Match of the Season Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Before The Game Starts
  • Squad Selection
  • Picking Your Team
  • Player Transfers
  • Moving Around The Board
• The Playing Board
• Game Play
  • Playing A Match
• Match Tactics Cards
• The 3 Competitions
  • The League
  • The National Cup
  • The Euro Cup
• The End Of The Season
• Additional Rules
  • Buying and selling players
  • Selection limits
  • Line-ups
  • Playing with 2 players
  • Playing with 3 players
  • Optional and advanced Game Play
• Advanced Game Play
• Inventory

Introduction

Match Of The Season is a game for 2-4 players. Players take on the role of a football manager and compete with each other to win as much silverware as possible. Tactics, skill, risk-taking and luck all play a part in deciding which team wins.

The aim of the game is to win as many trophies as possible during six seasons. Teams compete for three trophies each season (The League, National Cup and Euro Cup) and game points are awarded for each competition. The player who has the most points at the end of the final season wins the game.

Game points are allocated as follows:

• 1st place in the League: 3 pts
• 2nd place in the League: 2 pts
• 3rd place in the League: 1 pt
• National Cup Winner: 2 pts
• National Cup Runner up: 1 pt
• Euro Cup Winner: 3 pts
• Euro Cup Runner up: 2 pts

Before The Game Starts

Squad Selection

Each team manager chooses a team colour by selecting one of the team cards and places his team counter on the scoreboard.

One player is placed in charge of the bank. Each team receives 100,000 Euro (3 x 20,000 notes, 2 x 10,000 notes and 4 x 5,000 notes).

Arrange the player cards in five piles according to player strength: a pile of 1-star players, a pile of 2-star players and so on. Shuffle and place each pile face down on the table. Each manager should select:

• 1 card from the 5-star player pile
• 2 cards from the 4-star player pile
• 3 cards from the 3-star player pile

Now place all the 2-star player cards face up on the table. Starting with the youngest, each manager picks one 2-star player in turn. Once every manager has picked four cards, repeat the process with the 1-star player cards.

Every manager should now have a squad of 14 players (1 x 5-star, 2 x 4-star, 3 x 3-star, 4 x 2-star and 4 x 1-star) with which to create a starting line-up.

Picking Your Team

Each manager selects 11 players and positions them in formation on the playing table. Playing position is indicated by the background colour of each player card as follows:

• Yellow - Goalkeepers
• Green - Defenders
• Red - Midfielders
• Blue - Attackers

The line-up must include 1 goalkeeper and 10 outfield players. Outfield players are limited to the following formations:

5-3-2 | 4-4-2 | 4-3-3 | 3-4-3 | 3-5-2

The first figure indicates the number of defenders, the second figure indicates the number of midfielders and the final figure refers to attackers, so 4-3-3 would be four defenders (green), three midfielders (red) and three attackers (blue).

You should bear in mind these formations when selecting 1-star and 2-star players so you are able to field a legitimate line-up from the start of the game.

Player Transfers

Now place the unassigned 1-star players face up on the table. These players are free transfers and can be bought at any time during the game.

Shuffle the remaining player cards and place them in a pile face down on the playing board. Before the first season starts, turn over the first four player cards. Each manager now has the opportunity to buy these players at face value (number of stars times 10,000, i.e. a 5-star player is worth 50,000 Euro). In the event that more than one manager wishes to buy the same player, the highest bidder wins. Every manager should get the chance to be the first bidder at one of the players. Throwing the die will decide who can bid first on the first player, resulting in the manager left of him bidding first on the second player.

Players that no manager wishes to buy will be placed face up with the 1-star players, and can be bought at any time by any manager.

At the end of the season, all, except for the 1-star players will be put back into the deck of player cards.

Moving Around The Board

Place the game marker on the whistle square. Each manager throws the die and the manager who throws the highest number starts.

All four managers play with the same game marker to ensure the four teams are always at the same point in the season. Each manager takes turns to throw the 3-sided die and move the marker accordingly.

There are six weeks in each season and each playing square represents one day of the week. When the counter lands on a particular square the manager whose turn it is must follow the instructions relating to that square. Certain squares will affect all managers.

