Before we get started lets have a little reminder about the save and the self imposed rules we are working with.
If you want to start from the beginning of the journey you can do so here.
Save Rules & Aims
Aims
To become a professional football team for the first time in the clubs history.
Become a League Club.
Win some major silverware.
Rules
Only Sign English Players
This may sound like an easier save rule, however I like the idea of limiting the scope of our signings.
Promote 3 Players a season from the youth intake into the first team squad.
This will focus the save upon developing the local lads to become the future of the club.
Fill the backroom staff with former players and legends along the way.
This will add a different twist when trying to improve the clubs standing. Developing staff as well as players.
In our last episode we secured promotion to League 2 after winning the playoffs and achieving on of our initial long term aims of becoming a League Club for the first time in the clubs history.
This brought along the completion of another one of our challenges, to become full time professional.
This was the turning point that really opened my eyes to the task we had ahead of us. We needed to prepare for life as a full time professional footballing outfit, on and off of the field.
So lets start preparing for the toughest season to date.
Off The Field improvements
Lets start with some off the field improvements. We are required to make improvements to York Road to ensure it is up to league standards so this was the first to be organised.
This required us to fork out £1.7 million, so no pressure on us to stay in the league then......
We then turned our attention to the training facilities.
This will help the development of the players no end and is a huge step in the right direction.
Transfer In's and Out's
We shall start with the In's and as with previous transfer windows during this save we are searching through the free signings looking for a bargain or two.
6 additions to the 1st team and all will play big parts to play. Lets have a closer look at the new recruits.
Jahziah Linton - A left sided player in all sense of the word. Can play all along the left flank and has great physicals for a 19 year old. Lots of technical work to be done.
Alex Kirk - Picked up after being released from the Arsenal Academy. A true central defender with great aerial presence and defensive traits. Will be at the heart of this defence for the season.
George Lucas - No not the creator of Star Wars, but our second central defensive signing. With a little bit more experience than Kirk he may well be key to the success of the defence.
Reuell Walters - More defensive reinforcements as we pick up another player released buy a premier league team. Walters is the to same as Linton but right footed. Will add depth the whole way down the right side of the team.
(You will notice that Walters is Jamaican. He was declared for England when we signed him)
Riley Owen - Another released from a Premier League club. Owen is an attacking left forward who has plenty of potential. One for some impact off of the bench for sure.
Brandon Bryan-Waugh - Another central defender joins the ranks more than likely as back up for Kirk and Lucas. There is plenty of potential however and I am keen to ensure his development is done with some game time in mind.
There is not much in the way of ground breaking news for the departing players. I was keen to keep the wage budget under control and sent a few players on loan to help balance the books.
Development Players
As per one of the long term save rules we are required to promote 3 players from a previous youth intake into the first team squad. Its going to be a difficult year as it is so these guys may not see as many minutes as previous development players have.
Toby Hill is the best of the three and will probably have a role to play in the centre of midfield when the rotations come around.
Season Preview
Its safe to say that nobody gives us much of a chance of staying up.
Pre Season
As always, Pre Season is a great way to make cash as well as get some match sharpness up. We do it every year with some degree of success.
Well that's the preparation over with. We will cover the first half of the season next time out.
Its shaping up to be a LONG season.
Cheers
Panda
If you want to check out our other FM22 Save The Darmstadt Dream why not start from the beginning right here?
Or our most recent series, Growing up in Guernsey which you can start from the beginning here
