The Football Game Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Contents
• Setup
• Rules Graphics
• Number of Players
  • 3 - 4 Player Game
  • 2 Player Game
  • Quick Game
• Optional Rules
  • Order Of Play
  • Alternative Club Class Tactics Modifiers
• Round Structure
• Pre-Match
  • 1. Organise Squads - All Players
  • 2. Compulsory Actions - Active Player Only
  • 3. Optional Actions - Active Player Only
  • 4. Pre-Match 'Set'
  • 5. Pre-Match Tactics Cards / Manager Abilities
• Tactics Cards
  • Tactics cards with the 'Target' Rules Graphic
• Current Ability
• Form Markers
• Match Day
  • 1. Calculating Match Score
    • 1a. Pre-Match Tactics Cards - Good/Poor Form Review
    • 1b. Match Dice and Scoring Footballers
    • 1c. Tactics Cards and Match Score
    • 1d. Adjust League Position
  • Result Shifts
  • 2. Resolving the EIK Dice
    • 2a. Events
    • 2b. Injuries
    • 2c. Knocks
  • 2 Player Knock Rules
• Victory Points
• Half-Season
• Champions
• Final Count
• Alternative Setups
  • 1. Level Playing Field
  • 2. Fantasy Football
  • 3. Drafting
• Rule Clarifications
  • Crowd Pleaser
  • Tactical Innovation

Game Contents

• 4 x Club Mats
• 1 x League Table
• 1 x Victory Points Mat
• 81 x Footballer Cards
• 28 x Manager Cards
• 96 x Tactics Cards
• 30 x Injury Cards
• 52 x Event Cards
• 16 x Chairman's Briefings
• 2 x Match Dice (D6)
• 2 x Event/Injury/Knock Dice
• 1 x Injury Dice
• 1 x Starting Player Trophy
• 1 x Round Counter
• 50 x Millions Currency
• 78 x Tokens (VP/Form/Other)
• 4 x Club Markers
• 10 x Injury Clips
• 1 x Rule Booklet
• 1 x Stadium Rolling Area
• 2 x Quick Reference Guide

Setup

1. Each Player chooses a Club Mat, and places the Club Marker of the same colour on the 'Mid-Table' row of the League Table. (The Club Mat has Squad Slots 1-4 (First Team), a Manager Slot, Unavailable Footballers, Injured Footballers and a Substitutes Bench.)

2. Shuffle the Event, Tactics, Manager, Injury, and Footballer decks and place these face-down in separate piles where all Players can easily reach them. For your first game, we suggest using the 'tutorial deck' of Tactics cards (these have a star symbol in the bottom right corner).

3. Deal each Player 7 Footballer cards from the Footballer deck. All the Footballers at a Club are known as that Club's 'Squad'. (A Footballer card shows Ability, Position, Colour, Purchase Price and Sale Value.)

4. Each Player must check that they have at least one Attacker and one Defender. If not, the Player must choose a Footballer to discard and then draw from the Footballer deck until they find a Footballer of the missing position.

5. Each Player totals the printed Ability of their 7 Footballers to find their Squad Strength. Squad Strength determines Club Class as follows:

• 22+ = Class A Club
• 18-21 = Class B Club
• 14-17 = Class C Club
• 10-13 = Class D Club

If a Player's Squad Strength is less than 10, they must discard their team and repeat steps 3 - 5.

6. Deal each Player a Chairman's Briefing card according to their Club Class. These detail the Club's expectations, the Club's Tactics Modifier, and Victory Point (VP) scoring for that Player (League Table Reference; End Round VP Scoring). Club Class does not change during the game.

7. Deal each Player two Manager cards. They must choose 1 and discard the other. Managers are put in the Manager Slot of the Club Mat.

8. Deal each Player Millions according to their Manager's Budget. (A Manager card shows Tactics Rating, Budget, Ability, Rules Graphics.)

9. Deal each Player a number of Tactics cards equal to their Manager's Tactics Rating, plus or minus the Tactics Modifier of their Club's Class:

• Class A = +3 Tactics cards.
• Class B = +2 Tactics cards.
• Class C = No change.
• Class D = -1 Tactics card.

10. Create the Transfer Market by drawing 5 Footballers and laying them face-up somewhere visible to all Players.

11. The Player with the highest Squad Strength is the Starting Player. Give this Player the Starting Player Trophy. Ties are resolved by rolling the Injury Die.

