Pjotas

Leagues loaded: Bel, Ned, Swe, Nor, Den, Ger, Ita, Esp, Sco, Ire, Eng, and Fra with a large database. Start off as unemployed and get local side Gunnilse to offer me a contract. (Have fond memories of scoring a hat-trick against their ten-year-olds 15 years ago)


2007 – Gunnilse IS – Swedish 2nd division West Götaland

Media predicts us to finish 2nd. Board wants us to win and bookies think we’ll be a mid-table side. I’m confused. Squad is ***** and scouts have to work around the clock to help me. Bring in a total of 19 players (many on season-long contract only) but most of them don’t arrive until July and by then we are too far off the pace. Finances are terrible and I need to improve if I am to keep this job.

League: 3 of 12
Cup: Didn’t enter 
Top goal scorer: Fantastic 18-year-old striker with 24 goals in 21 games
POTY: Same player

Pjotas

2008 – Gunnilse IS – Swedish 2nd division West Götaland

As we are stripped for cash, I only bring in four players on loan from my parent club (allowed in Sweden in case you are wondering). Board, media and bookies have us as favourites, and I agree. This goes down as my best season ever as a LLaMa. I’m left speechless after finishing the season 25!! points clear of second placed Varberg. The cup run gave us some money but still very much in the red. Bring on next season.

League: 1 of 12
Cup: 4th round.
Top goal scorer: Once again fantastic, now 19-year-old, striker with 24 goals in 26 games.
POTY: Same player

2009 – Gunnilse IS – Swedish 1st division South

Once again money is a utopia. I manage to renew the loan contracts and also bring in a few free youngsters who’ll act as back-up to the same starting XI we had last year. It doesn’t take long for me to realise that there is virtually no difference in quality between first and second division. Many teams are in fact worse, and we storm through the league, securing the title with two games to go. I manage to bring the finances back into black after selling our midfield star for €350K. Nothing to spend though and I will need to strengthen the squad as we will face much better teams next season. I get offered a new three year deal which I gladly accept. Time to try our luck in the First division Elite.

League: 1 of 14
Cup: 3rd round.
Top goal scorer: 20-year-old striker bagging 23 goals in 25 games this year
POTY: Same player. Beginning to see a pattern?

2010 – Gunnilse IS – Swedish 1st division Elite

We’ve got some money for once but still I’m not allowed to spend any. I manage to renew three of the loans for a third season but fail to keep our centre back star whom I really can’t replace. The media and the board agree and tip us as relegation battlers. My hopes are a bit higher though but I don’t tell the board about it to avoid unnecessary pressure. Only two new signings walk into the starting XI, a new CD (quite good) and a Premier Division rejected RD (amazing).
Mini rant: The quality of Swedish football is disgraceful. I’ve got basically the same squad as I had in the second division and still I challenge for a place in the top flight. Should not be possible. Premier Division teams are quite good though Mini rant over.
As mentioned we put in a great challenge, ending in third and earning ourselves a play-off spot. We play Landskrona in the play-off and beat them 1-0 away. At home we’re 2-1 up at half-time but they turn it around. In the 90th minute left winger beats his defender and crosses, cross finds the head of my star who finds the net, we’re in the top flight (me thinks). But no. The goal is disallowed and we lose out on promotion on the away goal rule. What really buggers me though is the fact that the FA was silent in response to my criticism afterwards. Ah well, would’ve been too good to go straight up again. Sorry about the length of this one as well.

League: 3 of 16
Cup: 3rd round
Top goal scorer: 21-year-old striker again. 28 goals and 17 assists in 30 games.
POTY: Same lad

Ben Greenbank

You're definitely right about Swedish football in the game. There is almost zero quality gap between the fourth and second tiers. The top division is a step up though, especially with Goteborg, Efsberg and Malmo.

Good work all round.

rourke

And how old were you at the time?

KUTGPromotionafterpromotionW!