‘I missed my friend’s wedding reception for my managerial career’
Manager name: Mo Suleman.
Hall of Fame: 33 consecutive seasons on Championship Manager 1992-93.
I loved this game and played it religiously until it crashed during season 33. Starting in Division Four, I would seek out 16- and 17-year-old players and build them up. I once missed my friend’s wedding reception because of my managerial career. I kept saying to my self “just one more game, one more game” and before I knew it I was two hours late. My friend was so angry, I had to lie and say my car had broken down. Liverpool was always the dream club to take charge of. John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, Steve McManaman and Jan Molby were just unbelievable players. If I ever wanted a harder challenge, then Crewe or Port Vale would easily oblige.
‘For the sake of my marriage I avoid management games these days’
Manager name: Ben Blackham.
Hall of Fame: Steering Coventry City to safety – year after year.
I have many happy memories playing Championship Manager late into the night in my Brighton student digs. My only aim in life at that point was to stop the Pride of the Midlands being relegated – a task that has sadly failed several ‘real’ managers in recent years. Many a session would end when the sun came up, when I frantically grabbed breakfast before heading off to lectures, which would be spent thinking about the Christmas tree formation. I graduated with a 2.2, often known as a drinkers degree, but in my case it was a Championship Manager degree. I can still be found in the stands at Coventry watching the horrors unfold knowing, beyond all doubt, that if I’d been in charge these past 20 years things would be very different. But for the sake of preserving my marriage, I avoid football management games these days.
‘The guy in the shop was the first person I’d spoken to in four days’
Manager name: Dan White
Hall of Fame: Sealing the Serie A title with Juventus
Michael was my friend and sporting arch-rival. As big fans of Serie A, we were excited by the first Championship Manager Italia edition. He took on golden-age Milan while I settled for Juventus. Following a close title chase, where Milan were smashing three-plus goals each week and Juve were scraping one-nils, we reached the last game with me one point ahead. He won his last game comfortably and was looking smug as Juve were struggling at 0-0 – until a certain free transfer Diego Maradona snatched the title with an 87th-minute goal. The elation has never been eclipsed. During one of my Champ Man games I once went to buy some milk and realised the guy behind the till was the first person I’d spoken to in four days. I have a young family and work-intensive career now so even the thought of playing it is banished.
‘The game wouldn’t let Southend increase their ground capacity’
Manager name: Nick Archard.
Hall of Fame: Getting David Beckham to sign for Southend United.
I will never forget the day I got David Beckham to sign for my hometown team. He said he was “particularly looking forward to working with Nick Archard.” The deal was sealed at about four in the morning. Becks had worked with some great coaches, but I think he knew that I was something else and he was very much a part of our Champions League-winning team. Annoyingly, the game would never allow Southend to increase their ground capacity and thus the greatest team of the decade only ever played in front of 12,900 at home. I got a 2:1 in my degree but easily a first in 2001-02 Championship Manager studies.
‘Midfielders Wise, Jones and Gazza left the city of Glasgow weeping’
Manager name: Kieran Chester.
Hall of Fame: Blowing the Old Firm’s duopoly away with Elgin City.
A tasty midfield three of Dennis Wise, Vinny Jones and Gazza was enough to leave the entire city of Glasgow weeping. Even better was the fact they were all coaches for my team as well. Apart from Elgin City, I never forgot my roots – Derby County and Grimsby Town were often picked. You could always do a lot worse than signing Norwegian Tommy Svindal Larsen.
‘I’ve often wondered why I didn’t obtain better GCSE results’
Manager name: Robbie Meechan
Hall of Fame: Passing my GCSEs while steering QPR to European glory
Over the years, I’ve often wondered why I didn’t obtain better GCSE results. When clearing out my garage and finding my old school books, I found the answer to my question – pages and pages of formations and transfer targets for my Uefa Cup-winning QPR side where my history coursework should have been. If I could do it all again, I’m still not sure the nuances of the industrial revolution could keep me from a night of trying to sign Matt le Tissier in his prime. One of my other favourite games was struggling up the divisions with Bradford Park Avenue. I didn’t do too badly with hometown club Grimsby either.
‘I still remember the awkward conversation with the club shop staff’
Manager name: Alex Ireland
Hall of Fame: Leading Millwall to European glory
With Cherno Samba as Millwall’s lone frontman on the 2001-02 version, we won 15 league titles and 10 Champions League trophies. Cherno scored over 1,000 goals over a 20-year career before I ended the game upon his retirement. To celebrate this achievement, I bought a full Millwall kit with “Samba 9” printed on the back from the club shop. I still remember the awkward conversation with the club shop staff when making my order by telephone. It’s still in regular use for five-a-side games.
‘Instead of achieving GCSEs, I honed my management skills’
Manager name: Thomas Fish
Hall of Fame: Building up a star-studded Huddersfield Town
I remember building a team of veterans on Championship Manager 2, when I was bed ridden after getting knocked off my mountain bike in 1997 before my GCSEs. Instead of achieving GCSEs, I honed my management skills with the likes of Mark Hughes, David Rocastle, Eric Young and other random free transfers at Huddersfield Town. The formation was usually an attacking 4-4-2. The first 10 mins of every game was awesome, then fitness took its toll.
