United 1984 CCS INSTRUCTIONS 1. INTRODUCTION In United you manage a team which starts in Division IV with the aim of taking them into the First Division (promotion and relegation are three-up, three-down) and eventually to the League Championship. 2. MATCH MECHANISM You have full control over the formation and the tactics used by your side, The key to success is to choose a formation which secures your team the maximum number of shots while limiting your opponents to as few as possible. Shots are won when an area of your own team is stronger than its complementary area in the opposition -the obvious way of doing this is by having a forward line which overpowers the opponents' defence through a midfield which is stronger than the opposing midfield, or even a defence which is more powerful than their forwards will also win some shots. Each shot/attack in turn is first tested against the opposing sweeper (if there is one); the better he is the more attacks he will stop. Any attacks which get past him are then tested against the goalkeeper, and again a good goalie will save more shots (and penalties) than a poor one. 3. PLAYERS Players are qualified in one of five positions, and since it should be clear that goalkeepers and sweepers are particularly valuable they are consequently worth about as twice as much as defenders, midfielders, and forwards of similar skill. Of course, a highly skilled player of ability level 10 will be worth much more than one of less ability, and a player's value will also depend upon his disciplinary record, and, particularly, upon his age -for a young player with his career in front of him is worth far more than a veteran nearing retirement. The youngest players are described as Young, and then come Prime, Mature, and Old, with players moving up one stage at the end of the next season. As players get older their skills decline, so at the end of a season a Prime player loses two levels, a Mature one loses four, while an Old player loses five levels and retires after the next season. Of course, you can adopt a youth policy (Young players lose no levels at all at the end of their first season) and put your faith in apprentices, who cost nothing to sign on. An apprentice plays his first four games at level 0, but becomes a Young player of level 2. 4. CHOOSING THE TEAM Your side must include a goalkeeper, at least two defenders, at least two midfielders, and at least two forwards, but the exact formation , including whether you wish to use a sweeper, is up to you. Players may operate out of position at a loss of one level, though this is not allowed in the case of a goalkeeper or sweeper. To prevent the use of unbalanced sides no team may have a formation where any one of the four areas GK/SW (combined), DF, MF and FW is more than three times the strength of any other. In assessing these strengths the GK and SW levels are, as usual, counted double. To drop a man, type -his squad number (e.g. to leave out number 5, type -5). 5. RESOURCES Each week you will receive cash and also VPs (value points) -the more successful you are, the more of each you will win. The cash is available for use in the transfer market, and the VPs represent the other resources -coaching and scouting -which are available toa club. One VP may be used to train a player up by one level (two VP are needed to raise a goalkeeper or sweeper by one level), though you may not coach an apprentice before he has played his four qualifying games, and no player may be coached above level 10. Alternatively, you may use VPs for scouting other sided. For ½ VP you can find out the basic strengths of a side together with a rough indication of their style of play. 6. PLAYING A MATCH If you are at home you will be given six extra levels (more in the higher divisions) to strengthen the side, and any team may also play hard, up to a maximum of ten strengthened sides must still obey the balance rule. Of course, a hard side will be rather more effective than a clean one, but it runs the risk of conceding penalties and having players disciplined and even suspended. In the match itself the minute by minute situation will be shown, with the goal your side is kicking towards in a flashing display. If you wish to jump straight to the end of the match press CAPS SHIFT and S simultaneously. At the end of the game the results of the other matches in your division are shown, followed by the league table (three points are given for a win, and goals for and against are given for every team). 7. NAMING PLAYERS Although it is not necessary to give names to the players in your club, it adds interest to do so. These names may be changed at any time. 8. SAVING A GAME Playing a single season takes about 1½-2 hours, but at any time you may transfer the game onto a blank cassette so that you can resume at exactly the same point. In this way you will be able to play an extended campaign lasting for several seasons. Good luck! 9. POSTAL UNITED In Britain and Europe there are many postal leagues which offer the chance to pit your wits against fifty or more other managers. For full information about this version of the game please send 50p in stamps, and a large S.A.E. to Alan Parr, 6 Longfield Gardens, Tring, Herts HP23 4DN.