Preamble

The Pre-Match Preamble – Gameweek 1

I’m not sure it has sunk in yet.

Two weeks ago I left a secure, well paid job producing videogames to dedicate my day-to-day existence to Fantasy Football. Now it matters more than ever.

Of course I’m incredibly blessed to be in that position. To be handed opportunities to write, speak and gesticulate on matters Fantasy Football for a living is something I’d wistfully dreamt about, but never quite believed would materialise.

But Fantasy Football just seems to be on a relentless and quickening path into the mainstream.

The big daily game providers from the US have arrived.

The Premier League are determined to keep the growth of their game accelerating across the world. Other games will react to keep pace. Radio and TV are catching on.

While it would be nice to hunker down and keep our little secret on the dark web, we have to accept that Fantasy Football is being brought to the masses.

I’m now utterly convinced it’s acceptable to open a conversation at family function with an enquiry on who got the assist for Callum Wilson’s goal. I think that’s now permitted and even appreciated by at least another three other people in the room.

However, soon we may not need those incredibly enlightening conversations.

Soon those assists, and perhaps even bonus points, will be fed to us along with the classifieds by an Alexander Gordon. Later today you’ll see that Fantasy Football has become part of the Saturday results service – another step I never thought I’d witness.

My role in spreading Fantasy Football to a wider audience has already been questioned and that’s understandable.

But I don’t think I can fight it. The growth of Fantasy Football either happens with or without us and it seemed I committed my involvement the moment I wrote that first blog post.

Since then, you’ve all played a huge part in getting me to this point. I’m really not sure how to thank you for that – for the support and loyalty you’ve shown (except perhaps by introducing a full desktop view for mobile users).

When things do finally settle and sink in, I’ll have more time to reflect.

For now all I know is that those 15 names on my screen are important to me. More important than ever before.

There’s new responsibility, new pressure and with it an even bigger sense of anticipation and excitement.

Enjoy the kick-off.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

2,824 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BIG TONES
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Vahrez in one hour - Who's with me???

    1. yemzinho
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Me

    2. yemzinho
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      and fuchs

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Vardy enough for me

    4. Sess!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      O/

  2. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Are free wildcards actually a thing? (cant believe Im asking this)

    1. Chris_White
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Unfortunately, yes.

    2. stilicho
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Yes, happened in the 11/12 season

    3. Art Vandelay
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      There is a precedent.

  3. DeadStarComing
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    I couldn't change my team

  4. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Time to sort my UFPL team......

  5. Diva
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    The game is currently being update...

    1. Diva
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      ...d

  6. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    and Breathe......

  7. Qubit
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Good luck all.

  8. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Leicester City ‏@LCFC now
    Starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Hernandez, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Mahrez, King, Drinkwater, Gray, Musa, Vardy. #HulLei

    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Musa...

    2. Ziro
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Vardy starts?

    3. Woy of the Wovers
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Musa hat trick.

    4. H-SF
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Gray...

    5. aehii
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Oh no should have picked musa!

  9. foley_fd
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    I've barely looked at fantasy football all summer. Only just dawned on me that, International weeks aside, we have this brilliant game back in our lives for the next 9 months.

    Good luck to all involved and here's hoping for a strong first week to give us hope of a big season.

    My aims? To win my work competition and to finish higher than I've ever done before.

    Cheers

    1. ⚽️ Barry Chocolate ⚽…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Good luck

  10. RᴀᴄɪɴɢTᴏᴀᴅ
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    nooooooooo musa!!1111

  11. Woy of the Wovers
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    I wish you all lots of luck (but marginally less than mine)

  12. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    On the subject of the Preamble: we could really do with a lot less of the gambling.

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Agreed

    2. djenzio
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      agreed.

    3. Mull
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Not going to happen. Way too much money in it for the site to turn down.

    4. Rhinos
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      I agree but commercialism rules

    5. Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      i wholeheartedly agree

      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 10 months ago

        Hmmm. Lovely. Thanks for the replies! 😀

    6. Neonoryx
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      I chose to not renew my membership precisely because of this!

  13. 404_FC
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Error 503 backend read error

    backend read error

    Guru Mediation:

    Details: cache-sin6927-SIN 1471084055 1867576705

    Varnish cache server

    1. Lets Talk About 19 Baby
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Same As.

  14. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    I wanted to bring in musa

    1. Chris_White
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      ...

    2. Tinydancer
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Dude i was the same I had a pen and bit paper with the exact transfers if he started

      Same with morgan on the off chance he didnt

    3. TheSteel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Suuuure you did

  15. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    RIP FPL

  16. CostaCoffee
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Hernandez, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Mahrez, King, Drinkwater, Gray, Musa, Vardy. #HulLei

  17. Galfadez
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    half an hour ago was a bad time to start making my team hahaha

  18. The Royal Robin
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Take a look at the shirt, because you won't be seeing it anymore.

    Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli has decided to change the name on the back of his shirt from Alli to Dele.

    Explaining the decision, he said: "I wanted a name on my shirt that represented who I am and I feel I have no connection with the Alli surname."

  19. TokyoRisingSun
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Starting XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Hernandez, Morgan (c), Fuchs, Mahrez, King, Drinkwater, Gray, Musa, Vardy

    https://twitter.com/LCFC/status/764408935730249730

    1. 24hrstudent
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Gray at £5m was my only change from last night but don't think it went through, goal for him, red card for Feghouli and welcome to the season

      Good luck everyone

  20. Messiah Hazard
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Musa starts

  21. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Musa starts, crikey

  22. Q
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    El capitan Vardy

  23. eddscape
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Hey guys,

    Got my selection right? Yes, No?

    Foster (Jakupovic)
    Stones / Van Dijk / Shaw / Friend (Amat)
    Hazard / Tadic / Fischer (Firmino, Fletcher)
    Gray / Ibra / Aguero (C)

    1. Coaly
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Playing Friend/Stones over Firmino is madness

    2. ⚽️ Barry Chocolate ⚽…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      Nope. Devoid of Leicester City.

  24. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Dammit, took Gray out at last minute thinking he'd be benched

  25. Whazza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Schlupp not even on the bench means he'll go to WBA

  26. Rake
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Ban the guys who said "Vardy benched".

  27. Delboy.
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Absolute shambles by the FPL website after all the time they spent trying to improve it. Got in myself but feel sorry for the prior who couldn't.

  28. ValterPereira
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Let the games begin! Have a nice season everyone!!!

  29. Az
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Best of luck everyone. At the end of the day, unless you went for some really maverick picks, we all (on the whole) know what we're doing, and there are so many players that could do well. So don't beat yourselves up 🙂 Plenty of time to correct mistakes. I was ranked 2.8m after the first 4 gameweeks last year. ended up 20k.

    Lets all have a great season!

  30. Fowler23
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 10 months ago

    Gray starts

    1. The Royal Robin
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 10 months ago

      How do you know that?