When the marker lands on or passes over a match square (Wednesday or Sunday), the corresponding games should be played before anything else happens.

When the marker reaches the final Sunday of the season the last League matches are played, followed by any title deciders and finally the Euro Cup final.

The Playing Board

Whistle square: The start point for the game counter each season.

Chance square: Take a card from the Chance pile. Blue cards take immediate effect. Red cards may be kept and played at any point in the game. Green cards may be kept and played at the start of any match (see below for Match Tactics Card rules). Once a card is played it should be returned to the bottom of the pile. Among the chance cards are a number of youth players. If you get one of these you can add them to your team, and play them at any position as they are still learning what kind of player they will be. They will turn out very handy, but might be lost again to the deck of chance cards.

Injury square: Throw the 12 sided die to decide which of your players must sit out the next league match, counting left to right up from the goalkeeper (so 1 is the keeper, 2 is the first defender etc). In week 5, the injury and red card squares affect every team and each manager throws the die in turn. If you throw 12 you are lucky and get away without an injury.

Super Cup square: An extra match between the League winner and the National Cup winner. Teams receive prize money but no game points are awarded. In the event a single team won both the cup and league the previous season this match is played between the league winner and league runner up. There is no Super Cup in season 1.

Cup squares: National Cup matches should be played when the marker passes this square. Throw the die first to decide who plays at home, with the highest throw playing at home. If a cup game ends in a draw throw the die again for a replay. The image on the next Wednesday indicates the Euro cup. The 2 cups together cover all Wednesdays the rest of the season, with the National Cup in weeks 3 and 5, and the Euro Cup in weeks 2, 4, 6 and at the end of the season.

International duty square: Remove all players from the countries shown from the next league match. Only 3, 4 and 5-star players are internationals; their country of origin is indicated by the badge on their shirt. This can be very harsh on your team, so it might be wise to take the combination of these squares into account when you buy players.

Red card square: One of your players receives a red card and will be suspended for the next league game. Throw the 12-sided die to see which player is sent off. You count again left to right up from the goalkeeper (so 1 is the keeper, 2 is the first defender etc). If you throw 12 you are lucky and get away without a red card.

Transfer square: Turn over the top card in the player pile. Any manager may bid for this player. Bidding starts at face value (number of stars x 10,000). If no bids are received, the player is placed face up on the table with the free transfer players and may be bought by any manager for face value (number of stars x 10,000) later in the season. The manager that landed the marker on the square is the first player that can bid, followed by the person sitting left of him etc.

League square: League matches are played when the marker reaches this square. The coloured jerseys indicate which teams play each other with the first jersey as the home team. Once the matches have finished another player card is turned over and the bidding opened. If no bids are received this player is placed face up on the table with the free transfer players and may be bought by any manager for face value (number of stars x 10,000) later in the season.

Game Play

Playing A Match

Each manager selects his team and places his chosen formation on the table. The home team manager then rolls the 6-side die to determine the outcome of the game. The die faces are:

• Die showing one pip: The best team total wins. Both managers add up the total number of stars for all their players. The team with the highest number wins. If both teams have the same number of stars then the game ends in a draw.
• Die showing two pips: The team with the best attack wins. Both teams add up the total number of stars for the attackers in their line-up. The highest total wins. If both teams have the same number of stars then the game ends in a draw.
• Die showing three pips: The team with the best midfield wins. Both teams add up the total number of stars for their midfielders. If both teams have the same number of stars then the game ends in a draw.
• Die showing four pips: The team with the best defence wins. Both teams add up the total number of stars for their defenders. If both teams have the same number of stars then the game ends in a draw.
• Die showing five pips: A penalty for the home team. Throw the 12-sided die to select the penalty taker, counting left to right from the goalkeeper (so 1 is the keeper, 2 is the first defender etc). Compare the number of stars for the penalty taker with the opposing keeper. If the penalty taker has more stars the penalty is scored and the home team wins. Otherwise the penalty is saved and the game ends in a draw.
• Die showing six pips: A penalty for the away team. The same as above but this time the away team throws the die.

