Ok, well I am new to lower league management, having spent most of my CM/FM career playing in the higher leagues. A friend of mine suggested trying lower league management with a club that was without hope as it was much more fun.
So this is where the story begins. I decided to take on the mantle of guiding Basingstoke wherever they will go (or until I get the sack).
So, predicted by the media to finish 21st in the National conference south, I began my quest to restore at least some pride to club if not a trophey room full of silverware. Since my fans, my board and my assistant manager clearly all thought that we were destined for relagation, I felt there was nothing to lose and set about the thankless task of awakening a giant (well maybe not, but it sounds poetic)
When I viewed my squad I could see why there was feeling of inevitable doom throughout the whole club. The squad was so thin not even a charlton comb over could hide the baldness of talent. Not only this but I hardly had enough first team players to fill out a matchday squad. I check my messages from my chairman and he gives me a total wage budget of £4700 and obviously no transfer funds at all to bring in some new talent. The next message tells me about a new crop of youth players, with my assistant informing me that he believes our young striker is one of the most talented prospects he has seen come through the youth system in years. Naturally I check out the guy and I note that he has mostly ratings of 1 and a finishing rating of 5. He did however have a heading rating of 17 and jumping of 17, which put him head and shoulders ahead of any striker which i already had in my first team squad since none of them possessed any ratings in double figures for any attacking attributes.
Imagine my suprise when I notice that he literally is head and shoulders above any of my other players, the bloke is a Manchild!! Not only is he my most talented striker at the tender age of 16 but he is also 6ft9 and 16st2!! I don't know if anything like this has happened to anyone else, but I have never seen anything like it, needless to say he went straight into my first team squad, along with another 6 or 7 youth team players who were at least talented enough to compete with my first team players.
So the season began with my side and tactics being centred around my 6ft9 striker playing one up front and packing the midfield so as not so leak goals, long balls into the box were at a premium. After 5 friendly defeats the league campaign kicked off against Salisbury at home and after going 1-0 down in the first minute the team responded with style. The striker netted 4 times and a 5th goal from another youth player rounded off a 5-2 opening day victory. In the second game the unthinkable happened the hit man broke his foot and was sidelined for 2 months!! Over the next few weeks I had about 8 injuries which crippled my team. During this period we lost 7 straight league games the only win was a 1-0 FA cup second round qualification tie against Horsham YMCA! As i started to get some players back the form picked up and my young squad got boost in moral. There were some notable performances from the other youngster and my argentinian forward, by far and away my best player from the original squad. With the striker's return came a much needed goal threat and in the air he was truely phenominal, one game he had 34 headers winning all 34.
After 20 league games Basingstoke sit in 15th position and 6 clear of the relegation zone, my board are delighted and the fans are happy. The striker has bagged 10 goals in his 8 league starts and has turned 17 and is tied down to a 2 year contract.
I would be happy with this position until next season where I hope I can get another decent set of youngsters and maybe push towards the top half and if i can keep the squad healthy maybe even playoffs.
Sorry for the long post it is my first on this forum and I just wanted to set the background for the start of my adventures with Basingstoke. I will keep you up to do date with the progress of the mighty Basingstoke. Lower league management by far the most fun I have had on FM in a long time.
Basingstoke - A New Hope 
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