Why do we play this game? Even after all these years...

Have you ever found yourself scribbling down formations on the back of a napkin at dinner? Or jotted down a few potential signings on your notepad during a meeting? Have you ever called one of your online playing friends to discuss "business" for the up-and-coming transfer window? Have you ever rushed home from somewhere to try out your new, improved infallible tactic? If you answered in the affirmative to any of these questions, or you can very much relate to them, you're a "consumist" like me. In other words, you think about Football Manager when you are not playing it.

I'm 29 now, older, wiser, married with a house, a car, blah blah, so my level of addiction is much lower than it was when I was in my early teens and late 20's (good god I've been playing this game for years!), but that does not for one moment detract from the validity of me being a consumist. My question is this: Why do we keep coming back for more? Sure, the interface is looking really pretty these days and it's a breeze to use after you become familiar with it, but let's be honest, it's still just a bunch of seemingly arbitrary numbers. It's a question that I have carried with me for as long as I can remember, and I've put a lot of thought -- actually probably too much -- into why.

Let me just side with the married fellas for a second: how many times has your wife asked you why on earth you play that game? You all know you've at least once put off "one-on-one" time for your true love, Football Manager; and you can not tell me you've never heard, "You love that game more than me!" Then you go through that phase where you pretend you're not playing it, right? You have some nonsense Web site or fake project up in the background so you can conveniently switch between that and FM. I swear lads, you start snooping around like you're having some kind of extra-marital affair.

But to the point! I have an idea as to why I play the game so much, and have played the game all these years, so perhaps I will share that a little later if this thread takes off. What I'm really interested in is why everyone else plays this game. What is it that makes it so appealing? I think, if you are willing to share your age, gender, nationality, and any other relevant information too it would help in discovering what makes FM players tick.

mid career crisis???

I think it's because deep down we all love football. I know it sounds obvious but with that love comes the belief that perhaps you or I or any of us could actually make it as a manager and do better. FM is the most realistic and in depth platform to try that theory on.

That is why I keep coming back anyway.

interesting thread platypus. good read mate. well i play it for reasons unknown its like an addiction. im 21/male from the uk. i think the thing that makes us keep coming back to this game is the fact it makes us think we are actually a real life manager. i go to the pub and sit n tell the lads about this player i've just signed from the brazilian league saying hes the next big thing and all that. take the game as serious as a can lol. its actually cost me a relationship aswell lol. oh well GLORY GLORY lol

I'd also like to know tbh, played the series since 00/01, loved every one of them, and yet FM10 sits there on my shelf barely used since release day, easily racked up a months play time on each of the others and haven't even got over half a day play time on FM10, I just don't feel like playing it:(

As baker.simon said, its because we all love football and secretly we feel we could do better than the real life managers. Now think of it in reverse, when you now watch a footy match you do so comparing it to your FM experience and not the other way round. You see players and go he was good playing in that diamond formation or in that gauntlet AM position. FM has created a passion in each and every one of us that makes us want to continue interacting with it. Things may change but FM is a little like our first home, always there and capable of bringing a buzz to our hearts.

I'd also like to know tbh, played the series since 00/01, loved every one of them, and yet FM10 sits there on my shelf barely used since release day, easily racked up a months play time on each of the others and haven't even got over half a day play time on FM10, I just don't feel like playing it:(

Happened with me and FM09 actually. Never got its value worth. Mind you thats another issue in another thread.

I've asked myself a lot as well, I mean in the grand old scheme of things it is just a database of players and lots of numbers and little dots running around on a screen, an automated answer for every press conference question and most aspects of the game repeat themselves time and time again week in week out yet I still load it up every single day and I don't really know why. I'm completely hooked on it, eat sleep and breathe Football Manager without any real explanation as to why

I think it's because deep down we all love football. I know it sounds obvious but with that love comes the belief that perhaps you or I or any of us could actually make it as a manager and do better. FM is the most realistic and in depth platform to try that theory on.

That is why I keep coming back anyway.

This

For those of us above 40 (just), playing football manager games as kids was subbuteo, logacta (with the dice) or games like 'The Boss' or the original Football Manager. Let's face it, we're still kids at heart and given a chance to play a game where you can manage a team (or your team) with any semblance of even apparent realism we're going to grab it while we can. I suppose I'm lucky in some ways because I work away from home and therefore can play more than some, although I've only just moved up from FM05 to FM2010.

