £18,000.
Andy Jordan (24) Former Hartlepool, Cardiff and Bristol City player, brought in on a free.
Richard Robb (21) £50,000 signing from St Mirren.
Elliot Smith (20) £130,000 signing from Kilmarnock.
David Lowing (20) Decent young left back, original squad member.
Robbie Horn (27) Another of the original squad who has been retained.
Midfield
Tom Bennett (34) Arrives as a player/coach, and his main duties will be on the coaching side.
Steven Blair (18) Ex Newcastle youth, arrives on a free.
Barry Sellars (28) Fairly decent player, original squad member.
Keith Gibson (23) £200,000 signing from Montrose.
Barry Robson (25) Transfer listed by Dubdee Utd, and arrives at a fee of £100,000. Should be a decent acquisition.
Darren Smith (24) £50,000 signing from Berwick.
Martin Maher (20) Promising youngster, member of the original squad and is being chased by a number of clubs, but hopefully we can hang on to him.
Charlie King (25) £50,000 signing from Queen's Park.
Kevin Byers (24) Possibly the best player at the club when I arrived, but a leg break in a pre season game means he misses out on most of this season, which could be a huge blow for our hopes.
Attackers
Scott Bannerman (25) £8000 signing from Morton.
Steven Hislop (26) Ex Inverness & Ross County player, signed on a free.
Paul Shields (22) Original squad member.
Blair Sturrock (22) Free signing.
Colin Hodge (19) Decent young striker, part of the original squad.
Paul Tosh (30) Ageing member of the original squad, but remains as a decent back up player.
Under 19 Squad
Goalkeepers
Cameron Bell (17) Ex Killie youth, brought in on a free as we have no u19 keeper at present.
The League got off to a fairly sticky start, as we lost 2-0 at home to Falkirk. It was a bit worrying, but we soon managed to get back on track, althought the early pace was being set by Brechin, and at one point they were seven clear at the top of the table. Our main target of course was survival, but despite the loss to Falkirk, we went unbeaten in the League until the next time we played them, and were sitting pretty in a position to challenge for promotion.
An excellent 5-0 win over Brechin showed our class, and for a short spell we were actually top. A last game of the year loss at Somerset though sees us end the year in 2nd place, 2 points behind Brechin, and three ahead of Inverness at the exact half way point of the League.
The League Cup started well enough, as we overcame Hearts on a penalty shoot out after a 1-1 draw, but in the 3rd round we were overwhelmed 3-0 by Dundee. There was cup glory though as we saw off Hamilton, Ross County, Morton and Stranraer to reach the final of the Challenge Cup, where a Paul Shields goal in injury time brought us our first ever reasonably major Cup, to add to our two Second and one Third Division titles.
On the youth front, there was good news for Steven Murray, who turned 17 in October. Having scored 7 times in 4 games for the youths, he was called up to the side to face Stranraer in the Challenge Cup semi and scored after 12 minutes of his first team debut. He has managed to maintain his place in the first team, and has grabbed 9 goals in 13 league games, won the Scottish First Division Young Player of the month for November, and the First Division Player of the month for October and December. Its been a great period for the youngster, who looks to have a decent future in the game, but he'll need to keep his feet on the ground.
Another youth, 15 year old striker Alan MacDonald has also made it on to the fringes of the first team squad, with 4 starts and three sub appearances and has netted three goals. Without their two best strikers, the U-19's have slipped down to 5th in their league, but thats a price we have to pay, and its probably well worth.
02-03-2004, 06:34 AM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #6
If one player from each batch makes it into a first team regular, I think that will be success. Its hard to know at first, but some of the current batch are already clearly not going to be good enough. I think Steven Murray can be. So thats one already
02-03-2004, 06:48 PM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #8
Youth is a crapshoot. You just don't know, some peak at 18, some don't have thier heads screwed on right, some are late-bloomers and some actually turn into superstars. Good nurturing, good coaching and good practice facilities will create a decent player out of someone you earmarked as a D3 lifer.
02-06-2004, 06:32 PM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #9
There was bad news for the Forfar fans at the start of 2005, as Aston Villa matched Michael Brown's £230,000 release clause, and the was offski. Of course that simply meant former Celt David Marshall now got his chance to establish himself.
The Scottish Cup got underway, and wins over Ayr, by 3-0, and Gretna by 4-0 saw us through to the last eight where we drew Hibs at Station Park. We managed a decent enough 0-0 draw to gain a replay at Easter Road. Paul Shield sent us into a 25th minute lead, but our dreams of a shock were soon eroded as Brown and McManus scored to turn the match around. Just a minute from time though, Barry Robson sent a shot goalwards, that the Hibs keeper really should have saved, but ended up in the back the net, and we had extra time. Hibs though scored the only goal of the extra 30, through McManus and so we bowed out bravely.
In the league, we were blowing hot and cold, as we vied with Ayr, Brechin, Ross County and Falkirk for that place in the SPL. Defeats to Dundee United, Raith Rovers, and incredible 6-4 reversal at Ross County, all did much to keep us tagged back with them, but one by one the other sides dropped off the pace, unil there was just ourselves and Ayr United left it in it with one match to play.
We sat one point ahead of them, with a better goal difference, but as luck would have it, the last match of the season was Ayr at Somerset. All we needed was a draw of course. Just thre minutes into the match, Charlie King sent us on our way to SPL football, but Ayr werent out of it yet, and just after the hour mark they were level. Paul Shields though restored our lead on 72, and three minutes later, Kevin Byers grabbed a vital third, and the title was ours.
The Under 19s ended 2nd in their league, which is decent enough, and we'll have to see just who comes through in the summer. Its going to be tough next season, but hopefully we will be able to survive as we play top flight football for the first ever time.
02-06-2004, 06:34 PM
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. Post #10
Bringing Up Baby - A Different Approach to The Lisbon Lions Challenge. 
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