Best FM 2013 Stories: Kevin’s A Year In Football Manager Story

Hey guys and welcome back to our fifth FMS Story Award. All the previous winners have gone onto continue their great threads in the forum and all those stories are really developing into a great read, so its time to introduce you to another amazing FM13 story.

I try not to highlight stories that are being offered recognition through the ‘Story of The Month’ award in the forum, but I had no choice this time around. Kevin’s ‘A Year in Football Manager’ story has captivated many of us, the idea is so simple and yet so great, but what makes this story tick? Lets take a look.

The idea

OK, so we all love a great fairy-tale where the little club rises through the leagues to glory. These types of stories tend to be fast paced and very result orientated. But Kevin has taken two very unique ideas and shoved them into one very entertaining package.

First off, Kevin writes about his real life experience as he plays the game, in diary mode. So all the posts are labelled from a real life date and time. We get to hear about an ever pestering cat called Gibbs, the freezing temperatures of Canada and Kevin’s random cravings, there is a real personal touch to this story that just drags you in, and of course it helps when the writer is very modest and a genuine guy.

Here’s the skinny then. I’ll pick a team and chronicle my real life journey of playing Football Manager over the next 12 months. Sure there will be scores, tables, transfers and all the rest of it but the emphasis will be on the journey; the day, the season (winter, spring etc..) what time it is, my thoughts, the things around me and of course how I’m playing the game.

After struggling for days to start a save (one of my favorite sections as we all go through the same turmoil at some point,) Kevin finds inspiration from guess what…yes, real life.

Dressed in a white arctic jacket and white hat with “England” emblazoned on the back I trudged home through the snow completely miserable the previous evening but by the time I arrived at the front door the journey had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. So walking back home and talking to myself, “Hmm, Arctic? North Pole, South Pole, Michael Palin….Eureka!! A Pole to Pole Football Manager journey — that’s my new story.

So, Kevin plans on starting in the North, as far north as he can possibly go then making his way South, this truly is a unique Jounryman story.

The career so far

Tromso (Norway)

First season (2012/13)

• Eliminated by Liverpool in Europa League play-offs
• Won Norwegian Cup beating Brann in final
• Finished 1st in Norwegian Premier League

Second season (2013/14)

• Won Norwegian Cup beating Start in final
• Finished 1st in Norwegian Premier League

Silkeborg (Denmark)

First season, not complete (2014/15)

• Eliminated by Randers FC in Danish Cup quarter-final
• Finished 10th in Danish Superliga, some great form since Kevin’s appointment resurrected Silkeborg from almost certain relegation.

This is just the start of what we all hope to be a long journey, can Kevin keep this up to make it one of the best and most original FM13 stories? Well I grabbed the man himself for a quick interview.

Darren: First of all, great story Kevin, I’m always looking forward to your updates. So far you’ve succeeded in Norway, but now find a tough task in Denmark, how long do you think that stint will last and what do you want to achieve in every country you enter before moving on?

Kevin: First off I want to say a big thank you to all those who voted for my story, it’s a real honor and for all your supportive comments. Succeeding in Norway was a real surprise for me. I had no idea that Tromso were that good, they just happened to be the furthest northern team. Silkeborg though has been a huge reality check, the quality of the team being nowhere near as good as Tromso though I intend to stay in Denmark for at least a couple of full seasons having joined the club halfway through last season. As for achievements, well whatever I win, I win, there’s really no trophy agenda in this story, I guess you could say it’s more of a travelogue.

Darren: I suppose a real challenge is adjusting to the culture shock of moving country so often, like the rule changes and variation between quality of player. Do you thrive on that or dread it?

Kevin: I’ll have to be careful how I answer this so as not to cause an outbreak of national rivalries :) I guess the quality of players will vary though I think that will be mainly due to which team I land at. Jumping countries and arriving at a lower league team is a possibility as I move south. I’m actually excited by the variations that will come with each league, I consider it an education, however I will need to pay more attention to summer / winter breaks.

Darren: Last but not least, how many clubs/countries do you think will be passed through to make it all the way down south? And are you confident of maintaining this story for the duration of FM13? (I hope so :))

Kevin: Well I certainly hope to maintain this story throughout FM 2013. In fact the premise of the story has already given me ideas for future stories, one that’s set around the Mediterranean  As for Pole to Pole I hope to journey through at least seven countries, perhaps eight, playing as one team in each before reaching my destination — Chile. What’s nice about this journey is I’m getting to play in leagues I’ve never even loaded up before so it’s brought a whole new freshness to the game.

A top story from a top bloke, I would seriously recommend you all follow ‘A Year in Football Manager’. Johnny will host the next FMS Story Award, if you want to get in on the action, just start an FMS Story in the Forum.