The winning team receives 20,000 euro (10,000 euro from the bank plus 10,000 euro from the opposing manager). No money is paid in the event of a draw. For European Cup games the bank pays the winning team 20,000 euro, even when you play against another manager.

Selecting your formation and showing it to your opponent before the match:

You will need to decide with all managers how to deal with this. There is no problem showing the formations to each other, unless making a change based on the other manager's formation causes the other to make a change as well, resulting in an endless circle of changes. This can be solved in covering your formation and allowing both managers to make one change only.

Match Tactics Cards

One card may be played per match by the home team. You must notify the away manager and place the card face down on the table. The card is turned over after the die is thrown. These cards cannot be used in the Euro Cup, and can only be used once. Regardless of the result of the game, the card goes back to the bottom of the deck. If they are used in a national cup match and the match ends in a draw, they will not be valid for the replay (second throw).

Counter Attack: Play this card to win the game in the event you are outplayed in the midfield. (The idea of this card is to play it when you think that the only way you can lose this game is on midfield. The result of the die is respected, which should mean that you win on attack or defence for example, but in case the outcome of the die is 3 (midfield) the card overrules it and you win).

Wing Attack: For formations: 4-4-2, 3-5-2, 3-4-3. Play this card to pit your widest midfielders against your opponent's widest midfielders. The die result is ignored and only stars for the wing players are counted. (With this card you can bring a surprise defeat to your opponent. You just need to make sure you have got your strongest midfielders on the widest spots, against a team that has weaker players there. Be wise about using it though because it could be very handy and powerful in later stages of the season or game).

Central Attack: For formations: 4-4-2, 3-5-2. Add 2 stars to every attacker and all central midfielders. Here the die result is respected. If you play 3-5-2, you will be able to ad 10 stars (2 attackers, and 3 central midfielders), and if you play 4-4-2, you will be able to add 8 stars, (2 attackers, and 2 central midfielders).

Match of the season: Your team plays its best game. Add 5 stars to your midfield score.

Supersave: The die result is respected, but in case your opponent gets a penalty (die result 6), your goalkeeper will save it and the game will end in a draw. This card will typically be used by a team that is stronger, but has a weak goalkeeper and really needs to win. This card will typically be saved for a very important match.

The 3 Competitions

The League

Each team receives 3 points for a win and 1 point for a draw. Team counters are advanced along the scoreboard as each team accumulates points during the season. The team with the most points at the end of each season is declared League champion. If teams are level after six games a final play-off decider should be played. During such deciding games, no money will be awarded, and managers should decide who plays at home by throwing the die. The highest throw plays at home.

At the end of each season trophy cards allocating game points are awarded to the relevant teams and the banker distributes money:

• 1st place: Winner card (3 game points), no money
• 2nd place: Runner up card (2 game points), 25,000 Euro
• 3rd place: 3rd place card (1 game point), 50,000 Euro
• 4th place: No card, 75,000 Euro

Note that this money is meant to balance the game, which will make the weaker teams stronger.

The National Cup

When the game marker reaches the first National Cup square the four teams play the cup semi-finals. To make the draw, each manager throws the die. The two managers with the two highest and the two lowest numbers play each other. Each manager then throws the die again to decide which team has home advantage (the highest throw plays at home). The matches are played and the winners advance to the Cup final later in the season.

The Euro Cup

The League and National Cup winners play in the Euro Cup the following season. If the same team wins both League and Cup, the League runner up is also entered. There is no Euro Cup in season 1.

Add the cards for the managed teams in the Euro Cup to the international team cards, shuffle and draw the cards two at a time to determine the fixtures.

When two international teams are drawn against each other, the first team drawn is declared the winner and the second is eliminated.

When a managed team is drawn against a European team, the manager picks a team to play the formation shown on the card. The manager may view the card and adapt his line-up before the match in order to maximise his chances of success. The managed team always plays at home.

When two managed teams meet in the Euro Cup a match is played to decide who goes through. Throw a die to decide the home team before the match is played. If such a game ends in a draw there will be replays until there is a winner.

