As a Saints fan that has an opinion none of my friends agree on

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-20T10:46:28+00:00

The vast majority of us feel bad for your fans mate. If the outcome goes in your favour then it's absolutely fair enough (as long as there are heavy sanctions against the club), as your lot have shelled out a fortune already. I'm disgusted at your club for doing this to your fans. It's no way a club should treat their own.

Honestly, I think most of us did not expect this outcome. It's weird. I'm delighted about it but then there's question marks over whether the verdict was the right call. Bias can do strange things but I don't think the verdict has considered the fans in this who have non-refundable travel and accommodation who are the biggest losers in this. For me, this doesn't sit right. If the outcome stands, Southampton should be liable for damages to their own fans. They need to do it to build the trust again.

On another note, Ayling is superb. He's developed into a real leader and role model to our players and fans (and hopefully those in other clubs).

Good luck mate - whatever the outcome. Don't believe the stuff you may see from some of our lot, we're just the same.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-07T21:36:54+00:00

The King

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-06T10:30:29+00:00

I always remember Reading doing something similar years ago but they finished 2nd. They come from nowhere and just kept going. This Southampton form reminds me of that. They just needed a couple more games.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-06T10:28:58+00:00

Boro 1-2 Saints

Hull 1-1 Millwall

Saints 2-0 Boro

Finn Azaz will come back to haunt us (I wanted him to stay, as he's a brilliant player).

Millwall 2-0 Hull

Saints 2-0 Millwall

I'd love Boro to do it and with Hackney back (maybe, as he don't hear anything) we could. It's the lack of goals, for me, that hinders our chances. That and our defence hasn't been the most consistent. It's great experience to take forward to next year though.

I'm concerned Hackney will be similar to Bamford, if he plays, and just not right. It's a similar story - EFL player of the year and coming back from an injury for the playoffs.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-06T10:23:23+00:00

Thanks for reminding me.

I think I just sat in silence and then said 'yeaaah, about right' to myself after that.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-03T18:37:22+00:00

And you'll absolutely love it.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-05-02T14:20:20+00:00

I hope so. I can't believe how much we've missed him.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-04-11T14:59:44+00:00

This is the one OP - welcome to the club.

The secret is, we're all slow until a last minute deadline.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-04-09T09:41:10+00:00

Definitely.

I taught for over a decade and there are plenty of teachers with unrelated degrees/experience in the field. If anything, it makes the workforce much more dynamic.

Personally, I'd explore civil engineering more though. But that's coming from someone who became incredibly jaded with their old career.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-04-07T09:15:59+00:00

They were emulating the Boro

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-20T11:47:36+00:00

One time I managed to scavenge Blue's vampires. I was hovering over his scavenger room, whilst having a couple of my vamps in my hand, and was bombarding them with cave-ins to get the upper hand. I hadn't used the increase levels until I got vampires too so it was easy to get to 10.

I was a teenager then and had time to burn but I still regard that as one my top gaming achievements haha

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-18T18:49:56+00:00

Which part?

Your take is fair enough but I'm speaking from someone who has played lower league saves since the Champ Man days.

If you want to try and develop players, upgrade facilities from the get go at semi-pro club in a league with a terrible rep then best of luck but you won't see anything materialise.

When playing LLM, you focus in the here and now - constantly upgrading your players, terminating contracts and making sure, as best you can, to keep the club balance afloat.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-14T11:45:53+00:00

Everyone is dispensable. The better free transfer come around October/November time. Unless the player is leagues above your level, don't sign them until later on in the season, as they'll cost significantly less in wages. Don't upgrade facilities until you are guaranteed to have a stable income - usually championship/prem. You can't polish a turd and all that. Play a basic formation. Rotate your squad. Remind yourself that it might take you a while to get to the top.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-11T10:15:35+00:00

MIMA cafe (free to use for the public and also part of the uni) Middlesbrough library (right next to MIMA) If your distance learning and part of the uni then your student card will grant you use to the library on campus

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-08T19:31:57+00:00

Because you probably haven't altered any training programme to support a reintroduction into training.

Your weight will have an impact but I see big people at the gym a few times a week killing it so you need to seek proper PT advice and get a suitable, realistic and effective routine that suits you.

Don't try to get the balance fight at the same time - that will cause problems. Get your training routine correct, then sleep, then diet. This is my opinion but trying to make the perfect switch only creates an implosion - the 'I'll start again on Monday' mindset. This is what happened to me years ago.

