[5] To mark the game's release Gremlin held a press launch with real-life football managers Joe Kinnear, Harry Redknapp and Dave Bassett.

[10] Writing in CVG, Steve Key awarded the PlayStation release a score of 5/5, describing it as "deeply involving" and setting a "virtually unreachable benchmark for all those that dare to dry and better it".

[5] Extreme PlayStation magazine's Saul Trewen was similarly positive, writing that "the graphics aren't great, the sound is only functional, but the gameplay, depth and addictiveness are phenomenal".

[2] The game received a score of 7/10 in Official PlayStation Magazine, with reviewer Steve Faragher describing it as a "game that die-hard football management fans are going to find rather lightweight", pointing to its lack of challenge and "limited tactical options" including the inability to change tactics mid-game.

[3] Arcade magazine were critical of the PC version, commenting that while it had undergone an "accurate database update", the "imperfections that bugged PM's previous incarnation (Premier Manager 97) remain and now stick out further that Jimmy Hill's chin".