Rules Graphics

Rules Graphics are symbols and borders found on Tactics, Managers, and Events. These indicate when a card or effect may be used. Cards may possess more than one Rules Graphic. All Rules Graphics on a card apply at the same time (e.g. a blue AND red card is a Target card that can only be used during the Pre-Match phase).

• Your Turn (black): May only be played if the card's owner is the Active Player.
• Match Day (green): May only be played during the Match Day phase.
• Pre-Match (blue): May only be played during the Pre-Match phase.
• Target (red): Requires the card's owner to target a Player or a Footballer.
• Per 1/2 Season: This Ability may only be played once per Half-Season. A Per 1/2 Season marker should be placed on the card after the Ability is used.
• Always in effect: This Ability is always in effect.

Number of Players

3 - 4 Player Game

• The 3 - 4 Player Game is played over 6 Rounds. Make sure you are using the correct side of the League Table (Round Track 1 through 6).
• Victory Point (VP) scoring takes place after Rounds 2, 4, and 6.
• Half-Season occurs at the end of Round 3.

2 Player Game

• The 2 Player game should be played over 12 Rounds. Players should play through the 1 to 6 Round Track twice.
• Victory Point (VP) scoring takes place after Rounds 4, 8, and 12.
• Half-Season occurs at the end of Round 6.
• Please note the '2 Player Knock Rule' (see Knocks).

Quick Game

If you're short of time, or if it's your first game, we recommend playing the 'Quick Game'.

The Quick Game plays in 4 Rounds, rather than the full length 6. You'll need to use the 'Quick Game' side of the League Table (Round Track 1 through 4).

Victory Points will be scored after Rounds 2, 3 and 4 rather than 2, 4 and 6. Half-Season happens at the end of Round 2.

Optional Rules

Order Of Play

Rather than going clockwise from the Starting Player (strongest Squad), change seats to sit in order of Squad Strength so that better Clubs have priority in the Transfer Market.

Alternative Club Class Tactics Modifiers

Players may choose any combination of Tactics cards and Millions from their Tactics Modifier number. For example:

• Class A Clubs may choose: +3 Tactics, +2 Tactics +1 Million, +1 Tactics +2 Millions, +3 Millions.
• Class B Clubs may choose: +2 Tactics, +1 Tactics +1 Million, +2 Millions.
• Class C Clubs may not choose.
• Class D Clubs may choose to receive 1 fewer Tactics card or 1 fewer Million.

Round Structure

In a Round, each Player takes one Turn. When a Player is taking their Turn, they are called the Active Player. The Starting Player (highest Squad Strength) is the first Active Player.

Each Turn is split into two phases: Pre-Match and Match Day.

Pre-Match

1. Organise Squads - All Players

Until First Teams are 'Set' in part 4 of the Pre-Match phase, all Players may simultaneously:

• ORGANISE SQUAD: move Footballers between their First Team and their Substitutes Bench.

A Footballer's printed Position determines where in the First Team they may be placed:

• Defenders may only play in Squad Slots 1 or 2 - marked 'DEFENDER'
• Midfielders may only play in Squad Slots 2 or 3 - marked 'MIDFIELDER'
• Attackers may only play in Squad Slots 3 or 4 - marked 'ATTACKER'

Squad Slots may only hold 1 Footballer at a time. A Player must, if possible, fill all Squad Slots. Squad Slots that cannot be filled remain empty. Place remaining Players in the Substitutes Bench.

2. Compulsory Actions - Active Player Only

Only the Active Player should do these actions. They must:

A. RETURN UNAVAILABLE FOOTBALLERS: All Footballers in the Active Player's Unavailable Footballers area are returned to the Substitutes Bench.

B. RESOLVE INJURIES: The Player nominates their injured Footballers in turn, and rolls the Injury Die once for each of them.

• If the roll is equal to or greater than the Injury Severity, that Injury is discarded and that Footballer is returned to the Substitutes Bench.
• If the result is less than the Injury Severity, place an Injury Clip on the Footballer and Injury card. Each Injury Clip adds +1 to future Resolve Injury rolls.

Returned Footballers are immediately available for First Team selection via Organise Squads.

