The 42 Challenge

[LoonsYouthTeam]

I wanted to write about a challenge I’m currently attempting in Football Manager. I’ve always fancied doing one, and writing about it, but have just never got around to doing it before. I’ll explain the challenge, but here’s some background first.

 

I’ve been a fan of football management sims since the days of Sensible World of Soccer on the Amiga. Although that wasn’t strictly speaking a management game I found much more enjoyment on the management side of it than the playing side and it sparked a love for these types of games. I had many favourites in addition to SWOS through the mid-90s to early 2000s, titles such as; Premier Manager 98, LMA Manager (building stadiums!) and of course, Championship Manager.

 

However, every single one of those that I have played in the last 20 years I’ve fallen into the same trap. I pick a team, I put together a squad, I taste success and then I can’t give it up. Season upon season as the same team slowly but surely ebbing them towards glory, and I had a blast doing so. Nothing will ever top my all conquering Dumbarton side from Football Manager 2009 who romped home to 12 SPL titles in a row and a Champions League crown before the game was struck down by a horrific case of no fixtures being generated.

 

In all that time I’ve never had a game where I’ve hopped from club to club, taking on new challenges. I just can’t give up what I’ve started and even if I’ve finished in the bottom 6 of the SPL with Annan Athletic for the 7^th straight season I ignore the job offers as I know that next year will be the year we click. The only game that springs to mind where I chose to change clubs was my Forfar career in Football Manager 2006 where after surviving in the SPL and struggling to find new players I felt I’d taken them as far as I could and left for Crewe Alexandra. Slow improvements every season finally brought promotion from the English Second Division in my 5^th season, yet I was sacked next season hovering just above the relegation zone. Gratitude! I could have started again at another club but it’s just not what I’ve ever wanted to do, until now.

 

Personal circumstance means I no longer have the same time to waste/devote to Football Manager. In my school and Uni days I clocked up more FM hours than studying hours and being a single guy I was able to spend some great quality time with my oldest of friends.

 

Now I’m married with a young child and my priorities have changed. I still love time spent playing Football Manager, and continue to this day to have a regular game with my mate where we catch up every couple of weeks or so, but I can now no longer spend 5 evenings a week in front of my laptop. Instead I get a few hours when the wee man and wife are sleeping or if Call the Midwife is on, so what I want is a long career I can get stuck in to, but not one where I become consumed by a single team slowly taking them forward. Instead I need short, quick challenges. That’s where I got the idea for this challenge.

 

I enjoy reading Football Manager stories and challenges; the ultimate glory of the Pentagon Challenge or all conquering teams such as Pie & Bovril’s own Smurph’s Pro Vercelli career. Since I’ve never been a club hopper, what if I changed tact completely and set a challenge where I became the ultimate club hopper?

 

Therefore, the challenge I have set myself is to have a Football Manager career where I manage every single club in Scottish football. I’ll be using Football Manager 2009 so there will be no promotion or relegation out of the league so my career will continue until I’ve managed all 42 clubs. I don’t want to just join a club and leave the next day in order to complete it; I want to actually achieve some sort of success at each club.

 

This challenge is perfect for me as I can dip in and out; get through a season across a few sessions, and then when the time is right move on to a new challenge. I can see this taking years in real time but that suits me given it’s something I’ll be leaving and coming back to, I only hope my laptop will survive long enough for me to complete the challenge! I chose Football Manager 2009 simply as it’s my favourite version due to the aforementioned Dumbarton game and I enjoy it more than Football Manager 2017; I feel the modern games have just become a little too complicated and it would take days of playing to complete a season on my laptop.

 

Here’s a list of goals I’m setting for myself throughout the course of this challenge:

 

Win the 3^rd Division

Win the 2^nd Division

Win the 1^st Division

Win Manager of the Year in every division

Win the Challenge Cup

Win the League Cup

Win the Scottish Cup

Win the Premier League

Win the Europa League

Win the Champions League

Achieve back to back promotions

Take a club beyond their natural level

Be poached by a club (don’t have to accept)

Win away at every league ground

Have an undefeated league season

Cross a great divide

Have a positive goal difference across my career

Win the 3^rd Division every season I’m in it

Have my club achieve a better finish than the previous year every season (unless they’ve been relegated)

May add more to this as I go.