I've asked myself a lot as well, I mean in the grand old scheme of things it is just a database of players and lots of numbers and little dots running around on a screen, an automated answer for every press conference question and most aspects of the game repeat themselves time and time again week in week out yet I still load it up every single day and I don't really know why. I'm completely hooked on it, eat sleep and breathe Football Manager without any real explanation as to why

Ha ha! I love this. This is exactly the type of thing I'm looking for. Love it!

Have you ever found yourself scribbling down formations on the back of a napkin at dinner? Or jotted down a few potential signings on your notepad during a meeting? Have you ever called one of your online playing friends to discuss "business" for the up-and-coming transfer window? Have you ever rushed home from somewhere to try out your new, improved infallible tactic? If you answered in the affirmative to any of these questions, or you can very much relate to them, you're a "consumist" like me. In other words, you think about Football Manager when you are not playing it.

I'm 29 now, older, wiser, married with a house, a car, blah blah, so my level of addiction is much lower than it was when I was in my early teens and late 20's (good god I've been playing this game for years!), but that does not for one moment detract from the validity of me being a consumist. My question is this: Why do we keep coming back for more? Sure, the interface is looking really pretty these days and it's a breeze to use after you become familiar with it, but let's be honest, it's still just a bunch of seemingly arbitrary numbers. It's a question that I have carried with me for as long as I can remember, and I've put a lot of thought -- actually probably too much -- into why.

Let me just side with the married fellas for a second: how many times has your wife asked you why on earth you play that game? You all know you've at least once put off "one-on-one" time for your true love, Football Manager; and you can not tell me you've never heard, "You love that game more than me!" Then you go through that phase where you pretend you're not playing it, right? You have some nonsense Web site or fake project up in the background so you can conveniently switch between that and FM. I swear lads, you start snooping around like you're having some kind of extra-marital affair.

But to the point! I have an idea as to why I play the game so much, and have played the game all these years, so perhaps I will share that a little later if this thread takes off. What I'm really interested in is why everyone else plays this game. What is it that makes it so appealing? I think, if you are willing to share your age, gender, nationality, and any other relevant information too it would help in discovering what makes FM players tick.

can relate to a lot of this:D

writing down targets/tactics in a notebook(did you ever see mike bassett football manager when he writes his first england squad on back of fag packet, and results is 2 players benson and hedges getting a call up both are in thier 50's 20 stoners brilliant:p)

...perhaps its a european game a youngster has a good game from some small unheard of minnow get him scouted:thup:

re-mrs .....does like to say why do you play it as she is watching something like celebrity survivour dancing on ice PANTS:rolleyes:

@baker.simon you're totally right, this is the main reason why i'm still playing the game

Why, yes why am I wasting precious university-study time, why am I talking to myself pseudo conferences about players and their current state of mind or something that happened, why do I keep playing this game during the night while my gf is asleep and then go to bed near morning time..

I used to be able to disenchant myself by realizing that its just tables with players and a lot of statistics and other text. And that it works the same all the time. But now it just keeps on going.

Personally I always have something to do in FM, some masterplan, or some short-term one and I always cheat myself by saying - just one more match if I lose I quit , just 1 more transfer, etc etc.

But no - it's not all about football. Not just football. It has something to do with the fact that we are able to enjoy a text-based game, without fancy graphics or effects. Something that was the norm not very long ago.

And it's so damn detailed so varied even though repetative in general - it is always different and that's what keeps me going at least. I will get disenchanted again it happens, the addiction periods come and go but..

I SHALL NEVER LET FM GO!

haha

We play as A: It keeps us off the streets, and out of harms way.

B: Man vs machine is, and always will be a fascination (can we beat the AI ? OFC we can as it probably wouldn't be in the SI's best interests to make the game v hard for the player's team.

C: We all love football. Me, I love playing it on the comp with this series more than watching it on telly or IRL.

D: A million and 1 other reasons too

The desire to be legend. The desire to create a new FC Barcelona or Arsenal FC from a blue square s/n team. The desire to be a combination of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho. Maybe a little bit of Frank Rijkaard too.

Also the joy. FM has a very unique taste of joy. It's quite indescribable. Also a little bit stupid. Anyway we keep on breathing. And football never ends.

I don't really know, I really don't have the foggiest.

