This idea is one I feel needs implementing. No matter what country you are playing in, the only teams that can be promoted into playable leagues are the ones who play in the unplayable leagues that immediately feed into it, or those teams that have been relegated out of a playable league while playing the game. This then gives the same pool of teams (66 in England's case) that can be promoted, and no others.

Why shouldn't the likes of FC United, Sheffield, Kidsgrove Athletic to name just three be able to be promoted to a playable league further down the line?

It's not down to research. As soon as you press continue for the first time, the game world deviates from the real world. And as it would be at least two years since the start of the game before any of these teams can appear in a playable league, having a 'good number' of players at the start isn't a factor, as the AI manager will have been signing and selling in this time.

But where does it stop?
I think 66 teams is plenty enough.

Agreed with Nobby.

I'd add to what he said but he phrased it better than I ever could. :thup:

Hmmmm. An interesting idea. I think it would probably take a great deal of programming to achieve, so not sure it's worth it. But if the game could keep track (in the background of course) of promotions and relegations in the support leagues, it could be interesting. For example, if I edited the database to give AFC Wimbledon a lot of money and a reasonable reputation, it'd be nice to see them promoted in a few years. That said, it's not the most pressing concerns, and 66 teams is probably more than enough.

If it's doable, then go for it. Otherwise, I'm not too bothered. Interesting idea though. :thup:

66 teams really isn't enough when you consider that a total of six teams will be promoted every year (three to the bsn, three to the bss). plus there's a vast database of sides who currently serve little purpose in the game other than to lose in the fa cup qualifying rounds, so making use of them by ensuring that there's a chance of them making it into the playable leagues would be nice

i doubt it would take a great deal of programming to achieve - all it would take is expanding the system that currently governs who's promoted from non-playable to playable leagues to include promotion/relegation between non-playable leagues, as well as maybe adding and subtracting reputation at random from unplayable clubs to simulate the ebb and flow of the lower leagues

It should really be doable, seeing the fact that the game does simulate (bits) of unplayable leagues. I don't know how it's done exactly, but as an international manager I can see the number of matches a player played, a player who is from my international team and a club outside the playable leagues.

Next to that, it's just a great idea :thup:

Is there anyway at all, using the editor perhaps, to put one of the ridiculously small English non-league teams into that pool of 66 teams to give them a chance of getting promoted into the football league? Southend Manor for example.....

It doens't seem right when you consider that the Northern Irish teams a majority are on it.

My local team Chimney Corner are on there and they seriously have a corrugated iron hut to save the fans from the rain and when I say fans I mean a couple of old fellas. It even has teams that play on the local park across from me (without a ref) and are well known booze hounds

Love the chance to manage FC United though.

I feel that any team that is in the game and is lower than the current playable leagues in any particular country should at least have the chance to be promoted. This game is about realism, I don't see why this shouldn't be an option, and I don't foresee it to be hard to implement in the game.

Fair enough that in leagues like Scotland where there is no promotion/relegation from the 3rd division as that is the same as in real life so that's fine. (Although I believe that there is a rule where if you finish bottom of the 3rd division 3 times in a row then you would be replaced by a highland league team; but I'm not aware if this is in the game or if it is actually a rule in real life, it's just what I've heard.)

Feel free to comment.