Sunday 30 October 2016

Revisiting the Australasian Super League via Football Manager

Ever since Football Manager crossed over from the greatest series of computer games ever invented to a confusing ordeal that resembles one of those complicated Excel spreadsheets with formulas and VLOOKUP (?) my only remaining interest has been stuffing about with the database to see what kind of weird shenanigans I can pull off.

Previous projects include:
  • Tipping the English divisions on their head, moving all the League Two clubs to the Premier League, all the EPL clubs to League Two - the Championship and League One swap places and god help whoever is promoted from the Conference in the first season. Then we sit back and watch Accrington Stanley accidentally become international powerhouses while Man City slowly work their way up the table and Bournemouth run aground on the rocks because they can never escape the bottom division.
  • Bringing back East Germany, including the national team and splitting off all the eastern clubs into their own league
  • Creating a country from scratch with its own league structure
  • Running Victoria as its own country. The slightly more ambitious idea of breaking up all the states and abolishing Australia was a step too far before losing interest.
And today we return to my favourite idea, one that was recreated in every edition of the game for several years - the Australasian Superleague featuring every AU and most NZ sides in the game in one baffling 14 division megaleague.

I'm so jaded with the actual Football Manager gameplay that I haven't bought it since the 2015 version, and after looking at the new features available in the upcoming 2017 edition that's not going to change. $60 US for the introduction of a random Brexit simulation? I would not have thought so. So in this case it's back to 2014 era players.

Now, let's be fair here I'm not applying for a consultancy job with the FFA so obviously this couldn't happen in real life (well, maybe the first couple of divisions...). Other factors in play are that after about the third division none of the teams have any players, so you end up with entire squads full of relatively equal randoms. For this reason you never see a side storm up the league table from total obscurity into the top division - but now I'm intending to play for long enough that it might happen. I've also never found a good way for clubs to compensate lower division sides for pinching their players, they are usually valued at $0 so they're just pinched for free.

In the past I've found that for the first few years the league table is always original A-League teams, then everybody else below before the best of the state league sides eventually get up enough money and start developing youth players so that they can break into the top 10. Maybe I haven't played long enough but I've never seen a non original A-League side win the comp, Sydney United running second after a brave tilt was the closest I came to an upset.

Starting lineups for the 2014/15 season...

Hyundai A-League
  • Top two teams play off in a Grand Final
  • Bottom three relegated automatically
  • 17th plays off against 4th in B-League
1. Adelaide City
2. Adelaide United
3. APIA Tigers
4. Auckland City
5. Brisbane Roar
6. Brisbane Strikers
7. Central Coast Mariners
8. Marconi
9. Melbourne City
10. Melbourne Knights
11. Melbourne Victory
12. Newcastle United
13. Perth Glory
14. South Coast Wolves
15. South Melbourne
16. Sydney FC
17. Sydney Olympic
18. Sydney United
19. Wanderers FC
20. Wellington Phoenix

Hyundai B-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • Fourth plays off against 17th in A-League
  • Bottom two relegated automatically
  • 18th plays off against 3rd in C-League
1. Bentleigh Greens
2. Blacktown City
3. Bonnyrigg White Eagles
4. Brisbane City
5. Canterbury United
6. Croydon Kings
7. Dandenong Thunder
8. FNQ Heat
9. Green Gully
10. Heidelberg United
11. Hume City
12. Manly United
13. Oakleigh Cannons
14. Olympic FC
15. Perth SC
16. Rockdale City
17. Sutherland Sharks
18. Team Wellington
19. Waitakere United
20. West Adelaide

Fox Sports C-League
  • Top two promoted automatically
  • Third plays off against 18th in B-League
  • Bottom three relegated automatically
1. Adelaide Blue Eagles
2. Balcatta
3. Ballarat Red Devils
4. Bayswater City
5. Blacktown Spartans
6. Campbelltown City
7. Cockburn City
8. Hawke's Bay
9. Inglewood United
10. Northcote City
11. Para Hills
12. Pascoe Vale
13. Port Melbourne
14. South Hobart
15. St George Saints
16. Stirling Lions
17. WaiBOP United
18. Werribee City
19. Western Strikes
20. WT Birkalla

Westfield D-League
  • Top two promoted automatically
  • 3rd - 6th play-off in league format for promotion
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D1 League
1. Adelaide Comets
2. Adelaide Raiders
3. Armadale SC
4. Avondale Heights
5. Bankstown City
6. Box Hill United
7. Cumberland United
8. Dapto-Dandaloo
9. ECU Joondalup
10. FC Bendigo
11. FC Bulleen Lions
12. FFA COE
13. Floreat Athena
14. Fraser Park
15. Goulburn Valley Suns
16. Kingston City
17. Macarthur Rams
18. MetroStars
19. Moreland Zebras
20. North Geelong Warriors
21. Northern Tigers
22. Olympia Warriors
23. Parramatta FC
24. Preston Lions
25. Richmond SC
26. Rochedale Rovers
27. Sorrento FC
28. South Adelaide
29. Springvale White Eagles
30. St Albans Saints
31. Subiaco AFC
32. Sunshine Coast FC
33. Sunshine George Cross
34. White City