Me and the missus do have a little chuckle and she refers to it as 'Your going to play that ......Ron manager' after that Fast Show sketch. I don't know why, I always get lurred back. (It's an in-joke between the other half and I, shall no one get it). Every time I mention, just going to have a player on Football Manager.

I get teased away playing new game releases, next game of the year contenders, but you'll guarantee, sod it I want to chill-ax, and have a nice unwind on Football Manager, crazy isn't you'll always return always.

There was always a moment, where I could find anything to scribble on the 'New Super Tactic' This the one to beat 'em all. The FM series always that familiar yet, unfamilar style to play a full on game session lack of sleep scenerio or pick up after weeks away, tends to be the same challenges, and hiccups on the way on my game saves.

Great post

Big from me.

I think baker.simon answers the question. Great answer

My friends said I would get so addicted to this game I'd be writing down formations/players/etc in class. Never happened, I love the game but...don't see how people can do such things.

i used to play champ manager in the early days, and also italia, THose games used to be really good where you just pick the team and then play to win, easy games. Then there was a period which the game just went dull for me, I think the game changed over to FM, and I just thought they were just trying too much with the game, so I gave up. I think that must have been about 1998 when i gave up.

but then, 10 years down the line, whilst playing xbox 360, my mate was chatting to me saying he was playing FM 2009. I thought why not give it a try. The game was so addictive. I started off with Havant and Waterlooville and wanted them to get them in the Prem, but it was frustrating. DUring this period, I was going to work, thinking about the dam game how to get the bloody team in the higher division.

At the same time, another mate introduced to me Tribal wars as well. Now that is another addictive game.

Anyways, during my comeback of football management, I always wondered why am i playing this dam game if i keep losing. Coming onto this website, it made me realise, its just not about trying to get through the season the quickest time to win the premiership, there is more to it. So my patience with the game is much greater.

Now on FM10, I am in China, married. I brought the game with me just in case I would be bored. But i never thought that I would be on it every dam single day. on the forums checking peoples progress and stuff. THe game is addictive. I do think about getting my team to win the premiership, and now I just read about some person getting a son in the youth team. So this brings me new challenges and I want to play the game all the time!!

Great thread!

Championship Manager and then Football Manager games are a great way to relax ( well most of the time, we all know how frustrating it can get ) and waste some time. I remember the days of sitting at school writing down formations and players id want for my CM 97/98 saves and rushing home so I could get as much of the season done as possible before I went to bed. I have to say that I'm im pretty much the same as you in terms of how my life has moved on with my time on the game slowly cutting down.

We all love our football and we get the chance to have our beloved clubs in our hands and do what we want with them. I have to say that back in the day I used to always sell the players I disliked in real life, even if they were really good on the game. (I actually still do this considering I sell Almunia every new save I do )

I think the main reason I have played less since FM07 is simply because 08 and 9 were poor games by SI very high standards. I did get quite addicted to FM10 until the 10.2 patch came in and ruined all formations with wide players.

Will we still be playing in 15 years time? Probably haha

This is a good question. Personally, I've always enjoyed computer games, however, I've noticed that over the years my interests in them have changed vastly, but one constant remained, FM (and early CMs). I'll admit that I'm not quite as crazy about it now at 29, as I was in my younger years, when I would be scribbling down formations and players' to buy on the back of my school notebook. Nevertheless, this game has remained as the cornerstone for my video gaming. I will always, consistently buy and play it every year. I also tend to take more breaks from it these days, but I always come back, and even when I'm not playing it, I come to these boards to read about it. It's probably also the only game that I never uninstall from the computer because I need to take a break from it.

Great thread!

I first played CM2. I was looking at computer games with my brothers, and was pretty set on 1 football game, before my older brother persuaded me that Championship Manager was a better bet. So I got CM2 instead. Got sacked from my first job as Arsenal boss. But the addiction just stuck. I love it, and when I do badly or struggle I am so determined to put it right. The most genuinely fulfilling career game I had was with Arsenal on FM10, before the save bored me, and I reached the Champions League Final once in 6 seasons, losing on penalties before moving onto a job in Spain. But its like it allows me to immerse myself in my greatest passion, my football club.

The game just clicked with me from the start. I was 12 and had not long had my first pc when I saw CM2 in Comet. I was generally into computer games as much as the next kid of that age but I'd not yet found anything I would enjoy this much. The megadrive quickly began to gather dust as I obsessively planned all-conquering sides (always featuring Neil Lennon). I have owned every edition of the series since, often struggling to play them due to owning sub-standard machines but I've always plugged away regardless.

