Welcome back! We’re back with out of the box Barnsley, playing the original game as it flew off the shelf in October 1997. Things have started surprisingly well and we sit fourth after just 11 games. Will we hold on to these lofty heights? Let’s find out.

Something I am always asked is what I think the greatest challenge is in CM9798. This blog has seen people push the boundaries of that answer, with weird and wonderful scenarios created to test managerial mettle alongside some of the more classic challenges. Between myself and various members of the blog squad, we’ve toppled the Old Firm, we’ve taken a side with no players from Division 3 to the top and taken various struggling nations to World Cup 98. I could go on.

My answer to that question for many years was to keep Barnsley up in season 1. KOTR did it without even making a signing, which is all the more impressive. It’s something I’ve never managed to achieve, I usually get worn down very early on and give up. Not only do I want to keep them up, I want to take them to the Champions League winners enclosure. For ultimate authenticity, I’ve even loaded up the out of the box version of the game. I assume the gameplay is not hugely different but the squads are maybe not as you expect. Asprilla is still at Newcastle, Southall is still at Everton but most importantly, Man Utd’s squad is so overloaded they have to release some of their kids immediately. More on that later.

Barnsley have an uninspiring set of lads, to put it kindly.