syemo - Comments

That's good news if that happens, if it didnt i still would have carried on with the save anyhow. I looked in the game at coefficients and i saw Liechtenstein didnt have any for champions league and knew they didnt have a professional league so thought they couldnt qualify.

I havent progressed any further at present will be getting back into the save hopefully this week been going back to my fm17 save recently.

Nearly caught up on your progress, is that a custom database to get the lower tiers?

Goppel has done okay, he got injured for quite a bit of the first season. Ive tried training him to play DM role as well but he hasn't taken too lightly to that. Weiser since beginning of the save has had a promise to sell him so not sure if i can keep him or not. But Jens Hofer and Lukas Graber has been two youngsters that have performed well in the first season especially graber he looks like he could be a key youth in the vaduz squad at present.
Frick im hoping a year or so to develop whilst getting as much playing time as i can afford him to. Sele has played most games too. Trying to keep the core of the squad as Leichenstein haven't decided yet whether to open up to buy anyone yet or just use this as a youth save.

Will be keeping an interest in this, ive just got to the end of the first season with FC Vaduz and might do it as a youth only challenge. Haven't fully made my decision which way to go in season 2 just yet. I've never had luck with custom databases before so kept with the default game.

After starting the save i have read that FC Vaduz can't qualify through the swiss league and even if they win the europa im not sure they get into the champions league. As Leichenstein dont have a entry into the Champions league. Not sure if this is 100% try or not.

Pre Season is turning to be tough, promoted some youth players that have had an increase in Current ability. But also lost a couple of key players from last season. For one is Journey man striker Johnny Lafferty has moved to Newington. He played 22(7), 14 Gls ,4 Assists, Av Rating 7.03.

No one yet to sign for the seasiders.

So we've come to the end of the season, we survived in the championship. The middle part of the season ruined anything special but we wasn't in trouble of going down but it was always a threat there if a run of games went against us. I wanted a better end to the season but 9th i will take as a good season. Hopefully next season i can bring some needed players in. The change of fortune came when i had a tweak in formation and brought in a youth player who came thought the first youth intake.

Congratulations on the win in the cup and promotion. Big achievement. Another 2 of the list.

I'm lagging behind now lol

Deadline just passed, Limavady brought in 23 players this season

Intermediate Cup

3rd Round

Hanover up first



4th round

Larne Olympic

We nearly threw it away with conceding a late penalty and then an early goal in extra time but Dale Patton scored the equaliser and Pens we go. We haven't won a penalty shootout i have had in the save so far so i was a little nervous going into. But a 10 - 9 win in the shootout sees us through to the next round.



Quarter Final

Up next was Coleraine Reserves game before we got knocked out by there first team so a little revenge would be nice.



we go 3-1 down and i thought all was over but a good fight back and Brandon Nelson getting us into extra time with nearly last kick of the game. I thought this could be our game but a mistake from Mo Walsh coming for a cross and missing it gave early work for Conor Johnston to net the winner.

Coleraine has knocked us out of both competitions and looks like we will be trophy less this season.

So since my last update we've played through Jan/Feb and March. We was still in 2 cups going into the new year.

Irish Cup

Dollingstown was up in the 5th round. Our bogey team of late, this game was a little bit different as we actually beat dollingstown to progress into the next round.



6th Round Distillery

quite tense, looked like it could go to extra time until Lafferty scored with a few minutes to go for Bangor to progress into the next round.



Quarter Final

Next up was Coleraine sadly this is where our journey ends with us getting a couple early injuries and just getting overshadowed by a premiership team.

Free Kicks have been the blight this season, i should really look into how to defend them. I've left on default but sadly this season we have conceded a few from these. Last season i saw no problem.

Last game before the league splits was against top of the table loughgall. 3-1

Here is how the table stands going into the last 10 games.

We did get the best match in the Steel & Sons cup.

bigmattb38 - Only a couple of league would be on par with the top division in Northern Ireland but the lower 2 tier are the worse rep in the game out of the UK.



So last game of the month came Limavady. We weren't the favourites for this one but a stunning tackle and solo run from Dale Patton started the match off well. Then this happened. It's like london buses none come for ages and then all at once. He's doubled his tally of goals this season in 2 games.



End the month 9th on 22 points after 21 games.

Started off well but a collapse and then going down to ten men and they score off the resulting free kick.

Only positive in the match.



So that brings another run of matches without a win

Decided to decline any interview, as i would see it a downwards step to drop back down for this league later on. So going to stick it out with bangor.

@bigmattb28 - Indeed hopefully i can will be a tough second part of the season for sure.

@Shedender - I don't think that will happen just yet.