A few people speak of a lull in their interest in the game, which I can relate to somewhat. I lost interest considerably around 17/18 for the obvious reasons but not for long and I couldn't get into last year's at all, yet FM10 is probably one of my favourites ever.

The question of why I keep coming back is simple, and touched upon above. It's football that I'm really obsessed with, and have been as long as I can remember. This is just another way to feed that obsession, and a much more satisfying way then any other football (management or otherwise) game I've ever played.

Fascinating thread! Well for me it's strange as i don't play or even own the game anymore, i lost interest 1-2 years ago (i'm now 24), but still i can't help reading the forums from time to time, and often for quite long, and still think regularly about the game.

I don't have quite the same impression as baker.simon though, i think the main reason i played the game extensively is because basically the game is rewarding. It's just enough of a challenge to be interesting, and then sends you often, but not always, small "you win", our "you/your team are getting stronger" messages. Like when you sign a new player, when you win a match or a competition, when your regens improves... It's quite similar to a game like World of Warcraft in that aspect (though it's clearly much more complex and rewards aren't as frequent).

I thought about that because my relative loss of interest in the game came at the same time that i started working. I thought work would be boring, but it turns out it's quite similar to FM: a challenge, but not too much, and something rewarding (i am really lucky to have a somewhat interesting job and to be more or less successful at it), and that's why it "replaced" FM. And i tend to go back to the game's forums when work is more frustrating or when i'm less successful.

I hope that doesn't sound too cynical, it's just my impression doesn't mean that for others it's the same thing off course:)

Yeh, that's me -call me an addict, call me sad, call me a nerd, but please, do NOT call me "consumist". It's too close to 'consumerist' and as an FM addict I see myself as the antithesis of that.

Why? Well consider the alternatives - life without FM. Would be spent that free time reading poetry, saving the whale or stopping wars? Nah. We'd be:

1. Spending a fortune on computer games that we'd finish in a weekend.

2. Spending a fortune on DVDs watching crap movies.

3. Spending a fortune down the pub.

4. Driving the missus crazy and thereby spending a fortune placating her.

Really, what does everyone else do with their lives that is in any way more live-enhancing than us?

We're alright fellow fans. We don't need to apologise to ourselves or anyone.

I thank you.

Really, what does everyone else do with their lives that is in any way more live-enhancing than us?

We're alright fellow fans. We don't need to apologise to ourselves or anyone.

I thank you.

That's the spirit professor!

I used to think what is so good about a game where you can't control the players like on Fifa/Pro Evo. But then after a few hours you are taken back by the amount of detail the game has.

Why do I keep playing FM?

Well, for starters it's my kind of game: long run, 30+ seasons careers, marathon and not a sprint and so on. I've never been a fan of fast paced games myself: CM/FM, CIV, TT (or rather simutrans of late), EU, turn based RPGs... those are my kind of games.

You could well argue that's because I'm 35 and I've changed my gaming habits, but the truth is I've never enjoyed RTS, FIFA's or action RPGs.

Unlike other gamers, instant satisfaction from gaming is not what gets me back into games. For me it's the long run. Honing my skills on my own. Learning from trial and error.

Sure, I do also love football. But if there were a game as indepth as FM based on basketball then I'm afraid FM wouldn't get much playtime from me.

I'd say it's an adiction more than a game, no matter how hard you try you just can't stay away, and the fact that we all come onto these forums everyday for a bit of a FM fix is proof of this.

Before I started playing FM I didn't actually know that much about football, I watched it but didn't actually know anything about how it's run, tactics, players etc. Now I know a lot about certain players, which players might come through the ranks to become a world class talent. For some reason I pick up on a player's age more than anything, which I find quite weird.

FM is better than everyother football game like PES and FIFA. With the latter you can have a few games, maybe a tournament and be happy for a couple of hours, but you soon get bored and annoyed when you can't seem to win (a bit like FM in a way really). With FM, you can just save a game and go back to it any time you want (about 5 mins after coming off it!) and be able to carry on a game for however long you want. There's also the point with the stats being pretty much dead on for every player, whereas with FIFA or PES, you find yourself thinking that a player you know is good irl and on FM is pap on those games.