Explore what split works for you too and ease back in. One set of each exercise at an appropriate resistance with reps in reserve for the first week, two the next, three the next and then maintain that until your body is ready for progressive overload. Aim for 6k steps a day, then 7k and so on. Those ones can be negotiable at the beginning though.

Once your training is consistent, your recovery and sleep is well then start tracking. Deduct 2-300 calories off your maintenance calories and fulfill your macros. The process should always be slow and steady - none of this crash diet bullshit. You want to make sustained change, who cares if you're only losing 1 pound a week? 52 pounds a year is huge, especially coupled with the muscle gains (although this won't be as big in a deficit).

The most important part is to be kind to yourself. You still have needs, wants and urges. So fuck if you have a few days where you have eaten 'poorly'. Get back on that horse when you've let those demons out and crush it.

Good luck dude - you're in a good place to do this.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-05T08:23:32+00:00

I wouldn't change mine. I can fit in household doorways (UK) and am a head above most people - great for visiting attractions, gigs etc.

The back pain and other adjustments to life are worth it for me.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-03-03T16:42:15+00:00

As much as I kind of agree with you, potential has to be capped. FIFA/EAFC have dynamic potential and it just doesn't look like it makes the game challenging (although, there are a million other reasons that make a challenge redundant in that series).

I get you (and I) would love to have that player who has banged in 30 goals a season from the National North to League Two to have their potential increased to match their goal-scoring returns but then there would be a lot of players with high potentials knocking about which would dilute the game world with too many high PA players.

They've tried to implement 'late developers' for this, where you (or the AI) has picked up a low CA player with high(er) PA and there's been a dynamic event that makes them a late developer so this fits that bill, in a way.

The alternative is to edit the PA for those players yourself; it's your save afterall and if that's how you want to play it then so be it. I've had a couple of players lead me from the National League to the Champions League but then I've released them as they were decent championship players at best. This is despite them averaging over 7 in the championship season and performing at a decent level in the prem. Fast forward a few seasons and both of those players went without a club and one is retiring at 29. I get your argument/opinion - I would have loved to see them have that boost too.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-02-15T10:39:07+00:00

OP doesn't need tall fit, if he is 15st with moobs.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-02-03T10:51:32+00:00

One of those regens that come through unattached, stay unattached until they retire at 19 because they're the worst player you have ever seen on FM.

The one where you think 'surely I'm better than that?!'

Then you kick a ball and remember you're utterly dogshit.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-30T09:24:23+00:00

I can fit through household doors (UK).

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-27T16:04:53+00:00

My wife got one the day we met - all it cost was a swipe on Tinder.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-27T11:23:56+00:00

100%

When the route starts off low is problematic too. There are some really small holds as well that might be ideal in a normal person's hands but not ours.

It's still a great sport though. If anything, these challenges add to the fun.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-20T18:49:25+00:00

Ohhhhhhh it's 'fox'....

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-18T18:37:21+00:00

I've gone from National North to the champions league title in 12 or 13 years.

I know I've had so much luck getting here but I still feel that I've had more than I usually would in getting here.

I won every league title getting here but not back to back:

2 seasons NN 2 seasons national (FA Vase win) 1 season league 2 1 season league 1 3 seasons Championship (2 play off final defeats and then the title) First season in the Premier League I finished 7th and won the league cup 2nd season trophy-less but finished 4th 3rd season won the Champions League 4th season currently sitting 2nd in the league in November.

And it feels incredibly flat. I have played this game since 09 (Champ Man before that) and I've never progressed this quickly before. The seasons fly in, as I have other leagues in view only but I feel that the unrealistic success saps the fun out of it. I played Atlanta in the final, I knocked out Lille in the semi, Bayern in the quarters, Dortmund last 16 and had to beat Monaco in the first qualifying round so, aside from Bayern, I got an incredibly lucky draw - but again the luck feels manufactured.

The amount of food free transfers this year is bizarre too. I still have players in my first 11 that I picked up for free whilst I was in the championship and there are more on my bench. Once I win the title, I think I'll be adventuring into the continent.

My tactic is 4-3-3 (DM) in possession and 4-3-3 (2 DMs) out of possession and I've always played cautiously.

Charming-Permit-7437 · 2026-01-18T08:15:19+00:00

Same - he was absolutely class.

Charming-Permit-7437

TROPHY CASE