4 Relegated Clubs to Manage in FM24

Discover top strategies for managing relegated clubs in FM24. Transform Leeds, Malaga, Schalke, and Dundee United back to their former glory.

Football Manager 2024 Challenge: Leading Relegated Clubs to Success

When it comes to starting a new FM24 save, we all love to think of a challenge. Whether it’s a youth development save, a journeyman challenge or one of a great number of challenges dreamt up by the FM community, there’s no shortage of ideas to take your pick from. One of my favourites is to take a relegated club and to rebuild them for instant return. With a great number of clubs across the world relegated every season, there’s always a story and a great club to be returned to prominence. This article looks at which relegated clubs would be the most fun to takeover in Football Manager 2024 and build them up to the clubs they used to be.

Leeds United

One of English football’s most decorated clubs, Leeds United’s most recent stay in the Premier League was much shorter than should be expected for a club of their stature. With a phenomenal and vocal support, Leeds United are arguably one of the biggest clubs in England and have no business being out of the top flight again.

Relegation could almost be a blessing in disguise for Leeds if you play this right. They have a number of highly talented wonderkids in Wilfried Gnonto, Illan Meslier and Archie Gray - all of whom need first-team football to continue their development. However, none of them are quite ready to start week-in, week-out for a Premier League side. In the Championship, there’s no reason for Gray and Gnonto not to be the basis of your side, and Meslier should be pretty comfortably the best keeper outside the top flight. By getting the most out of these youngsters and trimming the fat away from a squad that wasn’t good enough for the Premier League, can you prepare Leeds to make a better run in the top flight after winning the Championship?

Malaga

Long a firm favourite of FM players, Malaga were relegated to the third tier of Spanish football last season. After years of financial difficulty, the halcyon days of Manuel Pellegrini and Champions League quarter-finals feel a long way away. With those memories growing dimmer, it’s your job to bring the good times back to La Rosaleda.

Luca Sangalli will be crucial to anything you achieve in the short term with this club, but what makes them truly attractive as a destination is what’s under the hood. This club has great training and youth facilities, good youth training and recruitment, and the financial stability to build on that for years to come. With the right coaching, you could have some serious talent coming through your ranks in no time, and build an entire club in your own image.

Schalke 04

Honestly, the 2. Bundesliga is probably the most exciting league in the world at the moment. There’s some huge clubs who - thanks to mismanagement, financial irresponsibility and failing to adjust to the modern game - have all fallen out of Germany’s top flight in the last few years. The two most recent additions to that list - Hertha Berlin and Schalke - are both incredibly interesting options for a new save in FM 2024.

It’s a close call between Schalke and Hertha, but I’ve gone for Schalke for this list. The eternal little brother of the Revierderby, Schalke have been up and down between the top two leagues in Germany for a few seasons now - and in real life, currently sit 16th in the 2. Bundesliga. If you can bring stability to the Veltins Arena, you’ll find yourself at the helm of one of the biggest sleeping giants in Germany.

Despite recent struggles, Schalke still have all the markings of a big club. Excellent facilities from top to bottom, a fantastic stadium, and one of the biggest fanbases in Germany. While their first team might look a little uneven, there’s no reason for this side to be struggling as much as they currently are in the second tier.

READ ALSO: FM24 Sleeping Giants to Awaken

Dundee United

Dundee United have been an infuriating side to support for the last few years. The 2022-23 season began with a new manager and a European adventure for the first time since 2014. However, Jack Ross last only a handful of games, United were humiliated in Europe by AZ, and they tumbled down the table all season - finishing bottom and getting relegated to the Scottish Championship. To make matters worse, their arch-rivals Dundee FC won the Championship and would be taking their place in the Premiership.

United have a serious pedigree in Scottish football. They were one of the last clubs outside of the Old Firm to win a title, they have a history of success in the Scottish Cup, and they’ve been one of the most successful Scottish sides in Europe thanks to their exploits in the 80s. While their squad isn’t in the best shape, they should have no problems in the Championship, and that’s when your real challenge begins. Can you return this historic club to the pinnacle of Scottish football?

Conclusion

Starting an FM24 save with a relegated club is one of the best challenges to lead to a satisfying save. You begin your save with a point to prove, and your job of turning round the failings of recent years is one of the most satisfying facets of this game. I hope you enjoy your next save with a relegated side, and this article has inspired you to pick one of these fun clubs.