A Tour around the British Isles

[simji]

Over the last few editions, i’ve had a lot of ideas for a save game. Some sound good but straight away you just can’t have the enthusiasm to keep the save game alive. Weeks go by and many of saves don’t come to fruit. Every year the list of saves i want to does get bigger. The British steel challenge is one i have attempted many times. Some haven’t lasted long and some have fail by making wrong moves at the wrong time in the save career. Now i am going to try and attempt this one more time…

I’ve Started the career with an alternate alias, normally i don’t make up backstories for my manager but i thought it would add something to the career. I’ve translated my name into an old norse name and with me getting married this year in Sweden i’ve used that and the birthplace of the closest city for the manager.

So introducing Sigmund IIIbreidr.



I’ve started with a sunday league reputation and no coaching badges.

Database is large with all the players loaded in these nations to give the player count a small rise.

I’ve looked at all the reputations of the leagues and decided to take the lowest reputation league as a start. I’ve holidayed a season ahead and took over the team that has been promoted into the Northern Ireland Intermediate League. I’ll be using this list throughout my save to see a realistic as possible route to the top.

Premiership
Championship
Scottish Premiership
League 1
Irish Premiership
Scottish Championship
League Two
Vanarama National League
Scottish League 1
N.I Premiership
Welsh Premiership
Scottish League 2
Vanarama North / South
Irish First Division
N.I Championship
N.I Intermediate League

Throughout this save i might have add a few other bits to the challenge to keep it interesting and a little bit fresh. Might make a certain move to a club to be youth only, or when i get to the english league might add a dafgue type save to the career.

As you can see with the screenshot of Sigmund i am currently managing Bangor.

[simji]

I took over the job of newly promoted side Bangor, first protocol was to check out the squad and decide what sort of tactic i would like to play.

I have decided to try and have a style a play that i will use throughout Sigmund’s career. At times this might change and adapt as we go on. But i’m going to try to stick as close to the principles as i can.

I like to have my side be defensively solid and compact in defending but i like to have my side attack with intent and not have possession for the possession sake and not use it to effect. I want the ball to move vertically rather than side to side. With this in mind i have decided to use the Park the Bus 442 preset with a couple of changes.

With this style in mind i can start thinking of a select few attributes to have throughout the team as a DNA or Core Role Attributes.

Due to us only be promoted i can’t see us being better than the rest of the division, so we need the team to be Strong, fit and hardworking.

Bravery, Determination, Team Work, Acceleration, Pace, Work Rate are going to be my core attributes throughout the team. (certain positions might not have all those at this level but I’m going to get close as possible)

Prior to my arrival, the club already had 8 players on trial. Also a couple of transfers where already done. With a total squad number of 42. I do anticipate to be a few ins and outs over the course of the season with all players without contracts and a few players already wanted by other teams.

GK’s



Def



Mids



Attackers



Transfers




Ashley Woods - A signing already made by previous manager. 16 year CM / LM someone that has a potential and might give a couple of games later on in the season

Matt Sheehan - 17 year old CB whose going to be a backup to my starting 2 CB’s but i can see having a lot of game time this season.



Mo Walsh - needed another keeper for backup but Walsh pretty much went straight in to the first team.



Michael Tolan - Need a an extra CM or someone that could be used on the wings.



Lewis Thompson - Needed a 2nd Left Back at the club, Thompson would be my starting LB



Shay Dunlop - Scouts recommended him and looked too good to turn down so adds depth to RB position



Ethan Taggart - I don’t have many ball winnings centre mids or someone with an high attribute in the centre mid position so brought taggart to plug that gap.



Im probably going to be looking for a striker and a couple of wide mids throughout the season only if the right player comes along.

[simji]

Media Prediction: 7/12
Board Expectation: Mid Table

Pre Season was just about working on our fitness and knowing the players slightly more and see whom would start the first game of the season. Even in the games we lost we competed but wasn’t able to capitalise on the chances we did create.

First competitive match was the Bet McLean Cup game, we had chances in both normal time and extra time to win but sadly we missed the first 3 pens and crashed out.

In the league it took us a little of time to find our feet not scoring many chances but also looking quite defensively solid at times. Haven’t lost yet in the league which is a good thing just grinding out some points.

