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FM07. My first LLM was in Chile, but after 2 successive seasons of the town council scuppering plans for a new stadium, I decide to dive into Europe.
All leagues in Italy, France, Spain and England. Frank says Melfi.
Season 1 2006-2007
We float around 16th (of 18) until the Christmas. The January transfer window helps, and we push forwards, and at the end of the window are in touch with safety. Then we aquaplane majesically, and fall to 17th, where we end up. The aquaplane seems to peter out with a few matches left, though, giving me small hope for the playoffs.
The press announces that we haven't lost to our opponents all year. I'm cautiously optimistic. We score an early goal, and a second on halftime. Carrying a 2-0 lead into the second match, we pot 3 in the first half and breeze our way to safety.
I strengthen the squad over the summer, including 3 new strikers, who rate to be better than our player of the year striker from the season before. We start well, and score in bunches. We quickly establish ourselves as the premiere offensive club in Serie C2/C, matched only by our weekly opponents. Our defense is dreadful, and we float in 15th-17th.
In January, I try to stop the bleeding with an ugprade on defense, but despite improved play, we don't climb in the standings at all. We blow well past last year's points tally, but end up in 16th, in what proves to be a MUCH tougher league than the season before.
The playoffs to poorly, and we're uncompetetive. So long Melfi!
I apply 2 clubs, and get 2 offers. One Italian club offer a nice transfer kitty and wage allowance. The other, Castrovillari, offers no transfer budget and a decent wage allowance. I decide to opt for the challenge.
Upon accepting, I notice the club only has 5 players and a chairman. Ugh.
Given the very generous wage allowance, my goal is to sign any whites I can find. It's hard slogging, but just when it looks like I may start the season with less than 11 whites (and a VASTLY inferior squad to the one that I just got relegated), they offer me a 3 year deal with a transfer budget. On August 27th.
I rush madly, and start September with about a dozen awful players. One of whom, arguably the best, immediately gets a 6 match ban.
Awesome.
We do not score until the last week of November. In early December, the board is in takeover talks, and I'm under a transfer embargo. Fortunately, I've already signed some help.
When January 1st hits, we've gone pointless in the league, have only 3 goals to our name, and our only draw was in the Serie C cup (which we were knocked out of.) We bring in the players I signed before the embargo, and are instantly competetive.
In mid-january, the takeover falls through, allowing me to sign a few more players, including a pair of french veterans in midfield. The board starts to breathe down my neck, but we're now VERY competetive.
Of course, our losing streak goes to at least 19 before our first result. After a draw or two, I get my first ultimatum. We draw, then lose, and the board issues a vote of confidence. We draw, then win. \o/
We're steadily gaining ground on 17th spot, and a playoff birth, but time is against us. We start stealing points on the road and from top half clubs, but we need wins, and they're hard to come by. We come down to being down 6 with 2 matches left, with needing to overcome a goal differential of 32. We win our penultimate match in a huge upset, but lose our final, while the club above us win.
Relegation. /o\
Still, we finish on 10 points, while the club above us had 16. 16th was 30-something, but I can hold my head high with the knowledge that we are not the worst club in Serie C2-C.
I resign and go on holiday.
I also vow not to look over the club next time I get a job offer, and not back myself into an impossible situation again. The only offer I get before July 1st is from Grantham who have no transfer budget, 3 awful players, and a chairman. I turn them down.
Originally posted by Vuroth:
I also vow <STRIKE>not</STRIKE> to look over the club next time I get a job offer, and not back myself into an impossible situation again.
Lost in Europe 
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