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Given the frequency with which sporting heroes put their names to bum computer packages I quaked at the thought that the venerable Cloughie might have slipped up on this one. But no fears at all. "Young Brian did very well," as he might say to his smug self.

Football Fortunes is a combined board and computer text game, and although the board, its money and counters are a bit cheap the combination works well for between two to five players.

Each player takes on a team for a nine game season, plus the FA Cup. The following season you can also enter for European competitions (remember them?). This will take a couple of hours but time doesn't drag.

To start, the computer gives you a random team which you lay out using a selection of cards depicting 13 players with values from 1-5. Interestingly Cloughie has allowed his highly rated defender Chris Fairclough to merit only one, while current aces Clive Allen and Tony Cottee only get ratings of two each.

But that is nit-picking. Each player has a turn on the board before the week's fixtures are played. On the board you can win or lose money, buy players or be sent to the computer where random events can either break your best striker's cheekbone or give you a top ranking player for free. The computer throws the dice and picks your card, so all you have to watch is your team selection and your money.

Scores come up on a teleprinter - no dull graphics to sit through - and you share the gate receipts.

At level one, success is almost impossible to avoid, so be bold and start at level four. You are judged not only on league points but overall performance, including your bank balance.

If I was being really critical I'd say there's a bit too much money floating around the game with too few regular outlays. You only have to pay wages, for example, if you land on a certain square, and not even Brian could get away with that in real life.

Also, to avoid miscalculations or typing in the wrong combined value for your team in an otherwise rowdy atmosphere, the appointed computer operator needs to be strict and sober. Brian would expect no less.

Otherwise this is a winning idea - quick to play and simple to understand. Just like the real game, eh Brian?

"Now look here, young man..."