 

Out of these, I feel that winning European trophies will be difficult although I do tend to find that when you’re just running one league it does become a bigger power in Europe than it should. It will still be extremely difficult though.

 

As for crossing a great divide, I can only imagine the uproar across Scottish football if a manger left their job to take the helm at a rival so I fancy doing that in this career. Take the short walk from Dens to Tannadice, leave Hibs to join Hearts, resign from Rangers to join Celtic. I can already envisage the online meltdowns and effigies burning.

I also think that the 3^rd Division is so easy in these games and regardless of club I’d fancy winning the title if I had a full season at the helm. I’ll need to manage all teams so will end up having a few 3^rd Division years so will need to ensure I nail iot every time; this could be a real tough goal.

 

I’m genuinely excited by this since I know it’s a game I can keep on coming back to yet it’ll stay fresh and I’ll have to achieve success quickly rather than build a dynasty slowly. My laptop may die before I reach the end but I’ll give it a go until then.

 

I’ll admit that I started this game before I had the idea to write a thread on it so have played a couple of seasons, but I’ll cover those before providing updates as I go once I’m caught up, although once I do given the nature of this game there may be a wee while between updates.

I started out unemployed with my past experience as a Semi-pro footballer (I started it initially with no experience but couldn’t get a single job, I played a whole year!) so let’s see who takes a punt on me and hope I can build a decent reputation from there or it may be a really short challenge!

 

I'm going to list my achievements in here as I go so you can read them from the first post.

 

Overall Honours:

Spoiler

By Club:

 

Montrose:

3rd Division Champions 2008/09

Challenge Cup Runners up 2009/10

1st Division Playoff Winners 2009/10

 

Hamilton:

2nd Division Champions 2010/11

 

Queen of the South:

1st Division Champions 2011/12

 

Clyde:

2nd Division Champions 2014/15

 

By tournament:

 

3rd Division:

Champions 2008/09 - Montrose

 

2nd Division:

Champions 2010/11 - Hamilton

Champions 2014/15 - Clyde

 

1st Division: 

Play-off Winners 2009/10 - Montrose

Champions 2011/12 - Queen of the South

 

Challenge Cup:

Runners Up 2009/10 - Montrose

Winners 2014/15 - Clyde

 

League Cup:

 

Scottish Cup:

 

Season-by-season:

Spoiler

2008/09

Montrose:

3rd Division: 1st

Challenge Cup: 2nd Round - lost to Peterhead

League Cup: 1st round - lost to Dundee

Scottish Cup: 4th round - lost to Falkirk

 

2009/10

Montrose:

2nd Division: 2nd (Play-off winners)

Challenge Cup: Runner-up - lost to Ross County

League Cup: 2nd Round - lost to Clyde

Scottish Cup: 4th Round - lost to Partick Thistle

 

2010/11

Hamilton Academical

2nd Division: 1st

Challenge Cup: 2nd Round - lost to Queen of the South

League Cup: 1st Round - lost to Berwick Rangers

Scottish Cup:  4th Round - lost to Celtic

 

2011/12

Queen of the South

1st Division: 1st

Challenge Cup: 1st Round - Lost to Partick Thistle

League Cup: 3rd Round - Lost to St Mirren

Scottish Cup: 3rd Round - Lost to Stirling Albion

 

2012/13

Queen of the South

SPL: 9th

League Cup: 3rd Round - Lost to Rangers

Scottish Cup: Semi-final - Lost to Aberdeen

 

2013/14

Dundee Utd

SPL: 3rd

League Cup: Quarter-final - Lost to Celtic

Scottish Cup: Quarter-final - Lost to Celtic

 

2014/15

Clyde

2nd Division: 1st

Challenge Cup Winners

League Cup: 2nd Round - Lost to Inverness

Scottish Cup: 5th Round - Lost to Celtic

Update on goals achieved:

Spoiler

Win the 3^rd Division - Complete 2009

Win the 2^nd Division - Complete 2011

Win the 1^st Division - Complete 2012

Win Manager of the Year in every division - 3rd Division 2009, 1st Division 2012

Win the Challenge Cup - Complete 2014

Win the League Cup

Win the Scottish Cup

Win the Premier League

Win the Europa League

Win the Champions League

Achieve back to back promotions - Complete 2010

Take a club beyond their natural level - Complete 2010 (Montrose into 1st Division)

Be poached by a club (don’t have to accept)

Win away at every league ground - 31/42 Complete - Have not won at Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Dundee Utd, Dundee, Raith Rovers, St Johnstone, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Montrose, Queen's Park

Have an undefeated league season

Cross a great divide

Have a positive goal difference across my career - Succeeding so far

Win the 3^rd Division every season I’m in it - Succeeding so far (1 season completed)

Have my club achieve a better finish than the previous year every season (unless they’ve been relegated) - Succeeding so far

 

Edited March 22, 2021 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Starting out unemployed I was fortunate enough to get the first job I went for. My first club...

As we start the 2008-09 season Montrose have been in the basement since 1995, and have rarely threatened promotion. My first goal is to rectify that.

I've already played this so can't post my squad but I have a few old pros in Keith Gibson and Jamie Buchan in midfield but I am woefully short, especially at the back and up front. My  choices at centre forward are John Baird who has decent stats for this level and Steven Doris who is on loan from St Johnstone and even though he looks good his loan only lasts until September! Hope they renew it. At the back I'm really struggling bar right back, my best defender is Scott Anson on loan from Killie, at least his loan last until January.

Here's my transfer activity for the summer:

Not many signings but truth be told the majority of players available are honking!

I'm sure everybody who has ever played Football Manager 2009 in the lower leagues has signed Marco Pelosi. He's an attacking left back who is far too good for the 3rd Division. Lee Sharp is quite old and had his best years at Stranraer but I only have a young left winger and he's a lot better than him. McNally can play right back or centre back and will be good in this league. Sloan is an AMC as I had none in the squad bar John Baird who I'll play up front, plus he's the best passer and most creative at the club now so shoud be important.

I'm overall happy with the squad. The existing goalkeeper Mark Peat is good for this level, as is right back David Worrell. Ex-Forfar midfielder Hugh "Scooby" Davidson may be one of my most hated players in real life but he can play right across the midfield so will play a part. I normally hate the pishy regen youths you're supplied with but two of them are actually good enough for my first team squad; Iain Cuthill a centre half who can head the ball but not much else and a  central midfielder, Alan Lauchlan.

I have a decent first XI for this league but am woefully short of cover. Bring it on!

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Here's how the start of my season went (Note, our goals are always listed first in FM2009 regardless of being home or away):

I haven't bothered posting pre-season but an important thing did happen. Steven Doris tore his hamstring so his loan is over. I've not even started the season and I'm down to one decent striker!

Started of with a great victory away at Station Park in the Challenge Cup. In my head The Loons faithful were hurling abuse at me for taking the reigns of our rivals but I was smug as despite Forfar dominating a Lewis Sloan goal gave us the win.

David Worrell got our first league goal from the spot against Dumbarton and John Baird gave us our first 3 points against Elgin.

I performed well at Dens in the League Cup and away at Peterhead in the Challenge Cup, losing on penalties. Forfar got revenge in the league with a deserved victory at Station Park.

From there my form was good, I rarely conceded and picked up 4 wins in a row before somehow losing to bottom of the table Dumbarton as we squandered chance after chance. Still, by the end of October we were sitting 2nd, jousting with Forfar and sitting just behind the Shire who are unbeaten. I got through my cup tie comfortably with a shadow side.

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Here's how we did up until the New Year:

A good win to start November but then Dick Campbell's Forfar sodomised my poor lads at Links Park, an absolute arse skelping. We then lost at The Shire who have David Templeton on loan from Hearts and is ridiculously good at this level. He told me he was "nae interested" in playing for us yet ends up at East Stirlingshire and waltzing through our defence.