Our next cup competition the steel and sons cup 2nd round saw a comfortable win against hanover just need to take this scoring form into the league.

[simji]

September started off with another cup round win against Ballymoney Utd what started a good run of form in the league.

Lurgan Celtic we came up against another draw after we was 2-0 up then we made it even harder with getting a man sent off.



2 more wins against Knockbreda and Annagh before a dreadful display against Newington to go out of the 2nd cup competition 3-0.

Another cup in Intermediate cup saw us get past an easy Colin Valley side before losing on pens again 5-4 against Dungannon Reserves. Mo Walsh our keeper dropped a cross in the path of the striker late on to go into extra time.

in between the cup games saw us lose our first game in the league 90+4 min goal from tobermore.

We ended November with a win in the league against Dollingstown.



At present we sit 4th in the table 7 points Distillery with them still to play.

[simji]

Our game in hand even though its still early in the season, came against top of the table Distillery. On a cold light snowy day in Bangor, a lost would make us 9 points behind with half the season to play could be tough to catch that back up.



A good win for us! The game worked into our favour hit on the counter and then sit back and defend like crazy. Only 3 points behind still sitting in 4th.

[Nick]

Welcome Simji.

Given they've just been promoted, that's a more than decent start by all accounts. What changes did you make to the 'Park the Bus' preset? Did you have to alter any instructions in light of your players being...erm...shit?

[simji]

Cheers Nick it's been a better start than i thought it might have been. I haven't been in a league as low as this for a few editions so i've had to reproach how i played the game slightly to adjust. Thats one thing i wanted to do this time around is slow my game play slightly down and concentrate on certain aspects rather than flying through the season like i normally would.

As a newly promoted team i wanted to be hard to beat. So even though i know the quality of players might not be there attributes wise i know if we defend with 9/10/11 behind the ball it'll make it difficult for the opposition. But i have tried to look out for some key attributes in some areas. As my defensive line is going to be much lower or lower i wasn't to bothered if the CB's were fast. upon on looking on the team the cb's that i was going to be using did have average pace for the league in the comparison so i could have maybe gave the defensive line another notch up. But that was going to going against Parking the Bus preset. For example I was looking for 3 attributes for my CB firstly that was Bravery, Positioning and Anticipation. Out wide on the wings i need them to get up and down so i'm looking for average to high ratings in Acceleration, Work Rate and stamina.

Things i've changed - I've raised the mentality up to positive, i wanted the team to play with more risk when we have the ball rather than always using the easy pass or just clearing the ball i want the team to use the ball a little more wisely and move it with a little more content, this has raised the tempo to slightly lower. This might seem a contradiction but i don't want the team playing at a pace where its too quick for them and they lose possession in dangerous areas.

Ive added attacking width to narrow, as we are defending deep and compact players will be close to help each other out in attacking sense and not spread too wide to make passes more difficult (wingers playing more in the half spaces) and keep us in a good position if we do lose the ball in an early transition, i do adjust this in game depending how congested the middle of the park is and if we need to exploit wider spaces.

Keeper still has slow pace down want the team to move a little up the pitch before we start our counters.

I changed the DLP role from defend to support. I wanted him to be a little more attacking in a sense and take more risks and be positioned out side of the box to recycle possession. Even though hold position is locked in on both duties.

Full backs changed from auto to support, never a big fan of auto roles (we playing on a higher mentality so they will be attack minded role under the hood. If the full backs are moving too high and getting caught out i'll switch them to defend, they still go forward but pick better/safer moments to do so

Changed PF D to TM Su - I kept the front 2 roles the same for the first 6 games and was finding the link between midfield and attack sometimes lacking and gaps too big in build up, defensively it work as PF D does drop deep and presses much more with the close down locked in but he also has take fewer risks locked in and us being deep i need him to take a little more risk if he was left up with his partner on there own. iF we was attacking with longer passes he still has hold up ball giving time for others to help out. I tried f9 i don't quite have the player to make this role work into the system.

I haven't added any PIs just yet but in games i will add them if i see a player taking too much risk i can lower this or change there passing length to help with lost possession etc.

