Retiring squad numbers, an explanation, & preferred squad numbers.

As it seems to be more and more commonplace for teams to retire shirt numbers in recognition of past wearers, I wonder if this is something that maybe SI should look to in the future.

I usually only play as 1 team per save, and usually with a lower league English/N.Irish team, so until recently I didn't have much experience of squad numbers in most teams/Nations throughout the World, so until recently I had never experienced a squad number being retired.

Over the last month or so, having become bored with my original save, I have played different saves which has seen me managing a number of teams for the first time.

As a result, I found that Hartlepool have retired the #25 shirt, (in memory of academy product Michael Maidens who died in a car accident in October 2007). Obviously I didn't know about Maidens before-hand, so it was nice at the same time that it was included in the game, but a bit shabby at the same time that there wasn't an explanation of who the retired number referred to.

Anyway, I didn't think too much of it, (after the initial googling Hartlepool Squad Number 25), but after hopping around a few clubs recently I have noticed it elsewhere too. I have just taken over at Bristol City and see that it states that the #12 shirt has been "dedicated to the Bristol fans". I am pretty sure that I wasn't given the info about the #25 shirt while at Hartlepool.

So that brings me to my first suggestion. If we have a shirt number that has been retired in memory of a player, (whether living or dead), then wouldn't it be good if we could acknowledge this in some way in the same way as it is done for the Bristol City fans. All it would take would be 1 line of text with the players name and "in memory of", or something similar.

Now I appreciate that the issue of players dying within the game has been done to death and I have no intention of digging it back up again, but as squad numbers can be retired in real life, my 2nd suggestion is that it would be good if the board could take the action of retiring a squad number within the game for something similar. If we are agreed that dying is out, (and we are), then what about just in recognition of outstanding service to a club, (maybe someone who came through the youth system and played their full 20+ season career at the same club), or a talented young prospect who's career was ended through injury, or even a player who started at a tiny minnow but ended up playing for his National team on the World Stage.

The other thing that I have noticed is that although some high profile players have favoured/preferred numbers within the game, (Drogba is the only one I have seen), but I would guess that the likes of Beckham and many others have favoured numbers incorporated within the game, (however I am usually not in the habit of managing high reputation real players), it seems to be a gimmicky feature that is only used by famous players. I am sure at some point a youth player who has come through a lower league academy would have a preferred squad number, it's just that it would be of far less importance. So my third suggestion would be that favoured squad numbers should not be limited to high profile players.

My last suggestion is that this feature of favoured squad numbers should also be included, (more often), for regen players. I have played a LOT of seasons with regen only players and am yet to see a single instance of this. If it is activated for regens/FREDs, then it needs to be tweaked so it happens more often.

What do you think?

All good points

Could retired squad numbers be shown in the club information screen? Or perhaps in the news item that arrives when it's time to assign the numbers? EG - [generic news item blurb here] You are reminded that the number 25 shirt has been retired in memory of Michael Maidens and that the number 12 shirt is unavailable due to it being awarded to the club's twelfth man - the fans.

Don't think I've ever seen a player with a favoured number. What would be the effect of not giving him his favoured number?

Just thought id share this link, shows the retired numbers in football.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retired_numbers_in_association_football

As for players having favoured numbers, ive seen it quite a few times. I always just auto select the numbers and they usually get their favoured number, unless 2 have the same.

Mostly good points. Some improvements could be done about these by SI.

yes i agree, I remember when managing Napoli i was frustrated that the number "10" was retired,

but ofcourse in recognition to maradonna

should be able to bring numbers out of retirement too. this happens in real life and it's frustrating not being allowed to allocate certain numbers.

Where has this happened DP?

I've never heard of a retired number being un-retired.

Doesn't that defeat the object if retiring the number in the first place? More of a rest than a retirement.:confused:

Where has this happened DP?

I've never heard of a retired number being un-retired.

Doesn't that defeat the object if retiring the number in the first place? More of a rest than a retirement.:confused:

happened with marc vivien foe. jean makoun took his number a few years after it retired.

also happened at portsmouth with alan knight.

it just bugs me that i can't do this and i have to put up with the number 6 always being unavailable at roma. it won't hurt if i could reverse this for my own pleasure!

That's pretty shabby to retire a number and then start using it again.

If it happens in reeal life though you should be able to do it in the game.