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14 May 2018 893 comments
Paul Paul
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We are delighted to announce the official launch of the Fantasy Football book ‘Wasting Your Wildcard‘.

Written by regular site contributor David Wardale and fully endorsed by Fantasy Football Scout, it will be out on Thursday, July 26, to plug the painful gap between the end of the World Cup and start of the 2018/19 Premier League season.

Subtitled ‘The Method and Madness of Fantasy Football’, the book is being published by Penguin’s respected sports imprint, Yellow Jersey Press, and is packed with hints and tips from some of the best Fantasy managers out there.

But it is as much about the people as the game, with stories of glory and despair, mini-league skulduggery and humiliating failure and the strange grip the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) in particular has on managers from Australia to Zimbabwe and just about everywhere in between.

There are in-depth interviews with FPL champions and Fantasy-mad Saudi princes, a comprehensive look at the eternal conflict that is stats versus ‘the eye test’ and chapters on the history of the game, the all-conquering beast that is Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and what the future of Fantasy Football might look like.

There’s also a revealing section on our very own Mark, detailing the methods behind his successful approach to playing FPL.

Written by a fan for the fans, we think Wasting Your Wildcard will inform and entertain in equal measure, while grappling with the reasons behind why we, as supposedly grown-up men and women, cannot resist playing a game of footballing dress-up.

And to give you a taste of what you can expect, we’re planning to publish an exclusive extract for newsletter subscribers in the very near future.

SAVE £5 WHEN YOU PRE-ORDER WASTING YOUR WILDCARD WITH WATERSTONES.COM! Simply enter the discout code SCOUT18 at checkout and you can save a fiver – one third off the cover price.

Australian fans can order through Booktopia.

Paul Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season. Follow them on Twitter

893 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Get up ya bum
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    On live hof I'm like down near 300. I don't get. After 11 seasons my average rank is 15k. I look through the dudes above me and there is some shite season ranks in there. Consistency over yoyo ranks. It's OK I'm starting my own hall of fame and I'm top

    1. Andy'81
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I'm sure the HOF rankings give more precedence to recent seasons rather than all time scores, this gives teams more leeway to move up and down the rankings rather than have it as a closed shop.

  2. Fresh_From_Desh
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Get in Fulham!

  3. Fantasy Gold
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Well played Fulham, lovely club with a great stadium. Love the old school grounds that don’t look so corporate.

    Used to love them in the PL in the Clint Dempsey days.

    Fingers crossed they get promoted now.

    1. Syd.
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      They will be playing at Wembley soon

      Craven Cottage will be turned into High rise apartments

      1. Fantasy Gold
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Wouldn’t surprise me with how many teams sell their souls to the Devil and do this.

        1. Patch
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          Nothing wrong with a cheeky deal with the devil every so often...

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Ah, I miss the Dempsey days. Berbatov was amazing too.

        1. Piggs Boson
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          I came.

  4. FPL Marc
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Does anywhere show half-season points totals? I'm interested in who has been great since January. Therefore including Aubameyang, Van Aanholt etc but not Richarlison or Jones.

    1. Jairzinho
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I don't think so.

      You can see the highest scorers from each month though, by looking at the overall leaderboard, clicking 'select phase' near the top and selecting the month.

      Not quite what you're after, but the closest thing really.

      1. FPL Marc
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Is this highest FPL managers or highest player scores? I'm hoping to find the latter

        1. Jairzinho
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          Ahh, sorry - I misunderstood. It's the former.

          I could try and pull player statistics for the second half of the season when I have time.

  5. BON
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    All the money that was collected in August for my work mini league had a load of old paper tenners and guess who won them

    1. 32chickens
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      No worries
      A trip to your own bank or the bank of England should do the job

    2. rrcmc
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Chap who managed ours left the company and the winnings went with. Seemed to view it as some sort of parachute payment...

  6. pjomara
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Shocking refereeing...
    Check out https://twitter.com/RTEsoccer/status/996118013387522049?s=09

    1. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      What the fluff.

      1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        narrowed the angle well....

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          That he definitely did.

    2. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      The Irish have had some terrible reffing decisions.

