charnley

So, average facilities, 4k to spend on players and a 2,000 capacity all-seated stadium, with the board and fans expecting to rebuild the team.

Squad itself looked useful in places, and I managed to bring in some players on a few frees, after trial and the odd 1k transfer fee here and there.

Quite happy that I've managed to balance spending with selling so far, with the lower leagues keen to spend more money than most SPL clubs have this summer.

Pre-season friendlies were a bit of a mare, and lost the lot and it was noticable that the team had a big hole at left midfield. Tried a few "big names" on loan only for other bigger clubs to come in and loan my targets themselves and eventually had to settle for this 19 year old from England for a season.

Started off the season much in the same way as the friendlies had gone and managed early exits from the Bells Jam Jar, and the League Cup.

While I have two over 30's in the main eleven, the team is more striking with all the other youngsters in it. The back line has one over -30 but everyone else is under 20.

The second month we got flying and I think it was just a "gelling" process. So much so that we went on a 24 unbeaten run which eventually came to an end when Ayr United (top of the 1st) knocked us out of the Scottish Cup at the Quarter Final stage.

I managed to bring in a hopeful looking centre half from Dundee United, and a good right midfielder for free that my scouts threw at me.

The left midfield loan chappie I previously mentioned has been the real star and I had intentions of buting him as his contract expired but the swine has just re-signed for another 3 years. Knowing I needed a replacement I picked up on a free from West Ham which I put on trial, who had 2 great games then signed for Airdrie United rejecting my offer

The Ayr game was the last game so far and we sit First in the Third Division and look odds on for the title as well as promotion

Church

And here I was expecting another recipe page. I I read the thread title as East Fife area mince.

Good luck anyway.

charnley

Finished Season 1 top of Division 3

Played 36, Won 19, Drawn 15, Lost 2 :thup: For 70, Against 20, Points 72

We went 30 games without losing in the league.

Fans were overjoyed and apparently one director couldn't contain his delight over the title which sounds vaguely disgusting.

I think quite a few players will be able to hold up in Div 2, and I've been positioning some youngsters to move in with certain older players reaching the end of their useful life.

I've managed to offload almost all the guff that I started out with in the club.

Priorities are a left midfielder and an attacking central midfielder (with possibly a left back if the 2 average guys I have there start to underperform)

Hopefully some season awards will be coming my way

charnley

A monstrous 2,000 pounds was given to me to spend on players, which I didn't use as I bought in 4 young frees for the midfield slots that were causing me grief.

I found another weakness with no real cover for the Central Defence, but I kept on an average player for that as his contract expired rather than try and find something better.

All but 2 players of the heap that I put on the transfer list when I first joined are still kicking about and with a young squad the wage bill is well within budget.

I'm expected to battle to avoid relegation in season 2.

I dont expect I'll make anymore signings but I do have tabs on an Iraqi international left winger who isn't interested as yet.

Personally a top half of the table position is my realistic goal.

charnley

I've been around CMC and LLM for quite a while on and off so I've got a decent grasp of the rules, but whats the stance on using nicknames instead of player names?

e.g. if I had a tough tackling, no-prisoners Welsh midfielder could I get away with calling him "Taffy Fućkerknuckles" on here?

Obviously I wouldn't be so crass to use names like "Robbie Fouler" and "Kenny Dogleash."

mkus

You've played too many ISS/early PES incarnations.

charnley

Winning Elelven 3, with Japanese commentary :thup:

iajafer

It's traditional to use descriptions instead of nicknames, charnley (Chick was an excellent player, btw :thup: ), i.e, instead of "Davie Peckerhead" we'd go along the lines of "former mohawked, tatooed, Poofland captain and Posh's bitch".

Makes it more interesting.

physim

Posh's bitch

brilliant, best laugh I've had all day.

charnley

ok, cant be assed with all that description stuff... dont know anything about these players anyway

Anyway...

We're half way through the second season, now in Division 2. Firm favourites for the drop and priced at 20/1.

I have 2 keepers at my disposal. A 36 year old I used predominantly last year, and a young keeper I bought for 3k from Kilmarnock at the start of last season. I've played the young keeper most games this year, and he has not disappointed so far.

Defence had an aging right back who played well last season, but with his age in mind I managed to bring in a young Kiwi on a work permit (despite no caps for his country). This allowed me to sell our best central defender to Inverness (cheating their way into the SPL) Thistle for 60k and moving the aging full back into the middle (where he has been crap)

The Dundee United centre half contines to be steady alongside and one of my average left backs is actually developing better than I hoped.

Right midfield continues to belong to a 23 year old I got for peanuts from Auckinleck, while left midfield finally required me to bring in another loan. So far this Welsh international (2 caps) has not been anywhere near as bright a light as the youngster we had last season.

An aging Swede (35) I bought for 1k last season continues to hold his place in the anchorman role, while I have been alternating the two youngsters I signed this summer alongside him. Both these youngsters contine to impress with one scoring a few goals here and there and the other getting consistently high ratings.

The strikers stayed the same as last season, with 4 players all providing me confidence in their ability to score. I finally sold what was my third choice to Tranmere as I managed to bring in an Icelandic forward to start up front. This chap has now played 6 games and scored 10 goals.

All that said, the seasons start, like last year was rough and it took us a month just to start looking as though we can be competitive.

We certainly dont dominate the division like last year but we certainly take our chances. We often get about 30-40% of our opponents chances and often outscore or match them.

Cups weren't worth talking about.

What is worth mentioning is our last 7 games.

Stirling Albion (H) 6-0
Stenhousemuir (A) 3-3
Airdrie United (H) 4-0
Ross County (A) 4-0
Stranraer (H) 3-0
QoS (A) 1-4 totally outplayed
Berwick (H) 6-0

All this I suspect is hown to a sudden violent mood I have been feeling as we go out each week to break our opponents legs.

We sit second in the table, 4 points behind Forfar, and 3 points ahead of Raith Rovers.

The problem central defence position will hopefully be resolved with an El Salvador international arriving on Christmas Day.