[simji]

Last game of January could turn out to be a pivotal point in the season. An Away game with Knockbreda. 1 point behind 6 games left until the league splits.

[simji]

Match against knockbreda started off well, even with they going to 10 men we couldn't capitalise too much we scored the first goal with dale patton. We looked in control until the equaliser and then i thought the chance to go top was over until the last few minutes of the match when beattie scored off a bad clearance from a corner, and then a few minutes later and own goal from another set piece made the match a little further a field. Bangor go top.

[simji]

How did we get into the position to be able to fight for top spot against Knockbreda?

We started off with a 5-1 win against Bourneview in the 4th round of the Irish Cup, before a draw against Newington then back to back 1-0 wins against Distillery and Portstewart. We came from 1-0 down into a 3-1 win away to PSNI.

Sport & Leisure's 83rd minute free kick saw us drop some points at home, before another 1-0 win against Queens University.

We battled hard but couldn't do enough in the 5th round loss to Crusaders.

[simji]

Since Knockbreda?

I was hoping a collapse wasn't going to happen, but the team responded well to a 2-1 win at home against Lurgan Celtic.

We dropped points against bottom club Annagh Utd, Then Lost away to dollingstown 1-0 Mark Cooling first game back in the squad after moaning about lack of first team games and he gets sent off after the 75th minute. Is the pressure getting to us???

Team responded with a 3-2 win against Tobermore Utd. We made it hard for ourselves, our young playmaker Brandon Nelson got sent off on the 63rd minute at 3-2 up but the team held on in the last 30 mins to get the win.

Thats where we are currently at. 1 game left before the league splits.



Table as it stands

[simji]

What else has happened

After the Lurgan Celtic match this question in a press conference pleased me as we are playing a deep defensive game and get stuck in to be amongst the lowest teams for the least fouls and cards goes to show how our players are making the right decisions going into their challenges. (since this i've had 2 reds cards)



A few players are starting to moan about lack of playing time but i'm a little reluctant to change the starting XI in case it sends us into a bad run of form.

With us overachieving and doing well at present this attracts unwanted attention for our players. With us having no contracted players i'm just hoping they keep on rejecting other offers sadly our Left Back Lewis Thompson got snatch from the vultures of Ballymena in the Premier league. Probably one of our best rated players in the squad and maybe the division. I had him on the max wage before he joined us in pre season. He also wanted the clause to be added for us to be promoted by the end of 20/21 season so i knew if we don't get promoted after 2 seasons i might lose him anyhow.



Our Assistant Manager Ross Williams was on a month by month contract when i took over, he didn't want to sign a new one and he's just decided to leave us in February.

[simji]

Last game before the league spilt was against second place Distillery. We had 27 days between this match and the last match so i arrange a friendly with our under 20s to get us some more match sharpness back. Andrew Long scores within the first minute but we are pegged back intimately. Look like it was going to fizzle out for a draw until Michael Tolan score in the 90th minute to give Bangor the win!



Above is the order of games we have to play in the championship group. A game against 3rd next could make it easier for us if we get a result here to come closer to the title.

[simji]

First up is knockbreda, we've beaten them twice already this season home and away 2-1 and 3-1.

Our Pre Match report, i can't see conceding 2 out of 29 shots from outside of the box to be a negative??



It wasn't meant to be we didn't take our chances and knockbreda move within 6 points.



Title race is hotting up.

[simji]

Dollingstown is up next, a few games back they gave us our 2nd loss of the season in the league. Hoping revenge will be sweet!

[simji]

[simji]

[simji]

knockbreda scored in the 89th minute to earn a daw against Tobermore Utd

Still 3 points in it, Dollingstown move up to 3rd on GD with Distillery

[simji]

Distillery was able to beat Knockbreda on match day 26 2-1

Portstewart have a goal disallowed for being offside after 18 mins, thought this could be a long day and everything was falling apart.

Dale Patton scores on the 26th minute, He doubles his tally and ours on the 38th minute. And nerves was settled on the 77th minute when Taggart scores our third goal and the game hopefully is out of reach and title could be ours.....

[simji]

It's here!! First title in bag!

[chaodck]

Wow, great season Simji! Getting the title with a recently promoted side it's an amazing feat. Good luck on the next stage of your career!

