[FM20] From Sheffield to South Africa (2024)

We’d reached the playoffs. The club’s finances were being held together by sticky tape (that we couldn’t afford), but we were three games away from a potential place inthe Premier League. That really was all that mattered now.

Let’s look at how the curtain fell on the 2019/20 season.

We Found Out Who We’d Be Playing in the Playoffs

The final game of the regular season in early May was a strange affair. We had Middlesbrough at home, we couldn’t move up or down from 4^th, and they had nothing to play for in 9^th. We ended up beating them easily, with another two goals from Noah Jean Holm, and one from Barry Bannan.

More importantly, West Brom in 5th were playing away against Nottingham Forest in 6^th and I’d be playing the winner. 7^th place Reading could still leapfrog them both with a win over bottom side Charlton (who were long since relegated, as were Barnsley and Cardiff), and a draw in the Midlands.

Once I went 2-0 up after 15 minutes and with Boro already looking like they were on the summer holidays, all eyes switched to the City Ground.

0-0 at HT. 0-0 after 60 minutes. 0-0 after 70 minutes. Reading score, they’re 1-0 up. We’re heading to Hertfordshire next week as things stand.

0-0 after 80 minutes. 90 minutes. Stoppage time. I’ve won 3-1, I barely noticed.

1-0 West Brom. 90+1, Hal Robson-Kanu. Off to the West Midlands we go!

And then Charlton score a 90+4 goal that couldn’t be more meaningless to their season, but at 1-1, it was a hammer blow to Reading. QPR, Wednesday, West Brom, Forest. The Royals were on the outside looking in, the playoff field was set.

A Trip to the Hawthorns

In honesty, I wasn’t sure how I felt about playing West Brom. We’d drawn at their place back in late November 2-2, and I’d seen them off about 7 weeks ago at Hillsborough, winning 2-1. If we got a repeat of that over 2 legs, we’d be on our way to Wembley.

Callum Robinson (on loan from Sheffield United of all places) was their top scorer with 13 goals. Right winger Matheus Pereira was their top performer with a 7.26 average. He was on loan from Sporting and joining permanently at the end of the season for £8.25m. I was £11.28m in debt. That put things into perspective for me pretty quickly.

Strangely, we had a fully fit squad. As much as I’d battled injuries all season, I could pick my team without an issue.

2-0 down after half an hour. This wasn’t really what I was after. Fortunately, a quick fire reply from the man, the saviour, Noah Jean Holm. I’m falling in love.

Adam Reach went off injured, and although he set up the goal, he was having one of his “meh” games. Far too many of those this season!

We dug deep. We stole an equaliser. It was complete trash, a header from the smallest man on the pitch! I’ve no idea what Barry Bannan was even doing at the near post.

From there, we shut up shop. I assume the defence got a poor rating as they’d already conceded two, but in honesty, they were great in the 2^nd half.

If I was West Brom, I’d have been furious. Still, cry me a river, I'd had loads of games like that this season. It was all to play for and back to Hillsborough we go!

We’ve Done the Hard Part

In theory, the worst part was now behind us. All square and heading home, time toseal the deal in style. It didn’t really go that way, and in honesty, I wasn’t really surprised.

Adam Reach was out for 3 weeks, his season was over. Liam Palmer had been reliable all season but struggled in the 1^st leg, he went out of the side, Iorfa went from D(C) to D(R), and youngJack Simpson came in to play next to Borner at the back. Bamba switched from left wing to right to cover for Reach, and Gomes slotted in on the left.

It was awful. A really bitty game, there wasn’t much quality on offer. No clear cut chances. I was fouling a lot to break things up (as always), and the majority of shots were off target.

Half time, 0-0. We might be the better team, but neither side was doing much of anything. I was nervous.

60 minutes. Still 0-0. Morgan Fox dreads big matches, they don’t get much bigger than this. I’ve got an hour out of him, off he comes, Palmer on.

75 minutes. Still 0-0. Nerves are getting the better of me. Free kick in the corner, Bannan trots over to go take it in front of the Kop. Swings it in with his trusty left peg, it finds the head of Borner! Hits the post!! Rebound! Who can get hold of it!?!

Get in Jack Simpson, you beauty!! Hillsborough erupts, but there's still a way to go.

Time to shut up shop, 1-0 will do. I take off Baker, he’s gassed. On comes Diskerud, a bit of experience, he’s got nearly 40 caps for the USA. Steady hand, fresh legs. They have a few chances, Borner and co. stand tall at the back. Final whistle, made it! Off to Wembley we go!!!!

