Football Manager - Twitter thread - excellent read

[Fordy62]

really, really enjoyed reading this. Obviously a desperately sad moment amidst it all, but nevertheless an excellent thread to read. Enjoy. 
 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by Fordy62

[TonyTonyTony]

28 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

 I'm in my 30's and have achieved a near lifelong ambition of working on the game

The worlds oldest profession. How is handjob inflation at the moment?

[Silvio Dante]

3 minutes ago, TonyTonyTony said:

The worlds oldest profession. How is handjob inflation at the moment?

“And that was Handjob Inflation with their latest ‘taking the thread off piste’. Now, here’s the new release from the Smiths”

[ExiledAjax]

49 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Sharples is a really funny bloke who has used a really random platform for good. 

FM has saved me from many moments of utter desperation over the years, I'm in my 30's and have achieved a near lifelong ambition of working on the game as well as commiting many hours to playing it. 

People will mock the game and that's fair, gaming is a phenomenon many of an older generation can't resonate with, but for me it's been a source of escape when the black dog finds its way back to my shoulder. 

I think there are a lot of young men who have utilised the escapism of the FM universe. 

Certainly FM (and a few other games) have at times kept me going through the blackness of it all. When laid up ten years ago with a double broken jaw I think I put about 500 hours into FM13. A simple diet of liquid meals and, for me, a certain wunderkind Swede called Mikael Eriksson. Ashton Gate has never seen such a talent.

Sharples is a good egg and has, I think, produced a story that echoes with many of our generation (I'm mid-thirties).

To borrow a famous phrase from another struggle involving too many young men: Play up! Play up! And play the game!

Edited May 2, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[ExiledAjax]

6 minutes ago, Percy Pig said:

Christian Butterworth was mine, a 6ft 4 Centre mid I signed from Barrow for £40k. 130 England caps and captaining my MK Dons team to several Champions Leagues. I've lost that save game (it's about 5 laptops ago...) but he lives on as my "manager" in most saves now.

Funny the things that stick with you, really. I managed MsV Duisburg once and now look out for their (generally awful) results every week. When we organised my stag do I was genuinely disappointed to end up settling for Dortmund beating Leverkusen 5:0 instead of being able to go see them as they were away to a team in East Germany. 

It's also what inspired me and my best friend to give coaching a go in our early 20's. He's now at a Prem academy and appeared on the Palace Documentary... I settled for the perils of fatherhood, a mortgage and Golf...

Lovely. For me it definitely started my interest in the stats and analytical side of the game, as well as understanding the financial and regulatory background - which has now led me to speaking to the people who run football clubs, and just now starting to do legal work in that field. Although like you it's the child, the house, and the 7 iron that are taking a bit more of my time. It's funny how these things shake out.

[Fordy62]

My one standout player was Antonio Cassano! Goal machine. 

[Barrs Court Red]

I’ve had a few over the years, but nothing compares to the regens I bought through or signed when managing Kaiserslautern in FM12. Never really got as into the game since, as nothing could top that save. 

[BCFCGav]

3 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

Sharples is a really funny bloke who has used a really random platform for good. 

FM has saved me from many moments of utter desperation over the years, I'm in my 30's and have achieved a near lifelong ambition of working on the game as well as commiting many hours to playing it. 

People will mock the game and that's fair, gaming is a phenomenon many of an older generation can't resonate with, but for me it's been a source of escape when the black dog finds its way back to my shoulder. 

I think there are a lot of young men who have utilised the escapism of the FM universe. 

 

Escapism and video games are a good marriage in general. Despite loving football and games I’ve never been one for FM, but I remember going through a particularly rough patch and using GTA IV as a break from it all. It was reassuring knowing that however rough things got I could go to another world for a few hours.

Congrats on achieving your goals btw, well in

[Crackers Corner]

I hope our scouts are looking at this ivica strok fella.

[You Do The Dziekanowski]

I can’t remember which FM it was but my highlight was signing Marco Verratti and Robert Lewandowski for FGR when they were in the conference. A total of £80k was spent on the two of them. 
 

Sold for over £40m combined when I lost the championship play off final. Lewandowski scored 42 goals and finished top scorer in the Euro Qualifiers. Verratti was consistently man of the match. 

[DaveF]

Love the Dresden Dolls.

[brad blit]

Iv played it religiously probably for near on 20 years, but there’s one player that always stands out…… 

Not everyone can play ANYWHERE!

Champ Manager 97/98 edition

Edited May 3, 2023 by brad blit

[Mr Popodopolous]

Feels like quite good escapism, I haven't played it in years myself.