[simji]

cheers chadock, I'm just hoping we can continue the rise.

[simji]

So looking back on last season here is the games overview of the season. I'm surprised that we aren't classed as the overachievers since we have had a double promotion and was predicted to finish in 7th. With us and Dollingstown going up it could be a challenge for both of us.



Media prediction early on reckons that it'll be a tough season for us and Dollingstown with 1000/1 to win the league and favourites to go straight back down.



I have looked over the last two season in the game and i would reckon 30 points will see us survive the bottom two places to go down and not go into a playoff.

Last season Dergview went down with 29, Moyola Park with 27. Armagh survived on GD
Season previous to that - Knockbreda went down with 26, and PSNI with 21. Above them Ballyclare had 34 points.

[simji]

In pre season i thought i'd go for my first coaching badge since i got promoted at first time of asking. Board rejected due to lack of money in the club. So i guess i'll wait another season to hopefully get on the badge ladder.

[simji]

Pre season was a frustrating but uneventful affair, not many new additions as previously stated not many players that are an improvement will come to us attribute wise.

Our scout budget for this season is 1.9k. I've upped our scouting range to all Championship, Intermediate and Level 4 for two months to end of pre season then i'll drop it down again until nearer the next transfer window to save money.





The only addition late on was Left Winger Dylan McCorkell. He was my 6th choice player scouted in this position. One of the main positions we are lacking serious depth.



Our Board expectations and our wage / transfer budgets

[simji]

Only 3 matches where played, 2 other friendlies where cancelled by other teams as they double booked.

Players where moaning that pre season started too early ( i selected 5 weeks)

Results where very mixed with a record of 1-1-1



Tough game against Glentoran we actually scored the first goal of the game and then just got outclassed by the premier side.

Next game against Dungannon swifts, day before the under 20s where playing a game and there was no option to not have players selected for that game i had to make them available. I made sure only 45 so then i could still play them. Didn't realise they were going to be ineligible for the next game so this 0-0 result was with a youth candidates team.

Tandragee - went 2 nil up and looked to be coasting but tandragee got one back after the hour mark to make it a nervy 30 mins.

[simji]

August



Carrick - A good performance end to end game, but a good goal from Dale Patton after 70th minute got us a dream start in the league.

Armagh - We backed up the carrick performance with an even better performance after Armagh went 1 nil up after a pen 5 mins into the game. 2 from Patton and one from our Ball Winning Mid Taggart. Made it 2 from 2

Dollingstown - Last season Dollingstown got the better of us, it looked like it was going to be the same outcome until CB Barnes scored our equaliser with 11 to play

Institute - Bet Mclean Cup 2nd Rd this game was a complete shock didn't see this performance coming. Patton got the first and Dwaine Beattie got a hat trick before McAlinden got a consolation goal on 86th minute

Lisburn Rangers - We played a little rotated team giving some fringe players a run out, we go 2 up and Lisburn bring it back to 2-2, we then go 4-2 (Ben Arthurs completing his hat trick) before Lisburn got an 83rd minute pen to make it 4-3 we hold on to got through to the next round.

End of August we are sitting top after 3 games with 7 points.



Also i won my first manager of the month award, none of these awards happened last season probably due being in the lowest tier?

[simji]

September

This month look tough, a lot of cups have started and games coming quick and fast every few games. Hope the good start continues but i see us rotating a lot thought this period.

First up is Cliftonville - Co. Antrim Shield 1st Rd. Tough match didn't have a sniff in the game got a consolation from Ben Arthurs 85th minute, long way off the quality need to challenge a premier side. Lost 3-1

H&W Welders - Tougher game than i thought it be, we just didn't turn up and had no answer to Caolan Conlon goal near half time. Our first loss of the season in the league.

Ballycare - Bottom of the table at home, we go 2 nil down and miss a pen before we made a comeback with Dale Patton scoring on 87th minute. Ballycare got a man sent off 86th minute.

We've dropped to 4th

1 - Portadown P5 10pts
2 - Loughgall P4 9pts
3 - Institute P5 9pts
4 - Bangor P5 8pts
5 - H&W P4 7pts

[simji]

Rest of the games for September are as follows.