At least we recovered after that, John Baird getting the winner at Cowdenbeath then a double in the cup replay at The Glebe after we more than matched Brechin. Our form after was excellent, 12 points from 15. Barring the bizarre Stenny result we were exceptional. John Baird ended up with 6 goals in December but we were badly needing support for him. Here;s our January transfer window (and beyond) business:

Centre back has been a problem so Benedictus comes in on loan as Anson returns to Killie (rejected coming back). Bene is much better than Anson and is far too good for this level. Dunbar is a right winger with a decent cross. Nick "The Real" McKoy is a centre midfielder I've had before in FM2009 at Annan and has great all round stats and loves to get forward. Being woefully short of strikers I offered Jim McIntyre a playing contract after he was sacked by Dunfermline (I was slightly tempted to apply for the job) and signed perennial lower league moaning face Ian Harty, he may be a twat but he knows where the net is. I also added Timmons on loan from Dundee, he is very quick and is a good finisher so hoping he can get a few in this league.

I'm much happier with my options throught the squad now so I am aiming to catch East Stirlingshire at the summit 

Edited September 15, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? What did the New Year bring for the Gable Endies?

Another victory over Elgin with Baird and Lee Sharpe finding the net before being outclassed by Premier League Falkirk in the cup. Decent attendance though and a good cup run. Disappointed to lose again to Forfar in the league. After my Challenge Cup victory it's played 3 lost 3 in the league against the club I want to beat most. More disappointment against The Shire, Templeton had returned to Hearts so I was confident I could be the first team to beat them in the league but I just didn't have the fire power.

3 solid wins in a row with McKoy getting his first goal, Baird 3 and Worrell and Sharpe chipping in again put us in contention as East Stirlingshire finally lost for the first time against Stenny in the 24th of January. They followed that up with a 4-1 win but then picked up just 1 point over 5 games they played in February. I couldn't capitalise though, drawing 3 in a row.

By the end of February ourselves and East Stirling were in a duel for the title. They were ahead but had faltered. I needed a big month in March.

Edited September 15, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

WHAT. A. MONTH!!!!!!

4 games, 4 wins, no goals conceded.

Not only that but I righted two wrongs. Wins against my bitches Elgin and Cowdenbeath weren't a surprise, McKoy and Baird goalscorers again, but it was the others where we truly performed like title winners.

Forfar had given us a torrid time this season. Smarting from our smash and grab victory in the Challenge Cup they had beaten us 3 times in the league including an absolute hounding in the last game at Links Park. Nick McKoy, Lee Sharpe and Joe Dunbar saw us comfortable winners but we still trailed The Shire as we travelled to Ochilview.

It was one of those turgid games you get in FM some time. Few highlights shown and the ones that were were wayward half chances. It looked as if East Strlingshire would claim the draw to keep them top. Time for a supersub to enter.

With ten minutes to go a ball into the Shire box pinged around, a shot was blocked but it fell to IAN HARTY!!!!!! GOAL FOR MONTROSE!!!

He'e been utterly hopeless since signing but what an important first goal for the club. That win put us top and a follow up win as The Shire lost again put us clear for the run in.

Edited September 16, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

An absolute canter.

I have no idea why there was only 2 games in April but I won the title at Berwick, no surprises McKoy and Baird with the goals, as East Stirling absolutely capitulated without Templeton. A 5-1 thumping of Stenny as we picked up the league trophy (well, in my mind we did) with 5 different scorers; Kevin Bradley (who hasn't had a mention but as an AM RLC filled in everywhere and with pace to burn was often very effective), Jamie Bucan, Lee Sharp, John Baird (of course) and Lewis Sloan the scorers.

The final day saw young Alan Lauchlan net before an own goal rounded off our season. The final league table looked like this:

It looks like I won it easily, and I suppose I did in the end, but for a long time I trailed East Stirling and was vying with Forfar for 2nd. The January window was what decided it. The Shire lost Templeton who had a ridiculous number of assists and goals whereas I was able to strengthen. Considering they went 22 games without defeat to start the season (15 wins 7 draws) they only won 3 after their first defeat and really fell away.

After we lost at Station Park in mid-January we never lost again, remaining undefeated for the last 15 games on the season, winning our last 8 in a row. That's why it looks like we won it easy but we trailed for the majority and only hit top spot in March.

I picked up a few personal accolades:

How the hell did I not get the award for March!?!?!?!?

Still, it's one title won and one Manager of the Year won so a great start to my career.