Have it for 2012 and 2013...couple of potential challenges I am thinking of.

1) 2011-12 or depending on when sold exactly 2012-13. Keep Dembele and Dempsey and try to push Fulham on that bit further. They looked like they might after 2011-12 and a strong 2nd half of season with those two key but were sold to Tottenham IRL.

2) Fiorentina. With their existing squad, Rossi as they had iirc in 2012-13 try to steer them to 3rd and the CL via that at least. If not higher. They had players under 25 such as Ljajic, Jovetic too irl- exciting. Thought Mario Gomez there in 2012-13 but he joined the following season for which I don't have FM.

The idea of not collapsing Tottenham and their title hopes in 2011-12 also appeals. Just a matter of getting back into it again.

If I had FM 2011 I would try to improve Blackburn as per their real life near signing of Guti and Raul in summer 2010- get them in and see where I can go.

Back to FM 13, Everton or West Brom into the top 4 or perhaps even Swansea could be an interesting one to look at.

[cidered abroad]

I prefer a great game named Subbuteo!

And in the summer, it was easy to have a five Test Match series of England against Australia with "Owzat". Two six sided rollers, one for batting/runs and one for bowling/wickets. All the match recorded in a proper cricket scorebook.

 

Edited May 3, 2023 by cidered abroad

[Davefevs]

22 minutes ago, cidered abroad said:

I prefer a great game named Subbuteo!

And in the summer, it was easy to have a five Test Match series of England against Australia with "Owzat". Two six sided rollers, one for batting/runs and one for bowling/wickets. All the match recorded in a proper cricket scorebook.

 

Been there done that, but used two dice to vary the scoring, and the howzat roller for appeals.

[Searles]

It’s a good game but get the impression it’s just a stats upgrade every year - would like something that reinvents itself now and again.

[IAmNick]

Just now, Searles said:

It’s a good game but get the impression it’s just a stats upgrade every year - would like something that reinvents itself now and again.

Multiple balls? Fourteen players on each team? Motorbikes on the pitch, rollerball style?

They're simulating football... not sure how much reinvention is possible there.

[Searles]

3 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

Multiple balls? Fourteen players on each team? Motorbikes on the pitch, rollerball style?

They're simulating football... not sure how much reinvention is possible there.

Ok they could change the display once every decade? 

[IAmNick]

2 minutes ago, Searles said:

Ok they could change the display once every decade? 

I actually kind of agree there, the UX isn't great... but I think the die hard fans would revolt if they did!

[Davefevs]

21 minutes ago, IAmNick said:

Motorbikes on the pitch, rollerball style?

Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan!!

 

What a film!

 

(had the game on my Commodore 64)

[ExiledAjax]

5 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

FM 12 and 13 were arguably the pinnacle of immersive long saves, the regens were decent but you could do so much with the "tutoring" function. Signing 41 year old Rivaldo for the sole purpose of tutoring the 19 yo CAM you had coming through. 

12, 13 and 14 were the three I played into the 100s of hours. All 3 are still in my top ten games on Steam a decade later. I have 1,250 hours across the 3 iterations. All 3 are in my opinion absolute classics. 

I never bothered with the 3D match display either. I was more than happy watching coloured circles run around on a flat pitch.

I'm getting all nostalgic now. May need to fire up a new (or hopefully old) save.

Edited May 3, 2023 by ExiledAjax

[grifty]

I’ve been playing one save on FM21 since it came out.

Have just won my 60th consecutive Premier League title with Bristol City 

Some notable players;

Ryan can see Berg - £86m signing as an 18 year old from Middlesbrough. He ended up scoring over 700 goals.

Barbosa - £13.75m signing from Flamengo. 894 games 496 goals 500 assists

Marvin Cornwall - £89m signing from Arsenal. Currently leading the line scoring 93 goals in a season, 61 in the league breaking Dixie Deans record.

who really works when ‘working from home’…

[Leveller]

21 hours ago, Percy Pig said:

Sharples is a really funny bloke who has used a really random platform for good. 

FM has saved me from many moments of utter desperation over the years, I'm in my 30's and have achieved a near lifelong ambition of working on the game as well as commiting many hours to playing it. 

People will mock the game and that's fair, gaming is a phenomenon many of an older generation can't resonate with, but for me it's been a source of escape when the black dog finds its way back to my shoulder. 

I think there are a lot of young men who have utilised the escapism of the FM universe. 

 

A black dog on your shoulder? Try a parrot.

Seriously though, I’m finding this an intriguing read as I’ve never played a football computer game in my life. Amazed how much people invest in it. And I’d never seen the word regen before!

