Um, hi. I'm alive. If I recall correctly, by the way, I won promotion with Pro Vercelli. Well, I won promotion with _someone_, I have the achievement in Steam to prove it. I can't actually remember who.
I stopped playing FM for years. Bought FM2012, never played it. Bought FM2013, never played it. Until about 2 weeks ago. Bishop's Stortford in Blue Square North. Bishop's Stortford is a weird LLM team for me. They were the team I played in my first proper LLM game and I got sacked when I issued the board an ultimatum 4 months into my time there. I then went to a German team and decided I forever hated German soccer rules and will never so much as load Germany into my game again. The German team also sacked me after I lost 4 of my first 6 games, despite telling me I had the entire season to rebuild the team. I forget what happened after that. I think I went to an Irish team.
Bishop's Stortford, though, needs to be revisited. I need to prove what I can do with them. My original LLM game was in (I think) FM2009. Yeah, the team in FM2013 is totally different, but I still need to prove something.
I'm kinda over that whole "Don't name players!" stuff, so no more Godly DC or New Star Striker for me. Let's do a recap, I just started my second season, but the first ended earlier this week, so I remember it well.
Season 2013/2014
Media Prediction: Midtable
Actual Finish: 6th
FA Cup: First Round Proper
FA Trophy: Fifth Round
Bishop's Stortford is a good team. I liked Reece Presteridge and Blair Sturrock a lot. Carl Pentney was underwhelming as a GK, but he was a damn lot better than that awful loan GK the team starts with. I forget his name, but I ended his loan early. Matt Johnson is a madman freak of nature and the powerhouse behind my midfield.
The season started off with Alli Abdullahi whining and complaining he doesn't play first team enough. I agree to give him a chance. I look over my players and decide I need a new DC. Enter Godly DC, Mark 2 aka Adam Bailey-Dennis. Funny thing, this dude signed for Bishop's Stortford in real life in 2015. I didn't know this when I signed him. In real life, he's kinda sorta-average-medicore DC. In my game, he's the second coming of Daniel Passarella. I signed Irish striker Carel Tiofack and Irish Attacking Midfielder Daryn Hennessy. I don't know why, but I always end up with a lot of Irish players. I released Jack Lampe early in the season because I'm an idiot.
After releasing Lampe, I sign Italian DL/ML Andrea Zola. I also pick up a young English midfielder named Callum Webb. I pick up Jack Barton on loan. Astonishingly, that's about all I need to do.
I pick an odd formation, a 4-4-2 but not what you just thought of. 4 defenders as you'd expect, 3 central midfielders, an attacking midfielder and 2 strikers. No wings, fuck them. Center all day! I narrowed up a bit since we don't have any wingers and it worked pretty well.
After he stopped being butthurt, Ali turned into an awesome player, especially when I switched up a bit mid-season and started playing him as DMC. Matt Johnson was a madman. Him and Reece were an excellent duo. Assists all day. Rick Sappleton went on a crazy hot streak just after midseason, scoring 7 goals in 4 games, overall scoring 12 goals in 8. He went ice cold after that, and I ended up playing Blair Sturrock and swapping between Tiofack and Sappleton the rest of the season. then there's Lewwis Spence, Mr. Insanity. Sometimes he'd be on fire and create the strongest LLM midfield I've ever had along with Matt Johnson and Reece. Sometime he was a bum who I'd sub out for Callum Web. Darryn Hennessy and Reece could both play MC and AMC. I tended to swap them around between the two positions, since they both seem to play slightly better as AMC.
I fell as low as 18th, but went on a hot streak in the second half of the season and with about 10 games left, found myself in 10th. I battled until there was only 4 games left and I was in 7th. If I could draw one and win the other three, I should be able to snag 5th place and an entry in the Playoffs. Here's the problem: I was facing the #3 and #1 ranked teams in that stretch. Won my first game, drew me second. I have to beat this next team. I _have_ to.
I lose. Stupid Altrincham. I manage to draw with Bradford PA (#1) and end up in 6th place, two tantalizing points short of 5th.
CUP RECAP:
FA Cup: Bleah. This was against all non-league. In the 4th Qualifying Round, playing Margate, I had two players red carded in the first ten minutes. I still won 3-2. In the first round proper, I face Blue Square Premiere team and rival Braintree. They whup me and I go home.
FA Trophy: Did better. Made it to the 5th Round, beating mostly non-league and also H&Y, before being eliminated by a BSP team whose name I forget. Nothing happened worth mentioning, though.
Board is happy, offer me a new contract. I accept. We are making it to BSP next year. I must do this.
