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Those of you who manage lower league teams?

Started on 11 April 2020 by billsmcfc
Latest Reply on 13 April 2020 by reuben sequeira
  • POSTS7
  • VIEWS7339
 
Hi guys, for those of you who take on the lowest league teams on the game, genuine question but what’s it really like and what enjoyment do you get from it?

i always start a save with Oldham Athletic when the game comes out but with zero money and zero talent I just find it such a struggle and don’t get much enjoyment out of getting best week in week out.

I always stick to it for a few seasons but then there comes a time I can’t be bothered loading it up as I’m still stuck in the top 12 at the most.

How do you guys cope with such lower leagues teams in the way of results and getting better players? Do you give more time to youngsters and persevere with them hoping they come better than your first team players? Maybe you try and loan a couple of players here and there?

Im thinking of starting a save with Salford but only if I know there’s some hope of success out there, I’m having huge success with my Man City save I think not just because of the players but because of the tactic I’ve spent days on end creating and it’s paid off, maybe this tactic could work for a lower league team also?
I am currently in my 3rd season in charge of Salford having won the league the first season and qualified for the playoff in my second season. I find playing with a lower league team more enyoieble then a top prem side due to it being more of a challenge and seeing more progress. When I start a save with Liverpool I normally win the league and at least get to the final of CL so that when I go into the second season I have almost achieved everything that there is to achieve.

Salford is a fun club to manage and a club I would recommend. The only downsides to it is the financial aspect. With a transfer budget of almost 0 and a wage budget not a lot bigger it is challenging to get in the right players. And with poor training and youth facilities getting young players thru isn't that easy.

So if you like a challenge and having to find alternative ways of getting players and make the most out of what you have then Salford would be a great save.

Hope this helped :)
2020-04-12 13:04#268523 Salfordssavior : I am currently in my 3rd season in charge of Salford having won the league the first season and qualified for the playoff in my second season. I find playing with a lower league team more enyoieble then a top prem side due to it being more of a challenge and seeing more progress. When I start a save with Liverpool I normally win the league and at least get to the final of CL so that when I go into the second season I have almost achieved everything that there is to achieve.

Salford is a fun club to manage and a club I would recommend. The only downsides to it is the financial aspect. With a transfer budget of almost 0 and a wage budget not a lot bigger it is challenging to get in the right players. And with poor training and youth facilities getting young players thru isn't that easy.

So if you like a challenge and having to find alternative ways of getting players and make the most out of what you have then Salford would be a great save.

Hope this helped :)

Thanks mate.

So how do you get players in then and how many is a realistic expectation?

Congrats on your progress so far and yeh it must be a lot more satisfying than other saves you could create
jahendricksi's avatar Group jahendricksi
4 yearsEdited
I've found the player search function is helpful in transfers since it allows you to filter by level of interest. I usually will load some other leagues beyond the top league so I can search promising youngsters for that level--Holland (Eerste Div) and France (Ligue 2) are pretty good (real low level stuff the top flights in Ireland and Wales can be helpful and don't rule out the USA (weird, I know)).

Additionally, when I search I will filter for things that matter--at the lower leagues speed kills and someone who is faster than others tends to do better (even with low stamina, strength, agility, etc.). I also search for players who are exceptional (15+) in an important aspect for their position: heading/tackling/positioning for DC, passing for MC, crossing for wingers, etc. Having a faster team will create more chances --> win more games. Having someone who is better than anyone else at that one thing (e.g. passing or creativity) will create more chances --> win more games.

Usually I look for free transfers as that helps save money (no transfer fee). Taking loan players is really good as you get a top player (for your league) at relatively little cost. And depending on your club and their performance (and the player's experience) they might come back for another loan or on a permanent deal.

Also if my goal is to get to a higher league then it makes sense to play a promising youngster over an established first teamer so by the time you get to the Championship or Prem they are quality. If they are on loan then maybe they are excited to be with you now that you are in the higher league; if not, you are focusing on improving other areas as well so that just means you need to find a new player for that position (because you have been training up young players in other positions).
So what I have done is go for free transfers. I pretty much search for people without a contract and get them on a trial so I don't waste money on scouting them. Finding the right players is tough and I would recommend improving the scouts as it will help get a accurate rating of the player something that is important when the budget is tight.

I also quickly spoke with the board to get a affiliation club where I could loan players. I was lucky and got Arsenal so I have loaned players from there without paying any wage. I would almost look at that as a must do because you will get first team players and no cost.

The finances of the club are all red numbers every month I go minus. The number could be from -50 000 to -200 000 and I have tried to get rid of players so the wages would go down, but the owners invest money a couple million every season so that everything goes round. With some good free transfers that I picked up and sold the following season I have managed to get some money to do transfers so there are possibilities.
I'm playing with Mansfield won league 2 at a canter in the first season and we've started well in league 1. I always prefer playing with lower league teams to begin. I like to build a career and move up as a manager on merit rather than starting at the top. That way even if I end up winning the Champions League with a big club at least I feel I've earnt it.

My advice at this level is:
1) Trim the wage budget and sell anyone overpaid for whatever you can get. I'm even happy to pay a contribution of the wages to the buying club if necessary. There's always a couple of 30 something players on double what they're worth who you may even get a few quid for.
2) All the loans. I have 8 loan players and even though I can only use 5 in a match their low or zero wages mean I have squad depth without the cost. 2nd choice goalkeeper as a loan player but never as a substitute means you save 800 quid a week on a good enough player and don't sacrifice one of the 5 player quota unless the 1st choice is injured/suspended.
3) Pick based on form. All your players will be a bit rubbish but sometimes they'll find a run of form. I might be reading more into this than there is but it feels like this has more of an impact at lower levels. Strikers with finishing 10 can easily go on a vital scoring run.

I really enjoy it at the lower end of the scale. It's frustrating having to compromise but makes you work harder for a solution. Can the winger also do a job at full back with a bit of training?

Glyn
1
hey man just did fc united of manchester save.it is very interesting. found some free transfers one who was league two,had a great youth intake in which one striker i sold to middlesborough for 2 million and 50 % sell on who was sold to some premier league team for about 50 million. invested it facilities and had another great youth intake due to which we won the fa cup in my fourth season when we were a league two club.got professional in vanarama north and in the league 2 season somehow won europa league and got promoted another time.
just skipping from it for some time as i started a fcprishtina save in kosovo.
lower league save is very interesting just need to work slightly more than a top level club.
basically drop all your transfer budget to wage budget and scout players specially released players from teams two or more leagues above you.can sell them for extra money.
cheat-you can add friendly with higher league teams to earn extra money

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