I also like to annoy my housemates when watching the footie by saying stuff like "he shoud have scored there, he has 17 for finishing and composure!"

"he shoud have scored there, he has 17 for finishing and composure!"

haha classic

The short answer: Its a lot of fun.

The slightly longer answer: I love playing games where there is a depth, and a dynamic world around you as the player. Its why I prefer Falcon 4, Civ 4, and Sim City 2000 over Half-Life, Mario, etc. (not that they are bad games)

I think my wife would like to know why as well

39 now and been playing since '93 I think. 2 young kids etc etc

A Love of football as a whole, not just 90mins on a Saturday.

Now it just feels like 'comfortable shoes' as the game fires up and you load your save. It's just seems a natural thing to do.

It's another world inside my head when I'm not actually playing.

Probably one word for it..Addicted!

the detail aspect is incredible, the way some players truly act like their real life counterparts, a while ago i had cross put in and seeing almunia and senderos not communicating and both trying to go for the same ball - something you could so easily see happen normally

I have no idea why, but firstly the fact that I'm reading this proves that I'm affected and secondly I'm just happy to know that I'm not alone

One thing that definitely helps for me is that as a person who continuously switches focus between things, I can easily multitask between playing FM and doing something else (even uni work, which works out surprisingly well for reasons I won't bore you with).

As for why I love playing it... I've said it before and I'll say it again, there's much to be said for a format that's both highly interactive yet only has what the player does change so much. In a standard football game, if you're good you can easily beat anyone with anyone and that's that, but with FM you can make a great deal of difference but come matchday there's only so much you can do while your fate plays out, and its exciting not having your fate entirely in your own hands, which is a good response to the 'why do you get excited about a bunch of dots you don't directly control' people. Unpredictability is interesting.

Which leads me on nicely to my next point. There may be some legends out there who can achieve anything with anyone but I'm not one of them, whenever I join a club it could go almost any way, though rarely to the extremes, and its exciting watching a career or job unfold not knowing where it'll lead, you can be on a run of failures then join somewhere and suddenly everything clicks and great success comes your way, which often will only last so long. Even if things mostly go badly or average occasionally a memorable success story (even if it doesn't involve trophies) is bound to come up that will stand out even a few years on. After struggling at the wrong end of Norwegian and Dutch premier divisions I certainly didn't arrive in the Ukraine thinking 'I'm pretty sure I'll soon equal then beat their highest ever league position and follow that up with their first 8 (and counting) titles ever, in a row'. Thats what keeps me going when I feel stuck on a poor run, even within a job things can turn a corner suddenly.

And there's no shortage of places to try your luck. I've used a wide variety of league selections over the years, though almost always used multiple divisions in a fair few countries or top divisions from a number of them, so there's no shortage of places to get to know, and clubs to have on your virtual CV from a major club in the bigest leagues to a small lower division scandanavian or eastern european club. If yu're not too fussy about the standard of club or league its interesting seeing where you'll end up and how you'll do. And though I'm not sure why (maybe due to the sensory input of colours and names) sometimes each league feels different in ways I can't quite put my finger on.

Obviously people will have different opinions on the right balance of control and nervous match-watching but its the combination that FM has that personally appeals to me greatly as an experience unmatched by anything else as a continuous, unpredictable and gripping adventure that puts any standard full-control and linear-plotted game to shame. With the added bonus of a massive boost to knowledge of players or clubs who you've either had or faced, and when reading various mag's 'ones to watch' sections or finding out about a transfer, having a feeling of familiarity when others are ignorant (although not exactly an unknown, Vermaelen is a good example), and such stuff like that. Even when being someone you've never heard of, its still like being a fan doing all the stuff you wish you could do at your club, you don't just like the control but often gain great enthusiasm about whatever job you're doing, its a fantastic mix.

Or is that all just me?

its a weird phenomenom this game, i played it till 1am last nite, went to work at 7, just got in from work a half hour ago and im straight on these forums and im loading my dundee utd save. and the chances are il be here all night. i mean i even finished with my girlfriend and i think sub-consciously it was because she was coming between me and fm10.

the actual gameplay reads as thus- the reading and orginisation of statistics and numbers. its mental that wer all in love with this. and it is love. im 20 and i should probly be thinkin about going out drinkin or going out looking for a burd. but im not, all day im thinking about football manager.

the other nite i went to make something on the hob, and when i was looking for, "front right" ring, i found myself looking for attacking midfield right! no joke, ive been addicted for a while but this actually freaked me out a bit. and i dont even see this as a game anymore, its a seperate entity altogether, it stands alone and anyone who has never played dont know what their missing.

cheers, good thread

I play for the moments when i make that big money signing that didnt fancy coming to the club but i threw enough money at him to change his mind. I play for the moments when my team deliver a shock result over a team in a higher league or with a bigger rep, and i play for the moments when we are 1-0 up in a league decider and the other team is battering shots in at our keeper knowing a win gives us the title but anything else hands it to our rivals.