3. Optional Actions - Active Player Only

The Active Player may do any number of the following actions in any order:

A. SCOUT: Once per turn, pay 1 Million to discard the current Transfer Market and draw 5 new Footballers.

B. SELL FOOTBALLERS: Non-Injured Footballers may be sold for Millions equal to their Sale Value. Sale Value is affected by form markers:

• Per Good Form: +1 Million
• Per Poor Form: -1 Million

Example: the Active Player could sell the Entertainer for 7 Million: the printed Sale Value is 5 Million, plus 1 Million for each Good Form Marker (2).

Injured Footballers may be sold at their Sale Value, minus their Ability.

C. PURCHASE FOOTBALLERS: Footballers are bought from the Transfer Market for Millions equal to their Purchase Price. The purchased Footballer is added to the Player's Squad and is immediately available for selection via Organise Squads. Do not draw new Footballers to fill empty spaces on the Transfer Market.

D. SACK MANAGER: Managers may be sacked once per game when the Player's Club Marker is at or below the row indicated on the League Table for that Club's Class. In order, the Player must:

1. Discard their current Manager and all held Tactics cards.
2. Remove any 3 of their form markers (Good and/or Poor).
3. Draw 2 new Managers and choose one. Discard the other.
4. Draw Tactics cards equal to the new Manager's Tactics Rating.
5. Take a black 'Sacked' token as a reminder of this action.

• The Player does not receive the new Manager's Budget.
• Do not apply Club Class Tactics Modifiers.
• A Player may voluntarily sack their Manager ONCE. (Sacking via Events does not count toward this limit.)

E. RE-DRAW TACTICS: If the Active Player has 4 or fewer Tactics cards, they may discard ALL their Tactics cards and draw that many new cards + 1. (e.g. 4 cards discarded = 5 new cards drawn).

Look out for Manager Abilities that have only the black 'Your Turn' Rules Graphic. These may affect or alter actions available to the Active Player.

4. Pre-Match 'Set'

When the Active Player has completed all desired actions, in clockwise order, they must prompt each Player to verbally confirm that their First Team is 'Set'. Once a Player has declared that their First Team is 'Set', they may no longer alter their First Team via the Organise Squads action until the Pre-Match phase of the next turn.

5. Pre-Match Tactics Cards / Manager Abilities

Starting with the Active Player and moving clockwise, Players may play Tactics cards (as many as they wish) and/or Manager Abilities which have the blue 'Pre-Match' Rules Graphic.

Many Tactics and Manager cards have more than one Rules Graphic. Please remember that these apply simultaneously (see Rules Graphics).

Pre-Match Tactics Cards. To play a Pre-Match Tactics card, the Player must read aloud the title and effect of the card, before placing the card where indicated. (A Tactics card has a Title, Effect, Rules Graphics and a Graphical Guide.) The text of Pre-Match Tactics cards most often contains a condition that is met (or not) during the Match Day phase. After placing Pre-Match Tactics cards, Players must wait until the Match Day to determine how (or whether) the card's effect resolves.

Pre-Match Manager Abilities. Players may also use Pre-Match Manager Abilities. They must read aloud the text and resolve the effect. Look out for abilities that may only be used once per Half-Season. Once used, a white Per 1/2 Season token is placed on these Managers and the Ability may not be used again until the marker is removed.

Note that the abilities of Managers Jules de Broek, Ugo Stormovakin, and Hoots may come into effect when Pre-Match Tactics and Manager Abilities are used.

Once all Players have had the opportunity to play Tactics cards and Manager Abilities, the Active Player picks up the two 6-sided Match Dice and the two 12-sided Event Injury Knock (EIK) Dice.

Tactics Cards

The Tactics deck is full of managerial tweaks and risk-reward opportunities that allow Players to influence their Club's fortunes. Tactics cards are most often played to increase Match Score. To play a Tactics card, a Player reads aloud the title and the text and resolves the effect:

• Players may play any number of Tactics cards at a time, provided that they apply.
• All Tactics cards are discarded after one use.
• Players may only discard un-used Tactics cards via the RE-DRAW TACTICS action in their turn.
• Players may not hold more than 10 Tactics cards. Discard additional cards before play continues.
• If at the end of a turn a Player has no Tactics cards, they may draw one.
• Pre-Match Tactics cards affecting form markers always resolve BEFORE other Tactics cards.
• If a Player or one of their Footballers is the subject of multiple Tactics cards, that Player decides the order in which the effects are resolved.
• If the conditions on a Pre-Match Tactics card are not met in the Match Day of the same Turn, the card is considered used and is discarded.

