Blue Sea of Ibrox [FM14]

Cheers George, at times I felt the unbeaten season wasn't going to happen but I'm absolutely delighted. Yeah, I expect the Championship to be tougher so I need to be shrewd in the transfer market.

Season 2014/15: Pre season news.

On the back of an excellent season in League One in which we went undefeated, it was time to prepare for Championship football and a season that I expect will be very difficult to get out of as we've been joined by Hearts and St. Johnstone following their Premiership relegation last season.


So with the pressure on and the board expecting us to win the Championship this season we've been given a transfer budget of just under £1.6 million but that's going to need to go into the wage budget as it's not great so this season we will be relying on free transfers and loan signings but that doesn't bother me as I'm used to it.


Just five games have been arranged in our pre season program, four away from home against an English quartet of Exeter City, Torquay United, Cheltenham Town and Scunthorpe United while we'd welcome Italian side Parma to Ibrox on the eighteenth of July twenty fourteen. Should be a straight forward program.

Not bad budgets to work with chap, if you need any money give us a shout

Shame the wage budget isn't the greatest Dan, so I will need to put some of the transfer kitty into the wage budget.

Season 2014/15: Pre season round-up.

After realising the budgets I had to work with this summer I felt it was time to head into the transfer market as I looked into strengthening the squad ahead of life in the Championship as several players arrived this summer while we also played a few games in our pre season program.


Six players arrived at the club this summer as I feel our business has been done unless something drastic happens. Robbie Thomson, George Baldock, Oscar Gobern, Callum Wilson and Kristoffer Peterson all arrived on frees while Connor Wickham arrived from Sunderland on a season long loan deal.

Major players leaving the club this summer was Stevie Smith and Jon Daly who has joined Hearts and Yeovil respectively while Ian Black went to Colchester United on a free. Emilson Cribari, Dean Shiels, Richard Foster were released along with a whole host of "poor" players were released when their contracts expired.


On the field the pre season program was quite decent as we won all games bar one. We defeated Exeter, Torquay, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe while our only home pre season game was against Parma and we drew that one one. Nicky Law was the star as we scored five times in as many games.

Conor Wickham will be a great addition!

It's just a pity that it's only a season loan deal Dan, would've preferred to get someone of his talent in permanently.

BREAKING NEWS: Luca Gasparotto to leave club.

I've decided to let Luca Gasparotto leave the club as I had a feeling he was going to become unhappy and he's going to join French club Sochaux-Montbe for three hundred and twenty five thousand pound but he will come back to the club on loan until the end of the current season and I'm sure he'll be a star in the French leagues.

An unbeaten start to my second season in charge.

It's been a perfect start to my second season in charge of Rangers Football Club as I've guided my side to eight victories out of eight games in all competitions, including a thumping 7-0 Challenge Cup victory away to League One Dunfermline Athletic while we also eased to a four goal home success over Hamilton Academical.


It's early days at the moment but we are currently three points clear at the top of the Championship after winning our opening four league games, scoring fourteen times in the process and conceding just the three, recently relegated St. Johnstone are second while Hearts, also relegated, are down in fourth after a stuttering start.


Winger Barrie McKay has been crowned August's Player of the Month as he fired home four goals in as many appearances - team mate David Templeton came third in the awards but it was extremely close between Templeton and Ayr's David Luongo who came second.


Due to his consistency this month, Kieran Duffie has been named the Young Player of the Month for August, I believe it's his first award in a Rangers shirt since he arrived from Falkirk in January, I hope more is to follow because he's been a star.


I've picked up my first Manager of the Month award this season after securing a one hundred percent start for Rangers this season as we look for promotion back to the Scottish Premiership. In August we defeated Livingston 3-1, Alloa Athletic 3-1, Hamilton Academical 4-0 and Ayr United 4-1, it's been a dream but expected start.

Wow what a start, wasn't expecting anything else though!

And you should have expected it Dan as we're predicted to win the Championship title so a "perfect" start was required.

Our unbeaten start continues with seven more wins.