D1-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D2-League
1. Altona Magic
2. Brisbane Wolves
3. Broadmeadow Magic
4. Brunswick City
5. Canberra FC
6. Cobram Victory
7. Dandenong City
8. Easts
9. Edgeworth Eagles
10. Fawkner Blues
11. FC Clifton Hill
12. FNSW Institute
13. Gold Coast Knights
14. Hakoah Sydney City East
15. Hills Brumbies
16. Lions FC
17. Mt Druitt Rangers
18. Murray United FC
19. North Pine Utd
20. North Star
21. Palm Beach
22. Peninsula Power
23. Pine Rivers
24. QAS
25. Redlands United
26. SASI
27. South Springvale
28. Southern Stars
29. Taringa Rovers
30. Toowoomba Raiders
31. VTC Football
32. Wanneroo
33. Western Knights
34. Weston Workers FC

D2-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D1-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D3-League
1. Adelaide Hills
2. Adelaide Olympic
3. Altona East Phoenix
4. Belconnen United
5. Bunbury Forum Force
6. Canning City
7. Capalaba
8. Cooma
9. Dianella White Eagles
10. Dulwich Hill
11. Frankston Pines
12. Glenorchy Knights
13. Hobart Zebras
14. Ipswich Knights
15. Kingsborough Lions
16. Knox City FC
17. Lake Macquarie City
18. Langwarrin SC
19. Launceston City
20. Launceston United
21. Mandurah City
22. Marlin Coast
23. Mitchelton FC
24. Modbury Jets
25. Mt Gravatt
26. O'Connor Knights
27. Olympic Kingsway
28. Playford City
29. Salisbury United
30. South Toowoomba Hawks
31. Souths United
32. Spirit FC
33. Tuggeranong United
34. Western Suburbs

D3-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D2-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D4-League
1. ANU
2. Ashfield FC
3. Burnie United
4. Canberra City
5. Canberra Olympic
6. Clarence Utd
7. Devonport City
8. Forrestfield United
9. Gosnells City
10. Gunghalin United
11. Hurstville FC
12. Ingham FC
13. Innisfail United
14. Malvern City
15. Metro FC
16. Morley Windmills
17. Morwell Pegasus
18. Mounties Wanderers
19. Myrtleford SC
20. Narangba Utd
21. New Town Eagles
22. Northern Rangers
23. Prospect Knights
24. Queanbeyan City
25. Queens Park
26. Riverside Olympic
27. Rockingham
28. Somerset
29. Sydney University
30. Ulverstone
31. Uni QLD
32. University of Tasmania
33. Whittlesea Ranges
34. Willowburn

D4-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D3-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D5-League
1. Altona City
2. Byron Bay FC
3. Caboolture FC
4. Camden Tigers
5. Centenary Stormers
6. Edge Hill Utd
7. Grange Thistle
8. Greenbank FC
9. Inter Lions FC
10. Joondalup Utd
11. K.S.S Jets FC
12. Kinsgcliff Wolves
13. Lalor Utd
14. Lara SC
15. Litchfield FC
16. Logan Village FC
17. Mackay Crusaders
18. Mackay Wanderers
19. Nambour Yandina FC
20. Noble Park United
21. Rebels FC
22. Ross River FC
23. Shamrock Rovers
24. Shell Cove FC
25. Southside Utd
26. Thornton Redbacks
27. Tweed United
28. United Warriors
29. West Preston SC
30. Western NSW FC
31. Westgate FC
32. Woden Valley
33. Wodonga Diamonds
34. Woombye FC

D5-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D4-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D6-League
1. Adamstown Rosebud
2. Annerley FC
3. Bluebirds United
4. Caloundra FC
5. Capricorn Coast
6. Casuarina FC
7. Central Queensland Mariners
8. Coffs Coast Tigers
9. Dandenong South
10. Darwin Olympic
11. Endeavour Hills
12. Falcons 2000
13. FC Strathmore
14. Frenchville
15. Hoppers Crossing SC
16. Hume United
17. Ipswich City
18. Jimboomba Utd
19. Kangaroo Point Rovers
20. Keysborough SC
21. Mareeba United
22. Newmarket SC
23. Northern Storm
24. Picton Rangers
25. Port Darwin
26. Shepparton SC
27. Singleton Strikers
28. Southern Branch
29. Surf Coast FC
30. Tatura SC
31. The Gap
32. Twin City Wanderers
33. Wide Bay Revolution
34. Wulguru United

