retired_ironmaden

8.0.2 patch, leagues loaded: all northern European legues + Germany, down to lowest tiers.

2007-08

Holidayed.

2008-09

Took over TSV Crailsheim in the Regionalliga Süd.

Team had some surprisingly decent players (two fullbacks were really good), and after filling up the squad I aimed for a mid-table finish. Started badly, had a nice 6-game winning streak, and we spent the winter at the 9th place.

Spring came with a mixed bag of results, but then we went on a losing streak. After 4 straight losses board became unhappy. A victory over Bayern Amateure saved me, but then we went on to lose 6-3 away (it was 6-1 in the 90th minute) and that was too much: I was fired, though the team was already in safety by 8 points.

Pos.: 13th when sacked P 32 W 11 D 6 L 15

Fans' POY: skillful left wingback, 7.10, 3 G + 11 A

2009

Took control of Skärhamn in the Swedish Second Division WG (that is, the fourth tier). Arrived when the team was 8th, but with a good string of results we found ourselves up at the 2nd spot. Never really liked the team, and when the team fell apart for the second half of the season, I resigned after 3 matches where we conceded 12 goals and lost all of them...

Pos: 6th P: 20 W: 9 D: 3 L: 8 (resigned)
Fans' POY: Captain ST (14G + 6 A)

Within a week Älmeboda/Linneryd hired me, and in the remaining two matches we did OK against better opposition with a 0-0 and 0-1. Team finished 9th.

2010, Älmeboda/Linneryd, Swedish 2nd division ES

Media: 9th
Out: 14
In: 6 loanees + 10 new and younger carp players

We were in the promotion race all season, quite to my surprise. Team really lacked gelling, so our opponents were scoring for fun, but we did so too.

After halfway through it seemed that only us and Syrianska Kerburan will be in it (runaway leaders Hammarby TFF cannot win promotion). Unfortunately an injury crisis hit my central midfield and we started dropping points. Making it worse, we lost to Syrianska (ref denied a legitimate goal from us), and watched only their back side afterwards.

We missed two chances to overtake them, the Sparvagen home match was really a wasted opportunity. We drew 1-1, and Syrianska were 2 points ahead, going into the last round.

We lost to Hammarby TFF, who ripped the league apart, and Syrianska losing too only made things more painful. Just only, but we lost out on promotion.

Pos: 3rd P: 22 W: 13 D: 3 L: 6 56-35 42 pts

Board and fans are pleased, and next year I think we'll have a good chance of going up.

fatcatbetsy2007

Ah Sweden, I had my most enjoyable FM07 save with Rynninge in Sweden.

Good memories.

retired_ironmaden

That's why I fled there

I'm hoping for a job vacancy at Akropolis :p

retired_ironmaden

Oh, I forgot. We were voted overachievers, and my Gambian loanee won the top scorer award with 22. He's off to Vastra Frölunda though

retired_andreisl

KUTGJobHopping!

retired_ironmaden

2011, Älmeboda/Linneryd, Swedish 2nd division ES

Media: 5th
Fans, board: top half
Me: Promotion

In: 6 on frees, 3 on loans, 3 loans extended
Out: lost 2 loanees, sold 3 for 24K \o/ and fired 12 others

Apart from Hammarby TFF the league looked balanced, so that was a good thing. Bad thing was, we ran into 3 defeats in our first 4 games, while my best defender picked up two red cards We registered a somewhat lucky win over Vasbergs afterwards (being 1-2 down at half time, winning 4-2) and that turned the tide: as the team gelled, we went unbeaten for the rest of the league, that is 18 games.

For quite a long time we were behing Varbergs, who got off to a great start, but they ran out of steam (my 4-1 win over them and sending their best striker out for a month helped ), and we were pulling away from the pack. Hammarby TFF won the league with ease, but we secured second spot and promotion with 2 games to go \o/

Pos.: 2nd P: 22 W: 15 D: 4 L: 3 64-26 49 pts

(Hammarby TFF won the league with 17-3-2, but we beat them both times, and I'm quite proud of that! )

Top scorer: Bosnian-Swedish loanee ST, 21 goals (19 league + 2 cup)
Best avg.: quality loanee AMC, 16 G + 9 A, 7.79 average :eek:
Surprise of the year: my mono-stat DRC, who had a faultless season, with a 7.28 average on the way

Our finances will be a little bit helped by the sale of my really talented 19-year-old striker. Half the second and third division were after him, so I sold him for 50K+50%+friendly, which is a club record. His 11 goals will be missed though.

Highlight: the Hammarby TFF games
Lowlight: the opening four matches

Cup: Got to second round, trashing my old team Skärhamn 5-0 away in the first. Next mactch was no contest against second tier team Landskrona, they walked away with a 1-6 win, but we kept the gate money

If FM2007 is anything to go by, there is not a big difference in level, so I hope we'll be competitive next year in the third league. I'm just about to persuade three loanees to sign for us - if they do, I already have a decent backbone to the team.

BTW this season I got lucky, as my wafer thin 20-men-strong squad had no injury crisis at all.

retired_kbarth

Nicely done on achieving promotion. From my experience there is virtually no difference between the 2nd Division and the lower half of the First Division Elite. The hardest part is usually to get out of the 2nd division as there are only 22 games. It allows almost no bad streaks.

KUTGW!!

retired_ironmaden

Agreed.

I loved the First Div. Elite when I played my Akropolis save, it's one of the most enjoyable leagues. I don't have many memories from second division as we walked that somehow :eek:

retired_ironmaden

2012, Älmeboda/Linneryd, Swedish 1st division South

In: 9 + 2 loans
Out: 11 for 50K

Media: 12th
Fans, board: battle bravely.

Battled bravely, but it wasn't enough. By far my best striker banged in 11 in 14 games, but missed 2 months with an injury, and broke his foot just when we played 3 win-or-die matches towards the end of the season.

We lost 2, drew 1, and with 3 games to go and 5 points from safety I resigned.

Unfortunately I couldn't keep most loanees from last year, and my midfield was quite weak I'm afreaid.

Sodding job center again

3-8-12, pos. 13 when I resigned.

retired_ironmaden

Found new team in Tenhults IF (swedish 2nd MG)

Finances are OK (as opposed to my former teams), team is very young (avg. age 20) and there is a youth academy).