‘Barnet were always a challenge and not always an enjoyable one’
Manager name: Myrmidon87
Hall of Fame: Persuading George Weah to join Barnet on a free transfer
Sixty-plus goals in two seasons at Underhill Stadium set me up for a glorious march towards mid-table security in the Premier League and a memorable League Cup win. All thanks to a pensionable George Weah and Pep Guardiola bossing the midfield. My father’s boyhood team was always a challenge to manage and not always an enjoyable one. Raiding the Swedish league for top-quality bargains was my go-to move. Stefan Ishizaki and Andreas Svensson were top quality signings going for mere hundreds of thousands. I also led Liverpool to five consecutive league titles and two Champions League victories. Unfortunately it began to unravel after the imperious Igor Biscan moved to Barcelona and half of my first-team squad downed tools in protest.
‘Most of the money was spent on Taribo West’s wage.’
Manager name: Daryl Matheson
Hall of Fame: Leading US Catanzaro from Serie C to the Serie A title
In the beautiful 2003-04 edition I led southern Italian team US Catanzaro from Serie C to the Serie A title in three straight seasons. It all culminated with fans’ favourite Giorgio Corona, who had 20 in finishing (!), scoring a header at the San Siro to beat AC Milan 1-0 and lift the title. It was emotional. Back in 2001-02 I used to pick Rushden and Diamonds as they had an £8m transfer budget for some reason. Most of the money was spent on Taribo West’s wage. Gabon international Henri Antchouet was always bought from a small Portuguese club and I played him in attacking midfield. He scored lots of goals for me. Later in life I found him on Facebook and added him as a friend. He rejected the request and blocked me.
‘The big trophy was on its way back to Derry’
Manager name: Clint Jones
Hall of Fame: An unlikely treble with League of Ireland side Derry City
Under my tutelage the Candystripes managed to win the League of Ireland trophy, the FAI Cup and the Uefa Cup. With my forward three of Steven Gillespie, Barry Hayles and local lad Neil McCafferty, we brushed aside teams over the two legs. The Brandywell was a complete fortress. The run kept continuing all the way to the semi-finals, where I faced the mighty Barcelona. A 4-1 win over Barça was my finest moment as Derry manager. They had two players sent off but whatever. A battling display at the Camp Nou, where we lost 5-3 but scored twice late on through sub Graeme Tomlinson, ensured a final encounter with Gordon Strachan’s Southampton. We somehow managed to win 3-1 and the big trophy was on its way back to Derry. A few months later we lost to Longford Town in the League Cup, bringing me back down to earth with a bump.
‘Winning the Anglo-Italian Cup with Swindon was my finest hour’
Manager name: Joe
Hall of Fame: Winning the Anglo Italian Cup with Swindon
My favourite moment playing Champ Man was inciting a full-on meltdown from my little brother, when canny mid-season signing Mark Robins “hooked home through a crowd” an undeserved winner in a two-player FA Cup semi-final. But, in terms of my achievements, winning the Anglo-Italian Cup on the 1994 version with Swindon was my finest hour. I had to rest players for league games in autumn to get through the group, but it paid off spectacularly. The 3-2 win over Venezia, including an own goal by “the number six”, was celebrated long into the night. It usually took time to get the personnel in place to deploy it, but nothing bettered the 3-4-3 formation. Jon Narbett was an absolute hero in the best game I’ve ever had. I would also try to find space for Anders Limpar at any club. The phrase “one last shot at the big time” concerning a 40-year-old John Byrne from the “free transfers” list has gone down in our own private Championship Manager history in ignominy.
‘It took a whole lot of luck, tactics and coffees to accomplish’
Manager name: Sahil Nathu.
Hall of Fame: Getting India to the 2010 World Cup.
I achieved a last-16 finish in the 2010 World Cup with India, despite a 7-0 defeat against Brazil in the group stage. A tight loss to England in the first knock-out stage hurt, but I was very proud of the achievement. It took a whole lot of luck, tactics and coffees to accomplish. It developed my passion for underdogs, travel and teams I follow today. Special shout-outs go to Anatoli Todorov, Diego Ribas, Julius Aghahowa and Isaak Okoronkwo – players who never let me down when chasing Championship Manager success across different European Leagues.
‘Most of IFK Gothenburg’s team was a huge help along the way’
Manager names: Henry and George
Hall of Fame: Recapturing European glory with Nottingham Forest
George was the tactician and I was the Director of Football. Together we took Nottingham Forest from administration in Division One to three Champions League triumphs in a row. And all with David Prutton as captain. We were in such arrears at the beginning of the game we had to sell most of our first team in the first season, relying on youth players and the occasional legend on a free (step forward George Weah, Paul Ince and Youri Djorkaeff).
We managed to struggle out of Division One playing three defensive midfielders in every game. Within three seasons we were already Premier League and European champions. David Prutton was the only youth player we did not sell to appease the administrators. He was 17 years old when we started and 37 when he retired in his mansion full of trophies. Most of IFK Gothenburg’s team was a huge help along the way too. Henry
