I've been building FM ALEXJV Scout, a free and independent companion app for FM26. A small plugin reads your current save's data, and the app turns it into concrete recruitment and squad-management recommendations.
What it does:
Meta score: attribute efficiency shown out of 20 or out of 100, built on FM-Arena's attribute testing, with a separate rebalancing so goalkeepers can be fairly compared to outfield players instead of scored on a different scale. Recruitment: targets ranked by position and category (best target, most affordable, best long-term successor, free agents), with a simulation of the impact on your squad hierarchy before you commit to anything. Automatic squad hierarchy: starter / backup / successor identified for every position, recalculated on every extraction. Explainable recommendations: every suggestion (keep, extend, loan out, sell) comes with a stated reason instead of a black-box score. Season tracking, newgen detection before official creation, advanced filters, CSV export. One-click install: the app installs BepInEx (the modding framework it needs) and its own plugin automatically as of v1.1.0 — no manual setup required.
100% free, all data stays local on your PC, nothing is sent anywhere else.
Happy to answer questions, and always interested in save-file dumps from squad/league setups my own testing doesn't cover — helps catch calculation edge cases.
Not stuff we already know generally about what effects newgens, but is your detection method say revealing anything that's going on? Expand
Good question. I'll keep the technical details of the method to myself, but here's the interesting part: it does hint at something.
The full batch of newgen candidates already exists as complete, stable data (CA/PA, height, DOB, attributes all consistent across repeated checks) well before "official creation." Then at the moment of official creation, that whole draft batch gets replaced and brand new player records appear — and the scale of what appears at that moment is way bigger than just one club's worth, which points to a global, date-triggered batch across many clubs at once rather than something generated per-club on demand.
What I can't confirm: whether there's deterministic seeding, or what one flag I haven't fully decoded actually represents. So not the "why" behind attribute distributions, but a decent sign that newgen creation is a scheduled batch job rather than a rolling per-club process.
🌐 Language: the app is available in French and English, with a selector under Settings → General → Language.
Core features:
Automatic detection: BepInEx and the data-collection plugin (one-click install), the Football Manager 26 installation folder, the club's real budget (transfer and wage margin), and club logos are detected and installed/read automatically. Advanced search and filters: position (clickable grid), FM tactical role, age/CA/PA/Meta/Scout score/Gain/Potential, wonderkids, recent development, physical, finances, nationality, competition, availability. Filter combinations can be saved and reused. Analytical scores: Meta (current attribute efficiency, shown out of 20 or out of 100, your choice; goalkeepers' score is rebalanced to stay comparable with outfield players), Likely Meta (realistic projection accounting for age, personality and injury risk), Scout score (recruitment quality out of 100), Team gain, Club fit, Transfer feasibility. Recruitment recommendations: targets ranked by position and category (best target, most accessible, best successor, free agent), with a simulation of the impact on the hierarchy before any decision and a multi-finalist comparator. Automatic squad hierarchy: starter, backup and successor identified for every slot of the active formation, recalculated on every new extraction. Explainable sporting director: every Management recommendation is justified (reasons, data used, confidence level) with a concrete action plan spread over time. Newgen detection before intake: draft intake candidates (before their official creation as players) are detected as soon as a wave is generated, with attributes and natural positions. Season tracking: age distribution, squad value over 3 seasons, and end-of-season report. Customization: club-based visual theme, attribute colors (with a color-blind friendly mode), Meta score weighting methodology, display style (compact table or card sheets). Multiple saves: several careers can be tracked independently, each with its own trend history. CSV export: Favorites list and recruitment finalists, for use outside the application. Privacy: all data stays local on your computer, nothing is sent to an external server. Built-in help: automatic first-launch tutorial, contextual per-screen help, and a complete PDF guide. ⚙️ Everything is configurable in Settings:
General: language (FR/EN), currency, hidden stats visibility, Meta score toggle, player profile mode. Team comparison: reference point for situating your players against your own squad. Appearance: theme (dark/neon), club-based colors, gradient style and intensity. Attribute colors: presets (classic, FM, high contrast, colorblind) or custom. Attribute weighting (Meta): score calculation methodology, /20 or /100 scale. Display: compact table or detailed cards. Saves: managing your different tracked careers.
CBP87 said: Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks Expand
Thanks for the report! I think I know what's likely going on — this specific error usually means the plugin isn't managing to inject into the FM26 process at all, and antivirus silently blocking it is the most common cause (BepInEx's loading method is a known trigger for AV heuristics).
Could you send me the content of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? It's in your FM26 install folder, next to winhttp.dll. If it has no fresh entry from your last launch, that confirms it's not injecting at all.
In the meantime, worth checking Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Exclusions, and adding your FM26 folder if it's not already there, then restarting FM26 and trying F9 again.
