DEE sends 3 CP to ABE for 5 TP

With the 11th best T11 in the division I think FRA will need to be pleased with a top half finish. Tipping us as favourites is madness I tell Ya.

There is a buzz about the place now season has kicked off.

Steve, could it be it was changed as it was felt Alloa weren't actually stinging anybody these days. Okay, I apologise - totally unfair and tbh I've always known them as the Wasps - Allowegians sounds like an ancient club and too close to Glaswegians. That's a name few outside Scotlands 2nd city would want. 😉😉😉😉

I note that Alloa's nickname is The Allowegians but everywhere I look it seems we are known as The Wasps. Even the team logo would suggest that.

So can we have our nickname changed please.

AI sends 100k to HIB for Nicky Cadden (1/10 MF)

Busy team trading since window was opened.

Most trades at start of a season since records began?

AI sends 100k to LIV for Rob Beckett (1/10 DF)

ALB sends 150k to DFA for Gussie Dey (6/14 MF)

HEA sends 4 CP to ABE for 7 TP

PT sends 5 CP to ABE for 10 TP

Interesting choice? Both teams have scary looking attacks but both have ageing Keepers and little or no defence. Is this the modern trend? Let's see how they get on against the mighty Blues.......I would not be swapping with either given the option. The Jam Tarts however look a far more balanced side.

Both done and updated here at Albion Rovers.   Whoevers doing the cup draws can we please rig it so we get to thrash East Stirlingshire, has been far too long since we have at the chance to do this!

If you want to see some serious smacktalk you know what you need to do!

With top 10 finishes in the last 7 seasons in Div 1, FRA must be front runners for the Div 1 title. Alon seems to be on the brink of stardom.

Meanwhile MOT are statically the strongest side in Sesl.  But does Andrew focus on the league title, or use his EL mainly in both cup competitions. Dilemma.

Now is the time to do your Bios updates - teams review/preview and personal bios (and team needs).

Remember to quote in each part the new season number - and teams who have already completed theirs (yippee, that's me) need not mention it - Mark is going to do a first payout on them on 21st May (next Wednesday) with a final payout the following Wednesday 28th May. The first one is before auction 1 and the final one is before the sponsors auction - he has planned the dates accordingly.

Now, please note the dates - they are close so don't think you can wait a fortnight before doing them - 28th May is the deadline..💰💰

BRE sends Ewan Loudon (5/20 FW) to AYR for 4 TP

FRA sends Terrassa Martinez (2/26 SW) to DEV for 800k, Gabriel Mendoza (4/21 SW)

16 teams from 32 ready to go with lineups safely in.

Us division 1'ers shall watch on

as you earn gate receipts x 2 🤣

LIV sends 7 CP to RAN for 9 TP

DEE sends 90k to STE for 1 TP

DEE sends 180k to STE for 2 TP

HIB sends 120k to STE for Connor McManus (6/6 FW), Aidan Fitzpatrick (6/9 FW)

When are we likely to receive the 'About & Bio' update payments ?

PT sends John Collins (2/24 MF) to HIB for 5 CP, Russell Latapy (4/25 MF)

I'd vote for Robin Hood max 4000k to stay, and enforce the rule "24 hours to trade away excess bank or resources over 50" (not a direct quote)

Pre season shouldn't open before end of season awards handed out, and then big money teams can buy their CP bundle, or an apprentice, or trade - to bring them within limits.

No teams need hoard cash over 4000k really.

Need give the weaker teams a fighting chance to progress also.

There have been a few calls for scrapping this rule. Personally I'd rather have a Tax man so the cash doesn't just go to teams that don't try that had a bad season.

But there has to be something to stop teams hoarding cash. Because of a couple of agreed trades I can easily finish this season with 5000k, probably more if I sold one of my age 1 wingers. Spend 1500k on pre-season and add another 3500k, and I'll have 7000k at the start of season 61.

FRA sends 300k to COW for Pau Cubarsi (1/12 DF)

Window open for a week or so after the last game of the season. Then closed for pre-season. 

That seems the best compromise.  Maintain competition integrity but allow some cash income from sales before pre-season.  I could have done with that - 20CPs is not good.

....Well David did anyway. 