Tactics cards with the 'Target' Rules Graphic

Tactics cards with the 'Target' Rules Graphic ALWAYS specify another Player or a Footballer. There are three kinds of target:

• The card's owner chooses a First Team Footballer. They may choose one of their own First Team Footballers.
• The card's owner gives this card to another Player. The chosen Player has control over how the card resolves.
• The card's owner chooses a Footballer in another Player's First Team. They may not choose their own.

Current Ability

A Footballer's Current Ability is their printed Ability (the number in the top-left of the Footballer card), plus or minus the effect of form markers. A Footballer's Current Ability cannot drop below 0.

A Footballer with a Current Ability of 0 is still considered to have "Scored" if their colour is rolled. This means that Footballers with a Current Ability of 0 may still be useful if you have Tactics cards that are colour dependent.

Watch out for Tactics or Event cards that specifically name 'Current Ability' rather than 'Ability'!

Form Markers

Good Form markers are +1 to a Footballer's Current Ability and Sale Value. When a Good Form marker is placed on a Footballer with Poor Form, all Poor Form markers are removed first.

Poor Form markers are -1 to a Footballer's Current Ability and Sale Value. When a Poor Form marker is placed on a Footballer with Good Form, all Good Form markers are removed first.

Form markers stay until they are removed, either by opposite form, Tactics cards, or Injury.

Example of placing form markers where opposite form markers are present:

1. The Extra currently has 2 Good Form Markers, so his Current Ability is 3.
2. Hard Tackling is played and the Extra does not Score this Match Day.
3. The Extra now loses all of his Good Form markers and gains 1 Poor Form marker. Current Ability is now 0.

Match Day

The Active Player rolls the four dice to begin the Match Day phase: the two Match Dice (6-sided) and the two Event/Injury/Knock (EIK) Dice (12-sided).

The 6-sided 'Match Dice' affect ALL Players. The 12-sided 'EIK Dice' affect ONLY the Active Player. The dice are only rolled once in a turn; all Players use the result of the Active Player's dice roll.

Match Day determines how well each Club performs over the course of the game. In Match Day, each Player needs to calculate their Match Score. To do this, starting with the Active Player and proceeding clockwise around the table, each Player completes ALL of steps 1a to 1d that follow.

Tip for quick-play: All Players should start calculating their own Match Score as soon as the dice are rolled.

1. Calculating Match Score

A Player's Match Score determines their Club Marker's movement on the League Table. Match Score is a combination of the total Ability of a Player's 'Scoring' Footballers + Tactics card effects.

1a. Pre-Match Tactics Cards - Good/Poor Form Review

The Player should review all Pre-Match Tactics cards played on themselves or their Footballers. Tactics cards that influence the placement of form markers must be resolved first, i.e. form markers are placed/removed before Match Score is calculated.

1b. Match Dice and Scoring Footballers

The Match Dice are resolved for every Player before the EIK Dice are considered. The two Match Dice are different so that RED, BLACK, BLUE, and YELLOW results are equally likely:

• Match Die 1 = Yellow (2 faces), Red (2 faces), Black, Blue
• Match Die 2 = Black (2 faces), Blue (2 faces), Red, Yellow

Only Footballers in the First Team (Squad Slots 1 - 4) are considered when calculating Match Score.

A First Team Footballer has 'Scored' if the Footballer's Colour matches a colour on the Match Dice.

A Footballer Scores every time he matches a colour on the Match Dice (Footballers can Score twice!)

Each Scoring Footballer adds the Footballer's Current Ability to the Player's total Match Score.

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE A: Blue and Yellow are rolled on the Match Dice. Two Footballers in the First Team are one of these colours (Cerebral Centreback and the Flamboyant Finisher). These two Footballers 'Score' and their Current Abilities (3 and 2) are added to calculate this Player's Match Score (currently 5).

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B: Black and Blue are rolled on the Match Dice. Three Footballers in the First Team are these colours (Ferocious Fullback, Cynical Fouler and Fox In The Box). These three Footballers 'Score' and their Current Abilities (5, 1 and 3) are added to calculate this Player's Match Score (currently 9).

If a pair of colours is rolled (a double colour), each matching Footballer Scores twice. Additionally, each Player immediately draws a Tactics card and adds it to their hand. Some Manager Abilities require doubles!

A Player's Match Score determines how their Club Marker moves on the League Table, but do not move Club Markers on the League Table yet...

