It’s that time of the year again for Football Manager fans!

The new edition of the game, FM 17, will be released on Friday, November 4, and it is likely to be the best version yet.

With numerous new and exciting features, many fans across the UK will already be thinking about what they need to do to get their team to the next level.

That might include promoting youngsters to the first team, reducing the wage bill by selling some of your club’s star assets, or going all out and breaking the transfer record on a clinical striker. It will all depend on who you support, and where you want your side to go.

However, there will be some fans who are anticipating the game to challenge themselves to become a Football Manager expert and, for Stoke fans who have recorded three successive top-half finishes in the Premier League, these challenges could be for you.

Thus, here are THREE challenges that Stoke fans could attempt on the new game…

European football

The natural progression for Stoke is to bring European football to the bet365 Stadium.

They had a taste of it back in the 2011/12 season, as a result of reaching the previous season’s FA Cup final, but Stoke do not need to get to a Cup final to achieve European status anymore, they can do it in the league.

Three ninth place finishes suggest that the foundations are there for a European charge, and it’s one you are going to undertake.

Stoke’s squad is hugely talented and, within three years in charge of the Potters, you would have got the best out of them, and led your side to two top five finishes.

Win the FA Cup

Stoke are one of eight Premier League sides yet to have won the FA Cup, but you’re going to change that.

The Potters won’t get relegated, the team and squad is too strong, so you might as well try and seek some silverware alongside slowly improving your league form.

They reached the final in 2011 and finished 13th in the Premier League, but it was only their third season in the top-flight.

Now, you will take over Stoke’s ninth Premier League campaign, so it’s time to add that FA Cup title. To make things slightly more difficult, you have to win it in your first season in charge.

Do a Leicester

Leicester did the unthinkable last season, and in 15 months went from dead-certs for relegation to Premier League champions.

And there’s no reason why, if Leicester can do it, Stoke can’t do it as well.

The Stoke side is better on paper than Claudio Ranieri’s title-winning Foxes, and a few signings in the right areas could make the Potters a serious force in the Premier League.

Stoke have had time to establish themselves as a top-flight club – now it’s your turn to take them to the next step.

In three seasons, you well have ‘done a Leicester’, and won the Premier League.