FM17 - Newcastle United - We are a big club!

Episode 16: Making the most of the Transfer Window!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0TcjbGDqCE

Another great transfer window for the club as we get stronger and stronger! Picking up Batshuayi for just £7.5m was incredible and now that Janssen is hitting form again we have a real chance of making progress.

Losing Dawson late in the window was a bit of a blow but I feel like we're strong enough to make it to the end of the year. Next summer will be a great chance to make a couple of big signings and really take the next step as a club.

Episode 17: Three Games with Manchester

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyGCnj5DPKk

have to take on Man City three times and Arsenal once. Episodes have definitely been easier.

We're out of the FA Cup now so it's all about the league and we have about two episodes left in Season 2. Hopefully we can push on and climb into the top half and get a big transfer budget for next season.

Episode 18: Beating the Best!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvrjzfa1WTI

We're into the business end of the season now and we're fighting with the best to get into the top half of the table. We have some amazing results, particularly against Chelsea and a high-flying Southampton.

Unfortunately, it was surrounded by disappointing results against teams that we really should be beating. The defeat to West Ham particularly hurt, but we're certainly on an upturn in form at just the right time.

Episode 19: Season 2 Finale and £70m!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvKfIaUMS0Q

We've reached the end of Season Two with Newcastle and amazingly we still have a job! Having come so close to the sack in our first season, we're actually in really good shape heading into season three.

It wasn't the greatest last few matches, but we didn't have an awful lot left to play for so I can't blame the players. Luckily the board have given us a huge transfer budget for next season so we can make some quality additions to the team!

Episode 20: Spending £100m in the Transfer Window!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5trB_viRSs

The board gave us a huge amount of money for our third season after finishing so far clear of relegation last time out and we have definitely spent well! We have a slight problem in that the players that we want at the club don't want to come to us until we have European Football, so we're left taking the best of the rest.

We also play our first game of the season, although that doesn't quite go to plan. That is the theme of this save so far though and we need to figure out how to get things right as soon as possible!

Episode 21: Why do we always start so badly?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzw5bgnMg64

After the optimism from some good transfers in the last episode, it feels an awful lot like it might have been unfounded. Some very disappointing results in this episode as we fail to beat the teams that we should be beating comfortably.

I feel like we might have to make some changes to our tactic if this continues as we've never looked that convincing throughout this save. If you have suggestions for how we can fix things, let me know!

Episode 22: It gets worse before it gets better!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq9E8_TDuYY

My spirits had definitely dropped before and during this episode, but suddenly we changed the tactic and strung together three victories in six games to climb back up to mid-table!

The switch to our old 2016 tactic seems to have done the trick and we even managed to crush Manchester City 3-0, restricting them to not managing a single shot on target. Things are definitely looking up now!

Episode 23: Heading up the Table!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJgsPfmYauA

After switching up the player roles in the last episode, we've continued our excellent run today by picking up some more scalps. Annoyingly, we do have a little bit of inconsistency, but until we're in the European places on a regular basis, we have to expect that to happen.

Next episode we can start planning ahead for the second half of the season and take some time thinking about who else we can sign. If you have ideas, let me know!

Episode 24: Back to the Transfer Window

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm5W2FL83RA

After switching up the player roles in the last episode, we've continued our excellent run today by picking up some more scalps. Annoyingly, we do have a little bit of inconsistency, but until we're in the European places on a regular basis, we have to expect that to happen.

Next episode we can start planning ahead for the second half of the season and take some time thinking about who else we can sign. If you have ideas, let me know in the comments!

Episode 25: Beating the Best!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32fUh1bqRqM

An absolutely incredible episode today as we beat some of the best teams in the League while marching up the table. Barring a thoroughly disappointing defeat to Bournemouth, we managed to pick up five victories in six games.

The great form means we have now beaten just about every major team at home this season and shows that we can compete with the best. Had we managed to start this season better then I think we really could have been challenging for the Champions League.

Episode 26 - Newcastle 4 v 0 Spurs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUWMOMvGDxg

Our great run of form has continued, although there's a couple of losses either side of a four match winning streak. The highlight of the episode is easily beating Spurs 4-0 in one of the best performances we've ever had.

We're still in with a chance of qualifying for Europe through the league, but the FA Cup may be a more promising route for us to get there.

Episode 27: We're Going to Wembley!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEl1pS_0erI

Another strong episode from the team as we continue the kind of form that would usually get you into the Champions League. That really poor start to the season continues to haunt us, but we're pushing on regardless.

An amazing victory over Stoke in the FA Cup Semi-final has set us up to qualify for the Europa League next season regardless of our league position, but we have done an amazing job to get this far in the league and cup.

Episode 28: The FA Cup Final!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGkIFQHRqLo

It's the end of our roller-coaster third season and we've made it all the way to the FA Cup Final! In addition to that, we secure 7th in the League and secure ourselves European football next season.

Given how well we improved after our awful start, I'm full of confidence about our chances of the Champions League next season. The key now is holding on to our best players and then strengthening the squad to make the challenge.

Episode 29: The Summer Transfer Window!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N27TcKDR7C4

A bit of a short episode today as we run through pre-season and make some understated but significant trasnfers. Getting Meret on a free transfer is some exceptional business and Witsel will certainly help the team too.

We also play our first European game in the series as we look to make the group stage of the Europa League.

Episode 30 - The Perfect Start!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNPv6AlqYOw

I don't think I've ever started a Football Manager season as well as this! The team have been absolutely phenomenal by winning every single match in this episode!

We also beat Arsenal and Leicester on the way, which just bangs home exactly how good we are this season. I'm very confident we can push for the Champions League places if we keep this up!