Players may affect their Match Score by playing and resolving Tactics cards.

1c. Tactics Cards and Match Score

Now that a preliminary Match Score has been calculated, Players should consider their Tactics cards and how these might influence their Match Score.

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B continued: Let's assume that the Player in MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B had played 'Target Man' on the Fox In The Box during PRE-MATCH; that Footballer's Current Ability is now counted an additional time: Fox In The Box Scores = 3, Target Man = 3; the new Match Score is 12.

After a preliminary Match Score has been calculated by considering Scoring Footballers and Pre-Match Tactics cards, the Player must decide whether they wish to improve their Match Score by playing Tactics cards or a Manager Ability with the green 'Match Day' Rules Graphic.

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE A continued: This Player currently has a Match Score of 5. To improve their Match Score, the Player decides to play the Match Day Tactics cards, 'Man of the Match' and 'Perfect Passing'. The Player reads each card's title and text aloud, and resolves their effects:

• Man of the Match adds a Good Form marker to the Cerebral Centreback, raising his Current Ability to 4 (Match Score contribution 4 instead of 3).
• Perfect Passing adds +2 to a Player's Match Score for each of their Scoring Yellow Footballers. Here, Perfect Passing adds +4 to the Player's Match Score. The Player's Match Score is now 10.

Tactics cards add to Match Score, not to a Footballer's Current Ability.

Always read cards carefully: If Target Man were played above on the Flamboyant Finisher, he would Score his Current Ability an additional time (2+2=4); he would NOT Score his Current Ability + Perfect Passing an additional time (4+4=8) because Perfect Passing adds directly to Match Score.

The Player may also now play Match Day Tactics cards that have the red 'Target' Rules Graphic. If a Player or one of their Footballers is the subject of a Target card, they should resolve the card's effect immediately, or as soon as they are able to.

If 'Feeling The Pressure' had been played on the Player in MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B, the Player would now have to place a Poor Form marker on one of their Footballers who has not Scored. In this case, only the Flying Forward has not Scored and so must receive the Poor Form marker.

Remember that all Tactics cards are discarded after one use. If the conditions on a played Pre-Match Tactics card are not met in the Match Day of the same Turn, the card is considered used and is discarded.

1d. Adjust League Position

The League Table is split into 11 uniquely named rows, with 'Champions' at the top and 'Bottom' at the bottom. Once a Player has played Tactics cards and Manager Abilities, their final Match Score determines how their Club Marker moves on the League Table - this is called their 'Result':

Match Score	Result
20+	Up 3 rows
14 - 19	Up 2 rows
10 - 13	Up 1 row
6 - 9	Stay (no movement)
3 - 5	Down 1 row
0 - 2	Down 2 rows

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE A continued: With a Match Score of 10, this Player moves their Club Marker (white) up 1 row of the League Table from Upper Table to Top 6.

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B continued: With a Match Score of 12, this Player would move their Club Marker (red) up 1 row of the League Table; however, this Player's Club Marker is affected by a 'Result Shift', and so is moved 2 rows up the League Table from Bottom 6 to Lower Mid-Table.

MATCH DAY EXAMPLE C: The blue Club achieves a Match Score of 4. This Player moves their Club Marker down 1 row from Mid-Table to Lower Mid-Table.

Result Shifts

Clubs must keep winning to stay at the top and must only avoid losing to climb out of relegation.

If a Club Marker starts this Match Day in one of the top three rows, they must perform well in order to stay there - their Result is shifted one left and counts as one Result worse than usual. In League Table Rows with the "Result 1 Left" arrow, the Results of Match Scores are moved left as follows:

Match Score	Result
20+	Up 3 -> Up 2
14 - 19	Up 2 -> Up 1
10 - 13	Up 1 -> Stay
6 - 9	Stay -> Down 1
3 - 5	Down 1 -> Down 2
0 - 2	Down 2 (unchanged)

If a Club Marker starts in one of the bottom three rows, they need only perform better than their relegation rivals - their Result is shifted one right and counts as one Result better than usual. In League Table Rows with the "Result 1 Right" arrow, the Results of Match Scores are moved right as follows:

Match Score	Result
20+	Up 3 (unchanged)
14 - 19	Up 2 -> Up 3
10 - 13	Up 1 -> Up 2
6 - 9	Stay -> Up 1
3 - 5	Down 1 -> Stay
0 - 2	Down 2 -> Down 1

In MATCH DAY EXAMPLE B, the Player (red) starts in Bottom 6, and so is subject to a Result Shift. A Match Score of 12 would normally mean a Result of Up 1 row, but the Result Shift means that the Club Marker moves Up 2 rows instead. The following rules apply to Result Shifts:

• Result Shifts cannot move a Club marker more than Up 3 rows or Down 2 rows.
• The Tactics card 'Goal Difference' CAN be played in the Top 6 row to move to the Champions row.

