FM17 - Newcastle United - We are a big club!

This is my FM 2017 Beta save with the club that I support, Newcastle United! I will run this save right up until the full release of the game on November 4th, so hopefully we can get through a couple of seasons.

There are no restrictions or goals on this playthrough, it’s a case of getting used to the game and its quirks before the main save and main challenge begins!

This first episode looks at pre-season and we play our first few matches, although the form is frustratingly inconsistent! Hopefully we can fix the tactics and get the team firing for the next few games.



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The hardest FM yet?



Episode two is here and it is just as frustrating as the first! I feel like we are starting to get the hang of the tactic we want to play, but it could cost us our job before we fully figure it out!

I would describe our current form as poor, but not desperate. The board are still on side for now, but some disappointing late goals have cost us and we need to turn some of these draws into wins to get us up the table.

Episode 3: Have I just been sacked?



Good Lord. Being called into the boardroom to discuss your future is the most stressful thing in this game. I have only ever been sacked on Football Manager once in 10 years and I am one match from being sacked here.

Some absolutely terrible form has really hit us hard and I can't seem to figure out what is going wrong. I think it's a confidence problem but if we don't start winning soon, this FM17 save will not last long!

Episode 4: Finally Finding Form!



Quick apology for starters, one of my videos got corrupted so we're missing the 2-0 win over Cardiff. I'm not sure what's gone wrong but hopefully it doesn't happen again!

A much better episode today though as we manage to stop the rot! We finally string together some very important wins and manage to go an entire episode unbeaten. Hopefully this is the start of some real consistent form and we can begin to challenge for those promotion places.

Episode 5: climbing the table!



We are continuing our excellent recent form following that awful start to the season. We still have some work to do and our position remains precarious, but we are at least moving in the right direction.

I feel like our tactics are starting to take their hold on the team and with some good additions we can be in a strong position to challenge for the automatic promotion spots if we can avoid another really poor patch of form.

Episode 6: Did we leave it too late?



In this part we continue our very strong return to form but begin to draw a few too many games than I'd like. We remain unbeaten for a long run of games in the league, but it's looking precarious with us still sitting outside of the play-offs.

My concern is if we hit another poor run of form, so we need to close the gap on the leaders as soon as possible in order to secure our return to the Premier League.

Episode 7: We're in the play-off places!




Sorry for the delay in uploads, I've been away for work and wasn't able to access the internet very much. We manage to extend our unbeaten run even further here, but there's still too many draws.

The main thing is that we end the episode in the play-off positions! We needed a result against Bristol and we managed to get it. Next episode we need to step up and win a few matches in a row.

Episode 8: SACKED?!



Things we looking so rosy with two wins in a row for the first time in ages. Then Reading beat us 3 - 0 and suddenly the board are calling me in for a 'chat' about confidence.

You'll have to watch the video to see if I keep my job. Just in case I am sacked though, any ideas for who you want me to manager in FM17 next?

Episode 9: Can We Win the Title?!



After just about hanging on to our job in the last episode, the focus switches to charging into the automatic promotion places this time. It is crucial we avoid the play-off positions as failing to get promoted will almost certainly cost me my job.

Luckily we do string together some very strong performances in this episode and score some key victories against teams around us. We finish the episode in second place with two games to go...

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Episode 10: We're in the Premier League!



Only the two matches today, but they're the two matches that send us into the Premier League! Perhaps the better news for me is that the board did decide to extend my contract with just a couple of months left to run.

A couple of good victories mean we end the season in style, but it isn't quite enough to catch Norwich at the top. We do however have £50m to spend on transfers for our return to the top tier and I'm going to spend it as wisely as possible to strengthen the team.

Episode 11: Crushing the Transfer Window!



After saying that I might only sign one striker in the transfer window, I maybe went a little overboard... A lot of new, but incredible signings have come in. I am very excited to get started with this team and I think the squad if excellently balanced.

We also managed to raise quite a few funds and have some money left, but annoyingly the wage budget has been capped and won't budge. We also play our first Premier League match against Liverpool, so have a watch to see how we do.

First, welcome to our careers section @Jack Jenkins.

Secondly, it's always good to see more and new careers being posted on Susie for FM17 as we look to 'build up' our section to what it used to be once was . . . busy.

Thirdly, good to see someone is managing Newcastle United on the new game, I'm doing the same on a 'normal' save but I haven't actually played it for the guts of at least a week as I've been playing my main career.

Thanks Shedender! I used to lurk these forums a while ago so I thought I better come back to contribute for a change!

Newcastle is actually somewhat harder than I thought it would be, mainly because the squad is a little... ambitious. Still, we aim for the top!

Episode 12: Starting Strong!



It looks like the strong transfer signings have helped us get off to a pretty great start after that disappointing defeat to Liverpool in our opening game!

Some very good wins in the League mean we're already in and around mid-table and the threat of relegation is not top of our minds. I think we should be able to push on and hit that 40 point mark well before the end of the season.

Episode 13: Newcastle 3 - 0 Arsenal!



Another good run of games, although there were a few defeats in this episode. It looks like we're beginning to struggle against teams away from home and we might need to think up a new tactic to stop the rot.

Our current tactic is doing wonders at home though and we manage to demolish Arsenal 3-0 in our best performance of the series so far!

Episode 14: Is it all falling apart?



Our poor patch of form extends into this episode with a couple more defeats until we do eventually secure two victories in a row. We also manage to beat top of the table Southampton as our stunning home form continues.

We are continuing to struggle badly away from home and it is starting to become an issue. If you have ideas for a new tactic or things that I can do in the January transfer window then let me know. I don't think we're likely to be sacked this season, but if our home form dips then you never know!

Episode 15: Beating Manchester United!



Yet another frustrating episode as we see the highs of beating Manchester United get followed up with three defeats. We are playing some big teams at the moment and still managing to get results so I'm not too dispirited, but we need to step up our game as losing to Norwich is unacceptable.

It's the January transfer window in the next episode and I am looking to get some serious business done if I can. The squad needs re-balancing and we need to get a top quality striker in.

Episode 16: Making the most of the Transfer Window!



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



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!



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!



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!



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?



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!



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!



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



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!



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!



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!



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!



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.