D6-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D5-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D7-League
1. Ashburton Utd
2. Beaumaris SC
3. Belmore United
4. Brothers FC
5. Clinton FC
6. Cobram SC
7. Coolum FC
8. Darebin United
9. Ellenbrook United
10. Fortuna 60
11. Garuda FC
12. Hawkesbury City
13. Holland Park Hawks
14. Leichardt FC
15. Maddington White City FC
16. Melbourne Tornado Zadar
17. Moreland City
18. Northbridge FC
19. Oxley United
20. Park Ridge FC
21. Peninsula Strikers
22. Point Cook FC
23. Prospect United
24. Redcliffe PCYC
25. Ringwood City
26. Samford Ranges
27. Shepparton South
28. Sporting Whittlesea
29. St Kilda FC
30. Stratford Dolphins
31. Warragul United
32. Western Condors
33. Whittlesea United
34. Wollongong Olympic

D7-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th and 5th play-off with 29th and 30th from D6-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
  • 29th and 30th play-off with 4th and 5th of D8-League
1. AC Carina
2. Across The Waves FC
3. Albany Creek Excelsior
4. Bingera FC
5. Brighton SC
6. Brisbane Knights
7. Buderim Wanderers
8. Caulfield United
9. Charlestown City
10. Corio SC
11. East Gosford FC
12. Enfield Rovers
13. Fremantle United
14. Geelong SC
15. Hellenic Athletic
16. Kawana
17. Logan Lightning
18. Mackay Magpies
19. Maroochydore FC
20. Melville City
21. Mindil Aces
22. Mornington SC
23. New Farm Utd
24. Nunawading City
25. Palmerston FC
26. Rowville Eagles
27. Shepparton Utd
28. Springvale City
29. Stanmore Hawks
30. Uni-Azzurri
31. USQ FC
32. West Griffith SC
33. Western Spirit
34. Yoogali SC

D8-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th to 6th play-off with 29th and 30th from D7-League
  • Bottom five relegated automatically
  • 28th and 29th play-off with 4th and 5th of D9-League
1. Balmain Tigers
2. Bayside United
3. Booroondara Eagles
4. Brandon Park
5. Brisbane Force
6. Cairnlea
7. Coniston Lions
8. Croydon City Arrows
9. Derwent United
10. Gawler SC
11. Hampton Park United Sparrows
12. Hanwood FC
13. Joondalup City
14. La Trobe University
15. Melrose FC
16. Monaro Panthers
17. Monash University SC
18. Monbulk Rangers
19. North Caulfield Maccabi
20. North Sunshine Eagles
21. Northern Demons
22. Quinns FC
23. Rydalmere Lions
24. Slacks Creek
25. South Coast Utd
26. Southern Bulls
27. Southside Eagles
28. Spearwood Dalmatinac
29. Surfers Paradise
30. SWQ Thunder
31. Taroona FC
32. UWA-Nedlands FC
33. Waverley Wanderers
34. Westvale

D9-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th to 6th play-off with 29th and 30th from D8-League
  • Bottom four relegated automatically
1. ACTAS
2. Bankstown Berries
3. Banyule City
4. Broadbeach United
5. Burleigh Heads
6. Casey Comets
7. Diamond Valley Utd
8. Doncaster Rovers
9. Eastern Lions
10. Fitzroy City
11. Geelong Rangers
12. Gladesville Ryde Magic
13. Heatherton United
14. Hurstville City Minotaurs
15. Keilor Park SC
16. Lambton Jaffas
17. Magic Utd
18. Maribyrnong Greens
19. Moreland United
20. Mudgeeraba SC
21. Murwillumbah FC
22. Northern Fury
23. NTIS
24. Port Kembla
25. Skye Utd
26. Sunbury United
27. Sydenham Park
28. Tarrawanna
29. Tasmania NTC
30. Valentine Phoenix
31. West Wallsend
32. Western Pride
33. Williamstown SC
34. Yarraville Glory

D10-League
  • Top three promoted automatically
  • 4th to 11th play off for promotion
1. AC Utd
2. Adelaide Cobras
3. Albion Park White Eagles
4. Berwick City
5. Bulli
6. Coomera
7. Cove FC
8. Cringila Lions
9. Doveton
10. Eastern United
11. Essendon Royals
12. Fernhill
13. Granville Rage
14. Hamilton Olympic
15. Mazenod Utd
16. Merrimac
17. Moggill FC
18. Moreton Bay Utd
19. Musgrave FC
20. Nepean FC
21. Nerang
22. Noarlunga United
23. Old Camberwell SC
24. Old Scotch
25. Pine Hills FC
26. Port Adelaide Lion
27. Seaford Rangers
28. South Cardiff
29. South Yarra SC
30. Southport FC
31. Sturt Lions
32. Swan United
33. Toronto Awaba FC
34. Western Toros
35. Wollongong United
36. Yoogali FC

In addition the cup competitions are as follows (in a previous version I had individual state based cups but bloody hell that was hard work, also I'm assuming the last two versions of the game haven't fixed the issue where you can't play a cup instead of pre-season games and teams end up playing about 10 games in 10 days)
  • FFA Cup (512 teams - all the above divisions + all the NZ lower leagues, the PNG league and the East Timor league)
  • Westfield D-League Cup (The 342 D-League sides in a knockout)
  • Australian League Cup (The 74 B-League, C-League and D-League teams in a knockout)
For the purposes of the simulation all the Asian leagues are turned on (with the exception of Singapore which won't work with this setup due to some obscure cup qualification rules) + England, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Spain and Wales.