Once the Active Player has completed steps 1a to 1d, the next Player completes these steps. Every Player must Adjust League Position before the Active Player resolves the EIK dice.

2. Resolving the EIK Dice

Once all Players' Club Markers have been adjusted, the Active Player resolves the two 12-sided EIK Dice. While the Match dice affect all Players, the EIK dice affect only the Active Player.

EIK stands for Event (E), Injury (I), and Knock (K) - the three possible outcomes from rolling the EIK dice. Events (black) resolve first, Injuries (red) resolve second, and Knocks (green) resolve last.

The number in the middle of each symbol (1 to 4) refers to the affected Squad Slot on the Player's Club Mat. If the EIK Die result requires a target, the Footballer in that Squad Slot is the target.

If an Injury or Knock targets an empty Squad Slot, nothing further happens. Events that target empty Squad Slots are still drawn, but do not resolve if the effect requires a target to be present.

Should multiples of the same type of result occur (two Events, two Injuries, or two Knocks), then resolve these in ascending numerical order (e.g. 'E2' would resolve before 'E4').

2a. Events

Draw an Event card and read aloud the title and effect. Some events do not target Footballers, and instead reference the number on the dice to resolve.

• Example: Transfer Request has the red 'Target' Rules Graphic and is handed to another Player. The Event affects the chosen Player's Footballer in Squad Slot 2 (E2).
• Example: High Attendances gives the Active Player Millions equal to double the number rolled. The number rolled is 4 (E4), so the Player receives 8 Million.

2b. Injuries

Draw an Injury card and place it on top of the affected Footballer. Remove all form markers and place the Footballer in your Injured Footballers Area. They remain here until the Injury is removed.

While Injured, a Footballer may not receive any form markers, be moved from the Injured Footballers Area, or be the target of any Events, Tactics, or Manager Abilities.

Example: Captain Fantastic was playing in Squad Slot 3 and an Injury 3 (I3) was rolled. The Injury card Groin Strain is drawn and placed on Captain Fantastic. All form markers are removed from the Footballer and he is placed landscape in the Injured Footballers Area of the Club Mat, along with Groin Strain.

2c. Knocks

Move the Footballer in the affected Squad Slot into your Unavailable Footballers Area. Footballers in this area must remain here until the Player's next RETURN UNAVAILABLE FOOTBALLERS action.

2 Player Knock Rules

In the 2 Player game, Knocks and actions affecting unavailable Footballers work differently:

• Knocked footballers should first be placed in the Unavailable Footballers Area face-down.
• The RETURN UNAVAILABLE FOOTBALLERS action now does two things:
  1. All FACE-UP Footballers are returned to the Substitutes Bench.
  2. All FACE-DOWN Footballers are turned face-up.

End of Turn

Once the EIK Dice have been resolved, it is the end of the turn. Play now moves clockwise with a new Active Player and Pre-Match phase.

If a Player does not have any Tactics cards at the end of a turn, they may draw one.

Once ALL Players have been the Active Player in each Round, the Round Counter moves up the Round Track.

Victory Points

The Football Game is about keeping your fans happy. Victory Points (VP) are a measure of how happy each Player has kept their fans throughout the Season.

Every Club is different, and so are the expectations of them. At the start of the game, each Player is assigned a Club Class dependent on their Squad Strength and is dealt a Chairman's Briefing card which shows how many points the Player can receive for their League Table performance. Players are awarded VP according to their League Position and Club Class.

When the Round Counter crosses a 'Points' graphic on the Round Track, each Player should reference their Club Marker's position on the League Table and find the appropriate column on their Chairman's Briefing card. Example: the Yellow Player is a Class C Club in the Upper table row at the end of Round 4. Yellow then references R4 on their Chairman's Briefing card and receives 10VP.