Alexjvsoftware said: Thanks for the report! I think I know what's likely going on — this specific error usually means the plugin isn't managing to inject into the FM26 process at all, and antivirus silently blocking it is the most common cause (BepInEx's loading method is a known trigger for AV heuristics).
Could you send me the content of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? It's in your FM26 install folder, next to winhttp.dll. If it has no fresh entry from your last launch, that confirms it's not injecting at all.
In the meantime, worth checking Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Exclusions, and adding your FM26 folder if it's not already there, then restarting FM26 and trying F9 again. Expand
Thank you, I've send the content of LogOutput.log via message and I've also tried the exclusion method but unfortunately still no joy. I've read that a separate console window should open alongside FM, is this correct? and if so, then I'm not seeing that.
CBP87 said: Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks Expand
Pas besoin d'attendre, j'ai la réponse : il te manque juste le plugin de FM ALEXJV Scout dans ce dossier (seul FMSuperScout y est).
Ouvre l'app FM ALEXJV Scout, et si tu vois un bouton "Installer automatiquement" (ou similaire) sur l'écran d'accueil, clique dessus — ça va ajouter le bon fichier sans toucher à rien d'autre, les deux plugins peuvent coexister sans problème.
Si tu ne vois pas ce bouton, dis-le-moi et je te donnerai le chemin exact où déposer le fichier à la main.
Une fois fait, relance FM26, charge ta partie, et appuie sur F9.
CBP87 said: Thank you, I've send the content of LogOutput.log via message and I've also tried the exclusion method but unfortunately still no joy. I've read that a separate console window should open alongside FM, is this correct? and if so, then I'm not seeing that.
Thanks Expand
Thanks for checking! Since FMAlexjvScoutCore.dll is the only file there now, in theory you shouldn't need to install anything — that button only appears when the plugin file is missing.
To see what's actually happening on your end: could you relaunch FM26, load your save, press F9, then send me a fresh copy of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? The one you sent before was several weeks old, so it won't reflect your current setup.
Hey everyone,
I've been building FM ALEXJV Scout, a free and independent companion app for FM26. A small plugin reads your current save's data, and the app turns it into concrete recruitment and squad-management recommendations.
What it does:
Meta score: attribute efficiency shown out of 20 or out of 100, built on FM-Arena's attribute testing, with a separate rebalancing so goalkeepers can be fairly compared to outfield players instead of scored on a different scale.
Recruitment: targets ranked by position and category (best target, most affordable, best long-term successor, free agents), with a simulation of the impact on your squad hierarchy before you commit to anything.
Automatic squad hierarchy: starter / backup / successor identified for every position, recalculated on every extraction.
Explainable recommendations: every suggestion (keep, extend, loan out, sell) comes with a stated reason instead of a black-box score.
Season tracking, newgen detection before official creation, advanced filters, CSV export.
One-click install: the app installs BepInEx (the modding framework it needs) and its own plugin automatically as of v1.1.0 — no manual setup required.
100% free, all data stays local on your PC, nothing is sent anywhere else.
Download (Windows + macOS): https://github.com/alexjvsoftware/FM-ALEXJV-SCOUT-releases/releases/latest
Happy to answer questions, and always interested in save-file dumps from squad/league setups my own testing doesn't cover — helps catch calculation edge cases.
Alexjvsoftware said: newgen detection before official creation
Any insights about how newgen generation works under the hood?
Not stuff we already know generally about what effects newgens, but is your detection method say revealing anything that's going on?
GeorgeFloydOverdosed said: Any insights about how newgen generation works under the hood?
Not stuff we already know generally about what effects newgens, but is your detection method say revealing anything that's going on?
Good question. I'll keep the technical details of the method to myself, but here's the interesting part: it does hint at something.
The full batch of newgen candidates already exists as complete, stable data (CA/PA, height, DOB, attributes all consistent across repeated checks) well before "official creation." Then at the moment of official creation, that whole draft batch gets replaced and brand new player records appear — and the scale of what appears at that moment is way bigger than just one club's worth, which points to a global, date-triggered batch across many clubs at once rather than something generated per-club on demand.
What I can't confirm: whether there's deterministic seeding, or what one flag I haven't fully decoded actually represents. So not the "why" behind attribute distributions, but a decent sign that newgen creation is a scheduled batch job rather than a rolling per-club process.
FM ALEXJV Scout — full feature overview
🌐 Language: the app is available in French and English, with a selector under Settings → General → Language.
Core features:
Automatic detection: BepInEx and the data-collection plugin (one-click install), the Football Manager 26 installation folder, the club's real budget (transfer and wage margin), and club logos are detected and installed/read automatically.
Advanced search and filters: position (clickable grid), FM tactical role, age/CA/PA/Meta/Scout score/Gain/Potential, wonderkids, recent development, physical, finances, nationality, competition, availability. Filter combinations can be saved and reused.
