Description of Premier Manager 3
Third in Gremlin's effort to dislodge Championship Manager from the throne of soccer management games (SMG), Premier Manager 3 is a good try that unfortunately falls short in many areas, particularly unrealistic match results. Excerpts from Tim Chown's solid review says it all:
"PM3 simulates the English league, in which there are 5 divisions (Premier, Divisions 1, 2 and 3, and a 'non-league' Conference Division full of part-timers). At the outset, you can only take the manager's job at any one of these 22 Conference teams; it's a pain not to be able to control your favorite league team, but it's probably more realistic this way. There's no particular 'aim' in PM3; you might try to take your Conference team all the way to the top, or you might look to get the manager's job at your favorite team if it comes available, or you might just choose to stick with clubs in the Conference division. The game runs season after season; you only 'lose' if you get the sack from your current club - there's no real way to 'win'. It is in that sense a simulation more than a game.
But PM3 does give you three ratings: managerial, supporter confidence and director confidence. Letting the latter slip too low will get you the sack (getting a public vote of confidence from the directors is bad news!). PM3 isn't just about picking a team and hoping for the best. It's an incredibly deep game, with a vast array of statistics, options and things to tweak. In fact, you control a lot of things that a real manager would not; for example you decide on spending on ground improvements and on raising income from advertisements and bank loans. However, there are still directors above you. They can be persuaded to give you money to spend, but their main job appears to be to decide when to sack you!
Overall PM3 is trying to be a very good soccer management game. What it lacks in presentation (particularly the in-game graphics) it tries to make up for with depth of gameplay. However, I'm not convinced as to just how realistic that is. While it appears my players act in ways that they are being asked to, they'll very rarely deviate from precise instructions; thus for example my number 9 who plays in front of goal scores 4 out of every 5 goals for me - far from realistic....
PM3 is arguably the best of a bad bunch, and in its own cute way it is addictive and fun to play in quiet moments. Its long term appeal would be greater if I could choose which team to manage, if I had more faith in its 'realism' and if the in-game graphics were presented in a style more in fitting with the 1990's rather than the 80's."
Overall, a solid and deep SMG that falls a bit short off Top Dog status. If you like the series, though, check out Premier Manager '99-- a much better successor that gives Championship Manager a run for its money.
Review By HOTUD
External links
Comments and reviews
Nick O'Teen 2023-11-08 36 points DOS version
Does anyone know how many seasons you can play on PM3? Champions Manager 2 had 29 seasons
BigBoss 2023-04-19 24 points DOS version
Anyone got any tips on getting 4-3-3 to work? I can get results using all other formations but not 4-3-3... the AI can get results with it but my guys don't score enough. Irrelevant of if i try and get it working with the poor players of the first season on the maxed out players of season 10
Citybreeze 2022-06-04 23 points
Works fine and can save games on Win 10 using latest version of DOSBox
Make sure you create a folder called 'Saves' within your PM3 folder, move 'saves.dir' into it, and make sure ALL folders within the PM3 folder structure are NOT set to Read Only (they seem to be read only as default) as this will stop you saving and dump you out of the game.
Gradius 2022-02-20 23 points
The game does not save if you have Windows 10 or above. None of the solutions given work. Quite annoying!
Wolf 2017-12-11 7 points
Hope it helps:
Import the .zip to D-Fend, then right click on the game name on D-Fend game list, select "Edit", then to your right, on the tree, "Directories".
You'll see a box called "Additional program folders". Create two folders INSIDE your game folder (should be Premier Manager 3 on the tree view), called "Save" and "Saves" and add them.
You should be all set, able to save games and tactics and enjoy this oldie!
Have fun!
des 2017-07-07 4 points Amiga version
Had everything over PM2 in terms of more features. Sadly it lacked the speed, the match engine was too much. PM3 with the PM2 match engine would have been the ultimate.
Kosa 2016-05-18 3 points DOS version
why there is no sounds (music is playing but no sound effects are present).
Anyone can help?
Andrew 2015-01-13 1 point DOS version
Likewise, I'm also having trouble saving the game. Whenever I try to save, it exists the game and I receive a message stating 'DOS: Path not found'.
Somebody mentioned creating a "saves" folder. Where should I create this and how do I tell Boxer where to find it?
pivko 2014-11-18 0 point DOS version
Create "saves" folder and then you will be able to save any game or tactic ;)
Mammy 2014-06-15 1 point DOS version
Everytime I try to save the game it exits the app... anyone have any idea how to solve this?
Nordisch 2013-06-09 -5 points DOS version
This game is utter rubbish. What a waste of time. Avoid at all cost.
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DOS Version
2 MBAmiga ROM
- Year: 1994
- Publisher: Gremlin Interactive Limited
- Developer: Realms of Fantasy
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