Best FM 2013 Stories: Jonathan’s «Lost Behind the Iron Curtain»

This time the FMS Story Award most deservedly goes to Jonathan Carver and his fabulous journey through the remains of the former Soviet Union. This story has already gone through no less than 12 seasons and that’s quite an achievement regardless of the results.

Basically the challenge Jonathan has set for himself was to start unemployed and with Sunday League reputation and try to win the Champions League at some point with a team based in one of the former USSR countries.

He hasn’t managed to win the Champions League so far but he has achieved quite a few remarkable things through the 12 seasons, including landing a national team job. Here’s a quick recap:

Season 1

• FBK Kaunas in Lithuania, won promotion to the top division.

Season 2

• Finished 7th out of 10 teams in the top flight with FBK Kaunas.
• Reached quarter finals in the Lithuanian Cup.

Season 3

• Finished 6th with FBK Kaunas.
• Knocked out again at the quarter finals of the cup.

Season 4

• Finished 2nd in the Lithuanian top flight, 10 points behind the winners, qualifying for Europa League.
• Knocked out of cup 4th round.

Season 5

• Finished 4th in the league but only 4 points off 1st.
• Won the Lithuanian Cup.
• Reached playoff in the Europa League after three qualifying rounds but lost to Hannover.

Season 6

• Won the Lithuanian league on goal difference.
• Knocked out of cup at quarter finals.
• Knocked out of Europa League in 2nd qualifying round.

Season 7

• Won the Lithuanian league again, but by 5 points this time.
• Knocked out of the cup quarter final.
• Knocked out in the Champions League 2nd qualifying round.

Season 8

• Domestic double: won the league by 14 points and the cup.
• Knocked out again at the 2nd qualifying round in the Champions League.

Season 9

• Won the Lithuanian league again, by 15 points.
• Knocked out the cup at semi finals.
• Got to the Champions League playoffs and got beaten, entering the Europa League group stages for the first time.
• Got 10 points in the Europa League group but finished 3rd by just one point.

Season 10

• Domestic double again, won the league by 20 points and the cup as well.
• Beat Celtic in the Champions League playoff to reach group stages. Grabbed 2 points in the group.
• Resigned from FBK Kaunas at the end of the season.

Season 11

• Took over Paraguay national team and also BATE Borisov in Belarus.
• Finish 2nd in the Belarus league.
• Got knocked out of Belarus cup in the second round.
• Qualified for Champions League group stages and got one win out of 6 in a group that included Manchester United.
• Qualified to World Cup 2022 with Paraguay, eliminated in the group stage.

Season 12 (current season)

• Has two job offers on the table, both from Russian clubs.
• Reached Copa America final in 2023 with Paraguay, lost against Brazil and finished runners up.

Quite a career, isn’t it? Let’s find out more about Jonathan and his great FM 13 story in a quick interview:

Johnny: How and did you start writing FM stories?

Jonathan: I’ve always loved FM and Championship Manager way back when I was introduced to it by my Dad. But I never really kept at a save, always getting bored after a few seasons.

When I came across this site back in FM09 I loved the stories and how they progressed. I didn’t come across the forum until a year later and even then, I didn’t think I was good enough to write a story, after reading all the success stories on the main site and forum.

It was Darren’s Scarbrough story that really inspired me, I downloaded the extra leagues and started a game up with my home town Birtley. I still hadn’t thought about writing about it, but after the first couple of months game time, I was hooked on the save and wanted to share it.

Johnny: What do you find most interesting in your «Lost behind the iron curtain» challenge?

Jonathan: I love the originality of it, I had to specifically download extra leagues to manage in the countries I could have started in. I don’t think I would have ever said ‘I think I’ll start a save in Lithuania today’. I am playing in leagues I have never played in before, its opened up the game for me and its potential. I even find myself checking the real life scores of FBK Kaunas, FM has made me a supporter of them!

Johnny: What are your future plans for this story?

Jonathan: Well I have to offers from Russian clubs and I have actually accepted one and I am already a quarter of the season through. I plan on staying at this club for a long time as I feel its my best shot at winning the CL, it may take years though, I am going to have to be patient!!

As for a national team, I can also reveal I have joined a European country and I am currently in the process of trying to qualify for the 2024 European Championships. It is not a country in Eastern Europe but another major aim of mine is to win the Euros or World Cup with Ukraine or Russia. I feel any other former USSR team will be too difficult.

So, another great FM 2013 story from our brilliant forum writers, I hope you will continue to enjoy all of them and maybe start writing your own stories if you haven’t already.