I like your idea - covers end of season panic buying and allows for clubs selling players to get funds in for CPs after the last fixture, plus it allows teams going into Robin Hood territory to get rid of extra cash they sometimes don't realise they've won which puts them over the limit. That cash spend will help 2 clubs at a time.

I like your idea - covers end of season panic buying and allows for clubs selling players to get funds in for CPs after the last fixture, plus it allows teams going into Robin Hood territory to get rid of extra cash they sometimes don't realise they've won which puts them over the limit. That cash spend will help 2 clubs at a time.

Poll vote looks fairly conclusive thus far.

I like to shut the window towards end of season as is currently, but then open up quickly after and before the pre-season closes.  

This resolves the issue ABE & RAN have today being unable to buy block of pre season CP.  They simply sell a player for the cash they need for CP.   

I remember a situation in SFLSL where a team was in the cup final but their big GK was either injured or suspended. So they swapped GKs (and added either cash or a resource or two) with another team that has finished their season. 

Of course they won the cup final. I believe that here the teams still have their new GKs.

I don't like the rule in SFLSL but am not saying it should be changed. And I certainly don't think the current trade rule should be changed here.

I have enjoyed reading the comments in the current poll. Some I have found interesting in themselves but others have a simple question - why not?

Well, here is an example of why not (or perhaps why!) but there are a few.

The trade window closes towards the end of the season because some teams will be pushing for something (league title, promotion, aviod relegation or a cup win) while others will have nothing to play for. Without the trade ban a team could trade in a big player or two to get them 'over the line' in whatever endeavour they are trying for.

In SFLSL there is no none trade window and I saw recently a team in a big match had there GK suspended so they just bought in an even better GK. Cleverly, that manager kept the suspended GK and after the match, when the suspension had been spent, he sold the GK to the team from where he had bought the other GK. That team then has GK ready to play in their next game.

If you like that then you know what to do.

Still BRE, DFA, and COV to do theirs... and only tonight to do it. I guess if they don't they won't have a Captain or multiple CPs (but quite a bit of money..💰).

Looks like players that were registered before season 18 (at Deverovale anyway) we're deleted from the system. Deveronvale only have one GK in season 18 in the history. I checked Inverness, my previous club, where I looked for familiar names and there was no one.

I'm pretty sure it used to be an option. I seem to remember my first season at Deveronvale (the first season fully online) that I had a Bosman GK. I think I stopped TPing him at 1/25. I'll see if I can find him in the history.

I was going for a GK bossman (had the name picked and all) but was surprised to see that it is not an option...

Can't think of a good reasoning behind it...

So I'm with Colin here.

Never I have ever noticed that you can't pick a GK. I have never considered it until today and it would have been handy in the current DUM set up but I guess Jean-Marc wasn't out to help GKs.

I was going to do them, but now named and shamed 14th it is.  I have no deals pending so it is to my advantage to delay.  Unless someone wants to make an offer.

All the best James ;-)  (the Colin Scott get out of jail wink)

Calm down.

Quite right James ;-)

I was going to do them, but now named and shamed 14th it is.  I have no deals pending so it is to my advantage to delay.  Unless someone wants to make an offer.

All the best James ;-)  (the Colin Scott get out of jail wink)

I think RAN may have done pre season as has a Bosman player added.

I think it's too early to name and shame 

DUM ABE DFA COV RR MON & BRE

8

(At what point do we name and shame?)

38 teams sitting pretty having completed pre season CP purchase and free Bosman player.

Let's get this trade window open soon chaps.

We all jest about game money and not having enough of it to buy CP. This game exists bacause Mark has to fork out REAL cash. So please do as John says and find some odd coins lost behind sofa or rob your Granny. If we all chip in something it will keep this wonderful game alive! 

Consider throwing a fiver towards game hosting costs if you are able.

Mark told me tonight just 3 managers had donated so far ahead of new season.

Below a copy paste from main front Web page

Donate towards server costs:-
    https://paypal.me/SESL

I'm all for flexibility when it comes to rules, but having previously found myself on the wrong side of one, I'm always cautious about how much we alter the framework of the game. The games has run for over 50 league seasons because it’s great as it is.

