FM EXPERIMENT: PT 2

Welcome to the second episode of the FM Experiment where we follow the fortunes of SAFC on the popular PC game Football Manager 2024 over a number of seasons. After a decent pre-season where we won three and drew one, the lads went into the real business full of hope that they might return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017.

The opening month had seen a mixed bag of results with the low point being a First Round exit in the Carabao Cup to Mansfield Town. However, a win at the Coventry Building Society on TV would be the spring for a fruitful September where the Lads extended their unbeaten to seven games before succumbing to a late loss at Hillsborough in the last game of the month.

October 2023:

Four days after losing in the Steel City, the team headed home to host Watford. It seemed like the loss to the Owls was still hanging over like a stigma as the Hornets raced into a 2-0 lead by the half hour mark. However, we recovered a point thanks to Nazariy Rusyn and Jobe Bellingham grabbing their first goals for the club in the second half. Another comeback from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 came in the next game, the Wear-Tees derby; Abdoullah Ba and Trai Hume in front of a virtual sell out crowd live on Sky Sports.

Following the second international break, we travelled to the Potteries. A second half effort from Dutch wing-back Ki-Jana Hoever settled the game in the home side's favour. A goalless draw at the King Power Stadium would follow before October concluded with Norwich's visit to the SoL. The Canaries took a 14th minute lead but Bradley Dack equalised ten minutes before the break, and Patrick Roberts ensured we would go home happy with an 86th minute winner.

November 2023:

Ahead of November's four match stint, the Lads brought in young Leicester City Kelechi Chiubeze on a free transfer. The 19-year-old had been released by the Foxes in the summer so despite the window being closed; as a free agent he could be picked up by anyone. On the pitch, we started with yet another draw which was plucked from a possible defeat. The venue? Swansea. The home side led in the 33rd minute with Jamal Lowe but we levelled ten minutes after half time thanks to Jack Clarke.

Clarke would be on target the following week too as the Lads recorded an impressive 3-0 home win over visitors Birmingham City, a result that probably left Jasper Carrott seething. The other goals came from an own goal by Blues keeper John Ruddy and another Patrick Roberts effort. The third international break came and went before the longest away trip of the season, travelling to Plymouth.

The trip however was worth for the 850 away fans as the Lads racked up another win, and another clean sheet in a 2-0 triumph. Goals came from Clarke once more, his third in as many games, and yet another Bradley Dack effort. A third win in a row finished off November when Huddersfield Town were seen off 2-1 at the SoL in a game that saw all the goals in a two-minute spell. Dack and Keidi Bare on target for SAFC with Ben Wiles scoring for the Terriers.

The busy months of December and January awaited us next...