It’s a week or so since I revealed to the world that I was playing Football Manager 2005 once again, and that I’d taken control of The Soccer AM Badgers, using the editor to change things around a little, such as putting them in the Conference South Division, giving them an excellent worldwide reputation and a massive back balance, and recruiting a ton of overseas talent on free transfers.
If you recall the team won that particular division by a massive margin, winning promotion to the Conference National Division, just one step under the Football League, as well as winning the FA Trophy.
Well, my second season in charge of the Badgers was another successful one. The team dominated the division, winning and gaining promotion to the Football League by a massive twenty-eight points. Sadly the success couldn’t be replicated in the FA Trophy when they lost to the mighty Southend United by penalties in the final at Wembley. Sadly the FA Cup campaign ended in the third round, although the team did managed to take Premier League side Middlesborough to a replay and a narrow defeat.
On the pitch youngsters such as English star Theo Walcott and American Freddy Adu did extremely well, but Adu’s season was cut short in September when he broke his leg. Walcott continued to thrive on the right wing though, and bagged a ton of goals.
The rest of the regulars had pretty good seasons. Jamie Redknapp moaned a little because I didn’t pick him on a regular basis, but he settled down towards the end of the season. Mind you, it probably helped when I hired his dad Harry as my assistant manager after Glenn Hoddle left to take the vacant job at Everton. Harry was later joined in the dugout by none other than Jose Mourinho, who jumped at the chance of joining my staff after he got the sack from Chelsea.
Darren Huckerby thrived once again as he topped the scoring charts, although his strike partner from the previous season, Cameroon star Patrick Mboma, struggled for form, especially after a lengthy injury lay-off. Luckily from me Argentine star Gabriel Batistuta came in and proved to be a great partner for Hucks.
The massive lead the team had built up at the top of the table meant that I could rotate the squad quite a bit. It meant that some of the older stars such as De Boar and Zanchi could get a rest from their defensive duties while others such as Zak Whitbread, Eddie Howe and Phil Jagielka could step in for them. It also helped when I finally convinced Norwich City to sell Adam Drury to me for £11 million, a drop in the ocean when you consider I had a transfer budget of nearly £700 million.
Sadly, due to their advancing years many of my superstar recruits, such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Chilavert, Romario, Edilson and Antonio Conte decided to call it a day, while a few others were more than happy to carry on playing for the reserves.
So the season ended with another massive recruitment drive. Youngsters that I’d scouted during the season, with the intention of building them up, we recruited for the course, as were the likes of Brazilian superstar Rivaldo, two Juninhos, Matthew Upson and more signed up.
As for the original Badgers, apart from Keith O’Neill and Paul Dalglish the rest of them either retired or left when their contracts ended. O’Neill was the only one who saw first team action, and that was mainly due to injuries and international call-ups.
So a first season in the Football League beckons. But once again I’m left thinking that this game is too bloody easy when you’ve got a bank-full of money and an excellent team. Will The Badgers win League Two by a massive margin? Or will I say f*** it and start a new game without any of the advantages the editor has given me?
If you recall the team won that particular division by a massive margin, winning promotion to the Conference National Division, just one step under the Football League, as well as winning the FA Trophy.
Well, my second season in charge of the Badgers was another successful one. The team dominated the division, winning and gaining promotion to the Football League by a massive twenty-eight points. Sadly the success couldn’t be replicated in the FA Trophy when they lost to the mighty Southend United by penalties in the final at Wembley. Sadly the FA Cup campaign ended in the third round, although the team did managed to take Premier League side Middlesborough to a replay and a narrow defeat.
On the pitch youngsters such as English star Theo Walcott and American Freddy Adu did extremely well, but Adu’s season was cut short in September when he broke his leg. Walcott continued to thrive on the right wing though, and bagged a ton of goals.
The rest of the regulars had pretty good seasons. Jamie Redknapp moaned a little because I didn’t pick him on a regular basis, but he settled down towards the end of the season. Mind you, it probably helped when I hired his dad Harry as my assistant manager after Glenn Hoddle left to take the vacant job at Everton. Harry was later joined in the dugout by none other than Jose Mourinho, who jumped at the chance of joining my staff after he got the sack from Chelsea.
Darren Huckerby thrived once again as he topped the scoring charts, although his strike partner from the previous season, Cameroon star Patrick Mboma, struggled for form, especially after a lengthy injury lay-off. Luckily from me Argentine star Gabriel Batistuta came in and proved to be a great partner for Hucks.
The massive lead the team had built up at the top of the table meant that I could rotate the squad quite a bit. It meant that some of the older stars such as De Boar and Zanchi could get a rest from their defensive duties while others such as Zak Whitbread, Eddie Howe and Phil Jagielka could step in for them. It also helped when I finally convinced Norwich City to sell Adam Drury to me for £11 million, a drop in the ocean when you consider I had a transfer budget of nearly £700 million.
Sadly, due to their advancing years many of my superstar recruits, such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Chilavert, Romario, Edilson and Antonio Conte decided to call it a day, while a few others were more than happy to carry on playing for the reserves.
So the season ended with another massive recruitment drive. Youngsters that I’d scouted during the season, with the intention of building them up, we recruited for the course, as were the likes of Brazilian superstar Rivaldo, two Juninhos, Matthew Upson and more signed up.
As for the original Badgers, apart from Keith O’Neill and Paul Dalglish the rest of them either retired or left when their contracts ended. O’Neill was the only one who saw first team action, and that was mainly due to injuries and international call-ups.
So a first season in the Football League beckons. But once again I’m left thinking that this game is too bloody easy when you’ve got a bank-full of money and an excellent team. Will The Badgers win League Two by a massive margin? Or will I say f*** it and start a new game without any of the advantages the editor has given me?
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