Its total escapism on my part. Im 27/M living my wife to be and with a decent job. I consider myself a fairly intelligent person, and yet still i pass the majority of my free time over to this series of spreadsheets and databases. I do believe it is as realistic an experience of football management as i can ever hope to experience in my lifetime though and i will continue to purchase the yearly updates without fail.

Long live Football Manager!

its a weird phenomenom this game, i played it till 1am last nite, went to work at 7, just got in from work a half hour ago and im straight on these forums and im loading my dundee utd save. and the chances are il be here all night. i mean i even finished with my girlfriend and i think sub-consciously it was because she was coming between me and fm10.

the actual gameplay reads as thus- the reading and orginisation of statistics and numbers. its mental that wer all in love with this. and it is love. im 20 and i should probly be thinkin about going out drinkin or going out looking for a burd. but im not, all day im thinking about football manager.

the other nite i went to make something on the hob, and when i was looking for, "front right" ring, i found myself looking for attacking midfield right! no joke, ive been addicted for a while but this actually freaked me out a bit. and i dont even see this as a game anymore, its a seperate entity altogether, it stands alone and anyone who has never played dont know what their missing.

cheers, good thread

that is dedication be carefull before you know it you will die a virgin lol

Very few games could captivate an adult audience the way FM does. It's a bit like The Simpsons - timeless and has something for young and old alike. Although unlike The Simpsons, I personally think FM gets better and better.

At the end of the day, as a football lover, the game lets me live a little bit of the dream. I know I'll never actually live the dream, but there's a game out there that does a pretty great job of recreating the world of football as a computer game and you're never too old to indulge your passion just a little.

Easy for me ....... best game ever and I love football. Also I can play this game and pretend I'm listening to my wife when she talks to me

Beacuse i love football and FM cheers me up after another fun filled day with the misses :|

Because I never made it in the real world of Football.. & I know this is kinda sad.. But this is like my imaginery chance, my big break lol.. It's the way I look at it. In the end it's all fun, but when your into a save game, It can tend to become quite serious. My relationship is very rocky right now due to this game and I don't for one second regret it. I'm hooked, I have an addiction and this is my drug

Because I never made it in the real world of Football.. & I know this is kinda sad.. But this is like my imaginery chance, my big break lol.. It's the way I look at it. In the end it's all fun, but when your into a save game, It can tend to become quite serious. My relationship is very rocky right now due to this game and I don't for one second regret it. I'm hooked, I have an addiction and this is my drug

Jamie, you touched a heart string. I had my chance with Everton a long time ago. Unfortunately, I was such a meek little kid lacking "football personality" that I blew it. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of talking and competition even at the age of 10. The pinnacle of my "career" was playing in the same midfield as Steven Gerrard and Jason Koumas (by best friend at school) in the Wirral Eastham League when we all played for Heygarth. Ironically, I grew up to become a psychotic centre midfielder; a man who would tackle someone's feet with his face. If only I had those traits as a child. I'm not bitter though, it worked out alright in the end.

Anyhow, I digress. Great input boys, I never expected this thread to take off like it did.

I think across the years, the geniuses at SI have somehow made the clubs "feel like the clubs" and the players "play like the players." It's really bizarre, and someone alluded to something similar with regards to the leagues. You actually feel like you're managing a squad these days; the players have personalities, off-days, complaints, you can befriend them.

A thing that I find wonderful about FM is the user-generated experience. In other words, you can play the game any way you want; you can set your own goals. For example, for someone is tactically inept, perhaps his goal is to learn the foundations of tactical building and mid-table is his goal. Me, I like to come up with unorthodox formations such as a 4-2-2-2 with two trequaristas. I also love searching for young talent, training them under my regime or farming them out on loan to my list of affiliate clubs that I PICKED. FM to me is kind of like a playground or maybe a science lab where you can test all your theories in the knowledge that the game is going to respond pretty darn accurately.