Meeting Expectations in the Worst Possible Way

Forest beat QPR easily over two legs, 6^th knocking out 3^rd. Like West Brom, I didn’t know how to take the match up. We beat them at Hillsborough 2-0, we lostaway 1-0. Neutral game though, all bets were off.

Angel Gomes went off injured in stoppage time of the 2^nd leg win over WBA, he’s out. Reach remains sidelined. In the run up to the final, experienced head Steven Fletcher goes down in training. Only a knock, he should be available, but he won’t be 100%. Not good.

More frustratingly, Fernando Forestieri decides the week building up to the final would be the ideal time to go to the press about his lack of playing time and declaring he’s “likely” to leave on a Bosman. I have no great qualms about this, and he’s slipped down the pecking order since Holm’s arrival. I can’t offer him a new deal as we’re broke. In 28 appearances this season he has 6 goals and an average rating of 6.92. He hasn’t really set the world alight, but keep it under your hat Fernando, we’ve got bigger fish to fry.

For team selection, we're getting down to the bare bones now, especially out wide. The underutilisedDa Cruz comes in to replace Gomes, Bamba switches back to the left. Palmer goes in at left back to replace Fox, I don’t need him choking on the big stage. With Fletcher’s sharpness looking iffy, Reach out, Gomes out, Kadeem Harris out long term with torn ankle ligaments, despite his pouting, Forestieri gets a place on the bench by default.

The final is terrible. Like the game with West Brom, there’s no real quality. We’re probably 2^nd best if I’m trying to be neutral. Lewis Grabban is a constant threat, he was top scorer in the division for a reason but he can’t break the deadlock either.

My lack of consistency on the wings has been an issue all season, no surprise, it resurfaces here. Bamba is rocking a 6.4. Alessio Da Cruz is a 6.4. 70 minutes gone,I need something out wide.

I look down the bench. There’s nothing. It’s going to have to be Forestieri wide left. He can have the last 20 minutes and take a pen if it comes to it. The commentary gives it the “Here comes Forestieri in what could be his last game for the club.” None of it fills me with confidence.

Time ticks on. Still 0-0. Things are getting unbearably tense. This is absolutely horrible, as expected. After the Bradford League Cup shambles, I have zero faith in the team if it comes to pens.

87^th minute. A goal now would surely seal it, and Forest have a threatening free kick in the middle of our half. Long ball pumped into the box, Palmer deals with it, he’s been class. It falls to Forestieri on the edge of our area.

The rest is history. I went mental. Couldn’t believe it!! I bring on Fosu-Mensah for the last few minutes but we don’t need it, Forest are down on the canvas and out for the count. The sort of goal and finish that goes down in club folklore, and it had sent us to the promised land. Get in!

We are Premier League bound!

We Win, But at What Cost?

The result is greeted by the usual exuberance. The fans love it. The Board love it. A few club legends line up to offer their congratulations, Nigel Pearson amongst them.

The Youth Facilities are now “Excellent”, but they’re not ours. Our Youth Category drops from Two to Three. The finances are no longer described as “Insecure”, the result has moved us to “Secure”, despite the currently negative balance. The Chairman quickly sees to that, putting a £12m loan into the club to clear our losses. That takes our net debt to £97m spread across four loans, with repayments on all four coming into play now we’re in the top division. That’s around £825k a month, but with £80m in TV money set to come in, plus some potential prize money to boot, the future of the club should be relatively secure.

The focus now shifts to next season. Pelupessy, Lee and Morgan Fox have been informed they won’t be getting a new contract, they struggled at Championship level, they’re absolutely not Prem level.

Steven Fletcher has elected to retire. Cult hero Fernando Forestieri had done enough to stir some sentiment in me with his goal in the final and I offered him a new deal. He throws it back in my face and tells me he's leaving anyway, classic Forestieri.

The board give me £40m as a transfer budget, and a £610k wage budget (I’m currently spending £471k p/w, butplayers to release and loan guys to send back, there’s flex to work with). With a bit more security I pull the trigger andsign asolid looking depth/starter D(C), Kiko Olivas from Real Valladolid, on a free. He should replace Simpson and stake a claim for minutes at the back.

I need plenty of reinforcements across the squad and I seriously lack Premier League level talent. I also want to keep as much money in the bank as possible to avoid further financial issues down the line.

It’s going to be an interesting summer!