Like many FM players, I’ve had my fair share of long-term saves that have spanned years. In fact, my long-term saves tend to stretch into decades, a testament to the depth and immersion of the game and my obsessive personality.
My latest save has just reached the end of its 28th year, which I am not sure is long by the standards of true FM players or not. It’s actually one of the first saves I started on FM24, so it’s crazy that I am still playing it.
Don’t you get bored, though?
I think I have talked about this in the past. When you are winning everything, all the time, because your team is simply that good, you have to find a way to keep things interesting.
One of the key strategies I employ to keep things interesting is selling at least three key players each summer.
This may seem unconventional, but I usually choose my oldest players, typically those who are 27 or 28, and I sell them. This not only keeps the game challenging but also allows me to rejuvenate the team with fresh talent.
Recruitment is the key
That is where good scouting of younger players comes in useful. Each summer, I sign highly-rated younger players, who could be 18 or 19 but who have five-star potential.
I could have 15 or 20 youngsters out on loan at one time who are all potential first-team players for the next season.
I then find suitable clubs to loan these highly talented players to for a year or two. As my team is now the dominant force in English football, I can even loan these players to big clubs in the Premier League.
In my current save, I have highly rated young players out on loan at Manchester United, Newcastle, and Manchester City. One of my starlets also temporarily switched to Catalan giants Barcelona.
Most of the youngsters are so good that they get regular playing time at these clubs. In turn, they start developing their game and fulfilling their potential, ready to return to my first team.
It is the strategy that Chelsea has employed in recruitment in recent decades but cranked up x10.
It’s a strategy that definitely works, as some of the youngsters thrive. I look at my older players in their positions and know that the youngsters are good enough to come in and replace them.
They may not be at the same level when they re-join the squad, but they become star players with development.
Changing tactics regularly
This is also important to keep things fresh and exciting. As many of our regular readers will know, I test interesting tactics as part of my job at the THTP.
These are usually tactics that I believe are exciting or unusual. Off-the-wall, crazy formations or tactics don’t usually bring success, even with the best or most dominant teams.
At the moment, there is a tactic based on Johan Cruyff’s style floating around the FM community, which I will test at some point. However, it is these sorts of tactics that usually fall flat on their faces.
That is why the 4231 or 433 formations and tactics based upon them are still the kings on FM. The odd 352 or 343 may be successful, but most of the best tactics don’t wander too far from the 4231 or 433 principles.
The reason for that is obviously the balance between defence and attack that they bring. Some tactics are great in defence but offer little in the way of an attacking threat, and vice versa, which is why people stick to the familiar.
If I find a wacky formation that blows teams out of the water, then I will let everybody know with a tactic testing article, which I currently write once per month.
However, if I come across another one that I feel is worthy of review, I will test it on my long-term save, as I know my team is good enough to play well in most formations or use most tactics.
I will then do a tactic testing article with that tactic, not using my long-term save, as I don’t usually document much of what I do on my long-term save, as there is no reason to.
Just how successful has your team been in nearly three decades?
My personal saves are usually on my team, Everton. If I do saves with other teams, I get bored and start another Everton save.
The good thing about starting a save as the Toffees is that there is a challenge at the beginning of the game. The starting team does not have great quality or depth, which means you take more satisfaction in building a successful than you would if you started with Real Madrid or Manchester City.
This is how many trophies I have won:
It is fair to say that my team has won more than its fair share of trophies (See screenshot)
I haven’t cheated by save scumming or anything like that. The success has just been achieved by using great tactics (thanks to tactics creators). Unfortunately, I no longer have the time to create my own tactics, so these have been invaluable.
Recruitment and unearthing quality young players are my favourite parts of the game. Watching them thrive in a successful team is a big part of the satisfaction of playing FM.
With the release of FM25 still months away, I will likely continue this save until the new edition of the game is released. Even with updated databases, with up-to-date transfers and leagues, it’s hard to start a new save when a season has just ended.
I am unsure if I have ever played a save for as long as this one. I can’t say I play FM every day. However, when I get a couple of hours free from writing and the family (very rare these days), I go back to my old save and am excited by the team I have built and then rebuild over and over again.
Who knows, maybe I can reach 40 or 50 years with save, which would be a crazy feat considering my lack of general free time.
Let us know via your socials what your longest save is on FM25 or any other edition of the game