Every single fabric of me being is screaming at me to stay at Montrose and take on the 2nd Division, yet, in my head I'm thinking that's not the aim of the challenge. What shall I do?

Edited September 15, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Before I move on to next season here's my Best XI for the year:

Lee Sharp got a lot more goals than I remember!

I stuck with a 451 due to lack of strikers for the majority of the season. Despite his 6 goals the fans hated Sloan and he performed poorly whenever he didn't score so Lauchlan ended up playing more. Buchan and Gibson were solid, allowing the wide men and other midfielder to get forward.

Both full-backs were brilliant and were very effective going forward. I really didn't give the wingers enough credit in that write up, 2 of 3 players to average over 7.00 rating.

He only arrived in January which I think is why he never made the best XI squad but Nick McKoy got 4 goals in 14 games from midfield and picked up 4 MOTM. Also not mentioned is Ian Harty, whose goal against East Stirlingshire proved to be his only goal, but what an important goal.

The rest of the subs were players who were already there who were just squad fillers as I couldn't get anybody better.

[LoonsYouthTeam]

As I said previously, my natural instincts were to stay at Montrose, but I do have to consider the challenge. Do I think we can do well in the 2nd Division? Probably, but I'm aware that I'm already thinking about where this club could be in a few years and that's not good.

Ultimately I decided to stay at Montrose because I still need to build my reputation. A good season this season could open me up to plenty of jobs. Besides, hardly any managers have left their jobs since I started the game so I never had much in the way of choice. I love my wee Montrose team though so happy to carry on. Here's my signings for the summer (and up to January):

A flurry of transfers at Links Park over the summer.

As good as Lee Sharp was he was now 34 and Willie McLaren is fantastic for this level. Bryan Deasley has 15 pace and 15 finishing which is pretty much all you need in the lower leagues. Keddie, Robertson and Forsyth will be my new centre backs and are all much better than Cuthill my youth centre back. Forsyth can play left back, and Robertson right back as additional cover.

Paul Paton although known now as a centre mid in real life is a cracking lower league right back in this game. Although I like Worrell and he's a good player Paton is just that bit better.

Jordan Murch is very exciting. He is only 19 and despite playing a lot for Clyde in the First Division last year he was released. He has excellent passing, work rate, tackling, team work and creativity so should be a great acquisition.

Joe Malin arrived to be my new keeper until Kenny Arthur became available. Feel bad for Mark Peat who did nothing wrong but Malin was better and much younger and Arthur, although a decent age was much better than the pair of them.

Greg Ross signed on deadline day and has solid stats all over, he can cover the middle and back either in the middle or on the right.

Finally, Jordan Timmons rejoined on loan in December, you may remember his name from last season where he joined on loan but did absolutely nothing. No goals, no assists. Despite that, he has really good stats, he's really physical for a young guy and I'm hoping he can do better this time.

Start of season expectations: Compete for a play-off spot. There's a few good teams in this league but a lot of part-time so no reason I can't challenge them and put myself in the mix. I'd be very disappointed if we ended up in a relegation battle.

Edited September 16, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Here's how our season started:

Happy with that start.

Absolutely smashed East Fife in the Challenge Cup. Deasley, McLaren (2) and McKoy the scorers followed by a cracking win away at Alloa to start the league campaign. Last year's squad showing they had a part to play with Kevin Bradley putting us ahead and then Ian Harty equalling his goals tally for last year in the opening league game.

We done very well in the cups, beating Stirling away in the League Cup and 1st Division Clyde in the Challenge Cup.

Our league form was great at home with 4 wins and 1 loss but poor away, picking up 1 point from 3 games after Alloa. Still  come the end of September we were mid-table and ended the month with a great derby win over Arbroath, Feel like I've written this loads, but the scorers were McKoy and Baird.

The real highlight of the start of the season was our 3-0 bitching of Morton to put us in the Challenge Cup semis. Kevin Bradley, Willie McLaren and Joe Dunbar all scored from the wing as Morton fans were left sobbing uncontrollably. Pleasing.