End of season updates:

2014/15
  • A-League: Perth Glory d. Sydney FC (inc. Andy Keogh 38 goals for the year including two in the Grand Final)
    • Relegated - Melbourne Knights, Brisbane Strikers, Marconi
      • Adelaide City survived relegation playoff vs Hume)
    • Sydney United were the highest of the new teams, finishing 8th. Newcastle Jets the only old team to finish outside the top 10 in 11th.
    • Biggest transfer out: $1.1m Kutaiba Elrich from Sydney Olympic to Al-Ain
    • Biggest transfer in: $875k Shane Lowry from Leyton Orient to Sydney FC
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Team Wellington, Oakleigh Cannons, Rockdale City
    • Relegated -  Brisbane City, Manly Utd, Sutherland Sharks
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - Bayswater City, Pascoe Vale, Campbelltown City. 
    • Relegated - Cockburn City, WT Birkalla, Ballarat Red Devils
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Dapto Dandaloo, Preston Lions, Parramatta FC
    • Relegated - Armadale SC, FFA COE, FC Bendigo, Avondale Heights
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Lions FC, Palm Beach, Redlands United, SASI
    • Relegated - Weston Workers, Gold Coast Knights, Toowoomba Raiders, Fawkner Blues, Cobram Victory
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Capalaba, Ipswich Knights, Mitchelton FC, Adelaide Hills, Souths Utd
    • Relegated - Marlin Coast, South Toowoomba, Knox City, Launceston City, Hobart Zebras
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Sydney Uni, Canberra City, Uni QLD, Canberra Olympic, Gosnells City
    • Relegated - New Town Eagles, ANU, Narangba United, Hurstville FC
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - United Warriors, Noble Park Utd, Thornton Redbacks, Altona City
    • Relegated - Greenbank, Grange Thistle, Lalor Utd, Woombye FC
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Keysborough, Bluebirds Utd, Southern Branch, Tatura
    • Relegated - The Gap, Wide Bay Revolution, Twin City Wanderers, Endeavour Hills
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Leichardt FC, Darebin Utd, Holland Park, Redcliffe PCYC
    • Relegated - PRospect Utd, Ashburton Utd, Ellenbrook Utd, Fortuna 60, Maddington White City
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Charlestown City, Mornington, Mindil Aces, Buderim Wanderers, Mackay Magpies
    • Relegated - Melville City, Nunawading City, Rowville Eagles, West Griffith, New Farm Utd
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - SWQ Thunder, Southern Bulls, Surfers Paradise, La Trobe Uni, Slacks Creek
    • Relegated - Monaro Panthers, Melrose FC, Monash Uni, UWA-Nedlands, Northern Demons
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Western Pride, Northern Fury, Hurstville City, Tasmania NTC, Yarraville Glory
    • Relegated - ACTAS, NTIS, Burleigh Heads, Lambton Jaffas
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Moreton Bay Utd, Western Toros, Nepean FC, Granville Rage
    • The worst team in the country was Essendon Royals with a 1.1.33 record and -103 goal difference.
  • FFA Cup:
    • Wellington Phoenix d. Marconi
    • Giant Killer - Macarthur Rams of the D-League to the quarter final
  • League Cup:
    • Rockdale City d. Blacktown City
  • D-League Cup
    • S.A.S.I d. Palm Beach
2015/16
  • A-League: Perth Glory d. Melbourne City for a second title in a row.
    • Relegated - South Melbourne, Oakleigh, Sydney United
      • Rockdale survived relegation playoff vs Bonnyrigg
    • After saying the new teams never get close to win anything 4th place APIA Tigers went within three points and six goal difference of qualifying for the Grand Final.
    • Biggest transfer out: $3.8m + part exchange for Nick Ansell from Victory to Malmo
    • Biggest transfer in: $1.2m for Hagi Gligor from Sydney to Central Coast
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Bentleigh, Hume, Heidelberg
    • Relegated -  Perth SC, FNQ Heat, Croydon
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - WaiBOP United, Manly, Northcote
    • Relegated - South Hobart, Balcatta, Adelaide Blue Eagles
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Bankstown City, Springvale White Eagles, Palm Beach
    • Relegated - White City, Fraser Park, Box Hill Utd, Kingston City, Northern Tigers
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Ipswich Knights, QAS, Pine Rivers United, FFA COE, FC Bendigo
    • Relegated - Hills Brumbies, Edgeworth Eagles, Southern Stars, Mt Druitt Rangers, Broadmeadow Magic
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Uni QLD, Fawkner Blues, Sydney Uni, Cobram Victory, Belconnen Utd
    • Relegated - Cooma, Launceston, Altona East, Glenorchy Knights, Adelaide Olympic
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Marlin Coast, Knox City, South Toowoomba, Hobart Zebras, Willowburn
    • Relegated - Whittlesea Rangers, Thornton, Noble Park, Ulverstone, Northern Rangers
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - ANU, Narangba, Lara, Edge Hill, Ross River
    • Relegated - Southern Branch, Mackay Crusaders, Shell Cove, Bluebirds Utd, Litchfield
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Picton Rangers, Frenchville, Grange Thistle, Greenbank, Woombye
    • Relegated - Singleton Strikers, Darwin Olympic, FC Strathmore, Falcons 2000, Hume Utd
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Twin City Wanderers, Wide Bay Revolution, The Gap, Endeavour Hills, Whittlesea Utd
    • Relegated - Samford Rangers, Northbridge, Clinton, Mackay Magpies, Warragul Utd, Mindil Aces