I've played CM/FM since I was 10 (CM93). I'm now 26 1/2, so this game series has pretty much been mainstay of my life.

I'll always buy and play it because I can't imagine not having it, and there's never been another management simulation even close to it.

Because we are all addicted

But why are we addicted?

Because it's a brilliant game giving us the illusion that we can prove that we can do better than the manager and the players of our home team, we like to curse to.

Because FM teaches you so much about football and players, we can brag in the pub about how good that 18 year old spanish talent nobody heard about, really is.

Because we love football.

Because FM makes us feel better; fining underachieving millionaire primadonnas, after being patronised ourselves by our boss for 8 hours straight.

Because we will win that next match, for sure. Certainly.

Because we want to beat Chelsea.

Because, each and everyone of us, believes he really could be a real manager.

I started playing this game way back on the Amiga, and I can with totally honesty say that the old CMs are the reason for me doing so very poorly in my GCSEs, imagine giving a 15yr old weeks off school to study when this game is in the house, I mean come on it was never going to happen. But to be honest with you as time has drawn on, im 33 now, I have found it difficult to get into the game, don't get me wrong, I still buy it every year but never play it even 10% of what I used to, and the reason for this is, I never have and I guess I never will get into the game on my own as I used to with friends, there is no real competition on your own there is no one to sit and have a few too many beers with, get an Indian take away every Friday night and play it until you fall asleep drunk sometime on Saturday morning with, the game for me on my own is soulless, it was always the banter the competition between friends, the switching the game back on Saturday afternoon, to find out you had spent £9 million on a 16yr old and sold your best striker to fund the purchase un a drunken haze. That is what I always loved about the game and to be honest that is what I miss most about it, playing on my own just doesn't give me the same fulfilment. I remember one particular game I was AC my pal was Inter, we must have been 15 seasons in and as usual I was 2nd behind him, but I'd just had a 16yr old striker promoted through the ranks, at the age of 17 he went to the World Cup with Italy after only 3 caps prior to that, at the end of the world cup he was the golden boot winner, a 17yr old world cup golden boot winner, I was going to rebuild the mighty AC Milan round at 17yr old striker, the great hope, I swelled with pride at the fact my youth system had produced this gem of a player, then the game crashed and would not reload, gutted is not the word, but I didn't mind, I had a can of lager in my hand and my best pal round laughing at me, nothing more mattered.

I feel sorry for the younger generation who have only known this suave FM series with it's 2d and 3d match interface, give me the text commentary bar across the screen with the 3 bars going up for defence, attack and god I can't even remember what the 3rd one was. It annoys me also when I read about people talking about super keepers, when we had to put up with the no goal keeper syndrome, which, much like Arsenal today, you used to concede with every shot, those were the days, the days when you couldn't hardly buy any foreign player, as the foreign player list contained about 6 pages, most of those were Scottish players and the rest wouldn't join you 98% of the time, Gascoigne on there unattainable, Nii Lampty on there, god even Henry Smith the old Scottish keeper was on there, Jirki Rovio another foreign keeper who once went through the whole season for me and saved every pen he faced. You used to get Bluey's through at the close season and if they were worth £200,000 you knew they would be great. We used to empty the squad out as much as we could, from memory you used to have to have 15 players, but if you got 5 in on loan you could get your squad down to 9 players and get so many Blueys in (as long as you didn't get the all GK's bug with Blueys), the days when the computer used to only generate players who fit in the system you were playing, so if you played with no wide men, the old 1-2-3-1-3 (SW, DC, DC, MC, MC, MC, AMC, FC, FC, FC) with the mids all having a forward arrow, there would be on DL, DR, MR, ML, AR, AL ever reproduced in the game.

Sorry to reminisce so much but I used to love that game.

