Play Football Manager Online

Steve Hoyland 2021-10-01

Sorry guys, but I'm back again with a warning.......there's a flaw In the game which means It will ALWAYS crash sooner or later. During the game, the time will come when your team meets a team of the same name (In other words - Your team V Your team) and when you try to play that match, the game freezes. The chap who has rewritten the game has made a fatal error In his programming; your guess Is as good as mine as to how he missed It during testing. I hope our friends at MyAbandonware will remove the game until the problem Is remedied - It's unlikely to be a complicated matter and unfortunately the game Is unplayable until It's done.

Steve Hoyland 2021-09-27

Sorry to be a further bore you guys, but I must let you know a few things I've discovered so that you don't waste your time.........this game Is far poorer than I first thought.
There are only two factors relating to the abilities of the players, one of which, skill, Is a constant between 1 and 5 (normally we expect the players ages to be shown and skill levels to increase as the player ages - skill would then be expected to drop once the player reached age 30 or so). The second factor Is energy, which Is a variable between 1 - 20 and drops as each game Is played; 'resting' a player for one or more games will increase the players energy level.
The animation of the football matches Is rather poor, but It's the shortness of the games which spoils It so much. As for the missing routines we'd normally expect from such games -
1. There are no attendances or ticket sales shown; only a single match income, which Is very unconvincing and seems to relate only to attendance, even though the match attendance Is not quantified.
2. There Is no Income from advertising, drink & snack sales or any other club-related income which we expect - even In such early football management games as this.
3. None of the players goals - name of scorer, time of goal - are shown anywhere In the game, whether during the game when a goal is scored or at the end of a game. In fact, there's no record of any of the players goals, achievements or other details; no 'games played', age of players or other facts (other than the earlier mentioned 'Skill & Energy').
4. During a game, there's no timer - there Isn't even a 'half-time', and the stick-men animations don't even change sides!
5. The game shows defenders on the squad list, but NOT a Goalkeeper! Regardless of how many or how few defenders you have In your squad, It has no effect on defensive factors; It seems that the first defender In your team list, normally labelled 'No.1', Is recognised only as any other defender. Drop your 'No.1' and you'll see what I mean!
6. If, and when, a particularly good player Is offered for sale, try to make an offer at least 30% higher than his listed value, otherwise a refusal will add a far higher value on him on the next offer, and you'll end up paying much more than the starting price; It will increase each time after you're met with a refusal.
7. If you take a loan, the best method Is to pay back In increments of around 20%
after each game; this ensures that your interest Is kept to manageable levels.

I won't continue to bore you with the inadequacies of this game, although there are many more; (personally, I'd have been ashamed to put my name to what Is basically a part-written background to a game - It's as though this was released before It was completed!). A bit more work would have made this so much better (Idleness and the 'quick buck' mentality Is the culprit here, I think!).
However, If you'd like to have a go, here's a few tips :-
ALWAYS try to keep 13 or preferably 14 players In your squad, otherwise the program will give you injuries preventing you from fielding a full team. (You'll still be allowed to play your match but of course your team strength will be much reduced). TRY not to go above a squad of 15 - the maximum size Is 16 players and If you're offered a good player you won't be able to buy him If your team has 16 players (the game has a 'habit' of offering good players who you can't afford!).
If you can get hold of a download of this game, It would give you an ideal opportunity to tinker around and personalise It to your own specifications - (maybe this Is what the author of the work was hoping for?).
Finally - I know that this may sound arrogant and pompous, but how this program ever gained commercial success Is laughable! It's rubbish!

Steve Hoyland 2021-09-26

Ah, those memories! I was the author of many games and machine-code cheats throughout the 1980's, which I had printed In magazines such as "Amstrad Action" and "Sinclair User". One of my games was very similar to this one - It was called "FA Cup Manager" - but mine was produced a full year before this and given free as a 'type-In' in several 'Home Micro' magazines, including those mentioned above, which I hoped would help budding programmers to get a 'foothold' In the principles of programming. My field of work led me into the Pharmaceutical Industry, otherwise I'd probably have been a multi-millionaire many years ago had I kept up with my programming! But It was just a hobby for me personally and I have no regrets. Enjoy these games, guys - what more could we ask for than thousands of free, classic games without viruses or hidden costs? MyAbandonware Is safe; It's organised by guys who love classic games and wish to share with the worldwide community of classic game lovers. Respect!