We defeated both teams who were relegated from the Scottish Premiership last season as St. Johnstone and Hearts were both defeated three one at Ibrox while Inverness were defeated four three in the League Cup third round, Barrie McKay bagging a treble - it was hard work though as we had originally surrendered a three one half time lead.


Despite the Championship season being only eight games old, we have already opened up a ten point lead over second placed Ayr United with St. Johnstone in third, also on fourteen points. Hearts have made a poor start to the season and find themselves down in seventh place with three wins and five defeats from eight games.


Attacking midfielder Nicky Law has been named the Championship Player of the Month for September after he bagged four goals in as many appearances this month as his excellent form continues since he was made eligible a year ago.


After guiding the side to four consecutive league wins, most notably against struggling Hearts, I have been named September's Championship Manager of the Month and I've actually lost count on how many MotM awards I have won since I took the reigns last July but this is definitely not going to be the last..

Have you played Sergey Kundik at all?

Great form mate!! Brilliant start ! I am also interested about Kundik had him the Scottish championship before and he was quality!

So far Cymro and George, Sergey Kundik has made twelve appearances (six as a substitute) and the plan was to use eventually use him more often as I'm sure he could turn out to be a star. He's currently out for up to four months with a torn calf muscle.

Making it eleven league wins from eleven games.

The winning streak in the league stretched to eleven games after we won our three league fixtures this month - scoring twelve goals in the process. Our biggest results this month would see us defeat Livingston six two and Falkirk four one, both away from home while we progressed in the League Cup and Challenge Cup.


Following our unbeaten run being extended this season, we are now thirteen points clear at the top of the Championship table, scoring thirty eight goals already but we have conceded ten times in our opening eleven games but apart from that I'm pleased with the start.


Kieran Duffie has been named October's Championship Young Player of the Month award after a run on consistent performances in the Rangers first team at right back. It's the second time he's won the award this season to date.


Once again I have been named Manager of the Month after winning all three Championship games this month including a stunning four one win away to Falkirk in a game that saw right winger Barrie McKay score a stunning hat trick in that fixture.

Unveiling not one but two new signings.

Former Everton and Newcastle United midfielder Dan Gosling has signed on a free following his summer release from St. James' Park and at the age of only twenty four years old, Gosling's best days are definitely ahead of him and he's signed a deal until the end of May twenty eighteen.


Mark Albrighton became the second player "today" to join the club after Aston Villa released him back at the end of June and surprisingly, just like Gosling, no one came in for him. Twenty five year old Albrighton made two appearances for Villa last season and has signed a three year deal at Ibrox.

Both players will make their Rangers bows vs. Dundee.

Dropping our first points of the season

The penultimate month of twenty fourteen saw us drop points for the first time this campaign, drawing three three at home to Dundee, conceding a late equaliser as Mark Albrighton scored on his debut but we did beat their rivals Dundee United in the Scottish Cup and easily defeated St. Johnstone, winning three nil away from home.


We still have a healthy lead at the top of the Championship as we have struck fifty one goals in fifteen league games but I'm still not (overly) happy with the amount of goals we have shipped to date but I did expect to concede more goals this season so I shouldn't complain, at least we're still undefeated so far.


Midfielder Lewis MacLeod has been named Player of the Month after he played very well in four appearances and he's seemingly enjoying is role in the Rangers first team and long may it continue. Fellow Rangers players David Templeton and Ross Perry came second and third respectively.

Great signings with Gosling and Albrighton there bud.

Doing extremely well in the league as well and be a real surprise if you don't get promoted again.

Echo when KEVO said! Great signings and form!

K3VO and Dan, I'm more pleased that I've managed to get them both in on "reduced" wages due to my intense negotiation skills, since no one seemingly wanted to purchase them both (which surprised me) they either a) accepted my contract or b) continue to be unemployed for the foreseeable future - glad they accepted.

"One Nil to the Rangers."

The final month of twenty fourteen was hardly one to warm the supporters up as we won three games one nil against Falkirk, Livingston and Alloa Athletic. The side did retain the Challenge Cup though, defeating Ayr United three nil at Celtic Park with David Templeton netting twice. Twenty fourteen ended with Barrie McKay netting in consecutive games.