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Fortuna 60, Prospect Utd, Ellenbrook Utd, SWQ Thunder, Maddington, Shepparton Utd
    • Relegated - Springvale City, Logan Lightning, La Trobe Uni, Albany Creek, Kawana, Geelong SC
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Western Pride, West Griffith, Northern Fury, Coniston Lions, Melville City, Cairnlea
    • Relegated - Spearwood Dalmanatic, Bayside Utd, Brisbane Force, Monbulk, Taroona, Hampton Park
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Northern Demons, Monash Uni, Monaro Panthers, UWA-Nedlands, Melrose, Maribyrnong
    • Relegated - Geelong Rangers, Keilor Park, Eastern Lions, Banyule City
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - ACTAS, Burleigh Heads, NTIS, Lambton Jaffas
    • The worst team in the country was Wollongong United with 3.6.26 and -70 goal difference 
  • FFA Cup:
    • Wellington Phoenix d. Adelaide United
    • Two in a row for the FFA Cup specialists. No real giant killing runs worth mentioning
  • League Cup:
    • Bentleigh Greens d. Olympic FC
  • D-League Cup
    • FNSW Institute d. Western Pride
    • Two in a row for state academy 
2016/17
  • A-League: Perth Glory d. Melbourne City for their third straight title.
    • Relegated - Sydney Olympic, APIA Tigers (a year after almost making the Grand Final), Hume City
      • Bentleigh Greens survived playoff vs South Melbourne after coming from two goals down)
      • (Brisbane Roar survived with a run of wins in the last few games after being a mile in the hole)
    • Highest placed 'new' team - Auckland City - 5th
    • Biggest transfer out: $1.9m - Nicolao Dumitru - Melbourne Victory to Millwall 
    • Biggest transfer in: $1.5m - Luke DeVere - Brisbane Roar to Sydney
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Pascoe Vale, West Adelaide, Bayswater City.
    • Relegated - Bonnyrigg, Dandenong Thunder, WaiBOP
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - FNQ Heat, Palm Beach, Preston Lions
    • Relegated - Stirling Lions, Inglewood United, Western Strikes
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - St Albans Saints, Macarthur Rams, SASI
    • Relegated - Subiaco AFC, FFA COE, Pine Rivers, Olympia Warriors, South Adelaide
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Uni QLD, Taringa Rovers, Altona Magic, White City, Souths Utd
    • Relegated - North Pine Utd, Mitchelton FC, Peninsula Power, Brisbane Wolves, Murray United
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Canberra Olympic, Canning City, Kingborough Lions, Western Suburbs, Gold Coast Knights
    • Relegated - South Toowoomba Hawks, Southern Stars, Gosnells City, Broadmeadow Mgaic, Lake Macquarie City
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Launceston CIty, Altona East Phoenix, Narangba United, Edge Hill, Mounties Wanderers
    • Relegated - Myrtleford, Burnie Utd, Ingham, Uni Tasmania, Metro FC
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - Woombye, Camden Tigers, Inter Lions, Frenchville, Noble Park Utd
    • Relegated - Wodonga Diamonds, West Preston, Keysborough, KSS Jets, Shamrock Rovers
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Whittlesea Utd, Litchfield FC, Caloundra FC, Twin City Wanderers, Central Queensland Mariners
    • Relegated - Port Darwin, Dandenong South, Holland Park, Darebin United
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Darwin Olympic, Shepparton Utd, SWQ Thunder, Stratford Dolphins
    • Relegated - Brothers FC, Point Cook, Gardua, Wollongong Olympic, Charleston City, Buderim Wanderers
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Northern Fury, Western Pride, Samford Ranges, West Griffith, Brighton, Coniston
    • Relegated - Maroochydore, Hellenic Athletic, Across The Waves, Slacks Creek, Enfield Rovers, AC Carina
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Nunawading City, Albany Creek Excelsior, Monash Uni, Kawana, Logan Lightning, Balmain Tigers
    • Relegated - Yarraville Glory, Maribyrnong Greens, Rydalmere Lions, Derwent Utd, Waverley Wanderers
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - ACTAS, Monbulk Rangers, NTIS, Lambton Jaffas, Taroona FC
    • Relegated - Diamond Valley Utd, Tarrawanna, Moreland Utd, Sydenham Park
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Keilor Park, Cove FC, AC Utd, Eastern Lions
    • 36th - Southport FC with 5.9.21 and -47
  • FFA Cup:
    • Sydney FC d. Melbourne City
    • No worthwhile giant killing
  • League Cup:
    • Uni Queensland (D1) d. Grange Thistle (D4)
  • D-League Cup
    • Manly United (BL) d. Canterbury United (BL)
2017/18
  • A-League: Central Coast Mariners d. Melbourne City on penalties (poor old Kenny Lowe won three titles in a row then got the arse when Perth finished 7th)
    • Relegated - Team Wellington, Pascoe Vale, Bentleigh
      • Bayswater City survived playoff vs Oakleigh
    • Highest placed 'new' team - Rockdale City - 5th
    • Biggest transfer out: $51k - Aleksandar Radovanovic from Adelaide Utd to Backa
    • Biggest transfer in: $1.1m - David Browne from Auckland City to Brisbane and Rostyn Griffiths from Perth Glory to Sydney
  • B-League
    • Promoted - APIA Tigers, Hume City, Marconi
    • Relegated - Preston, FNQ Heat, Palm Beach
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - WaiBOP United, Dandenong Thunder, Croydon Kings
    • Relegated - SASI, Springvale White Eagles, Hawke's Bay
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Redlands United, MetroStars, Ballarat Red Devils
    • Relegated - North Geelong, Floreat Athena, Adelaide Comets, Taringa Rovers, Balcatta
