retired_pigsrock182

Hi all, here's my first go at a LLM update run (FM2006):

Leagues: French - CFA and above

2005/2006: Entente Sannois-Saint-Gratien (National - sadly, CFA teams are not selectable...)
Now who could pass up on that team name!? Very well, being predicted to battle for relegation, I

decide to spend the few Euros available on a couple of centrebacks. Being constant underdogs in the

media, we still run away to a 1st position, much due to an eerily efficient striker at the front and

the best defence in the league - how odd that that would lead to success...

Also promoted: NÃ*mes, Niort

League cup: Prelim round (1-4 v Istres)
French Cup: 8th round (1-2 v Caen)

Players in: 3 @ €29K
Players out: 0

2006/2007: Entente Sannois-Saint-Gratien (Second League)
TV consessions give us some money - and I go on a shopping spree. Sadly the lack of fixtures for

French reserve teams (apparently a bug) leave a lot of players without matches... Again predicted to

battle for relegation (obviously), the season starts out pretty grim, 3pts after 4 rounds. Then comes

the turning point: a crazy game against Caen that couldn't have started worse - 1-4 and one red card

after the first half. After some barking at half time, the game actually ends 7-5! I think that one

match is the weirdest I've experienced throughout the CM/FM series... After that we start playing

somewhat better, and actually fight ourselves up to a 11th place.

Goodbye to: Montpellier, Lille, Amiens (prom to 1st), Nimes, Niort, Sète (rel to 2nd)
Hello to: Istres, Bastia, Sochaux (rel from 1st), Reims, Guingamp, Lorient (prom fron Nat)

League Cup: 1st round (0-2 v Nantes)
French Cup: Qtr Final (0-1 v PSG)

Players in: 19 @ €2M
Players out: 2 @ €1K

2007/2008: Entente Sannois-Saint-Gratien (Second League)
Getting used to the underdog label, this year actually sees us fighting for the promotion spots -

only stopped by two miserable scoring drought runs, one mid-season and one at the near end. Final

position: 5th.

Goodbye to: Troyes, Valenciennes, Bastia (prom to 1st), Dijon, Lorient, Guingamp (rel to 2nd)
Hello to: Rennes, Le Mans, Amiens (rel from 1st), Nimes, Niort, Cannes (prom fron Nat)

League Cup: Prelim round (1-2 v Grenoble)
French Cup: 11th round (0-1 v Marsielles)

Players in: 5 @ €30K
Players out: 6 @ €20K

2008/2009: Entente Sannois-Saint-Gratien (Second League)
'Fight relegation'. Oh really, what a surprise. Actually the campaign starts out rather weakly, but

we shape up and actually fight for top position for a while. In the end we gain promotion through a

pretty safe 3rd place.

Also promoted: Sochaux, Châteauroux

League Cup: Prelim round (0-1 v Reims) - the League Cup isn't our thing, really...
French Cup: Semi Final (0-2 v Lyon)

Players in: 6 @ €1.7M
Players out: 2 @ €0K

2009/2010: Entente Sannois-Saint-Gratien (First League)
I'm in 8th place around mid-season. With the 6.0.2 patch just out, fixing the French reserve team "no

fixtures" bug somewhat (the reserves enter CFA when the main team promotes to 1st League), and the

lack of struggle in this game, I think it's time for a go with another team.

League Cup: 1st round (1-2 v Lens)

Players in: 11 @ €2.4M
Players out: 1 @ €0K

A note: this LLM game has led me to question the season predictions, and especially the prematch odds

- these algorithms hardly seem to reflect current results/form or league position at all! Not that it

matters much, but it feels a bit silly for a team to always be considered underdog even though

getting good results with consistency. Ah well.

retired_pigsrock182

Oops - sorry for the double rows... pasted it from Notepad, but the text was written with no hard breaks... Odd. And I'm not allowed to edit...

retired_merri13

I see what you mean, my Harrogate team (4th place) was facing Stafford (21st) and we had a 10-1 change of winning while Stafford was on evens. By then we had a 6 match unbeaten run, Stafford didn't grab a win in 9 matches.

retired_curlgirl

I is a bit realistic though...

In Belgium we have this 1 semi-professional team and everybody said they were relegation candidates no.1, but now they are doing quite well and are 5/6th in the league.
The media however always questions "when is this story going to end?" etc etc and they always tell that the other (lower ranked) teams stand more of a chance to win their match with them...

retired_pigsrock182

The question is (if they make it, and with a good placing...) will the media continue to call them underdogs during their 2nd, 3rd and 4th year in the first league?

With Sannois, I spent 3 years in 2nd League, constantly considered relegation contender, constantly underdog in matches, placing 11th, 5th, 3rd. I think it was the 2nd year in that league that we went professional - I thought that might have to do with it, but no difference.

On the other hand, it's good for confidence - every point you get feels like the result of your incredibly clever decisions...

retired_deedee465

Experienced this too.
Minor bug, doesn't spoil the fun.

retired_deedee465

forgot: nice update KUTGW :thup:

retired_pigsrock182

Thx... Have moved on to a new game now with 6.0.2, in Spain - hopefully this one will be more of a struggle!

Agree, it's minor and doesn't spoil the fun - just a teeny weeny dent in the facade! :thup: