Season 1 in England (season 3 overall in this challenge)
and a 2nd place finish in Premiership which is an achievment when up against an all conquering Chelsea team..

Newcastle are backing me with transfer funds, and with big bucks raised via Champions League ahead, I think i can mount a serious title challenge in season 4.

Newcastle screen print above is a little blurry.
Just to confirm, yes, the top 3 were THAT far ahead at the top of table!

My first season in the Premiership did not go too well!

Spurs were dumped out of most cups early, and a really mixed season, Pld 38 W11 D14 L13 meant an 11th place finish.

Some reinforcements required for the 2nd season to try to turn this mob into title challengers.

Main summer signings:

D LC Sylvain Monsoreau (from my former team Werder Bremen) £2.8m
D/DM RL Dario Srna (Shaktar) £4.2m
AM/F LC Freddy Adu on a Bosman

Aswell as some young players for the future...., and a few other Bosmans.

Main target is an AM L, so back up Florent Malouda.

My planned lineup for S4 will be:-

GK Paul Robinson
DR Dario Srna
DL Fabio Santos
DC Ledley King
DC Michael Dawson
DMC Matuzalem
DMC Mohamed Sissoko
AMR Shaun Wright Phillips
AML Florent Malouda
AMC Freddy Adu or Lenny
SC Gianpaolo Pazzini (main success of S3, with 27 goals in 38 matches)

My planned Newcastle lineup for S4 will be:-

1. Shay Given
2. Anthony Vanden Borre
3. Sebastian Hoftijzer
4. Aythami
5. Miranda
6. Scott Parker
7. Stilian Petrov
8. Manuel Fernandez
9. Robinho
10. Michael Owen
11. Damien Duff

Robinho is a good catch.

I wanted Duff for Spurs, but Chelsea would not sell, ended up signing Stewart Downing from Middlesboro who looks a decent player.

Robinho was £25M on 80k a week!

Quite a young 11, especially defence.

1. Shay Given 32 years old
2. Anthony Vanden Borre 20
3. Sebastian Hoftijzer 22
4. Aythami 22
5. Miranda 23
6. Scott Parker 27
7. Stilian Petrov 29
8. Manuel Fernandez 24
9. Robinho 24
10. Michael Owen 28
11. Damien Duff 29

subs:
Sol Campbell (experienced, and can play anywhere back 4)
Steve Taylor DC
Andrea Barzagli DC
Simone Barone MC
Libor Sionko AMR
Dirk Kuyt SC

Who plays right midfield in your starting 11?

That team lineup is almost as young as Celtic's IRL!

At April-09, sitting equal 2nd in league with Man Utd and Liverpool, 3 games to play.

Chelsea have romped to title again, unbeaten in 35 games so far!!

Lost to them in League Cup Final, KO'd by Liverpool in UEFA (which I don't know how I got into seeing as I was 11th in season before?) at quarter-final stage - and KO'd by Palace in FA Cup Semi.

Onto S3 - but Chelsea making this leg of the challenge by far the toughest of the lot.

LIVERPOOL - CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND.

With 4 games to go I was a point clear, but 2 draws had me scared, but Chelsea lost a match and I hung on to win it on goal difference.

Creasey has at last staked claim that he is one of the most successful Scottish managers of all time, boasting a managerial record that is comparable to the grea-*test*-('").


Matt Busby, Jock Stein, Alex Ferguson? ;-)

Don't know if Alex Ferguson plays FM, but I bet Alex McLeish does!
After all, what else has he to do with his time now he is on the management scrapheap?


Craig, FAL

Pleasantly surprised by my Man City side this season. Managed to take the last champions league place by finishing 4th and also won the FA cup. Just have to add a couple of players here and there and i think i could have a go for the title, or i might get a better offer during the summer of course!!

Well i've just finished another season in England and managed a 2nd place finish with my Man city side a full 12 points behind Liverpool who i actually managed to beat in the UEFA cup final! So i guess its all down to Gabs to win the title and he's won the challenge by my reckoning.