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Subject: The League 3 trap
somerset1386 [del] to
All
I'm a league 3 regular, but how do I escape? My last 8 competitive matches read Played 8, won 5, drawn 2 lost 1. Goals for 20, goals against 6. I am top of the table after 2 games. So this week my supporters are depressed, and 5 have left the club.
How do you develop a club with a static or declining membership? How am I ever going to have a larger membership without a near 100% record? Would it help to get relegated, take the hit, and then I could win every week? My best case scenario in the league this season is 3rd: but will that be enough to change the supporters' mood to something positive?
I'm feeling in a hole right now.
How do you develop a club with a static or declining membership? How am I ever going to have a larger membership without a near 100% record? Would it help to get relegated, take the hit, and then I could win every week? My best case scenario in the league this season is 3rd: but will that be enough to change the supporters' mood to something positive?
I'm feeling in a hole right now.
You have to stick at it more than anything. There is quite a big gap between all of the divisions, get to II and you are looking at a 10 point gap straight away! Not many sides promote in consecutive seasons anymore.
What about a league 4 trap? I'll come second again this season because the top side keeps missing out in the play-offs. So the sponsorship money is measly, I can't afford good coaches or to train juniors, and I'm relying on income from friendlies to balance the books.
In all fairness, you need stronger strikers.
III is a massive boost to finances though, and if it makes you feel better, watch my play off versus him :P
III is a massive boost to finances though, and if it makes you feel better, watch my play off versus him :P
ditto that: will be top 3 in league 4 this year, maybe 2nd or even 1st depending on injuries and suspensions. I am losing 20k, including a friendly, in a week without a home league match. So How do I improve the squad enough to get promoted?
Right, I know I had a bot league when I promoted, but I did put up a fight in III when promoting, and this is your best bet.
1) No junior school.
2) No more than 20k coach wages a week, 3x very good assistants should take up half of that.
3) Buy a bunch of 18yos with similar training needs, and train them. They'll either (in my case) be good enough to challenge in III when you do promote or sell for money to raise funds to do so ;)
1) No junior school.
2) No more than 20k coach wages a week, 3x very good assistants should take up half of that.
3) Buy a bunch of 18yos with similar training needs, and train them. They'll either (in my case) be good enough to challenge in III when you do promote or sell for money to raise funds to do so ;)
Those points are excellent. I think thats the way to do it.
Hi Somerset,
I think I have been in that divison longer than you...I am also losing supporters and i won it last year.
Also, Savagehenry and his gardeners started in that divison and they have never left!!!
He joined on 2006-04-23...
Not anything more I can add really.
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I think I have been in that divison longer than you...I am also losing supporters and i won it last year.
Also, Savagehenry and his gardeners started in that divison and they have never left!!!
He joined on 2006-04-23...
Not anything more I can add really.
(edited)
I think you give great advice but I do disagree on a couple of points.
Keep your junior school. It's the best way to make money and get your own set of talented trainees. It will be worth it in the long run.
You don't need great strikers to promote. Apart from this season, I've competitively challenged in II with an "excellent" striker and even got promoted from IV with an "average" one!
The most important thing is tactics without a doubt. Frankly, if you are doing as well as you think you can and have depressed supporters it's either because you are punching below your weight (and need to improve tactics) or you've been in the same division for a while and capped what you can achieve in fan numbers and mood.
I've started the season the best I ever have but my supporters are satisfied. Mainly because they think it's time I got promoted by now and I agree (my rank doesn't help).
(edited)
Keep your junior school. It's the best way to make money and get your own set of talented trainees. It will be worth it in the long run.
You don't need great strikers to promote. Apart from this season, I've competitively challenged in II with an "excellent" striker and even got promoted from IV with an "average" one!
The most important thing is tactics without a doubt. Frankly, if you are doing as well as you think you can and have depressed supporters it's either because you are punching below your weight (and need to improve tactics) or you've been in the same division for a while and capped what you can achieve in fan numbers and mood.
I've started the season the best I ever have but my supporters are satisfied. Mainly because they think it's time I got promoted by now and I agree (my rank doesn't help).
(edited)
+1 on the juniors
Juniors also have to be looked at from the perspective of money they save, and future 5% revenues you can get. Just looking it at from direct sales doesn't show the whole picture. Plus although they get you pittance money, you can run a very basic junior school at close to break even with junior match income and an around v good - excellent coach.
Juniors also have to be looked at from the perspective of money they save, and future 5% revenues you can get. Just looking it at from direct sales doesn't show the whole picture. Plus although they get you pittance money, you can run a very basic junior school at close to break even with junior match income and an around v good - excellent coach.
Excellent topic for the teams in a rut! :) Thanks somerset... I found some valuable advise here too.
Well I think juniors in div 4 can be too much of a risk to capital. I can just about run a school properly in Div 3. It may be eaiser once you can charge decent ticket prices.
You guys at the top sell players I would keep even now.
You guys at the top sell players I would keep even now.
Well I think juniors in div 4 can be too much of a risk to capital.
It's not a risk if you run it to your own level. You can't be in IV and expect to have unearthly junior coaches.
It's not a risk if you run it to your own level. You can't be in IV and expect to have unearthly junior coaches.
Indeed, I agree with that one.
Hence why my advice to new teams would be not to do it. If you have been in div 4 a while and know your costs it can be worth doing. You also have to sell pretty quick once promoted or the value of the player against the skill level of the coaches decrease.
All in all, it needs careful thought and planning.
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Hence why my advice to new teams would be not to do it. If you have been in div 4 a while and know your costs it can be worth doing. You also have to sell pretty quick once promoted or the value of the player against the skill level of the coaches decrease.
All in all, it needs careful thought and planning.
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Juniors in IV is the best time to have them IMO. Many will slot straight in to your team and be invaluable as you know their talent. I kept many 4-5 week talents who would have sold for a few hundred k each but I built my team around them and ended selling them for millions.
They are juniors I wouldn't keep if I promoted them now, hence the school being less productive in my II days due to the strict quality criteria I stick with and also because I have a structure in place now that I wouldn't want to change if I pulled a dream striker trainee for example.
Junior schools are actually easier to run now than they were when I was in IV as gibbage kindly pointed out ticket prices. You could fairly comfortably run one with a formidable coach and sensible first team coaches.
(edited)
They are juniors I wouldn't keep if I promoted them now, hence the school being less productive in my II days due to the strict quality criteria I stick with and also because I have a structure in place now that I wouldn't want to change if I pulled a dream striker trainee for example.
Junior schools are actually easier to run now than they were when I was in IV as gibbage kindly pointed out ticket prices. You could fairly comfortably run one with a formidable coach and sensible first team coaches.
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ive bin playing for about 1 year now and opened my junior school in my second season. i think im slightly profitable with it already and have a couple of nice prospect coming though that i know the talent of so im hoping of keeping. :) yet im copping fine with my league 3, winning both my opening games, even with lower adverage marks.