Season 4, 5 and 6: Bath Football Club's Journey to Promotion in Sky Bet League One

Introduction

It has been an exciting three seasons for Bath Football Club as they worked towards promotion in Sky Bet League One. Despite facing challenges from teams with larger salary budgets, Bath were able to achieve their goal through a focus on scouting and developing young talent with strong personalities and potential. The team implemented a unique "Brazilian magic box" system and utilized their trail farm for scouting to bring in talented players.

Review of First Season in league 1

In the first season in Sky Bet League One, Bath finished in 5th place with 23 wins, 8 draws, and 15 losses. They scored 81 goals and conceded 51, ending the season with a goal difference of 30 and 77 points. Some key players and transfers during this season included Hayden Lee, who joined on loan from Fleetwood for a total fee of €2.6K. The team faced off against some tough opponents and had some exciting nail-biting matches. Top scorer for the season was Will Harris with 17 goals.

Review of Second Season in league 1

The second season saw Bath finish in 5th place once again, with 24 wins, 11 draws, and 11 losses. They scored 93 goals and conceded 52, ending the season with a goal difference of 41 and 83 points. Some key departures during this season included Craig McInally, who joined Alfreton on loan, and Amarie Brown, who joined on loan from Shrewsbury. The team continued to make use of the trail farm to bring in talented players and had another successful season with exciting matches. Top scorer for the season was Will Harris once again with 22 goals.

Review of Third Season in league 1

Finally, in the third season, Bath were able to secure promotion to the Championship with 28 wins, 12 draws, and 6 losses. They scored 95 goals and conceded 45, ending the season with a goal difference of 50 and 96 points. Key players during this season included Sam Bowen, who joined on loan from Cardiff, and Niall Huggins, who joined on a free transfer. Bath made a few more additions to their squad, including Ade Weston on loan from Charlton. The team's hard work and unique strategy paid off as they earned their spot in the Championship. Top scorer for the season was Will Harris with an impressive 27 goals.

Overall, it has been a successful journey for Bath Football Club as they worked towards promotion in Sky Bet League One. Despite facing challenges with a lower budget compared to other teams, the team was able to utilize their strengths and make use of their trail farm to bring in talented players. The team has continued to develop and evolve, and they will now look to make an impact in the Championship.

Season 3: Bath City's Epic Third Consecutive Promotion: A Season Review

 Season Overview:

It was another successful campaign for Bath, as they secured promotion to the Sky Bet League One for the third consecutive season. The team finished at the top of the Sky Bet League Two table, finishing with a record of 26 wins, 14 draws, and 6 losses. They scored 79 goals and conceded 42, resulting in a goal difference of +37.

Key Players:

There were several standout performers for Bath this season. Striker Alex Fletcher led the team in scoring with 22 goals in all competitions, while midfielder Ben Seymour contributed 11 goals and 8 assists. Defender Josh Robinson was a rock at the back, making 44 appearances and being named in the League Two Team of the Season. Goalkeeper Ryan Clarke also had a strong campaign, keeping 15 clean sheets in 40 appearances.

Transfers:

Bath made a number of key signings during the summer transfer window. Forward Ben Seymour arrived from Exeter City for a fee of €50,000, while midfielder Jordan Dyer joined from the same club for €94,000. Defender James Clarke joined from Mansfield Town for €49,500, and midfielder Kai Tanner joined on loan from Sutton United.

There were also several departures from the club. Forward Zach Awe left for Dundee United on a free transfer, while goalkeeper Conor O'Malley joined Kilmarnock for free. Defender Aaron McGowan moved to Dundee United for €115,000, and midfielder Aidy White joined Sligo Rovers on a free transfer.

Key Departures:

In addition to the departures mentioned above, there were several other notable exits from the club. Forward Sam Bellis left for a fee of €100,000 to join Yeovil Town, while defender Joseph Mills moved to Tamworth on loan. Midfielder Rob Street joined Ebbsfleet United for €12,000, and forward Ryan Seager joined Torquay United on a free transfer.

Conclusion:

Overall, it was another successful season for Bath as they secured promotion to the Sky Bet League One for the third consecutive year. The team will be looking to build on this success and continue their rise up the English football pyramid in the upcoming season.

