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"Football, it's a funny old game" (copyright Jimmy Greaves) and the job of the director is probably the funniest. Calling share holders meetings, buying and selling the odd share and smoking large cigars. Well low and behold GTI Software have released a game all about the job of a director (but without the cigars).

The aim of the game is to own shares in all the major clubs in the first division and to own more than half the shares in at least one club.

The game is menu driven. The main options are:

1. Play season - allows you to see the score week by week of all the first division clubs.

2. Buy/sell shares - this lets you see the price of each share for each club and purchase some; "twenty of your finest chelsea's please."

3. View charts - And at number ten it's Bros, no not that chart, but a chart of each team's skill, fitness and morale.

4. Call share meeting - allows you to try and make some changes to a team which you own shares in like sack manager or wages rise but lose the vote and club morale will be hit.

5. Make share offer - only when possible are you able to buy a complete team.

Unfortunately you have no control over the picking the team. Room for improvements here, along with a better scores table.

Also you can do a Lou Macari and bet on what team you think will win the cup, the league or get relegated. Naughty eh?

The graphics are very basic with quite limited colour but the game doesn't suffer too much because of this. Football Director offers quite a challenge, so it will keep puzzlers and strategy fans in front of their Speccys for a few months at least.

But the game really won't do a lot for football fans. You might as well be trading shares in British Gas. So if being a rich fat director appeals, but this great financial market game but don't expect much football to be involved in it.

Label: GTi Price: £2.99 Reviewer: Gary Redrup

Sound strategy elements. Maybe too removed from the Game itself.