[Nogbad the Bad]

9 hours ago, cidered abroad said:

I prefer a great game named Subbuteo!

And in the summer, it was easy to have a five Test Match series of England against Australia with "Owzat". Two six sided rollers, one for batting/runs and one for bowling/wickets. All the match recorded in a proper cricket scorebook.

 

I had Owzat (still got it somewhere I think) but my favourite cricket game was Discbat.

Great game!

 

[TBW]

Makes me want to drop my FM22 Blyth Spartans save and go back to FM19 Boreham Wood.

I also did what this guy did and bought an official shirt and got it printed with a newgen name and number. Yep. Sad.

[BarnzFM]

I’m in a journey man save, promoted twice with Wrexham only to get offered the Hoffenheim job after they were relegated, promotion secured and Southampton are in a state rock bottom at Christmas so off I go to rescue them 

[Pickle Rick]

FM12 is still played now. 1800 hours in.

I’ll leave it and always end up going back for a binge. 

The best FM game for me and I played it from CM2 in 1995

What Miles Jacobson and his team created has stayed with me for so long!

[Davefevs]

My first.

Remember signing Gary Lineker from Grampus Eight for my Sunderland team, and him scoring a hatrick on debut.

My long-term save was Orient….started with 8 draws, but won promotion.

[cidered abroad]

The great thing about the games I mentioned was that they were used when I couldn't go out to play the real thing. But with Subbuteo even that statement is incorrect. I ran a league in Filton, Patchway and North Horfield for about three or four years when a teenager. At the peak we had two leagues of twelve "teams" and an FA Cup. This is pre Champions league and League Cup. Matches played Sunday evenings with home and away fixtures. 

Imagine an away game in Patchway, pouring rain, riding a bike from Filton along A38. It took ages to get your hands warm enough to play. Talk about Home advantage!

Loved every minute of it. We met so many friends and in the summers it was football out of doors in streets and Filton playing field. I genuinely feel sorry for today's young ones who sit at home staring at a little screen!

And Saturdays either City, Rovers, Bris Rugby or Church of England football League.

And I was double fortunate because Dad didn't booze every night so always a few pence available to watch City etc and as I got older for away games. Bear in mind that then children didn't have any age restriction to travel on trains. I was going to Cardiff to see Nana in the Rhondda from 6/7 years and London, Uncle & Aunt from 9.

And I still get match day buzz. The day that happens, someone please screw the lid down!

Edited May 3, 2023 by cidered abroad

[Fuber]

Played FM since about 09, think my best save was with Derby in '21 - was travelling a fair bit on weekdays to offices with work due to audit requirements - lots of free time on my personal laptop that I bought with me for FM! - Think I clocked 140-150 hours on that save alone.

Somehow got the job before the League One season, cleared the squad completely and rebuilt using free agents, loans, a couple small transfers and finished 7th. Signed Adam Idah on loan for 2 seasons and ran away with it (112 Points) then momentum meant double promotion and carried me up with them to 5th in the EPL, a Europa League win, followed by winning the UCL win the season after due to having the easiest draw I've ever had (Lyon in the Final after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the second leg in the final minute via a Lorenzo Lucca header).

Sadly all fell apart when the owner decided to place the club into admin to sell it costing me a 15 point deduction - Lost the likes of Lucca (£50m), Idah (£40m), and Naylor (Regen, £85m) in the space of a week. Couldn't rouse the enthusiasm after that I went to Portugal for bit before burnout struck. Meant I went (for the only time in my FM playthroughs)) 9 seasons with not failing to win at least one trophy per season. Lost the file when my PC GPU went kaboom and knocked out the SSD.

Naylor - signed for free from some random academy in Oz.

Derby County (2021-2030): 2021/2022 - League One (7th), JPT Winners; 2022/2023 - League One (1st), JPT Winners; 2023/2024 - Championship (2nd), League Cup (Winners), 2024/2025 - Permier League (8th), Europa Conference (Winners), 2025/2026 - Premier League (5th), UEFA Europa League (Winner), 2026/2027 - Premier League (6th), UEFA Europa League (Winner), 2027/2028 - Premier League (4th), UEFA Super Cup (Winner), 2028/2029 - Premier League (5th), UEFA Europa League (Winner); 2029/2030 - Premier League (3rd), UEFA Champions League (Winner).

S.C. Braga (2030-2032) - 2030/2031 - Liga Portugal Bwin (2nd), Taca de Portugal (Winner); 2031/2032 - Liga Portugal Bwin (1st), Taca de Portugal (Runner-Up), UEFA Europa League (3rd, Semi-Finals).

I saved the best part -

Edited May 3, 2023 by Fuber