Season 2: Bath City FC Secures Vanarama National League Title in Dramatic Final Match

 It's been an exciting season for me as the manager of Bath. From the very start, we had a clear goal in mind: to win the Vanarama National League and earn promotion to the Football League.

One of the key moves we made to help us achieve this goal was signing striker Alex Fletcher from Yeovil. Fletcher proved to be a valuable addition to the team, scoring an impressive 17 goals in 33 appearances. Alongside Fletcher, we also brought in midfielders Lloyd James and Jordan Dyer, who provided crucial support both offensively and defensively.

Throughout the season, we experimented with different formations, eventually settling on a 4-4-2 system that allowed us to get the most out of our attacking players. Our midfield trio of Joe Rabbetts, Jamie Devitt, and James Comley also proved to be a key component of our success, providing solid defensive support and contributing offensively as well.

[note ChatGPT invented Jamie Devitt and James Comley - not sure why]

We had a strong start to the season, winning our first three matches and setting the tone for the rest of the campaign. While we did have a few setbacks along the way, we were able to bounce back and maintain a consistent level of performance.

One of the highlights of the season was our 3-0 win over Bromley in September. This was a crucial match for us, as it helped solidify our position at the top of the league. We also had a memorable 1-0 win over Darlington in September, with a goal from Sam Bellis proving to be the difference in a tight match.

As the season came to a close, it was clear that we were in a strong position to earn promotion. In the end, it all came down to the final match of the season against Chesterfield. We were able to secure a 2-1 win, with goals from Alex Fletcher and Ben Seymour, and with that victory we secured the Vanarama National League title and earned promotion to the Football League.

Overall, it's been a fantastic season for the team and I'm proud of the hard work and determination they showed throughout the campaign. We've made a lot of progress and I'm looking forward to what the future holds for Bath.

Season 1: Leading Bath to the Top: My Experience Managing in Football Manager 2022

 Introduction:

As a long-time Football Manager player, I'm always up for a challenge, especially when it comes to taking control of lower league teams and trying to lead them to the top. This year, I decided to take on the challenge of managing Bath in Football Manager 2022, and I was eager to see what we could accomplish together.

Despite being predicted to finish last in the league, I was confident in my team and my tactics, and I was determined to prove the skeptics wrong. Through careful scouting and smart signings, I put together a strong squad that was ready to take on the competition.

Key Signings:

Throughout the season, I made a number of key signings that helped to solidify our team and contribute to our success. These included Dan Bradshaw and James Gorman on free loans, and Julien Carré, Benjy Aghadiuno, and Cheikh Diaby as free transfers.

I focused on players with high levels of professionalism and determination, and with the physical prowess to excel in our system. These signings proved to be crucial to our success, as they helped to strengthen our team and boost our performance on the pitch.

First Few Games:

From the start, it was clear that my team had the talent and determination to succeed. We started the season off with a bang, winning our first few games and setting the tone for the rest of the season.

I experimented with a few different striker partnerships, ultimately settling on a formation that included a deep lying forward on support, a pressing forward on attack, and an advanced forward to take advantage of counter attack opportunities.

In possession, I instructed my team to play with a slightly higher tempo and shorter passing, and to run into space and be more disciplined. On the defensive end, we employed a high defensive line and a much higher line of engagement, using a counter press and counter attack strategy in transition.

While the system was similar to a Gegenpress, I made sure to reduce the intensity at times to give my players a break and keep them fresh, as I noticed that in Football Manager 2022 players tend to tire more easily.

Overall, our strong team chemistry and well-executed tactics led to a very successful season, with 27 wins, 7 draws, and 6 losses, earning us a total of 88 points and the championship title.

Conclusion:

My first season with Bath in Football Manager 2022 was an exciting and rewarding experience. From being predicted to finish last in the league to earning the title, it reignited my love for the game, and it was great to note that I could not simply replicate last year's tactics and needed to tweak them to the new engine.

The season laid out the foundations of all future systems for Bath - based on a high work rate, high team work, and a professional, dedicated squad that can make up any skill deficiencies through passion, heart and physic. With a talented and determined team, I'm confident that we will continue to thrive in the years to come. Tom Smith was fantastic in the season and as a "model professional" he was at the center of my mentoring strategy. I selected him as captain to elevate his position in the team, despite having poor leadership. Tom Smith will prove to be a foundation stone for the personality of Bath's future squad in years to come.