25 BEST FOOTIE GAMES EVER

25 ULTIMATE SOCCER MANAGER

Nothing immersed you in a mid-’90s football world like the USM series. Transfers and team selection almost became minor distractions as you reclined in your office next to a fax machine to negotiate ad deals, build stadiums and even arrange bungs. Yes, this was the George Graham era, when managers were emperors, and USM put you on the throne.

1995 / Amiga

24 FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR

People weren’t sure what to make of this oddball at the time. Part management game, part board game, it saw you steer a kid from the old Fourth Division to top-flight glory. Success was mostly down to scoring goals in arcade sequences; chances were bought with ‘goal cards’ purchased in-game, and ‘incident cards’ let you delve further into your young player’s life.

1986 / ZX Spectrum

23 TRACKSUIT MANAGER

We’re not sure how you manage a tracksuit, but this was an impressive management game with depth. You arrived just as your team (England by default) had a disastrous World Cup (so pretty accurate), and had to figure out a road to success. The format lacked visual impact, but provided plenty