A lot of the gamer essays are hit or miss, but the player histories and follow ups are the highlight of the book. ( )

A satisfying, above-average book covering some of the more interesting aspects of the Championship Manager/Football Manager video game phenomenon. I was hoping/expecting something like Fever Pitch, bringing to mind 'Confessions of a FM Addict' or something, but for the most part it's actually a sort of retrospective looking back on how the games developed and their impact in general. It feels a bit unfulfilling at times, and some of the chapters fall short.

But for the most part it is entertaining stuff for long-time fans, who will no doubt nod their heads in agreement at some of the stories offered up here. My own FM story is actually more of a curse. Whilst I played as Barcelona back when they had Javier Saviola up front, and as Paris Saint-Germain when they had Ronaldinho, I am a Manchester United fan and always ended up playing as the Reds. I signed some great players but unfortunately, in real life these players - the top players who in my game would win Ballon d'Ors and the like (e.g. Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Sergio Agüero and Eden Hazard) - always signed for United's rivals in real life (the first three to Man City, Hazard to Chelsea). Recognising the curse, when I play the game now I mostly rely on youth players and regenerated players to supplement my squad. Whilst I know this is silly, on some level I like to believe this helps my club in real life.

Anyway, the book is particularly good at invoking feelings of nostalgia for those who have played the game's instalments year after year. It reminds us of Championship Manager/Football Manager legends like Cherno Samba, Tonton Zola Moukoko, Freddy Adu and Kennedy Bakircioglu, and even includes a particularly interesting chapter comprising of interviews with these players. It's funny how many footballers play the game, and how rueful and self-deprecating they are that they are not as good in real life.

I was hoping for more comprehensiveness regarding in-game legends, and many of my favourites from down the years are not even mentioned, including Freddy Guarín, Andrés D'Alessandro, Hélder Postiga, Kim Källström, Magne Hoseth, Mido, Taribo West, Robert Earnshaw, Anthony Vanden Borre, Igor Akinfeev, Belözoglu Emre and Víctor Hugo Aristizábal. I could go on. Football Manager Stole My Life is not a perfect book, but it is a nice tribute to the games and dedicated fans will enjoy the trip down memory lane. ( )