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As per FM06, i began a new career with Bishop's Stortford in NCS. Christmas break enabled a quick 1st season, which was left on the back burner until illness left me bed bound for 2 weeks. This meant a suitable to complete the required 3 season update law.
Pre season saw the employment of a new scout and coach. The staff I started with were poor, and looking through the ranks of the side, I need to bring in a few new faces. The squad was painfully thing upfront, which made formations very difficult to adapt. The squad also lacked any young players, which in the long term would cause havoc when cup games arrived. Being a lowly NCS mid table side, signing players that would improve the starting 11 proved difficult, almost impossible, with only 1 striker signing for free on scout recommendations. The season started, and I didn’t fancy our chances.
It ended up that the team built a platform to really make a name for themselves. The 2 senior strikers I had were all that was needed in a season that went beyond many expectations. We won the league with 3 games to spare, with striker no.1 scoring 33 goals in all comps.
The cups no longer suck a**, with the FA cup drawing in massive finances. After a Rnd2 home win against league 1 Cheltenham (1-0), we drew a money spinning away tie at Newcastle. 500k softened the blow of a 5-0 defeat.
The league did not seem to trouble the team, sitting in the top 2 from week 5. A late burst from Sutton Utd nearly dropped us close to 2nd, but a 2-1 home win confirmed the title, and promotion to Conference National.
Last years FA cup run along with the 100k TV deal for the conference enabled a hefty 90k budget for the new season. The majority of this I spent on a Ass man, who I had to compensate 55k to Burnley for this services. All the players that the scout recommended just didn’t want to join. A 2nd scout signed with high abilities in spotting potential to draft in players for the future. With this I signed a DM and DRL with league experience with Crewe and Stoke who had been released. They became the back bone of a new look side which contained 10 new players. A Tobago RW released from Swindon and a 34yo goalie also moved swiftly into the first 11. I lost 8 players through expiration, which meant a lot of the players I bought in were to cover losses, and not of improvement.
This seasons proved a much sterner test.
We never really got a run together, and although we didn’t get sucked into the relegation dog fight, but the top 10 was never in reach. The board wanted a fight, which we delivered mid way though December when we hovered dangerously over the bottom 4. We pulled ourselves out thanks to a new ST, R/LW, LW and a South African CB, all snapped up on frees. The ST scored 21 goals and became the main goal threat of the side, overtaking last season player of the year, as top goal scorer. We confirmed our league status with a 3-1 win over eventual champions Stevenage.
No such money grabbing festivities in the cups this year, knocked out at the first time of asking in both trophy and FA cup.
A fairly successful season, although nothing of real interest happened. However, the signs looked good for next season. The ST signed a new long term deal and the mixture of Tobago RW (player of the year averaging 7.3) with new youngster LW produce well balanced and pacey wing play. The CB was promoted to Captain with 8 MOM’s to his name.
With request of a updated training facility, the transfer budget halved for the new season. Not that is mattered, as I never got a chance to spend it, with inflated player prices making it impossible to purchase attached players. Luckily, the scouts came up trumps with a released League 1 quality ST, a Palace reject CB and a lowly 18yo LW. I released a further 6 players in the summer, which included greedy ST from season one, who wanted 1.3k a week for a part time contract (we still haven’t turned pro). There was a lot more quality in the side, and the participation in the under 18 and reserve league enabled the fringe and youth players to gradually improve their game.
The season started well and after August we sat top of the tree, unbeaten and scoring goals from all areas, and not just the forwards. Come Christmas we were still unbeaten in the league, having sacrificed cup glory once again to lower opposition.
The the lack of transfer action during the season worked wonders, as the side gelled together and went on 2 lots of 22 unbeaten games (In all comps) and completed an invincible, arsenal esq season undefeated. The DM and DRL still bossed the defensive unit along with the new CB pairing.The title was sown up by April once 2nd placed Cambridge United failed to keep up after reducing the lead to 5 points. Although we stayed unbeaten we drew far too many games.
The surprise of our title win was met with overwhelming disbelief with players, fans and media alike.
League football for the 1st time in the clubs history after 3 years in charge, plus a move from local to regional recognition in reputation meant a busy summer was ahead to keep the championship winning side together.
Another Stortford career, FM07 style 
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