Rules can evolve, but changes should apply for next season — not pre / mid-season. For every team that benefits now, there’s another that’s disadvantaged simply for having complied with the rules as they were stated.

As for the Pre-Match Trade, it protects the integrity of the game.

Regarding pre-season resources, I’m happy for teams to buy what they can afford, even if that's five CP. I’m personally not a fan of loans, but I understand others may see it differently.

No need William.  I'll help Bill out and send some CP his way once transfer window opens.

It's honourable Bill cares so much about progressing his RAN team, and while I have no idea what RAN spent his bank money on last month of last season, I'm sure he'll have a few players on trade list soon.

I think Bill Ramsey should Quit as he suggested.he might.

Not being cheeky, but can I get a loan for CP? ❤️

Half the teams have completed pre season requests

 PRE SEASON PROCESS
  open until 14th May 2025

Click on "Transactions" and then button "pre season"

Select your team captain age 5+  (drop down list)

CP purchase (drop down list)

Free bosman player: select position (drop down box),
                                   type in a name,
                                   select a nationality

Click button "Submit preseason"  

No trades until Pre season orders are done for all teams
(this season anyway) 
See poll vote

Poll vote on front page to see if there is support to keep trade window open all season long.

This would allow any manager to trade their way out of budgeting issues at any point of the season.

In addition, I'll welcome a response if the pre match trade embargo should be lifted also.   
Bit more contraversial as a high SL FW may join a team on day of a big match catching opposition by surprise. Not sure how often that would happen, and would that just add to the drama?

20 CP costs 750k pre-season.

20 CP @ 50k is 1000k and only for those teams that don't buy CP pre-season.

I suppose a manager could decide not to buy pre-season CP so that they had extra cash for early trades and auctions, and then buy the 20 CP later, but I'm not sure it's worth losing out on CP slots or the extra cash needed.

A simplistic answer to a problem that doesn't happen every season.

My concern would be such a club would get 20CPs for 1,000k, but the clubs who work their costs out, mine included, have to spend 3,000k to get 50CPs. Push the suggested price to say 1,500k and I'd be more keen on the idea. 
But my initial idea to supplement them to 750k is a simple one which does not impinge on league rules about loans as it would be the league loaning, not any club.

But any teams involved may not want to borrow - their choice. This is not a Poll so it's only members opinions, so likely the whole thing will die down when the Cecil Cup starts.. 🤔🤔
 

Goodness, is the new season not due to start..

Back in the dark ages, the actual logic behind the 20CP/750k minimum was to avoid easily bought championahips: 
the fear was that a player would buy about every transfer market player, just to win the championahip once - the minimum allocation was thought as a way to prevent this.

I don't think this made much sense back then. I'm pretty sure it does not make any sense now given SESL's economy.

While I see overly convoluted and manually processed loan mechanics as pointless work, a simple alternative:

Every team - that does not buy a CP allocation in the pre-season - can buy up to 20 CPs and at 50k each, once per season and whenever it likes to.
Minimal manual effort, missing the 750k turns from disaster to nuisance, problem solved.
 

I agree that we should remove the rule that say you need to have 750k to buy 20cp's, you should be able to spend what you have as that is your budget. I sold a player to get extra cash in and that upset some mangers as the deal was not up to what they thought it should be.

We could open the transfer markets earlier to allow teams to try and raise money to spend in pre-season.

Not happy we loans to teams to allow them to get the cash they require./

I have never liked the minimum CP spend of 20. It is a rule that has put me off SESL in the past. I feel that if you only have 500k, you should be able to buy 500k of CP. To me that is fair. That is still budgeting. 

That is my penny worth on the rule. 
 

Regarding my failure to budget last season, I messed up. I thought I had a sponsorship secured that I didn't and I had a stressful few months towards back end of season where i didn't really consider SESL as a priority. 
 

Another excellent point raised. I was going to send a message to Mark, today, explaining I was finished again. I simply don't take this as seriously as others (Any more) although I enjoy it. When a manager resigns, a magic wand often "sorts" teams out in a few sessions. I felt Rangers deserved this.

If I had 20CP, I might reconsider this as I can enjoy the basics of the game over the next few sessions instead of battling to scrape together CPs at hugely inflated prices. 
 

Onky my thoughts and honesty folks. 

