That time of year again...time to roll up the sleeves, ignore the real world, and micro-manage the hell out of some obscure part timers from a less than glamorous league. The Beta is here and in less than a week the full release will be out so it's time to get going again.
My last updates sort of tailed off...the last time I updated I was at Hearts. I took a bit of an FM break because of work etc. but then came back and played about 5 more seasons but never got round to updating. I left the SPL to save Villa from relegation. I kept them up and then spent a couple of seasons flirting with Europe but never quite hit the big time. My career stats/path can be found at the bottom of this post.
Then...I just stopped playing. Work picked up again and I got to that point where I could see FM14 on the Horizon - investing too much time in FM13 seemed like it might be a bit of a waste. There have been versions of FM where I've been so invested in it, and loved it so much that I'd still be playing now if I could. FM05 and FM07 spring to mind. I've enjoyed all the ones in between, and loved FM13 but I wasn't at the point where I'd carrying it on once FM14 was here. So I uninstalled it and went FM cold turkey.
FM14 is here now though and I have to say, bar the occasional bug, I'm enjoying it immensely. I'm no good at it and I've been blundering my way from one game to the next but that's to be expected at the start of a new version I guess. I'll be updating my FM14 career from now on.
I'm going to keep things short to begin with just in case there is a bug that stops me continuing the beta save into the full game (though it is unlikely). I won't go into too much detail just yet but basically I'm in 2015 and I'm on my third club, in my second country. I've not been sacked but that's mainly because I have jumped before being pushed. I've also not one anything of note.
I've got England, Spain, France, Italy, N.Ireland, Sweden, S.Africa, China and Peru loaded to various levels. I did have Germany and Portugal loaded as well but I swapped them for S.A, China and Peru. Gives me a pretty big pool of players to choose from (60K~) across several continents and gives me a range of levels to play at. Also means I can play in every continental Champions league as well (apart from N.America I think?). It seems like a nice trade off between breadth and depth, and importantly speed. My computer is old and chugs away. I've replaced parts of it so many times that I'm not convinced it has any original parts bar the power source in it. But...it seems to be doing fine. I've got about the same amount of leagues and nations loaded as 13 and it seems to be running just as fast.
I have similar aims to the last game. I want to dominate a small domestic league and develop it. I want to take a club from nothing to the top. I've been inspired by my fave save game (FM05 St.Johnstone) and various threads, challenges (Gundo's, Dafugres, Razor's) and career's (Nep's Knockbreda's) on the SI forum.
Anyways, back to the game. I shall update after the update/release :D
FM13 save Career
2012 - Oskarshamn 4th - Swedish 2nd EG
2013 - Oskjarshamn - Sacked :( 10th
2013 - Eskilstuna City 8th - Swedish 2nd SS
2014 - Eskilstuna City 1st - Swedish 2nd SS
2015 - Eskilstuna City 3rd - Swedish 1st N
2016 - Eskilstuna City 1st - Swedish 1st N
2017 - Eskilstuna City 9th - Swedish Elite
2018 - Eskilstuna City 9th - Swedish Elite (left with 3 games to go)
2018/19 - Leeds United 12th - Championship (17th when joined)
2019/20 - Aberdeen 1st - Scottish 1st Div
2020/21 - Aberdeen 8th - SPL
2021 - Houston Dynamo 8th - Con. East
2022 - Morocco 4th - World Cup Group Stage
2022/23 - Boavista (Left) - Portuguese Premier
2023 - Degerfors 3rd - Swedish 1st N
2024 - Vasteras SK 3rd - Swedish 1st N
2025 - Vasteras SK 1st - Swedish 1st N
2026 - Vasteras SK 3rd - Swedish Elite
2027 - Vasteras SK 3rd - Swedish Elite
2028 - Vasteras SK 13th - Swedish Premier (Left after 7 games)
2028/29 - Platanias 10th - Greek Superleague
2029/30 - Platanias 6th - Greek Superleague
2030/31 - Platanias 2nd - Greek Superleague
2031/32 - Platanias SACKED - 9th
2031/32 - Hearts 2nd - SPL
2032/33 - Hearts 3rd - SPL
2033/34 - Aston Villa 14th - BPL
2034/35 - Aston Villa 7th - BPL
Summary: 11clubs, 8 nations
FM13 save Trophy Cabinet
Swedish 2nd Division SS Title [2014] - Eskilstuna City
Swedish 1st Division North Title [2016] Eskilstuna City
Scottish Challenge Cup Winners [2019/20] Aberdeen
Scottish 1st Division Title [2019/20] Aberdeen
Swedish 1st Division North Title [2025] Vasteras SK
SPL Runner Up [2031/32] Hearts
Scottish FA Cup Runner Up [2032/33] Hearts
Scottish League Cup Winner [2032/33] Hearts
Summary: 4 titles, 2 cups