Edited September 16, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Here's how we progressed up until the New Year:

As you can see we reached the Challenge Cup final! We through the veterans on against Raith chasing the game and Ian Harty got us back in it before Jim McIntyre scored the equaliser in what proved to be the only goal he scored for us before he left to join Brechin as manager.

In the final we fell 2-0 behind after only 10 minutes. Jordan Murch and Bryan Deasley got us back in it and despite having chances it was County who grabbed the winner. Still, they're a good First Division team and that may be the best we've played.

For the league our form was OK, some good wins but a few disappointing defeats, Stranraer have beaten us twice now and to lose at home  to East Fife after destroying them in the cup earlier in the season was frustrating. Still, we destroyed Ayr with Murch, the ever green Sharp and Bryan Deasley at the double the scorers, won the derby against Brechin with Jordan Timmons scoring his first and second goals for the club, and also beat runaway leaders Airdrie with another goal for Harty and Greg Ross with the winner. Given these big wins the defeats were so disappointing, especially our lacklustre performance at Gayfield on Boxing Day.

[LoonsYouthTeam]

I've not posted our January transfers as there weren't any! Although happy with my squad I'm always looking for better players but there was just nobody available.

Our league form has hit a pattern; great at home, shite away.

2 points from 5 away games is not good enough, although a 2-2 draw at Airdrie was a great result. Alloa was frustrating as I led 3-0 courtesy of a Greg Ross hat-trick only for Alloa to get back into it and equalise in added time.#

Our home form was excellent. 4 wins from 4 in the league conceding just 1 goal. I finally beat Stranraer, and after netting his 1st and 2nd goals for the club against Brechin in December Jordan Timmons got his 3rd and 4th goals for the club against the same opposition.

I feel I should give a shout out for Bryan Deasley, I've barely mentioned him but he's scored a lot this season, scored 4 in 3 games against Ayr, Peterhead and East Fife.

We did well in the Scottish Cup again. Deasley got the goal against Partick to force a replay in which they just had too much for us.

At the end of this run we're on the cusp of the play-offs, some good form needed now.

[LoonsYouthTeam]

WHAT. A. MONTH!

I honestly can't believe it!

For the 2nd March in a row we win all 4 games in the month without conceding!

Jordan Murch has really started performing and he scored 3 of our 6 goals in the month, including the winners against Arbroath and Stranraer. Baird (2) and Paul Paton the other scorers this month but it was Murch's month.

We're now in the play-offs as we enter April. We've already avoided relegation so why not give it a go. Airdrie have barely lost and have won the title but it's tight between the rest of us but following this month I'd now be disappointed not to make the play-offs.

[LoonsYouthTeam]

I hate to quote John Motson but this is getting better and better and better!

Drawing against a decent East Fife team I then spanked Brechin at The Glebe. Wouldn't you know it, Jordan Timmons scored against Brechin AGAIN. He now has 6 for the season, 5 against Brechin. He was joined by Keith Gibson, John Baird and Joe Dunbar on the scoresheet. I didn't think I could get a better away performance.

I couldn't be more wrong.

I can't explain it. Every single attack was a goal and I was 6-0 up within 25 minutes. It is without doubt the best result I've ever had in Football Manager and even reading it back I still can't believe it. Jordan Murch opened the scoring before the strikers took over. Jordan Timmons must have thought he was playing Brechin as he scored 4! John Baird got a hat-trick and Ross Forsyth got one too. Unbelievable!

After that champions Airdrie were beaten as in from front two Baird and Timmons both scored again.

An absolutely incredible two months seeing us pick up 22 points out of 24 and score 21 goals over 8 goals. We're now 2nd going into the last couple of games and looking good for the play-offs, what a season!

 

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Two tough away games but we've really stepped up defensively so we were able to comfortably finish 2nd. Our only goal in the month came from one of my all time real life heroes. Unfortunately for Arbroath it was an Alan Rattray own goal.

We'd play East Fife in the play-off semi. They had finished 4th but FM2009 does not follow the correct format. Worryingly, despite hammering them in the Challenge Cup first round we had only picked up 2 points against them in the league and they had won at Links Park. They have a lot of good players and to be honest I'd have rather played 3rd placed Stranraer; stupid FM not following the rules! Could we do it?

