Cheers, Paul, Ov, Miles and the rest of the gang!!!!!

I have been a member of this forum for a number of years but rarely post. I've been playing Football Manager (and what was Championship Manager) for about twelve/thirteen years on and off. I cannot remember the first FM game I played but reckon it was sometime in the late nineties. Anyway, I am now 39, married and old enough to remember football management games on the BBC model B (which I bought) and Commodore 64. I am also old enough to give up all football management games and start behaving like an adult (although refuse to do so). It is 4am in the morning, my wife is on a night shift at work and I, after a night FM session, have just finished my second bottle of red wine (I like a drink!!!)

Anyway, I suppose what I am rambling on about is despite the problems of getting FM11 to work (never, ever had any problems in previous versions in all the years I've been playing) things now seem to be okay (it took me a day and a half, the patch, Direct X DXSDZ thingie, and rolling back my graphics drivers!).

I usually go for LLM and struggle. This year however I have decided to change and now manage Norwich. Five games in I am still struggling. However I am absolutely loving it!!!! The ME is superb (it has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years), the depth of play is phenomenal as ever, graphics has improved tremendously and interaction is a real step in the right direction. It is almost perfect. A few refinements here and there (in particular addding to the match day experience with things like crowd's chanting etc) and I'm not really sure what else one could ask for.

There will always be those that complain. However most of them have absolutely no idea just how far football management simulation games have come in the last twenty years. I remember playing a footbal management game on the BBC model B twenty five years ago that at the time I thought was the bees knees.

I suppose what I am saying is, thank you. SI, I will try not to brown nose, but as an organisation you are doing bloody well. Paul and Ov Collyer, stay true as you have thus far. I am sure you had no idea this is where you'd be twenty years ago. Miles and the rest of you, keep it up.

Most software I buy these days is *****. FM, along with a few other games, caters for a very specific market, and does what it does so very, very well.

Anyway, time to turn in. Got to find out how I am going to get my Norwich team playing passing football.

Good stuff.

I'm loving all the improvements with the Match Engine and the game in general. The new "meetings" feature is absolutely awesome.

Anyone who has a gripe with this game is off chops plain and simple.

I agree. I am finding the game amazing! I've played since Champ Man 2 and have got every version since. Started playing FM11 and I am useless! I have been sacked after 1 year in charge at Woking but I'm not going to moan about it being too hard. All I have to do is find that magical formation. Its all about trial and error! Although I usually seem to work out a winning formation just as the next FM is coming out!

Keep it up SI!

Now this is my sort of thread - justified praise for a great game!

I totally agree with this thread. I too remember playing the old Footy games on the commodore 64 and the amiga. Premier manager, s.w.o.s, the original championship manager et al.

it is such a great change to see a company like this seem to care about its community and actually take their fans comments and concerns on board and sort the game out for the better. Even now the game has been patched with the few remaining bugs I am confidant that si will get them sorted.

On the contrast to this I have bought FIFA 11 this year and this game has so many problems I just don't know how it was allowed to be released. It's been out about a month and still no signs of a fix and not much communication from 'the company that makes it'

Maybe other computer games companies need to look at how SI operate and ask for lessons,

Keep up the good work SI. I love Football Manger 11, love DLR and cannot wait to try to make the N.Ireland league one of the best in Europe.