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Olympia Warriors, Northern Tigers, Belconnen United, South Springvale, Hakoah Sydney
    • Relegated - Dandenong City, Kingborough, Clifton Hll, Wanneroo, Gold Coast Knights
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Mitchelton FC, Brisbane Wolves, Hills Brumbies, Dulwich Hill, Altona East
    • Relegated - Mounties Warriors, Narangba Utd, Olympic Kings, Mt Gravatt, Mt Druitt Rangers
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - ANU, Frenchville, Devonport City, Southern Stars, Noble Park Utd
    • Relegated - Rockingham, Forrestfield U, Riverside Olympic, Innisfail Utd, Malvern City
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - Hurstville, Byron Bay, Thornton Redbacks, Twin City Wanderers, Myrtleford SC
    • Relegated - Tweed United, Westgate FC, Centenary Stormers, Tatura, Caboolture
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - SWQ Thunder, Darwin Olympic, Newmarket SC, Hoppers Crossing, Adamstown Rosebud
    • Relegated - Keysborough, Bluebirds Utd, Northern Storm, Leichardt FC
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Northern Fury, Western Pride, Sporting Whittlesea, Samford Rangers
    • Relegated - Shepparton South, Belmore United, Melbourne Tornado, FC Strathmore, Coolum FC, Park Ridge FC
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Nunawading, Uni-Azzurri, Yoogali, Charlestown, Logan Lightning, Melville City
    • Relegated - Surfers Paradise, Garuda FC, Caulfield Utd, Point Cook FC, Corio SC, Bingera FC
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Lambton Jaffas, New Farm United, La Trobe Uni, Hellenic Athletic, AC Carina, Monaro Panthers
    • Relegated - Hanwood FC, North Caulfield, Joondalup City, Maroochydore, Quinns FC
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Waverley Wanderers, Spearwood Dalmatinac, Brisbane Force, Rydalmere Lions, Maribyrnong
    • Relegated - Port Kembla, Skye Utd, Sunbury Utd, Broadbeach Utd
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Sydenham Park, Adelaide Cobras, Bulli, Mazenod Utd
    • 36th - South Yarra with 8.10.17 and -12
  • FFA Cup:
    • Newcastle Jets d. Rockdale City
    • Blacktown Spartans (C-League) made the quarter finals.
  • League Cup:
    • FNQ Heat (B-League) d. APIA Tigers (B-League)
  • D-League Cup
    • FNSW Institute (D1) d. Subiaco (D1)
2018/19
  • A-League: Melbourne City d. Perth Glory on a 25-yard free kick stunner at 121:32.
    • Relegated - Marconi, Rockdale, Hume City, Bayswater
      • Oakleigh won playoff to replace Marconi
    • Highest placed 'new' team - APIA Tigers - 9th
    • Biggest transfer out: $1.2m - Lee Ki-Je - Newcastle Jets to Sydney FC
    • Biggest transfer in: $275k - Brett Pitman - Sydney FC to Brentford
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Pascoe Vale, Green Gully, Sydney Olympic, Oakleigh
    • Relegated - Dandenong Thunder, Canterbury Dragons, Croydon Kings
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - FNQ Heat, Bonnyirgg, Parramatta FC
    • Relegated - Macarthur, Redlands, Dapto-Dandaloo
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Hawke's Bay, Hakoah Sydney, Stirling Lions
    • Relegated - White City, WT Birkalla, Inglewood Utd, Belconnen Utd, ECU Joondalup
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Fraser Park, North Geelong, FNSW Institute, VTC Football, Western Knights
    • Relegated - Mitchelton, South Adelaide, Capalaba, Canberra Olympic
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Frenchville, North Pine Utd, Langwarrin SC, Playford City
    • Relegated - Mandurah City, Devonport City, Edgeworth Eagles, Willowburn, Launceston City
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Cooma, Twin City Wanderers, Morwell Pegasus, Lara, Woombye
    • Relegated - Byron Bay, Altona City, Hurstville, Adelaide Olympic, Launceston United
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - Ulverstone, SWQ Thunder, Innisfail, Southside Utd, Forrestfield Utd
    • Relegated - Uni of Tasmania, Newmarket SC, Whittlesea Utd, Western NSW, Malvern City
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Northern Fury, Western Pride, Coffs Coast, KSS Jets, Endeavour Hills
    • Relegated - Samford Rangers, Jimboomba Utd, Westgate FC, Shepparton Utd
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Nunawading, Unzi-Azzurri, West Griffith, Brighton SC
    • Relegated - Fortuna 60, Beaumaris SC, Yoogali, Port Darwin, Singleton Strikers, Mornington SC
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Mackay Magpies, Ashburton Utd, Lambton Jaffas, Clinton FC, Warragul Utd, Park Ridge FC
    • Relegated - Melbourne Tornado, Brothers FC, Belmore United, Northbridge, Southern Bulls
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Croydon City Arrows, Waverley Wanderers, Melrose FC, Garuda FC, Geelong SC
    • Relegated - Westvale, South Coast United, Enfield Rovers, Tasmania NTC, Gawler SC
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Granville Rage, Yarravilla Glory, Adelaide Cobras, Murwillumbah FC, Bulli
    • Relegated - Bayside United, Fitzroy City, Keilor Park, West Wallsend
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Old Camberwell, Cringila Lions, Coomera, Port Kembla
    • 36th - Yoogali FC with 4.13.18 and -21
  • FFA Cup:
    • Adelaide Utd d. Melbourne Victory
    • Biggest surprise were D6 Mornington City (who finished last in the league) riding a sweet draw through to the sixth round
  • League Cup:
    • Pascoe Vale (B-League) d. Northcote City (B-League)
  • D-League Cup
    • ANU (D2) d. Endeavour Hills (D5)
2019/20