Spoiler

Yes we could! The form men of Baird and Timmons scoring again, they're really hit their stride at the right time.

What about the 2nd leg?

Spoiler

Yes we could! It looks like squeaky bum time but in actual fact Greg Ross scored early and they only got their consolation late on. Can little Montrose do it?

 

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Little Montrose were only two games away from the First Division. They hadn't played at that level since 1992 and to even be near there again was unthinkable just 2 years ago, but now just one team stood in their way. Who would it be?

*GULP*

It was Hamilton.

How in the name of f**k did they finish 9th in the First Division? A quick check showed they were relegated from the SPL in 2009 and never adjusted to the First Division. Still, a look at their squad is frightening. To a man they're much better than my squad and they have many Premier League quality players; Trent McClenehan, Martin Canning, David Elebert and James Gibson are their back 4 and all look SPL players.

In centre midfield they have Simon Mensing and James McCarthy. Mensing would be bad enough given how overrated he is but James McCarthy? How is he still at Hamilton? He should be in the English Premier but yet here he is about to take on Little Montrose. Up front they have Richard "Dicky" Offylong who is Usain Bolt fast compared to my defenders.

Still, my team have pleasantly surprised me all year and have beaten 3 first Division teams in cups who all finished above Hamilton so what did I have to fear? If years of Football Manager has taught me anything it's that stats can count for little.

To the first leg:

 

Spoiler

We really needed to win at home. Hamilton completely bossed the game and the gulf in quality was frightening. Despite that they couldn't manage a 2nd goal and Joe Dunbar came off the bench to score what could be a crucial goal. It's all to play for in Hamilton. COME ON MONTROSE!!!!!!!!

 

[LoonsYouthTeam]

So brave Little Montrose had somehow reached the First Division Play-off final. How would the 2nd leg go?

Spoiler

UN... BE ...LIEAVBLE!

I have no idea how that happened. Hamilton again absolutely ragdolled us, they just couldn't score. It was 0-0 at half-time before a long clearance was missed and Baird nipped in to score. Hamilton missed chance after chance after chance. But then, a rare Montrose attack saw the ball sail into the box, the keeper went up for it but flapped and it squirmed out of his hands under no pressure at all leaving Baird to slot home his 2nd. Hamilton got one back in in stoppage time but Montrose had somehow upset the odds.

MONTROSE HAD WON THE PLAY-OFFS AND WOULD PLAY IN THE FIRST DIVISION!!!!!!!!!!

WE! ARE! GOING! UP!

 

Edited September 16, 2017 by LoonsYouthTeam

[LoonsYouthTeam]

So now the season is over we can take a look at the final league table and our best XI:

Airdrie really ran away with it but I think we were well worth promotion given our record. I'm absolutely delighted to go up and here's the lads who were responsible:

A great return from my strikers. 33 between Deasley and Baird with Baird really getting them when it mattered. Great shout to Timmons who got 9 of his 11 goals in 3 games against Brechin and 1 against Peterhead but he also got very important goals.

Lots of goals from midfield this year too with 20 goals across the 4 midfielders and another 10 from the bench. Special shout out to Jordan Murch, he was incredible and ended up our highest rated player.

Our defence was a lot stronger this year allowing us to play an attacking 442.

So in 2 years at Montrose I had achieved back to back promotions and brought them to the First Division against all odds. I really wanted to play on; I really love this Montrose team and I'm sure we could stay up next year and soon be challenging for a place in the Premier League. But if we made it there I'd never want to leave, I'd have unfinished business. After the play-off final I looked at what I'd done. If this was real life I'd have the freedom of Montrose and be hailed a hero; but I really need to stick to the challenge.

Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 - Montrose win the Firts Division Play-off Final

Sunday, May 23rd 2010 - I resign as Montrose manager.

[RandomGuy.]

Good luck with this, won't lie, I'll be reading it purely since it's the 2009 game and it'll be fun seeing all the old players and how they perform

[LoonsYouthTeam]

Good luck with this, won't lie, I'll be reading it purely since it's the 2009 game and it'll be fun seeing all the old players and how they perform

Cheers mate, a few current and ex-Saints already. Although you'll see by not even making the bench for my Best XI that Murray Davidson hardly set the world alight.