The Sir Alex Ferguson Challenge

As I'm sure everybody already knows, legendary Manchester United manger and Knight of the realm, Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday announced his retirement from football after 27 years at the helm at Old Trafford. Many supporters have never known another United manager and most agree that there will never be another quite like Fergie as the Red Devils begin the search for the person charged with the unenviable task of succeeding the most successful manager in British football history.

That's where you come in....

Your challenge is to equal Sir Alex's trophy haul, there are several ways you can do this;

The Easy Way: - Start with the now manager-less Manchester United and continue the Red Devils's dominance of English football for another quarter of a century.

The Moderate Way: - Begin with a mid table English club who haven't won a league title in over 25 years and turn them into world beaters, developing several generations of new superstars along the way.

The Fergie Way: - Beginning in Scottish Division one, take charge of any side for a season (SAF started at East Stirlingshire) You do not need to win a trophy here, eventually move on to a bigger first division club (SAF: St. Mirren) and guide them to promotion. Eventually take over at an SPL side that is not a part of the Old Firm (SAF: Aberdeen), emulating the great man here will be the toughest part of the challenge, particularly in Europe (You'll be going for the Europa League instead of the now defunct Cup winners cup) Finally, after checking of Scotland you can move South of the border, taking on a fallen giant side from the Premiership (SAF: Manchester United) and guiding them to the staggering haul of silverware that Mr. Ferguson has amassed in the last 27 years.


-Start with professional footballer set as your experience level.
-You may manage the Scottish national side during the course of your career as Sir Alex did briefly.
-Remember, Fergie's rule #1, No player is bigger than the club! if some prima donna starts acting up, give him the boot.
-If you manage to win the treble, you earn the right to nickname yourself 'Sir'

Scoring system

10 Points - Scottish First Division
15 Points - Scottish League Cup
15 Points - Englih Community Shield
20 Points - Scottish FA Cup
30 Points - Scottish Premier League
30 Points - English League Cup
40 Points - European Super Cup
45 Points - FIFA World Club Cup
70 Points - Europa League
70 Points - English FA Cup
100 Points - English Premiership
150 Points - UEFA European Championship (ONLY if won with Scotland)
150 Points - UEFA Champions League
150 Points - FIFA World Cup (ONLY if won with Scotland)

5 points - per Manger of the Month award
25 points - Have a Player win domestic player of the season award
25 points - Have a player finish highest scorer in your league
40 points - Have a player who you have brought through your academy win domestic player of the season award
40 points - Have a player who you have brought through your academy finish highest scorer in your league.
75 points - Manager of the year award.
80 points - Have a player win World player of the year award
100 points - Have a player who you have brought through your academy win World player of the season award

Bonus points

5 points - For every game won after the fourth minute of stoppage time (Fergie Time)
5 points - Beat a side managed by Gordon Strachan
5 points - Beat a side managed by Kenny Dalgleish
5 points - Beat a side managed by Arsne Wenger
5 points - Beat a side managed by Jose Mourinho
5 points - Pick up a touch line ban for criticising the referee but still win your game in the stands.
15 points - Stay in the game so long you have a son (ala Darren Ferguson)
100 points - Win the Champions League in stoppage time
100 points - Enter the Managerial hall of fame in both Scotland & England
150 points - Enter Worldwide hall of fame.
150 points - If playing as a side other than Man United, surpass United's record 20 league titles.

Good luck to all who are up for such a monster of a challenge, I highly doubt anyone will complete it but the honour of having the highest points haul by the time of FM14's release is still to be had. Good luck and remember the referee is always wrong! (unless the decisions in your favour )

I've got a strong urge to try this.

Go for it, you know you want to.

I've been looking for a challenge to do on FM for a long time (havent played it for 5months). I also won't be buying FM14 so I think I can play this career here and there (too busy for constant play) for the next year.

Great write up.

Infact i've now talked myself into it whilst writing my reply!

I know this maybe easier but seeing as he supported Rangers, I have an urge to take them up the divisions, and my hamper myself by making their reputation worse and have less money..and then follow the rest of the Fergie way rules. IE..Take Rangers up to SPL, win league back from donating Celtic, Leave for another SPL club (clearly not celtic) and then go from there OR Rangers to the SPL, try to win europa League then go south of the border to either Villa/Everton/Sunderland/Newcastle..Any thoughts on that idea.

I can't see why not mate, it's only on the 'Fergies way,' route of the challenge that you have to stay fully faithful to his career.
I've started a save with Dumbarton in the Scottish first division who are the lowliest club in the division to start off with.

Let's go. Started this at Partick Thistle

I'll wait till FM14 when they'll hopefully add the option to kick a boot at a players face. I like my games to feel realistic.

Half time team talk Option: Hairdryer
Pizza throwing
Boot kicking

Starter my career with Rangers. will update at the end of first season sometime over the weekend/early next week

Gonna give this a whirl, interesting challenge.

Good luck mate.

I've just started a thread for my challenge. Emulating the great man

Brilliant challenge and will definitely be my next game when I re-install FM tonight.

Would love to attempt this, but alas I can't.

Have decided to give this a crack when FM14 comes out.

ill be giving this one a go, starting a thread atm

Good luck bud.

Rick in regard to the start of the Challenge ... if you get that side promoted from the First Division to the SPL do you still have to go back to the First Division?

Only asking because I want to take Livingston over and want to get them promoted.

No, that would be pointless, basicly you just have to win the first division, your supposed to start with a weak club but if you can win the title with them then power to you.

So if I took say ... Livingston over ... could stick with them?

Yeah.

Brilliant challenge idea! Will be giving this one a go for sure.

When I win my first SPL title, I want to run up the pitch and hug the goalkeeper like Fergie did at Easter Road after we beat them 5-0.

They should make a statue of that!

I'm thinking of restarting this challenge...

I completed the first season, finishing seventh but was sacked because I wouldn't agree to a new deal as I intended to leave at the end of the season because I thought I wouldn't have waited long for a new job - but I've been turned down for the Hamilton and Dumbarton jobs. I've received jobs in England but I don't want to move there, yet.

Got a minor dilemma my end, I've concentrated on Europe with Hearts and at the rate I'm goin I could get relegated from the SPL and it's looks like I'm only stayin in the job cos of my run in Europe (currently in the quarters and 2-1 up against Panathanaikos from 1st leg)

Will it still be classed as success if I win Europa and get relegated?

What's Ferguson's points total that we're trying to get to, or are we just seeing how high we can get?

I worked it out to be roughly 4000.

I think I may return to the forums by giving this challenge a go. My British Steel Challenge just kind of died after I stopping doing updates. Expect a thread at some point soon.

Im gonna start this tonight hopefully ill finish before FM14 comes out seems like a fun and hard challenge all at the same time. Im not a fan of Man U but no matter who you are you gotta respect what Sir Alex has done.

This looks tougher than the Pentagon Challenge!