I'm starting to realise there's no beating the original A-League teams. Other than the one season where the consistently strong APIA (other than the one year where they got relegated) got within striking distance of the Grand Final nobody can get near the top two. Similarly at the other end one original will always be around the relegation zone in December before powering away.

Now there's a class of teams that are too good for the B-League and not good enough for the A and will go down then come back up immediately, while traditional powerhouses like South Melbourne and Melbourne Knights have gone completely tits up and can't break back into the top flight.

We continue to press on in the hope of seeing something amazing happen over time.
  • A-League: Melbourne Victory d. Central Coast Mariners
    • Relegated - Oakleigh, Sydney Olympic, Pascoe Vale
      • West Adelaide survived playoff vs Hume City
    • Highest placed 'new' team - APIA Tigers - 6th
    • Biggest transfer out: $2.3m - Alessandro Crescenzi - Melbourne Victory to Bournemouth
    • Biggest transfer in: $1.3m - Brendan Smith - APIA Tigers to South Coast Wolves
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Rockdale City, Bentleigh Greens, Sydney United
    • Relegated - WaiBOP United, FNQ Heat
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - Palm Beach, Werribee City
    • Relegated - Hakoah Sydney, Metrostars, Hawke's Bay
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Sunshine George, Bulleen Lions, Springvale White Eagles
    • Relegated - Fraser Park, Goulburn Valley Suns, Northern Tigers, Rochedale Rovers
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Hills Brumbies, White City, Pine Rivers, Adelaide Hills
    • Relegated - North Star, Altona East, FFA COE, Fawkner Blues, Langwarrin
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Peninsula Power, Canberra Olympic, Spirit FC, Mitchelton FC, Weston Workers
    • Relegated - Lara, Gold Coast Knights, Noble Park, Bunbury Forum Force
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Willowburn, Gosnells City, Mt Druitt Rangers, Southside Utd
    • Relegated - Morley Windmills, Somerset, Olympic Kingsway, Camden Tigers, South Toowoomba
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - Northern Fury, Endeavour Hills, Western Pride, Metro FC, Hoppers Crossing
    • Relegated - Litchfield, Hurstville, KSS Jets, Adamstown Rosebud
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Nunawading, Surf Coast, West Griffith, Wodonga Diamonds
    • Relegated - Caboolture, Mackay, Uni Tasmania, Stratford Dolphins, Whittlesea United
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Coniston, Ashburton, St Kilda, Warragul, Leichhardt
    • Relegated - Oxley, Park Ridge, Peninsula Strikes, Darebin United, Hawkesbury City, Bluebirds United
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Melrose, Brisbane Knights, Beaumaris, Kawana, Monaro Panthers, AC Carina
    • Relegated - Monash Uni, Mornington, Palmerston, East Gosford, USQ
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Granville Rage, Adelaide Cobras, Northern Demons, ACTAS, UWA-Nedlands
    • Relegated - Point Cook, Springvale City, Boorondara Eagles, NTIS, North Sunshine
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Cringila Lions, Maroochydore, Mazenod, AC Utd, North Caulfield Maccabi
    • Relegated - Hampton Park, Quinns FC, Bankstown, Heatherton United
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Noarlunga Utd, Banyule City, Wollongong Utd, Moggill FC
    • 36th - Eastern United with 6.12.17 and -18
  • FFA Cup:
    • Sydney FC d. Central Coast Mariners
    • Biggest surprise were C-League Preston into the quarter finals.
  • League Cup:
    • Northcote City (B-League) d. Rockdale City (B-League)
  • D-League Cup
    • Dulwich Hill (D1) d. Devonport City (D3)
We continue to press on in the hope of seeing something amazing happen over time.

