If you're a football enthusiast, you've likely played Football Manager or know someone who's spent weeks of their life playing it. It's not a game - it's an addiction.
But how did a small management sim grow from a bedroom game in the '80s to a global phenomenon that ruins relationships, gets people sacked from their jobs, and even influences real-life football scouting? Let's take a trip down memory lane.
It all started with a guy and his computer
All the way back in 1982, a fellow named Kevin Toms sat down with his chunky old computer and coded what would be the first ever football management game, named Football Manager. It was simple but revolutionary: You selected a team, managed the team, transferred players, and saw the results play out.
It didn't have flashy graphics or real players, but it had something much better; addiction. People were immediately playing for hours trying to guide their teams to success. And overnight the football management genre had been born.
Championship Manager: The game that changed everything
Flash forward to 1992, and two brothers, Paul and Oliver Collyer, did things differently. They created Championship Manager, a much more advanced game that put you in the position of an actual gaffer.
Transfers, tactics, scouting, development of youth - there was something for everything. It wasn't just a question of picking a team and trusting to luck; it was one of outwitting the competition, making strategic long-term planning, and getting through the horror of your ace striker spiking a last-gasp penalty. With each new release, the game became more complex, and by the late '90s, there was a cult following. People were skipping school, skipping work, and staring at spreadsheets of virtual footballers for hours on end. It was brilliant.
The great split: Football Manager comes into the world
Then the bitter breakup. In 2003, Sports Interactive (the folks who did Championship Manager) split from their publisher, Eidos. Eidos kept the Championship Manager name, but Sports Interactive kept the brains of the outfit; the match engine, the scout database, the heart and soul of it. So in 2004, Football Manager (FM) was created. And let's not beat around the bush - nobody really cared about Championship Manager anymore.
FM was the go-to football management sim. The depth was insane. Injuries were realistic and maddening. Press conferences existed where you could schmooze or alienate reporters. Players had personalities, egos, and transfer demands that would make you pull your hair out. It wasn't a game - it was a part-time job.
Watching dots move became the most thrilling thing ever
One of the greatest innovations FM ever brought was introducing the 2D match engine in Football Manager 2005. Previously, you'd basically just read text commentaries as if reading a book. Now, you could actually see your tactics play out on the pitch-even if it was only little dots moving about like ants.
They did it again in 2009 with a 3D match engine. It wasn't FIFA-standard graphics, but it didn't need to be. Simply watching your team scoring a 90th-minute winner in glorious, slightly wobbly 3D was enough to get players into celebrations that probably looked ridiculous to anyone who spotted them halfway through a celebration.
Football Manager on the go: The game that's always with you
Gamers' habits changed, and FM adapted with them. Nobody has time to spend 10 hours a day on a PC anymore. That's why Football Manager Mobile was such a hit. First released in 2006, it enabled you to take your addiction with you wherever you went. Commutes, lunchtimes, waiting for a friend in the pub - suddenly you could be messing about with tactics and purchasing players whenever, wherever.
It's the same reason jackpot apps such as https://letsjackpot.org/en/ and online gambling have been a hit. Individuals love entertainment that's adaptable to their lifestyle. And just like bettors on an imaginary roulette wheel, FM players are eternally on the lookout for that ultimate big win, whether winning the Champions League with Stockport County or unearthing a 16-year-old whiz kid who turns into the next Messi.
The FM community: A community of football nerds who take it very seriously
The community of Football Manager is a special one. There are people who play the same save for 20+ years, writing exclusively about their managerial history. Others do experiments, like playing 100 years ahead in time to see which teams run football.
And then there are the actual scouts. FM's player database is so ridiculously in-depth that actual football clubs have admitted to using it to help with scouting. Actual players have even discovered their own potential by viewing their FM statistics.
Football Manager 25: The one that got away
Of course, everything does not go as planned. In February 2025, the world was shocked - Football Manager 25 was cancelled. It had been delayed several times, and in the end, they decided it wasn't good enough.
It was a gut blow for gamers, but come on - do we need a rushed, buggy game, or wait for something new and shiny? Either way, Football Manager 26 is on the horizon now, and the anticipation is through the roof.
Full circle: Kevin Toms is back
And here's the twist, a cheeky little flashback: Kevin Toms, the chap who started it all those years ago in 1982, has returned. He's made a new version of his original Football Manager for mobile, bringing the circle full circle.
It’s a reminder that, even after four decades, the love for football management sims hasn’t faded. Whether you’re playing the modern, ultra-detailed FM or a throwback version made by the guy who started it all, the thrill of guiding a team to glory is timeless.