The 2025 CM Cup: The Results Show

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Hello and welcome to the 2025 CM Cup! As ever, I’m not certain how much interest there is to anybody outside of the 22 participants so we’re sticking with the presentation from last year. Thank you to everybody who took part, the format was similar to last year which is quicker but probably not as immersive as the good old days.

2025 CM Cup

The 2025 CM Cup is the 9th edition of the Championship Manager Cup, more commonly known as the CM Cup. Matches were played out on Zoom in December 2025 because Dave remains an unorganised fool and left it too late. Many thanks to Rob “Taitanator” Tait for doing the database for this year.

The 2025 edition saw us retain the “winner stays on” format of 2024. All 22 players were randomly assigned an entrance number and a team. The players drawing one and two would play each other, with the winner staying on and playing participant 3, so on and so forth.

The last surviving team will play a one off final against the team that clocked up the most eliminations to determine the 2025 champions.

The tournament was played out under 5 a side rules, with Masters Football being the theme. That meant all 22 Teams were made up of players aged 35 and over. Only 5 players were on the pitch for each team, with up to 5 subs. A goalkeeper had to be named and wasn’t allowed to play outfield.

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A Royale Mess – A Blog Squad Tale | Part Ten: Bare Nesetities | @KingOfTheRooks

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Hallo, and welcome back! More time to see how our managers react and adapt to their new signings. One thing for sure, if the season so far is anything to go by, it will be goals galore.

First up it is league action. Matt’s AIK are at home to my own Kobenhavn. Games have been quite back and forth and high scoring so let’s see if that changes.

The half time introduction of the secret 6th Simpsons family member makes for a nervy second half but the Wale makes his mark and Kobenhavn come away with a victory. Our Ljung’s were bursting.

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I think we’re Cologne now – Part 7: We’re having a Balling | @Matt_C_Wills

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Hello, it’s nearly Christmas and while I still have some presents to buy, there is still time to squeeze in another visit to Germany. It’s now onto season 3 after a Pokal Cup final defeat to Dortmund and the disappointment of £13m of our hard saved money being spunked on a stadium capacity increase. No matter, we’ll be back in Europe by virtue of Dortmund winning the league.

Let’s start with some cup action and it takes penalties, a lot of penalties to make it through to the Liga Cup next round.

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The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Six | @TJMitcham1983

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Welcome back to Dingwall. The challenge remains simple on paper: just stay ahead of the real Ross County across the same years. With at least one ‘Ross’ in the team. Since we’re already a division above them going into 98/99, survival is the only requirement — avoid relegation and the mission rolls on. So far, so good: a solid start in Division 2 sees us sitting 4th after six games.

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Basque Boys Deux – Part 6: Kai and mighty | @NTR9798

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Bonjour! I guess if you’ve come back again then you must be enjoying this series slightly, so I thank you. Anyway, having achieved the first season objective of staying in Ligue 1, let’s see what we can do with the squad over the summer…

I finally make a sale, as my one of my backup keepers generates £180k for the coffers…

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The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Five | @TJMitcham1983

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We’re now entering 1998/99, which in real life saw Ross County still stuck in Division Three. We, on the other hand, have somehow yo-yo’d our way a division ahead of history, which means the challenge rule for the season is delightfully simple: don’t get relegated. I’ll take that.

The squad stumbled its way through Division Three last year, but Division Two feels like another world. We need a few reinforcements — ideally without spending money we don’t have. Which is awkward, because we currently have… –£47k. In 1998 money that’s, what, a small bungalow?

On the shopping list:
– a centre-back (or two) to support Ross 1
– a backup wing-back
– backup DMC to give Bannon a breather
– body behind Adams in MC
– right-mid cover for Stevens
– left-mid cover because Broddle is both old and average

So naturally, my opening gamble is Dave Rogers. Strong lad. Tough lad. Aggression levels of a peaceful yoga instructor, but still.

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