The winning teams advance to the next round where the process is repeated each round until the final. There is no need to continue playing the Euro Cup once the managed teams are eliminated.

Any team that wins the Euro Cup is automatically entered into the Euro Cup the following season.

Remove one of the international teams from the draw to leave an even number of cards.

The End Of The Season

At the end of each season a number of formalities must be completed in preparation for the following season. Every manager places his strongest possible team in front of him (i.e. the highest total number of stars achievable. If you have multiple players of the same amount of stars that cannot be in the first team, you decide yourself which players you put aside) and the following steps are taken:

Contract extensions. Each manager turns 2 player cards face down. These players are guaranteed to remain with the club the following season.

Losing players. Each team loses two players. The manager throws the 12-sided die twice and removes the corresponding players, putting them back in the player card pile. If the number thrown is a 12 or corresponds to a player that is face down, you have to throw again. After you take a player out you need to put your strongest substitute in so that the team is back to 11 players. Note that this could be a different type of player. If you have no fitting substitutes, you will quickly need to buy one, before you throw the die again.

Player Swap. The teams that finished 3rd and 4th now get some extra help. The 4th team manager swaps one player with each of the 1st and 2nd teams. He may choose any face up player and swap them for a player in the same position in his own team. He chooses this player as well. Swapped players are placed face down in the formations of the teams. Now the 3rd team manager may switch one of his players with one of the face up players in the 4th team line-up. (This has to a similar type of player again). Typically, managers will pick the best players from the opponent, and give them back the worst player out of their formations of the same colour.

Example: Blue finished 4th in the league, Red 3rd, Yellow 2nd and Green 1st. Blue takes a 4-star midfielder from Yellow and gives him a 1-star midfielder in return. He then takes a 5-star attacker from Green and gives him a 1-star attacker in return. Now Red takes a 4-star keeper from Blue and gives him a 2-star keeper in return.

Player Transfers. First put all the unassigned player cards together and shuffle them. This includes the 2, 3, 4 and 5 star players that are face up on the table. Now turn over the top six player cards one at a time. Managers may bid against each other for each player in turn, the way they also did at the beginning of the first season. Unsold players should be return to the bottom of the pile this time. All 1-star players should remain face up on the table.

Euro Cup. Add the participating managed teams to the international team cards, shuffle and place the pile on the playing board.

Kick Off! Place the game marker on the whistle square and the new season starts.

Additional Rules

Buying and selling players

Players may be sold back to the bank at any time for half their face value (number of stars times 10,000 divided by 2). Sold players should be returned to the bottom of the player card pile. 1-star players should be placed face up on the table.

Managers may buy each other's players at any time. It is forbidden to sell and buy back the same player, or an equivalent player (e.g. a 4-star midfielder) in the same season. Players should always be sold to the highest bidder. Private agreements are not allowed.

Selection limits

Teams must contain between 13-18 players. A team with only 13 players is obliged to buy two new players at the end of the season to replace the two it loses.

A team with 18 players may not bid for a new player unless it sells one of its existing players first. Players must be sold BEFORE the new transfer player card is turned over and any bidding starts. If a team with already 18 players receives a youth player unexpectedly the manager has to sell a player, this could be any player, including the youth player.

Line-ups

If a manager is unable to field 11 players the team may play with 9 or 10 players, provided missing playing positions are indicated to the opposition. In the event a manager fields a team with fewer than 9 players the opposing team is granted an automatic walkover.

Playing with 2 players

Each manager controls 2 teams. It is forbidden for managers to transfer or sell players between teams under their control. When teams under the same manager play each other the manager is obliged to select the strongest possible line-up for each team. At the end of the game each manager adds together the points received for both his teams to decide the winner.

Playing with 3 players

When the game is played with 3 players, the 4th team is considered a walkover. You automatically win 3 points when playing this team although no money is awarded for matches against it. At the end of the season, the money is distributed as if the walkover team ended 4th. This means that the runner-up gets 25.000 Euro, and the number 3 gets 50.000 Euro. The only player swapping that will occur is 1 swap between the number 3 and the champion.

