The team has ratings of defence, midfield, and attack (the total skills of all defenders, midfielders, or attackers selected), energy (an average of all selected players), and morale (which increases when the team wins and decreases when they lose).

For versions with animated graphics highlights, attempts on goal are shown in isometric 3D at either end of the pitch with a scoreboard showing the current score.

[3] Kevin Toms developed the first game, which was text-only, on a Video Genie, a clone of Tandy's TRS-80.

Early iterations were modelled on the cardboard from cereal packets and blank card decks but Toms was inspired to develop it into a computer game after purchasing a ZX81 and deciding this was a "much better tool to run the game on, especially for automating things like the league table calculations and fixtures".

It was then ported to the ZX Spectrum[6] with added animated graphics showing match highlights.

[7][8] While the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, MSX, and DOS versions, kept, or improved all features such as the match highlights graphics, all others (including the Acorn Electron, Atari 8-bit computers,[9] Commodore 16, and Plus/4) were, like the original, text only.

[14] The ZX Spectrum version was voted the 26th best game of all time in a special issue of Your Sinclair magazine in 2004.

[15] Steve Mann for Personal Computer World said: "I can vouch for the satisfaction that can be gained from this program.

"[17] In August 2015, Toms began rewriting the original 1982 Football Manager game for mobile devices after pitching the idea to his followers, drawing on his work experience of business app development.