Brexit has been announced and looks like nothing has changed. I Know this wouldn't of affected this challenge.



This last month i have been linked with the coleraine job by the press and is the favourite for the job according to the odds in the job centre. There struggling near the bottom of the premiership.

/screenshot of coleraine job link/

I also got an interview with Dungannon a couple of days later. I declined.

I've also just received this offer from Crusaders, there in 6th at present but they won the league last season. This is where i am at present in the game and thinking about what to do, i still think the coleraine job would be offer to me as well.

/Crusaders offer/

I think i might have enough to stay up this year with bangor, i'm also still in a couple of cups and not sure the top flight teams go into some of these competitions. Moving clubs might make it easier to tick a couple of trophies off quicker but i'll still have to drop down and finish off a few competitions at this level. I do have unfinished business with bangor as i would like to see if i can make sure they stay up this season before moving on if that was the case.

*i have a couple of screenshots to add but imgur keeps failing to upload them will try again later*

Portadown was next up earlier in the season we lost 4-0 to them, this game we looked good but 2 free kick goals, and a miss header from our defender to let the striker in on goal made it difficult to keep us in the game we did get 2 goals but portadown easily won 4-2. Scoreline definitely flattered them

With keeper Mo Walsh having 2 bad games in a row i decided to drop him for the Irish Cup 4th round against Sport & Lesiure. A game where i thought we would collapse if we conceded we made it easier with two quick goals in 50th and 57th minute, we are through to the next round. 2-0

Newry City where next in the league and even game until the 25th minute when keeper Gibbons makes a howler says the commentary to gift Newry the lead, and that was it. We huff and puffed but no luck in front of goal.

We have 2 games left of this month, Institute H, Limavady Utd A.

This is how we sit.

8th H&W P19 24pts
9th Bangor P19 19pts
10th Dollingstown P19 17pts
11th Ballyclare P 19 16pts
12th Armagh P19 15pts

Next up is Ballyclare, another big game in surviving. Ballyclare are below us by a couple of points. They take the lead before the half hour mark but a good comeback from bangor stop our losing streak.



H&W Welders where next, a good performance struggled again to find the net. But performances look like there getting back to what they where like last season finishes 0-0.

Intermediate 2nd round against windmill stars. Played a couple of youth looked like we did enough to get through Nelson scored on 62nd min but we conceded a goal 4 minutes later and couldn't find a winner, 10 minutes into extra time youngster Robert Jones gets his first goal for the club and we go through to the next round.

Back to the league and back to shite performance, keep Mo Walsh made 2 howlers that didn't help and Dundela cruised to a 4-0 win to end the month.

Start to the month hasn't gone too well, a loss at Warrenpoint in the cup, we just gave the ball away too cheaper and just never looked like being in the game after they went ahead.

Hoping to get the league form back against a fellow relegation struggler but Dollingstown are seeming to be a bit of a bogey team as of late.

Ouch indeed, just hoping this month we can start to steady the ship

October has been a month i wished never happened, the team has started to perform badly and i think the massive amount of games and not a settled line up is starting to affect our form. Certain player have hit bad form too, strikers not scoring has turned into a big problem and silly mistakes have cost us early in games.

I have not won a penalty shootout yet in the game, and finally i have seen the computer missed one. We still missed them in the league one was against Armagh, for a chance to get back into the game. We keep falling down the league with relegation zone getting nearer and nearer.

Still hate when we get the message before the match that its an easy win in the next match and then we struggle and lose to the team in question.

In middle of the run the team thought it'd be good to question my management. At time we was sitting in 6th and that way above expectation for this season and still in 3 cups? what else do they want?





Up next is a quarter final match in the Bet McLean Cup agains Warrenpoint, then a relegation battle with Dollingstown.

We carry on with September at home against Portadown. A match i just wanted to put on fast speed after they went 4-0 up, we didn't turn up and got dominated easily by a better team. A much in difference month a lost of red circles hoping this isn't going to be a long month with a lot of matches and quick decline in league position?

Just after the game with Portadown, Loughgall came in for our best CB Sam Barnes and he accepted there terms and moved on. Leaving us in a very bad depth at that position.

Next we face holders Coagh Utd in the steel and sons cup. Coagh go one up before half time with Richard Donaghy. But goals from Ben Arthurs (64), Michael Tolan (87), and Dale Patton (90+1) sees us into the next round.

Back to Dundela in the league after a small morale boost from a win in the cup. A good start with an own goal after 2 mins see us go 1 nil up, Ben Arthurs gets sent off after 6 minutes for a lunging tackle. But that doesn't hold us back with goals from Dwaine Beattie (10), and Dylan McCorkell (17). A small bit of complacency in the second half see Dundela get 2 back but we hold on for a 3-2 win.