• 3 - 4 Player game - Award Players VP at the end of Rounds 2, 4 and 6.
• 2 Player game - Award Players VP at the end of Rounds 4, 8 and 12.
• Quick Game - Award Players VP at the end of Rounds 2, 3 and 4.

Players can also use the Victory Points Mat to see how much they score in each scoring round. To use the Victory Points Mat, Players need to cross-reference their League Table row with their Club Class in the relevant Round column.

At the end of the game, the Player with the most Victory Points is the winner (and is handed the Starting Player Trophy to celebrate!).

Half-Season

Half-Season gives Players and Managers an opportunity to refresh and reset their Squad and Tactics.

• In the 3 - 4 Player Game, Half-Season occurs at the end of Round 3.
• In the 2 Player Game, Half Season occurs at the end of Round 6.
• In the Quick Game, Half Season occurs at the end of Round 2.

Complete these steps in order and then continue play from the original Starting Player:

1. Remove all Per 1/2 Season markers from Managers that have them.
2. Discard the existing Transfer Market and draw 5 new Footballers from the Footballer Deck.
3. Deal Players Millions equal to their Manager's Budget.
4. Deal Players Tactics cards equal to their Manager's Tactics Rating, + or - Tactics Modifiers:
   • Class A = +3 Tactics cards.
   • Class B = +2 Tactics cards.
   • Class C = No change.
   • Class D = -1 Tactics card.

Remember: Players may not hold more than 10 Tactics cards. If a Player is ever caused to hold more than 10 Tactics, they must discard down to 10 before play continues.

Champions

Only one Player can be crowned Champions. On the final roll of the season, if multiple Club Markers end up on the Champions row of the League Table, only the Club with the highest Match Score will become Champions. All others instead become Title Contenders.

In the event of a Match Score tie on the Champions row, the winner is the Player with the: lowest current Squad Strength (including form); then worst Club Class; then the highest result in a die roll.

Final Count

After awarding each Player their Victory Points for the final Round of the Season:

• Players each count their Millions and receive 1 VP per 10 Million in their possession (rounded down).
• Victory Points are deducted if a Player has fewer than 7 Footballers at their Club. Players lose 2 VP per Footballer fewer than 7 - e.g. A Player with: 6 Footballers would lose 2 VP; 5 Footballers would lose 4 VP; 4 Footballers would lose 6 VP; and so on.

Once these additions and deductions are made, the Player with the most Victory Points is the winner!

Alternative Setups

Try these alternative setups to create a different playing experience:

1. Level Playing Field

Fix starting Squad Strengths to create scenarios:

• Title Fight: All Players have Class A Clubs.
• Mid-Table mediocrity: Identical Squad Strengths.
• Relegation Battle: All Players have Class D Clubs.

2. Fantasy Football

Give all Players the same starting budget (e.g. 50 Million is suggested for an average team). Players may sift through the Footballer deck and buy in Reversing Order (see Drafting) until all Clubs have 7 Footballers. Remainder money is kept for the start of the new season.

3. Drafting

Draft Footballers from a free market rather than dealing random teams (4-Player example):

1. Deal Footballers face-up to the table equal to Players x 8 (e.g. 4 Players = 32 footballers).
2. Players should pick up Footballers in Reversing Order, i.e. Player 1, Player 2, Player 3, Player 4, (order then reverses) Player 4, Player 3, Player 2, Player 1, (order reverses again) Player 1... and so on until each Club has 7 players. Remaining Footballers are reshuffled into the Footballer Deck.

Rule Clarifications

Crowd Pleaser

We recommend including the Crowd Pleaser only once all Players are very familiar with The Football Game's core mechanics.

The Crowd Pleaser is a unique Footballer that has no Colour, but always Scores and may play in any Position. The Crowd Pleaser...

• Has no colour, and so cannot be the subject of Tactics cards or Manager Abilities that name colours.
• Scores once every Match Day (twice on a double-colour roll). This means he cannot be affected by most 'Target' Tactics cards.
• Has all form markers removed at Half-Season.

Tactical Innovation

The Player resolving the card may only choose from their own Footballers as the card does not have the 'Target' Rules Graphics.

If the Player does not have a Footballer of one of the Colours rolled, they do not need to place a Poor Form marker, but may still place a Good Form marker on a Footballer of the other colour. If none of the Player's Footballers match the colours rolled, no form markers are placed and the card is discarded.

Remember that Injured Footballers may not receive form markers.