I started playing this game way back on the Amiga, and I can with totally honesty say that the old CMs are the reason for me doing so very poorly in my GCSEs, imagine giving a 15yr old weeks off school to study when this game is in the house, I mean come on it was never going to happen. But to be honest with you as time has drawn on, im 33 now, I have found it difficult to get into the game, don't get me wrong, I still buy it every year but never play it even 10% of what I used to, and the reason for this is, I never have and I guess I never will get into the game on my own as I used to with friends, there is no real competition on your own there is no one to sit and have a few too many beers with, get an Indian take away every Friday night and play it until you fall asleep drunk sometime on Saturday morning with, the game for me on my own is soulless, it was always the banter the competition between friends, the switching the game back on Saturday afternoon, to find out you had spent £9 million on a 16yr old and sold your best striker to fund the purchase un a drunken haze. That is what I always loved about the game and to be honest that is what I miss most about it, playing on my own just doesn't give me the same fulfilment. I remember one particular game I was AC my pal was Inter, we must have been 15 seasons in and as usual I was 2nd behind him, but I'd just had a 16yr old striker promoted through the ranks, at the age of 17 he went to the World Cup with Italy after only 3 caps prior to that, at the end of the world cup he was the golden boot winner, a 17yr old world cup golden boot winner, I was going to rebuild the mighty AC Milan round at 17yr old striker, the great hope, I swelled with pride at the fact my youth system had produced this gem of a player, then the game crashed and would not reload, gutted is not the word, but I didn't mind, I had a can of lager in my hand and my best pal round laughing at me, nothing more mattered.

I feel sorry for the younger generation who have only known this suave FM series with it's 2d and 3d match interface, give me the text commentary bar across the screen with the 3 bars going up for defence, attack and god I can't even remember what the 3rd one was. It annoys me also when I read about people talking about super keepers, when we had to put up with the no goal keeper syndrome, which, much like Arsenal today, you used to concede with every shot, those were the days, the days when you couldn't hardly buy any foreign player, as the foreign player list contained about 6 pages, most of those were Scottish players and the rest wouldn't join you 98% of the time, Gascoigne on there unattainable, Nii Lampty on there, god even Henry Smith the old Scottish keeper was on there, Jirki Rovio another foreign keeper who once went through the whole season for me and saved every pen he faced. You used to get Bluey's through at the close season and if they were worth £200,000 you knew they would be great. We used to empty the squad out as much as we could, from memory you used to have to have 15 players, but if you got 5 in on loan you could get your squad down to 9 players and get so many Blueys in (as long as you didn't get the all GK's bug with Blueys), the days when the computer used to only generate players who fit in the system you were playing, so if you played with no wide men, the old 1-2-3-1-3 (SW, DC, DC, MC, MC, MC, AMC, FC, FC, FC) with the mids all having a forward arrow, there would be on DL, DR, MR, ML, AR, AL ever reproduced in the game.

Sorry to reminisce so much but I used to love that game.

I remember the magic too, mate. I'm 29 myself so not far behind you. I did play every version though. I remember my mate and I went to one of those caravan sites in Wales, I took my massive Amiga 500 with us, and to his parent's horror, we never left the caravan! We stayed up all night playing our Liverpool Leeds game, with the unstoppable Don Hutchison, Mike Marsh, Frank Strandli, Gary Speed, Gary McAllister. I agree to a degree that the magic has somehow dissipated, but isn't that with everything as you get older? I think it's called responsibility and bills and women and kids and cars and overdrafts and loans. I can't really imagine getting together these days with my old mate, buying a few bottles of Special Red cider and telling the wife we're staying up for two days playing a computer game! Yes the magic has left, but the fact I'm still playing is a testament to the game's evolution and my unwavering determination, that if I applied to other areas of my life, would probably have led to more success.

Interesting couple of points made that I didn't mention. First regarding not making it in football, I'm one of the most useless players on the planet (If I was in FM I'd have reasonable positioning and absolutely nothing else) and haven't got the forceful personality (or much tactical expertise beyond various ideals) to be a manager, so its great to have FM, also about the countless ways to play as I have a friend who has a few brief goes when with me but otherwise doesn't play and who generally has a narrow-minded view on things in general, I have to remind myself not to try and use my experience to 'correct' him on all sorts of things, as in the end we do have different points of view on everything and I sometimes remember I should just leave him to it, and if things fail badly then on his own head be it, which is actually good for me. In fact one thing he does have is a better tactical grasp (which isn't difficult) and he has shown how a totally balance formation isn't everything (you'd be amazed how sticking almost all your midfielders on one flank actually works) and I think of that as now I'm experimenting with a non-standard formation myself. Thats the amazing freedom FM gives you.

Because I like it. Liked 2008, liked 2009, love 2010. I'm not one of these people who try to find every flaw of a game, I try to enjoy it I'm not bothered by bugs and other problems.