It would take a monumental mess for the Championship title not to be heading to Ibrox as we are currently sitting twenty one points ahead of second placed Livingston after winning eighteen of our opening twenty league games, drawing the other two and we have almost conceded the same amount of goals as the whole of last season.


I've managed to capture December's Manager of the Month award after winning four out of five league games this month, drawing the other against Hearts whose manager Gary Locke came in at second place. The recent form will need to improve, I don't like winning games by a single goal.


I saw our finances were "secure" so I decided to chance my arm and ask the board to increase the transfer budget and they agreed, giving me a budget of just under £5m but I'm currently unknown to whether I will need to use the budget our not but one thing I do know is that two summer signings, who didn't get much game time, will be leaving the club this month.

Well done on the cup win and your fantastic continue league form!

It was nice to retain the Challenge Cup Dan, even if the board didn't consider it an "important" competition.

January transfer round-up plus securing a play-off spot.

Marcello Trotta was our only capture in the January transfer window as the striker arrived from English Premier League side Fulham for just shy of fifty grand while summer signings Oscar Gobern and Callum Wilson both departed the club, heading to Brentford and Crewe Alexandra respectively and getting a million pound in return.


Our unbeaten run this season continued as we didn't lose once in our five Championship matches while we advanced to the League Cup final, defeating Falkirk two one at a neutral venue while we eased past Buckie Thistle in the Scottish Cup. Our "biggest" league win this month came against St. Johnstone, winning three one at Ibrox.


The Championship title is in touching distance as we are sitting twenty seven points clear of Livingston who occupy second place in the table, two points clear of third placed Dundee while Hearts continue to struggle, currently down in sixth place.


Manager of the Month award for January has been won after picking up four Championship victories from five games, only slip up coming against Dundee as we could only pick up a one one draw at Dens Park, Barrie McKay salvaging us a point with an equaliser six minutes from time.

Well your heading to the big time! Back in the SPL and I'm sure you will remain unbeaten for the rest of this season too!

I'm just pleased we managed to get back to back promotions pal as the minimum expectation from the board was to get back to the Scottish Premiership Dan, a place were the club, the size of Rangers, truly belong.

Championship champions.

The two goals to one victory over Falkirk was the game that secured the Championship trophy thanks to two Nicky Law goals but the three nil win at home to Hearts was arguably our best result, already one goal up we lost Ross Perry to a straight red card but still scored two more without reply. February ended with a straight forward wins over Livingston and Hamilton, both away.



So the league title has been won and Rangers Football Club are heading back to the Scottish Premiership were the club rightly belong and the challenge of ten consecutive SPL titles for the second consecutive Football Manager will begin in earnest but changes may need to be made if we're to be a success next season.


February's Player of the Month award went to Nicky Law who banged in four goals in as many appearances while winger Marc Albrighton, obviously also of the Championship winners was runner-up in the Player of the Month awards - it was the fourth time this season Law has won the award.


Four league victories this month meant I was named Manager of the Month for the sixth time this season to go alongside the awards I had won when in League One last season. I guided my charges to impressive victories over Hearts, Falkirk, Livingston and Hamilton - four tough games, regardless of their league positions.

Winning the League Cup while remaining unbeaten in league.

A single goal victory over Premiership side Dundee United saw us win the League Cup while we defeated Inverness two one to progress in the Scottish Cup while in the Championship we maintained our unbeaten run, winning two and drawing one against Alloa Athletic but we should have defeated them to be fair.


With just four league games remaining I still haven't tasted a league defeat (Championship and League One) but I do expect that to come to an end in due course, especially when we'll be playing in the Scottish Premiership next season, we are on course for scoring one hundred plus goals but I don't think we can reach one hundred points this season.

I hope Celtic tear you a new arsehole!!

Congrats on back to back promotions though bud.

Time to stop cheating then?

Haha K3VO, our record against Celtic so far in this career is one defeat from one game, and that came last season in the Scottish Cup semi final in which Teemu Pukki scored the winner but we were slightly the better side.

I've got some bad news Dan and that's I don't cheat on Football Manager as I'm not sad, unlike some people.

Going unbeaten in the league for a second straight season.