.....we at SRA are perennially short of cash. In the early days, myself and most of the lads took a job in the local Bakery. We kneaded the dough........ 

I remember when I restarted in SESL and I was desperately short of CP Dave actually helped me out by selling some to me cheaply. I still remember that random act of kindness.

No such compassion for those messing up this season it seems  :)

Easy to trade a player for some CP before first game of season.

Or trade TP away for CP.  ABE don't appear to have a wad of youth fighting over 40TP so that seems an easy solution.

RAN could sacrifice a player when trade window opens to get CP.    They could have traded towards end of last season.  RAN a bit unlucky and got mighty close to 750k.  I'll help RAN out by trading him CP at season start next week.

ABE a bit more reckless.  Heaven knows why he pays for home bonus for half the season. Several blow out 120k fines doesn't help either.

ABE have plenty TP to trade it would appear based on current roster.

Dozens of smaller clubs in real life survive by selling a good player to league above in Scotland occassionally.

No need for a rule change in Sesl.  

Lack of CP can be easily resolved next week.

By allowing massive loans aren't we in danger in this football simulation of actually adding some reality? 

Bury, Darlington, Wombles, Halifax, Hereford, Scarborough, Chester in the English league come to mind. Dare we even mention Airdrieonians, Clydebank, Third Lanark (not sure what happened to the other two?), St Bernard's, Gretna, Meadowbank....I am sure there was one more tiny Glasgow team but I can't quite remember their name......started with an R.......

So, YES if you want loans but also add in a bankrupcy rule to get your club's name engraved on a tombstone. STJ would probably do this out of spite just to avoid SRA in the first league game of the season.......

I am against loaning teams cash so they can buy 20 CP but not against letting them buy chunks of 5 CP that they can afford.

Teams that are low in cash are so because of overspending on CP/TP slots or auctions. Bill gives his reasons why Rangers are low, which I accept, but Ross continued to spend maximum home bonus even though his team was in trouble. I knew we would struggle so decided to save cash for this season.

Firstly I'd rather keep the 2 match Saturdays. It's a unique theme of SESL. I get that sometimes players get injured etc  in the first match and this can then have knock on effects with subs etc. And that some managers may log in between matches in case they need to make a tweak. but I accept that. I just prefer double match saturday.

With regard to the 750k CP rule - at first I was dead against any change. Managers should be able to budget to finish with 750k. But I have been swayed by Alon's argument - it is a game and that team is starting off the season at a significant financial loss. Let them buy whatever CP they can afford or maybe the loan idea.

I have never liked the minimum CP spend of 20. It is a rule that has put me off SESL in the past. I feel that if you only have 500k, you should be able to buy 500k of CP. To me that is fair. That is still budgeting. 

That is my penny worth on the rule. 
 

Regarding my failure to budget last season, I messed up. I thought I had a sponsorship secured that I didn't and I had a stressful few months towards back end of season where i didn't really consider SESL as a priority. 
 

Another excellent point raised. I was going to send a message to Mark, today, explaining I was finished again. I simply don't take this as seriously as others (Any more) although I enjoy it. When a manager resigns, a magic wand often "sorts" teams out in a few sessions. I felt Rangers deserved this.

If I had 20CP, I might reconsider this as I can enjoy the basics of the game over the next few sessions instead of battling to scrape together CPs at hugely inflated prices. 
 

Onky my thoughts and honesty folks. 

Rules should be kept under constant review and my view is that, while poor financial management should not be rewarded, neither should managers be penalised too heavily for making a mistake.

So I would agree with David's suggestion of a one-off loan to help these guys - but perhaps thinking of the long-term, we should make the first 20 CPs free for all managers, and perhaps cut the free TPs back from 40 to 20 to keep finaancial balance.

And while we're talking about reviewing rules, isn't about time we did something about the Robin Hood rule?  I broke the 4000k threshhold last season when favourable results in the last matches saw me finish unexpectedly in 6th place for a 400k sponsorship payout.  If I'd felt I was in the running for that, I would have burnt some cash earlier, of course.

And can we talk about moving away from two matches on Saturdays?  Last season, I had a player pick up a small injury in the first match, so that he then started the second match with a negative EL.  I wasn't around in the hour availabe to change my lineup so he played the second match and picked up a serious injury which kept him out for half a season.  Seems so unnecessary to schedule things in this way.

