Hello! It must be winter as it is time for our annual visit to what has become a much trickier article to write in recent times. Managers are getting younger, one of these years we will have a manager not born in 1997. Anyway, let’s take a look where the current Premier League managers can be found in CM9798 and see just how small the list of players still playing is.
Continue readingThe 2025 CM Cup: The Results Show
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.
Continue readingBasque Boys Deux – Part 7: Revillation | @NTR9798
Bonjour! We’re halfway through our second season as a Ligue 1 side, brushing shoulders with the likes of Monaco, PSG, and Bordeaux, but sadly not competing with them (yet). We’re not badly-placed for European qualification at the minute though, so let’s see how it pans out.
A Royale Mess – A Blog Squad Tale | Part Ten: Bare Nesetities | @KingOfTheRooks
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.
Continue readingI think we’re Cologne now – Part 7: We’re having a Balling | @Matt_C_Wills
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.
The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Six | @TJMitcham1983
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.
Basque Boys Deux – Part 6: Kai and mighty | @NTR9798
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…
I think we’re Cologne now – Part 6: FC Guts | @matt_c_wills
Hello and welcome back to another journey into the low-stat world of Germany where I’m heading into the end of season 2 with my Cologne team. Here we are in the league, 6th…
The Ross County Challenge: A Highland Fling, Part Five | @TJMitcham1983
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.
Basque Boys Deux – Part 5: Sweet Jesús | @NTR9798
Bonjour! We’ve reached the halfway point of our first season in the top flight. It’s been a mixed bag so far, with some good results, and some terrible, but we’re three points above the relegation zone, and if we’re still there at the end of the season, I’ll be happy. Let’s go…