For the second straight season we have gone through a league season unbeaten after Vitalijs Maksimenko's thirty ninth minute goal saw off Falkirk at Ibrox. We advanced to the Scottish Cup final after a two nil victory over Motherwell and our bitter rivals Celtic await in the final, a tough game.


So it's conformation of our unbeaten league campaign that saw us win thirty one and draw five of our thirty six games as we powered our way back to the top flight of Scottish football - we only scored ninety eight goals and got ninety eight points, finishing a staggering forty points ahead of second placed Dundee who failed to get promoted.

SCOTTISH CUP FINAL: Celtic vs. Rangers.

Simply sensational! We have won the Scottish Cup, beating rivals Celtic to complete an unlikely quadruple but we were lucky as we only won the game two one because we took our chances.

Liam Trotter struck on twenty five minutes to get Celtic, at the time, dominating the cup final the lead and looked likely to hold onto the lead and did until nine minutes from time when the sensational Nicky Law equalised and then with the game entering stoppage time Barrie McKay struck an unlikely winner to send the Rangers support into raptures.

Qualify for Europe also. 2015 is when they are allowed back in. Played a dummy test with Rangers a while back and won the Scottish Cup in my first season but got told I was barred from Europe until 2015. So good going there, a bit of extra money coming in also. Have you played Kundik towards the end of the season at all.

Cymro, I think when we won the Scottish Cup it said that we were still banned from Europe so if that's true then that's extremely disappointing as I'd rather have lost to Celtic (that sounds awful), I haven't really played Kundik as when I do he doesn't really perform but I may give him a chance next season.

Awards Night.

Barrie McKay was named the Scottish Championship Player of the Year award after bagging twenty goals in twenty seven appearances and with an average rating of 7.44, most of his goals coming from the right wing but I would love to see how he'd do regularly up top - either on his own or with a partner which will mean a change of tactics.


After missing out on the award in League One (the injustice) I have been proudly named Championship Manager of the Month after not losing a single competitive game this season as I guided my side to Championship glory along with winning the Challenge Cup, Scottish Cup and League Cup too.


Eight players have been named in th Championship Team of the Year with goalkeeper Cammy Bell being the man named between the sticks. Kieran Duffie, Vitalijs Maksimenko and Lee Wallace was named in the defence while the midfield was named full of Rangers players - Barrie McKay, Nicky Law, Lewis MacLeod and David Templeton.

Due to the inconsistency throughout the season, no Rangers striker was named in the starting XI.

Season 2015/16: Pre season news.

The minimum expectation this season is that the club qualify for the Europa League through our league participation so the pressure is indeed on but at least I've been backed with a transfer budget ranging between £8m and £11.25m. Since we are predicted to finish second I have decided to select title challenge and that'll see me receive a transfer budget of just over £10 million.


Six friendly games have been arranged and they're all away from home. We head to Germany to face 1860 Munich before playing four games in England vs. Boston United, Southampton, Barnet and Burton Albion before concluding our friendly program at Windsor Park against Linfield.

Brilliant budgets, still not a patch on what my United side have on offer

They're quite good budgets Dan for a Scottish Premiership club and I will need to spend it wisely.

Season 2015/16: Pre season round-up.

Eleven players arrived at the club over the course of the transfer window. Lee Hodson, Dedryck Boyata and Jamie Paterson all joined from Nottingham Forest while Xandro Schenk came from Go Ahead Eagles - Devante Cole, Sammy Ameobi and Grant Hall arrived on free transfers. Our latest signing saw Nicolai Boilesen come from Dutch giants Ajax while Jake Cassidy came on loan from Wolves and Filip Kiss cost two hundred grand from Cardiff while our last signing saw Adam Thompson join from Watford.

The biggest departures this summer saw David Templeton, Marc Albrighton, Sebastien Faure and Kieran Duffie all leave the club to join Crystal Palace, West Ham, Akhisar Bld. and Birmingham respectively while several players went out on-loan.


Our pre season program was a success as we didn't lose a single game in our seven games although the opposition wasn't the toughest. Our toughest game was away to 1860 Munich and we drew nil each and Southampton who we defeated while we beat Cambuslang, Boston, Barnet, Burton and Linfield.