So Marks reading of the rules is obviously accurate.

However if 2 clubs are left without being allowed to buy resources they will be a disaster for at least 2 seasons and none competitive as well.The managers may even lose interest as they will be managing clubs that start losing every week and they will need to hang around for at least 2 seasons in a no fun environment to get back to playing a game they are competitive in.

We could even end up losing a manager who would otherwise be a long term fixture.

So sure they screwed up. They should have read the rules better and budgeted more wisely.

But in the end of the day we are still plaaying a game and this seems like a really good time to be compationate and bend the rules for them. They are still only going to get to 20cp so its not like we are giving them a free 1st division title. We just need to give them a fighting chance so that the game can be fun for them too.

I know that too -loans against the rules etc. 

It is up to managers to watch their balances, I know. Then I thought as time goes by perhaps some rules can do with some re thinking. 
But like yourself, I watched my income right through the season, indeed I managed AGAIN to help out less well off teams by going over the limit -damn that Robin Hood.

There won't be support for this - that's okay - not sure I'd want to be looking for an advance myself. Isn't the close season long.... :-))

Seems pretty clear to me from the rules below that a loan is in fact against rules. Budget accordingly or suffer the consequences for me I'm afraid.

Healthy budgeting

Try plan a budget from gate receipts and top up with participation bonuses from blog and journals.

All teams will need at least 750k in bank at end of each season to bulk buy CP for following season. At end of season 45 two teams ended with a bank balance lower than 750k, but soon traded CP in when season got underway. This is most unusual but a reminder on the need for healthy budgeting as part of your good management.

The trade window deliberately does not open until after all pre-season info has been submitted so there is no opportunity to trade your way out of poor budgeting.

To clarify a common question: un-used CP or TP will carry over to new season as normal.

No loans are permitted, as this is not in the spirit of the game.

I am really glad I am creating participating cash for so many people, including myself hopefully. I can't help it if my keyboard has a life of it's own.

So here is something for some of you to ponder - and this after I have spoken to Der Fuhrer err Mark.

Rules say a team should have 750k to be able to buy 20CPs, doesn't say HAS to, just should.

I haven't spoken to the 2 clubs who haven't the minimum cash in the bank, but had an idea.

Could the League advance the balance to these clubs (if they wished it) to get to 750k, and deduct monies from the first few matches played. They may decide to just start the season with no CPs - fair enough!

1   Mark says it is possible - it would come from the set up "bank" - and not from any clubs. That would be the wrong practice.

2   A charge would be laid (suggesting 10%) on the loan, as it isn't something that happens very often and hopefully deter future clubs needing an advance.

3   As any affected club's balance would be reduced to nil until the money was repaid, they could CP players, but would have no cash for extra CP/TP training or going into auctions or buy players for cash.

I am guessing some clubs would say getting to such a low balance at the end of the season is bad accounting, but it IS a game and my ideas above are not doing any affected clubs a favour. Just a suggestion..

Anyway that's it - my participating should be good this week... :-)

Similar to a wand used by Harry Potter?

Similar to a magic sponge, it's D. Blairs latest initiative for a magic qand?

More questions than answers really.

Need a poll vote?  Or a Q & A to clarify ? 😏

Had to check the meaning........

"The word "qand" has several meanings depending on the context. It can refer to a village in Iran, rock sugar in Arabic and Persian, or be an abbreviation for "question" or "Q&A" in English. Additionally, "Q" can be used as an abbreviation for "cue" in the context of theatre or as a general hint or prompt."

Have the Caley moves to Iran in post-season?

On the stats page it shows the correct amount for INV - just enough for a fish supper and 2 pints - 51k. Not sure why it differs from the team's actual account, but bet Mark's on to it..

Does seem a blip - but guessing Mark will be on it. Not sure INV will have been keen you spotted his early season "bonus".  Wonder if there are any more where the CP purchase has not been taken off - please let it be mine...  Darn, nope!!

EDI Bio updates for Season 59 are now Done.

INV's balance happens to be just 2000 too high, 2051 instead of 51 - post CP buy.
Any obvious reasons for this mistake?