Analytical scores: Meta (current attribute efficiency, shown out of 20 or out of 100, your choice; goalkeepers' score is rebalanced to stay comparable with outfield players), Likely Meta (realistic projection accounting for age, personality and injury risk), Scout score (recruitment quality out of 100), Team gain, Club fit, Transfer feasibility.
Recruitment recommendations: targets ranked by position and category (best target, most accessible, best successor, free agent), with a simulation of the impact on the hierarchy before any decision and a multi-finalist comparator.
Automatic squad hierarchy: starter, backup and successor identified for every slot of the active formation, recalculated on every new extraction.
Explainable sporting director: every Management recommendation is justified (reasons, data used, confidence level) with a concrete action plan spread over time.
Newgen detection before intake: draft intake candidates (before their official creation as players) are detected as soon as a wave is generated, with attributes and natural positions.
Season tracking: age distribution, squad value over 3 seasons, and end-of-season report.
Customization: club-based visual theme, attribute colors (with a color-blind friendly mode), Meta score weighting methodology, display style (compact table or card sheets).
Multiple saves: several careers can be tracked independently, each with its own trend history.
CSV export: Favorites list and recruitment finalists, for use outside the application.
Privacy: all data stays local on your computer, nothing is sent to an external server.
Built-in help: automatic first-launch tutorial, contextual per-screen help, and a complete PDF guide.
⚙️ Everything is configurable in Settings:
General: language (FR/EN), currency, hidden stats visibility, Meta score toggle, player profile mode.
Team comparison: reference point for situating your players against your own squad.
Appearance: theme (dark/neon), club-based colors, gradient style and intensity.
Attribute colors: presets (classic, FM, high contrast, colorblind) or custom.
Attribute weighting (Meta): score calculation methodology, /20 or /100 scale.
Display: compact table or detailed cards.
Saves: managing your different tracked careers.
Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks
It reminds me of something I saw in here, but I can't quite put my finger on it, strangely familiar.
CBP87 said: Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks
I suppose you’ll encounter the same issues as FMSuperScout, since they share the same codebase.
CBP87 said: Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks
Thanks for the report! I think I know what's likely going on — this specific error usually means the plugin isn't managing to inject into the FM26 process at all, and antivirus silently blocking it is the most common cause (BepInEx's loading method is a known trigger for AV heuristics).
Could you send me the content of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? It's in your FM26 install folder, next to winhttp.dll. If it has no fresh entry from your last launch, that confirms it's not injecting at all.
In the meantime, worth checking Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Exclusions, and adding your FM26 folder if it's not already there, then restarting FM26 and trying F9 again.
Alexjvsoftware said: Thanks for the report! I think I know what's likely going on — this specific error usually means the plugin isn't managing to inject into the FM26 process at all, and antivirus silently blocking it is the most common cause (BepInEx's loading method is a known trigger for AV heuristics).
Could you send me the content of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? It's in your FM26 install folder, next to winhttp.dll. If it has no fresh entry from your last launch, that confirms it's not injecting at all.
In the meantime, worth checking Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Exclusions, and adding your FM26 folder if it's not already there, then restarting FM26 and trying F9 again.
Thank you, I've send the content of LogOutput.log via message and I've also tried the exclusion method but unfortunately still no joy. I've read that a separate console window should open alongside FM, is this correct? and if so, then I'm not seeing that.
Thanks
CBP87 said: Hey, I'm trying out your application, but I'm getting the following error -
I've pressed F9 and restarted the game but still getting this. Any suggestions please? Thanks
Pas besoin d'attendre, j'ai la réponse : il te manque juste le plugin de FM ALEXJV Scout dans ce dossier (seul FMSuperScout y est).
Ouvre l'app FM ALEXJV Scout, et si tu vois un bouton "Installer automatiquement" (ou similaire) sur l'écran d'accueil, clique dessus — ça va ajouter le bon fichier sans toucher à rien d'autre, les deux plugins peuvent coexister sans problème.
Si tu ne vois pas ce bouton, dis-le-moi et je te donnerai le chemin exact où déposer le fichier à la main.
Une fois fait, relance FM26, charge ta partie, et appuie sur F9.
CBP87 said: Thank you, I've send the content of LogOutput.log via message and I've also tried the exclusion method but unfortunately still no joy. I've read that a separate console window should open alongside FM, is this correct? and if so, then I'm not seeing that.
Thanks
Thanks for checking! Since FMAlexjvScoutCore.dll is the only file there now, in theory you shouldn't need to install anything — that button only appears when the plugin file is missing.
To see what's actually happening on your end: could you relaunch FM26, load your save, press F9, then send me a fresh copy of BepInEx/LogOutput.log? The one you sent before was several weeks old, so it won't reflect your current setup.
Thanks!