The Spartans FC just about managed to stay in the cinch Championship for a 3rd campaign as King Leonidas' young side finished 8th amid a really tight relegation battle. And it seemed another tough campaign lay in waiting.
A second season in Valencia saw us lead Los Cules to an unexpected second place finish, only behind an increasingly ridiculously good Real Madrid. We'll take a quick look back at the season just gone and our key players throughout the campaign.
We headed into the second half of our second season with Valencia sandwiched by Spanish giants Barcelona and the increasingly untouchable Real Madrid.
Valencia went into the final ten games of La Liga in 2025/26 locked in a four-way battle for the final two Champions League places with Espanyol, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid.
Last time out, we'd made a superb start to life in Valencia by winning eight of our first ten matches and only trailed a goal-crazy Real Madrid and Barcelona. And our form was near enough totally reliant on a free-scoring 33-year-old Son Heung-Min playing as a makeshift striker.
In the first part of our new adventure in Valencia we picked up a big opening day win and introduced you to our brand new squad, and new signing Neymar.
Last time out, I explained my decision to, with rather a heavy heart, move on from my six seasons with Sporting and explore pastures new by embarking on the start of a Journeyman save.
Our fourth campaign as Sporting Lisbon manager had plenty of drama, including a board intervention that had me questioning my position at the club. However, it soon became our best season so far in the save.
I've built some exciting young teams during my time playing Football Manager but this new-look Sporting Lisbon side has to be one of the most inexperienced but exciting. However, all of my good work could come to a dramatic ending after a ridiculous move by the club's incumbent President.
I normally like to summarise the season just gone within the last post of the season, but this time around the finale to Primeira Liga was too frantic for that!
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