One for Sorrow, Two for Joy

As per the usual, when a new game in the Football Manager series is released, I make my return to the Sortitoutsi's career section for what I'm sure will be an epic career, unless I of course get the chop early on and I hope I don't as I've no contingency plan this early on.

First though, I would like to apologise for the lack of Football Manager careers throughout the 2019 version of the game - the reason being, I got two engrossed with my Ajax save that I didn't want to stop playing it.

But, I'm back...



On 4th May 2019, Notts County were relegated out of the Football League for the first time in their 157 year history as Swindon defeated them 3-1 at County Ground, and that was despite the fact the Magpies had taken the lead but three goals in the final 21 minutes meant it was the end of the Football League road for Nottingham based club.

Just the prove how difficult last season was, the football club went through three permanent managers - Kevin Nolan was sacked after 591 days in charge at the end of August, Harry Kewell lasted just 74 days before Neal Ardley arrived - three managers and not even the end of November.

Neal Ardley "resigned" following the clubs relegation to the National League and now the rebuild begins.

Genuinely didn't realise they'd been relegated to the Conference, good luck.

Great to have another Shedender career on here. Some very interesting club choices around at the moment, Notts County is one too. Hopefully not another false dawn for their fans, à la when Sol Campbell & Co. joined years back.

Looking forward to this, a save I quite fancied going for myself! All the best

@bigmattb28 yeah the club were relegated at the end of last season, along with Yeovil.

Cheers for the comment @r96Skinner, I don't think the club can sink any lower than they did last season.

It could be an interesting career @KEZ_7

Before this career properly gets going it's time to do some admin work about Notts County, the leagues/divisions I have loaded and what the current first team squad looks like.


Due to the clubs poor enough reputation I have decided to play it safe when loading the leagues - I have loaded all the home nations and Ireland. In England I have loaded all the way down to the National League North/South, Ireland down to the First Division, Northern Ireland down to the Premier Intermediate League, Scotland down to League Two and Wales down to the Cymru North/South. I've also loaded players from different nations such as Estonia and Gibraltar to name two so I'm hoping I can pick up some interesting newgens.


This is the information screen for Notts County and as you can immediately see from the screen that the pressure is on because we're favourites to get immediate promotion back to the Football League and when you take a look at the squad I can see why we're league favourites.

We play our home matches at the near 20k Meadow Lane which is based in the city of Nottingham and is just 300 yards away from the City Ground, the home ground of their fierce rivals Nottingham Forest. They're a professional club with okay finances - the club have basic training facilities, basic youth facilities and poor data analysis facilities.

It's up to me and try and make the club the most established club in English football.


Conformation I have been appointed Notts County manager, I have penned a one year deal.


Finally this is the squad that I have at my disposal and I feel like it's potentially a good enough squad to get us out of the National League but the one thing I have noticed is we have six players who are over the age of 30 but the positive side is that we've only got two players on loan at the club. Enzio Boldewign, Ben Turner, Wes Thomas and Richard Brindley are arguably our best four players currently at the club and I feel baring at least one centre back, I don't think I need to go crazy in the transfer market.

Good luck with this @Shedender

I'll follow your story, good luck for this @Shedender

Massive club for the division they now find themselves in, surely it's a case of turn up, win promotion, and build from there? No disrespect, but the teams in that league shouldn't pose much of a threat

Cheers @Dan.

Juding the fact 8 players already oppose me for some reason SirWeiGaming, I think I need all the luck.

It probably won't be as easy as you think @bigmattb28, considering as off today they're 9th in the National League in real life - I am hoping I can do better and get promotion.

Ahead of the new league campaign and my first in the professional game I have had to conclude preseason in which we played 8 friendlies but I also felt the need to make some signings as well - we are predicted to head back to the Football League as champions but it's certinly not going to be an easy ride as teams will rise the game against us I'm sure


So I have decided to bring in four players with three of them joining on loan. Ollie O'Dwyer who is a young centre back arrived on a free transfer, left winger Johan Branger-Engone comes in on loan from League Two side Oldham, Sheffield Wednesday centre back Jack Lee has arrived for the season and when I decided to change the tactic, James Waite came on a season loan from Cardiff


On the field we had quite a successful preseason campaign as we won five of our eight scheduled friendlies, drawing one and losing twice. Our two defeats came both against League One oppositions in Southend and AFC Wimbledon while the best results in preseason came against League Two's Crewe. We also beat Boston United, Basford, Marine and Mickleover while the side draw away to Oldham.

Our league campaign begins at home to Sutton.

Great to see another story from you @Shedender, hopefully you won't get sacked as quickly as @Dan did....

Yeeeeeah, I'm so sorry @DNZY

Yep so unfortunately I have went to same way as @Dan on this years game and I've been sacked as manager of Notts County and truth be told it was a poisoned chalice from day one when eight players decided to oppose me following my appointment but I feel it's my own fault because I chose not to begin with any coaching badges and the Sunday Footballer reputation and thus the players probably didn't "respect" me and that was shown in the league performances and results from time to time.


Just the four league wins from nineteen National League games is simply unacceptable for who was supposed to be the league favourites and to make matters worse the side crashed out of the FA Cup in the fourth qualifying round against York.

Our four league wins came in the first eight league games against Sutton United, Boreham Wood, Woking and Stockport County but then the league form just went drastically downhill from there on in as County failed to win in eleven league outings. I didn't even have a board meeting to discuss recent form but was summonsed to a "confidence meeting" after a home hammering against Aldershot.

Absolute nightmare.

Unlucky, man!

God we're good at this game!

Is anyone at this point

I'm normally bad but now I am BAAAAD

I've encountered a few bugs so at least I have an excuse, otherwise I'd been firmly in with you lot.

It does not always go the way we want. It's a pity .. Strength!

Oh dear, oh dear...at least you gave Yeovil three valuable points. Silver linings.