[sbu_large_image] Preamble
13 August 2016 2824 comments
Mark Mark
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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 Login to Post a Comment
  1. Chief Break-Everything
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    When do the lol@s start?

    1. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      lol

    2. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      lol @ people with different players to me.

      1. Doosra - ☭BowenOfRice☭
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        *different from

        1. Clump
          • 11 Years
          10 years, 28 days ago

          ^ Cantankerous best šŸ™‚

    3. TheSteel
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Soon. Be patient

    4. Perthite
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      oll

      (Am I doing it right?)

      1. Chief Break-Everything
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        Lol@oll

        Best of British everyone!

  2. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    a leicester blank will surely send me crazy

  3. kinghenry14
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    everyone reading this good luck for the whole season šŸ™‚

    1. Paanmonkey
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      good luck m8

    2. The Royal Robin
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      You too!

    3. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Good luck to those with the same players are me, not to others.

      1. kinghenry14
        • 10 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        lol

      2. Demí
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        šŸ™‚

      3. Les Bleus
        • 15 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        Old but gold šŸ˜‰

  4. Lateriser 12
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    CMON HULL CITY!

    1. TheSteel
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      CMON!

  5. Slam
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Hull are already an embarassment

    1. mr gruber
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Im expecting a rousing performance and possibly a shock result...

  6. TheBusDriver
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    WTF was wrong with the website. Wanted to make a few changes. I might quit already.

    1. TheSteel
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      See ya

    2. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      just stop lying.

    3. Clump
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      You quit every week.

    4. George Sillett
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Predictable.

  7. Fanta sea
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Wouldn't it be funny if the site gave us nothing? No Wildcard or no Free transfers.

    1. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Hilarious. -_-

    2. MDK
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      I don't actually see them giving anybody anything

    3. Clump
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      I want at least a balloon & a lollipop.

  8. tm245
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Shine on you crazy Diamonde!

  9. Ayew Serious
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    I'm suddenly scared Diomande is going to troll me from the bench.

    1. Mull
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      That's why we put crap defensive mids on the bench.

    2. ā˜…Kunthemanā˜…
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Don't be

  10. Wurstmuncher
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Stuck Vardy in at the last minute but know idea if he's in my team as severs crashed. Braced for a Vardy hattrick.

  11. Test Eagles
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Why the flaming shivers did people leave finalising your team until the last 2 hours before it opens. You've NOBODY BUT YOURSELF to blame and deserve to have the captain auto default to Joey Barton

    1. TheSteel
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Because theres a deadline...

      1. Camp No No
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        ^this, although the deadline should not be interpreted as the moment when you (or your FPL season) literally die.

    2. thepeen555
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      If joey Barton wasn't playing I Scotland that is

  12. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Most transferred player in next week
    MUSA.

    1. Basil1977
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      oscar

  13. Demí
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Can't believe Vardy hasn't scored yet

    1. Lateriser 12
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      I wish you a happy journey with Fuchs. I've decided to go without.

      1. Ayew Serious
        • 11 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        After weeks and weeks of talking him up šŸ™‚

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Give him time.neither has Ibra.

    3. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      this.

  14. Defcons are for Kinnear
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    They should let UEFA run FPL

    1. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      DEAR LORD!!!!111!!one!!1

  15. GinjaWhinja
    • 17 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Meanwhile, the Foxes give a debut to striker Ahmed Musa, alongside Jamie Vardy.

    EPIC....I knew it was worth the gamble with him and Vardy up front!

    1. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Why are you telling me? 😮

  16. Paanmonkey
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    armband on Kun..who's with me?

  17. Q
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Any vardy captiners here?

    1. Clump
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Yep.

    2. Ayew Serious
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      None

      1. Q
        • 14 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        2 šŸ™‚

    3. thepeen555
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Me

  18. The Wise Owl
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    WC GW2?

    1. Porkchops Johnson
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      most likely

  19. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    big mistake I wanted to get townsend, I just know he going up in price and I bottled it. Then the site went down

    1. thepeen555
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      You have said lots cause the site went down, I assume ur taking the pee out of others

  20. mr gruber
    • 14 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Ah sweet, I have two players in the first game-
    Musa & Diomande

    good luck everyone!

  21. Delboy.
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Riyad Mahrez and big wes ftw

  22. Duffington_Steel
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    why are people talking about free transfers and wildcards?
    the site went down at 11(ish), the deadline was 11.30 anyway.

    No chance

    1. thepeen555
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Website was down from about 10 ish it was causing issues then from about 10:30 there was no real hope - not acceptable considering it closes at 11:30 and they know people will be doing last minute changes

      1. Sebbo29
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        Hmmm strange, I had no issues until 5 min before deadline (Thailand here)

        1. thepeen555
          • 10 Years
          10 years, 28 days ago

          Lucky, yeah my team was ok I just like to keep looking but couldn't log in for anything - even site wouldn't load up

  23. Ohhhhh Gary Macca!
    • 12 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Lol, people didn't think Musa would start?

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 15 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Okazaki was preferred in Community Shield.

      1. Ohhhhh Gary Macca!
        • 12 Years
        10 years, 28 days ago

        Community shield? What that Micky mouse cup? Didn't mean much that Okazaki started..

  24. thepeen555
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    It's a shame we can't sneak anything through with the app - thought maybe a flaw lol

  25. TekkersFC
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Atleast i got 1.5m itb for next week šŸ™‚

    1. thepeen555
      • 10 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Me too dude

  26. Repetive Expletive
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/free-wildcard-gameweek2

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail

    1. Penzardlife
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Ironic that when I try and view it the site is just being updated

  27. FPL Emu
    • 15 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    "Why wait so late", people say, beautifully wrapped in a bouquet of condescension.

    Well, because you have to set up the team -after- you make new transfers.

    1. Sánchez
      • 14 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Do that sooner too

    2. Epic Fail
      • 16 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      You have a strong starting 11 regardless of transfers. That way when you make transfers, the big names automatically go into the 11 even if the site goes down.

  28. Fred54
    • 11 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Not even sure who I ended up with in the end!

    1. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      10 years, 28 days ago

      Actually let me rephrase that, I'm entirely sure I don't know who I ended up with.

  29. aehii
    • 13 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    Okay so if I went with musa that would give me *counts* 2.5m to play with. I could have done Hazard and Musa or Vardy and Oscar. Guys, which one? WHICH ONNEEE???!!!

  30. Duffington_Steel
    • 10 Years
    10 years, 28 days ago

    No Leicester... No Hull