To end the month we have Limavady Utd in the league, a 2 nil win with both goals coming in the 81st minute. First from right back Alan Mcmurtry. Then straight at kick off we win the ball back sends the ball forwards for Dale Patton to get our 2 and we finish 2-0 winners.

We end the month sitting in 5th 4 points behind Portadown.



Games for next month.

Good title win. Bring on next season.

looks like its yours to lose now.. quite a bit ahead. You should be able to get the double. Be good to see what you do for next season - i better get cracking on lol

Rest of the games for September are as follows.

September

This month look tough, a lot of cups have started and games coming quick and fast every few games. Hope the good start continues but i see us rotating a lot thought this period.

First up is Cliftonville - Co. Antrim Shield 1st Rd. Tough match didn't have a sniff in the game got a consolation from Ben Arthurs 85th minute, long way off the quality need to challenge a premier side. Lost 3-1

H&W Welders - Tougher game than i thought it be, we just didn't turn up and had no answer to Caolan Conlon goal near half time. Our first loss of the season in the league.

Ballycare - Bottom of the table at home, we go 2 nil down and miss a pen before we made a comeback with Dale Patton scoring on 87th minute. Ballycare got a man sent off 86th minute.

We've dropped to 4th

1 - Portadown P5 10pts
2 - Loughgall P4 9pts
3 - Institute P5 9pts
4 - Bangor P5 8pts
5 - H&W P4 7pts

August



Carrick - A good performance end to end game, but a good goal from Dale Patton after 70th minute got us a dream start in the league.

Armagh - We backed up the carrick performance with an even better performance after Armagh went 1 nil up after a pen 5 mins into the game. 2 from Patton and one from our Ball Winning Mid Taggart. Made it 2 from 2

Dollingstown - Last season Dollingstown got the better of us, it looked like it was going to be the same outcome until CB Barnes scored our equaliser with 11 to play

Institute - Bet Mclean Cup 2nd Rd this game was a complete shock didn't see this performance coming. Patton got the first and Dwaine Beattie got a hat trick before McAlinden got a consolation goal on 86th minute

Lisburn Rangers - We played a little rotated team giving some fringe players a run out, we go 2 up and Lisburn bring it back to 2-2, we then go 4-2 (Ben Arthurs completing his hat trick) before Lisburn got an 83rd minute pen to make it 4-3 we hold on to got through to the next round.

End of August we are sitting top after 3 games with 7 points.



Also i won my first manager of the month award, none of these awards happened last season probably due being in the lowest tier?

Only 3 matches where played, 2 other friendlies where cancelled by other teams as they double booked.

Players where moaning that pre season started too early ( i selected 5 weeks)

Results where very mixed with a record of 1-1-1



Tough game against Glentoran we actually scored the first goal of the game and then just got outclassed by the premier side.

Next game against Dungannon swifts, day before the under 20s where playing a game and there was no option to not have players selected for that game i had to make them available. I made sure only 45 so then i could still play them. Didn't realise they were going to be ineligible for the next game so this 0-0 result was with a youth candidates team.

Tandragee - went 2 nil up and looked to be coasting but tandragee got one back after the hour mark to make it a nervy 30 mins.

Pre season was a frustrating but uneventful affair, not many new additions as previously stated not many players that are an improvement will come to us attribute wise.

Our scout budget for this season is 1.9k. I've upped our scouting range to all Championship, Intermediate and Level 4 for two months to end of pre season then i'll drop it down again until nearer the next transfer window to save money.





The only addition late on was Left Winger Dylan McCorkell. He was my 6th choice player scouted in this position. One of the main positions we are lacking serious depth.



Our Board expectations and our wage / transfer budgets

In pre season i thought i'd go for my first coaching badge since i got promoted at first time of asking. Board rejected due to lack of money in the club. So i guess i'll wait another season to hopefully get on the badge ladder.

So looking back on last season here is the games overview of the season. I'm surprised that we aren't classed as the overachievers since we have had a double promotion and was predicted to finish in 7th. With us and Dollingstown going up it could be a challenge for both of us.



Media prediction early on reckons that it'll be a tough season for us and Dollingstown with 1000/1 to win the league and favourites to go straight back down.



I have looked over the last two season in the game and i would reckon 30 points will see us survive the bottom two places to go down and not go into a playoff.

Last season Dergview went down with 29, Moyola Park with 27. Armagh survived on GD
Season previous to that - Knockbreda went down with 26, and PSNI with 21. Above them Ballyclare had 34 points.