So I bailed on the other save. The 6'5 minimum seemed too gimmicky and confining a house rule set, and I didn't want to jump again, or retool/rebuild.
RC Doue-la-Fontaine was in dead last in the National, with no hope of staying up. They hadn't brought anyone new in, and I think the sale of
Adel Zainek, who I considered the best player on the roster, sank the team.
Loreintz Rosier had also left, and whilst he was a whatever departure, it portended ill for maintenance of the dynasty I'd built.
It turns out I don't have the French Level 9 or English Level 23 database on this new computer yet, though they're on a hard drive. Found the English 23 and re-downloaded, but wanted to dig in a new country.
Say hello to the Scottish Pyramid, which is 12 or 13 levels - I keep messing up the count because there's some weirdness in promotion rules to get to the fourth level, which I believe is where vanilla FM starts.
Anyway, much like the English 23 levels' deepest point of penetration is the Mid Sussex region, this Scottish database has a single branch from total bottom to up, with unequal branches in other regions.
At the lowest level is this one route (or Route One harhar) is the
Caledonian Amateur Division One, and I selected
Cambria AFC for the following reasons:
1) Their primary color is purple, and I've always wanted a purple team.
2) The whole club is only worth $8k - there are a couple worth even less, but I either didn't like their logo, or their primary color was that damned unreadable white text on yellow background.
3) Their stadium is owned... by another club.
Strathclyde University specifically.
Cambria is based in Glasgow, Scotland's largest city at 600,000 people and a major seaport on the River Clyde. Also referred to as the Second City of the British Empire during the Victorian and Edwardian eras in some quarters. Noted for the Glasglowian accent, shorter than the rest of the UK life expectancy, and lowest voter turnout in Scotland.
Oh, and we're total empty cupboard here during this, the club's 50th anniversary. Talk about no pressure. :P Cambria's bank account is a whopping $1,502. Yep, this is bottom as bottom gets.
...Great. Our best scout and assman options are 6/6 and 5/5 JPP/JPA respectively. Blessed Artemis, I wasn't kidding when I said bottom as it goes. Oh well, I can suffer through it for the first year. And the available coaches are all awful. Like, even worse than the scrubs who are usually there when I come on board a team.
My staff hates every player I bring in, so this is pretty much a ratings only dynasty for a while. Oh well.
Transfer In - MC Luidgi Hoareau (19) - French)
Yep, I just signed my BFF from the Roses dynasty. This go-round he has 11 Passing and Decisions, 14 Teamwork, 11 Vision, Work Rate, Balance, and Pace. He sucks at Crossing however, so he won't be reprising his MR switch. What's hilarious is my assman hates him, but also says he's good enough for Lowland League soccer, which is several levels up. Oh, okay, assman.
Transfer In - MC Barna Tott (19) - Hungarian
Dual citizenship with 12 Passing, 12 Technique, 10 Teamwork, Vision, and Work Rate, 11 Jumping Reach, and 16 Natural Fitness. A tailor-made Advanced Playmaker, and we'll definitely be running a two MC formation.
Promotion Odds
Corkerhill: 3-1
Dunoon AFC: 3-1
Milngavie Wanderers: 25-1
Rothesay Brandines: 25-1
Balmore: 40-1
Cambria: 40-1
This means nothing due to all the grey guy teams running around.
Luidgi Hoareau and
Barna Tott are appointed Captain and Vice-Captain due to being the only two guys on the team.
Transfer In - ST Kris Duncan (25) - From Keith
11 Finishing, 10 First Touch and Composure, 11 Acceleration, Agility, Pace, Stamina, and Flair. I expect him to bang in goals galore for us as a Poacher. He really should be our team captain, but oh well.
Transfer Out - ST Kris Duncan (25) - To Stirling University
...What the actual fuck?!?!
Transfer In - MC Grant Thomson (20) - From Fraserburgh
Strictly a reserve player, but we're just trying to get bodies in here at this point.
Transfer In - MCL/AMC Connor Lyall (18)
13 First Touch, 12 Passing, 10 Technique, 15 Teamwork. Although he's clearly best as yet another damn MC, he has good AMC potential, so he'll play there for the foreseeable future.
Transfer In - ST Lewis Kinniard (20)
10 First Touch, 11 Off the Ball, 14 Teamwork, 12 Work Rate, 10 Acceleration. We'll work on making him a Deep-Lying Forward.
vs Eaglesham AFC
G: Grey
D: Grey/Grey/Grey/Grey
DM: Grey
MC: Barna Tott/Grant Thomson
AMC: Connor Lyall
ST: Lewis Kinniard/Luidgi Hoareau (Training)
So once again,
Luidgi Hoareau will be called upon to learn a new position on the fly, as we utilize a 4-4-2 Narrow Diamond.
51 -
Hoareau wings out right to a grey guy, who crosses to
Lyall. The shot clangs off the upper woodwork, but he's there to put in his own rebound!!!
1-0
56 - Awful corner kick defense
1-1
This is what happens when you can't get guys to sign with you. Very disappointing, though, as I thought we could sneak out a debut win.
Transfer In - MC/AMC Gary Kelman (23)
10 First Touch, 14 Teamwork, 11 Work Rate, and a whole lot of 11s in his Physical Attributes. While he could start at either MC or AMC, I think I'll lean towards him at MC, pushing
Grant Thomson to the bench.
Transfer In - GK Lucas Birnstigl (25) - Canadian
11 Handling and Reflexes, 10 Finishing, and
20 Eccentricity. this Canadian native who is also eligible for German and British nationality (he has no interest in claiming his British rights, however) has spent time in League 2 (4th division), so is a huge get.
@ Camelon Albion (14th)
G: Lucas Birnstigl
D: Grey/Grey/Grey/Grey
DM: Grey
MC: Barna Tott/Gary Kelman
AMC: Connor Lyall
ST: Lewis Kinniard/Luidgi Hoareau (Training)
41 - Horrible backpass by
Kelman. Wow.
0-1
44 - That was on
Birnstingl's ass keeping
0-2
And that's a plummet all the way down to 18th.