I’ve played this game for 3 Decades now and it still finds ways to surprise me and I’m still finding new players that I’ve never used before! The fact we are still talking about or writing about it or even just playing it shows it stands the test of time. Here is my ode to CM9798.

For me, it all started when i was 8 or 9 and my cousin came to live with my my family and I. He was a few years older than me and his football knowledge far outstripped mine. I was curious to find out how he knew so much. Who were these exotic players he knew from these far flung countries. He introduced me to a game on the PC, which felt so alien to me. The game had no players to control! Utter nonsense I thought. Turns out 8/9 year old me was about to embark on the greatest adventure and one of the greatest pleasures in my life.

CM9798 was my introduction to the giants of Europe. Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain. Serie A being an abundance of talent from all over the world. Where to even being on who to start with. Although R9 was always a heavy favourite of mine. England was soon forgotten as I went exploring these new countries and leagues and unbelievable players! One team did capture my heart early on. Glasgow Rangers weren’t the most exotic. But discovering a front 2 of Van Vossen & Marco Negri was a game changer. Winning the Champions League for the first time with them was cause for 11 year old me to jump around the living room like I’d won the lottery!

I actually never enjoyed any of the games that followed. CM01/02 has a cult following of it’s own and rightly so but I only found this out years later. I’m not ashamed to admit that I never moved on from CM9798 until Football Manager came along in 2004/2005. Even then, CM9798 was always the one to go back to. It was, and remains, a constant in my life. When I left school I had a gap of a few weeks before entering the work place and I spent those weeks playing CM9798, winning the World Cup for the first time with Italy.

When I found out there was a whole community out there who still loved and played the game and even blogged about the game I was hooked all over again! Being asked to join the fantastic contributors to Dave’s website was a privilege and a honour and continues to be.

CM9798 is a comfort blanket for me. In the past few years I have struggled enormously with my mental health and been in some very dark places. Flicking CM9798 on and starting a new game is the best therapy around. You can just disappear from all the darkness and bad thoughts and feelings as you try to make a former giant great again or go from rags to riches again picking up the old faithful’s who have served like Roman soldiers for these past 3 decades. One of the biggest saviours has been the guys on this site when we have weekly catch ups to play in a mad hatter league that Andy has somehow dreamt up. Just talking about the game is such an escape from reality just for hours. It’s been vital.

CM9798 will always be in my life and will always be of high importance. It’s way more than a game. It’s become a crutch when life gets difficult and it’s introduced me to some of the best people in my life through our shared joy of this magnificent game.