Introduction

Due to the time elapsed since the 1993 release date, this game is not readily available in stores, and hence the colourful yellow box with a classic snapshot of a dressing room meeting is not housed in the major computer retailers. However, the game is available to download from the internet; the status of this – i.e. shareware, freeware is unknown to me at the time of writing.

Your first task is to select a club from the Conference League to control – you must open your career with a lower division club. You are allocated a small transfer budget and must elect a scout to scour the transfer markets in pursuit of new players should you believe your current squad needs strengthening. There are a series of menus in the main screen providing various options. There is an icon for the transfer market, which provides a list of all players available to purchase together with their positions, and, using your scout, you can observe their individual abilities and quote a price.

After gathering your required group of players and raising the adequate finance, your must select the match button which provides a commentary, together with basic graphical images of key incidents of the match. You are charged with the responsibility of executing necessary changes during a match, and must make longer-term modifications after the match should your team’s progress prove unsatisfactory.

Whether you are viewing your managerial history or hiring coaches to improve the skills of your players, perhaps dealing in the transfer market or browsing rival clubs, the detail is sufficient to keep the most ardent of football pundits occupied.

You should be under no illusions here – this version is dated. The list of players is not therefore recent and the graphics and statistics are not comparable to the likes of Championship Manager 4. The level of detail is limited, as the game requires basic PC requirements and installed via a single floppy disk.

There are no stylish 3D graphical images with realistic sounds and crowd chants. Basic noises are replicated during goals, bookings and other key incidents, but no scope for the high quality sound and visual features is available. The current legislation such as transfer windows, for example are not factored into the programming.

For a seasoned professional, this game could prove unsuitable, however there is a highly addictive nature which stems from the speed at which weeks of the season are passed. Mastering a game of this calibre will steer you towards potential success in the more advanced simulations discussed. With the little money or resources required to operate this little gem, I would recommend any football fan to offer some time to this wonderful learning tool.