Optional and advanced Game Play

Advanced players may choose to vary the results indicated by the match die. For example, throwing a 2 could mean the home team defence rating is matched against the away team's attack rating while throwing a 4 would mean the opposite. It is also possible to allow additional formations like 3-3-4 or 5-4-1. Note that this might have consequences for the prices of players.

Another variation is to use the 12-sided die to dictate your own match events, for example injuries, red cards, attack versus defence the possibilities are up to you. You could create multiple events within each match or even use the die to determine the final score: roll the die 4 times for example, and the match could end 3-1.

The way the standard rules are set-up make the game relatively fast and easy to play, but can make a team very lucky or unlucky in winning matches as well. By using more match events and maybe the 12 sided die, the managers can take away a lot of the chance in the matches, but it will make it a considerably longer game.

Advanced Game Play

Throw the 12 sided die 6 times. At every throw one of the teams can score a goal. If a throw results in an even amount of stars no goals are scored. The final amount of goals decides the winner. It could potentially end 6-0 or 3-3, but also 0-0 if all events end in draws.

Outcomes of the die: (the faces of the 12-sided die are numbered 1 to 12)

• 1: The best total team scores. Both managers add up the total number of stars for all their players. The team with the highest number scores.
• 2: The team with the best attack scores. Both teams add up the total number of stars for the attackers in their line-up. The highest total scores.
• 3: The team with the best midfield scores. Both teams add up the total number of stars for their midfielders.
• 4: The team with the best defence scores. Both teams add up the total number of stars for their defenders.
• 5: A penalty for the home team. Throw the 12-sided die to select the penalty taker, counting left to right up from the goalkeeper (so 1 is the keeper, 2 is the left back etc). Compare the number of stars for the penalty taker with the opposing keeper. If the penalty taker has more stars the penalty is scored, otherwise the penalty is saved and no goal is scored.
• 6: A penalty for the away team. The same as above but this time the away team throws the die.
• 7: Red card for the home team. Throw the 12-sided die to see which player is sent off. If you throw 12 you are lucky and get away without a red card. Remove him from your formation for the rest of the match. He will not be suspended for any other matches.
• 8: Red card for the away team. (See number 7.)
• 9: Injury for the home team. One of your players gets injured and you need to replace him. Throw the 12-sided die to see which player is injured. If you throw 12 you are lucky and get away without an injury. The player wont be injured after this match. Note that you can change formation if you replace him with a different type of player.

After every die throw managers can decide to make substitutions. This can especially be interesting when you or your opponent have received red cards, or had to deal with injuries.

Inventory

Match Of The Season contains the following items:

• 200 banknotes: 80 x 20,000; 60 x 10,000; 60 x 5,000
• 100 individual player cards: 28 x 1-star player cards (5 goalkeepers, 8 defenders, 8 midfielders and 7 attackers); 24 x 2-star player cards (4 goalkeepers, 7 defenders, 7 midfielders and 6 attackers); 20 x 3-star player cards (3 goalkeepers, 6 defenders, 6 midfielders and 5 attackers); 16 x 4-star player cards (2 goalkeepers, 5 defenders, 5 midfielders and 4 attackers); 12 x 5-star player cards (1 goalkeeper, 4 defenders, 4 midfielders and 3 attackers)
• 64 chance cards: 27 blue immediate effect chance cards; 13 red cards; 20 green cards (4 x Counter Attack, 4 x Wing Attack, 4 x Central Attack, 4 x Match of the Season and 4 x Supersave); 4 grey youth player cards: Kai (4-star), Max (4-star), Theo (3-star), Henny (3-star)
• 42 prize / game point cards: 18 Season point cards (6 x 3 pts, 6 x 2 pts and 6 x 1 pt); 12 Euro Cup point cards (6 x 3 pts and 6 x 2 pts); 12 National Cup point cards (6 x 2 pts and 6 x 1 pt)
• 14 Euro Cup team cards
• 5 playing counters (blue, red, yellow, green and black)
• 4 team cards (blue, red, yellow and green)
• 3 dice (1d3, 1d6 and 1d12)
• 1 match board
• 1 rulebook