2020/2021

Another year dominated by the originals. There were a three new sides in the top 10, but the closest any of the old A-League sides came to relegation was perennial disappointments Brisbane Roar finishing 15th, 11 points clear of the drop. There's a pattern every season where a couple of 'big' sides flirt with the drop in the first 10 games before doing just enough to pull away.

At least APIA becoming the first new side to win the cup and getting a spot in the ACL (I don't remember making that a setting, but whatever) could herald something new and exciting for them.
  • A-League: Melbourne City d. Melbourne Victory
    • Relegated - Bentleigh, Sydney Utd, Green Gully, Auckland City
      • Bentleigh lost the playoff to Melbourne Knights
    • Highest placed 'new' team - South Coast Wolves - 5th
    • Biggest transfer out: $1.9m - Dominic Samuel - Sydney FC to Millwall
    • Biggest transfer in: $1.5m - Daniel De Silva - Virus Entella to Sydney FC
  • B-League
    • Promoted - Hume City, Oakleigh, Waitakere United, Melbourne Knights
    • Relegated - Olympic FC, Team Wellington
  • C-League: 
    • Promoted - FNQ Heat, Dandenong Thunder
    • Relegated - Perth, Stirling Lions, Port Melbourne
  • D-League: 
    • Promoted - Moreland, VTC Football, Altona Magic
    • Relegated - Sunshine Coast, Western Strikes, Lions FC, South Hobart, Cockburn City
  • D1-League: 
    • Promoted - Goulburn Valley Suns, Spirit FC, Fraser Park, Box Hill Utd, WT Birkalla
    • Relegated - Belconnen Utd, Western Suburbs, Cobram Victory, ECU Joondalup
  • D2-League:
    • Promoted - Salisbury Utd, Clifton Hill, Modbury Jets, Cooma
    • Relegated - Langwarrin, Morwell, Wanneroo, Kingsborough
  • D3-League:
    • Promoted - Endeavour Hills, Hoppers Crossing, Northern Fury, Western Pride (sixth straight promotion for the last two)
    • Relegated - Mounties Wanderers, United Warriors, Gunghalin Utd, Innisfail Utd
  • D4-League:
    • Promoted - Rockingham, Nunawading City, Woden Valley, Northern Rangers
    • Relegated - Logan Village, Riverside Olympic, Altona City, Launceston Utd, Grange Thistle
  • D5-League:
    • Promoted - Ipswich City, Adamstown Rosebud, Brighton SC, Tweet Utd, Warragul Utd
    • Relegated - Southern Branch, Newmarket, Wulguru Utd, Shell Cove FC
  • D6-League:
    • Promoted - Melville, Lambton Jaffas, Falcons 2000, Maddington White City
    • Relegated - Clinton FC, Holland Park, Western Condors, Moreland City, Logan Lightning
  • D7-League:
    • Promoted - Port Darwin, Adelaide Cobras, Garuda FC, Waverley Wanderers, Shepparton South
    • Relegated - Peninsula Strikers, FC Strathmore, Fremantle Utd, Granville Rage, ACTAS, La Trobe University
  • D8-League:
    • Promoted - Bulli, AC Utd, Corio SC, Brothers FC, Cringila Lions, Bingera
    • Relegated - East Gosford, Belmore Utd, Monash Uni, Southern Bulls, Northbridge FC, Maribyrnong Greens
  • D9-League:
    • Promoted - Doncaster Rovers, Joondalup City, Point Cook, Enfield Rovers, Banyule City, Noarlunga Utd
    • Relegated - Valentine Phoenix, North Sunshine, Cove FC, Gladesville Ryde Magic
  • D10-League:
    • Promoted - Port Adelaide Lion, Sunbury FC, South Yarra FC, Diamond Valley FC
    • 36th - Nerang 6-11-18 and -16
  • FFA Cup:
    • APIA Tigers d. Perth Glory
    • Doveton finished 34th in the D10 League but somehow made the fifth round
  • League Cup:
    • Manly Utd (B-League) d. Pascoe Vale (B-League)
  • D-League Cup
    • Northern Fury d. Western Suburbs
Updates on future seasons to follow, until I lose interest/find something better to do and this post becomes a monument to one lazy long weekend afternoon..