    3. Volley127
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Wow

    4. CloudSky
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Nothing shocking about it.

      1. pjomara
        • 15 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        The goalies foot was on the line as the ball was kicked, there were at least 2 occasions where the Dutch goalie was off his line before the ball was kicked

  7. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Well done, Fulham 4 Life!

    1. Holy See
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      1st present I bought for my missus was a Fulham jersey in 2006 🙂

      1. Fantasy Gold
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Nothing sexier than a footy shirt on a lass.

        Nice purchase.

  8. CloudSky
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Brazil 23-man squad for WC:

    Alisson, Ederson, Cassio

    Fagner, Thiago Silva, Marcelo, Danilo, Marquinhos, Miranda, Geromel, Filipe Luis

    Casemiro, Fernandinho, Paulinho, Fred, Renato Augusto, Coutinho

    Willian, Douglas Costa, Taison, Neymar, Jesus, Firmino

    Notable absentees: Neto, Dani Alves, Alex Sandro, Arthur, Diego Souza, Oscar

    Possible lineup:

    Alisson, Marcelo, Silva, Miranda, Fagner, Casemiro, Paulinho, Coutinho, Neymar, Jesus, Willian

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Decent line-up with a good bench. When are all the squads finalised?

      1. CloudSky
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        By June 4th. Should get all the squads earlier than that though. Englands tomorrow, Spains next week, France on Thursday.

  9. Malcolm Tucker for England …
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    they deserve to lose for that crap

    1. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Get caught diving and it should be an automatic penalty to the other team no matter where on the pitch it happened.

      1. Malcolm Tucker for England …
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        and the opponent should be given a green card to lamp the tw@t

      2. Zilla
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        What do you mean by a dive! An Ak-47 shot him!

  10. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Watford, Cardiff & Huddersfield to get relegated next season

    1. Syd.
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Man Utd, Spurs & Cardiff would be my preference

    2. Zilla
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Huddersfield, Liverpool and City would be better.

      1. Nascimento
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        No chance Huddersfield get relegated

        1. Zilla
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          Yep that is the most unrealistic out of these.

  11. airborneaksai
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Delighted!

    Just a simple transfer
    smalling --> van aanholt
    made me finish 2nd in the ML and richer by 150 pounds
    was 5th at the end of gw 37

    i must meet the man and buy him a beer

  12. french holiday
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Make the book Wating your Wildcard available in ebook format in Amazon for Kindle users in India and Asia.

    1. davidwardale
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      It is available on Amazon in India, but not as a pre-order (no, I don't know why either). So you can get it on the day of publication (July 26). Cheers.

  13. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    There is a method to the madness

  14. Bielsa's Blue Bucket
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Players shortlisted for next season?

    Robertson, Salah, Zaha, Arnie, Sterling, Auba to get the ball rolling

    1. Jude Rooney
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      6 14 8.5 8.5 11 11

      Still fancy them all?

      1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Jesus, 8.5 for Arnie?

    2. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Dubravka - (Darlow)
      Azpi - Vert - PVA - Keane - (bench filler)
      Zaha - Sterling - Salah - Lanzini - (bench filler)
      Auba - Kane - (bench filler)

      1. Jude Rooney
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        About 110m there

      2. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        4.5 (4.0)
        6.5 6.0 5.5 5.0 4.0
        8.0 10.0 13.0 7.0 4.5
        11.5 12.5 4.5

        106.5

      3. Seb Wassell
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Oh god it's started already 😀

    3. Je suis le chat
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Sub will be 12m IMO, though I hope less as I'll have him.

    4. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Would expect some of the world cup players to miss the first week or two in the new season. It will be hard to get Kane, Salah, Arnie (FWD ???), Auba, City Mid and DDG in from the start so it might be worth going without some of them for the start and use a early wildcard when cheaper options start to emerge

      1. Jude Rooney
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Good point - fixtures will play massive part too obviously

        1. Revival
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          An example is if Belgium do well at world cup, expect Mourinho to give Lukaku extra time off so it could make Sanchez a good option for first few gameweeks, provided we think Utd can actually score a few goals.

          1. I Member
            • 10 Years
            7 years, 7 months ago

            I've learnt my lesson regarding Mourinho attackers. The rest of the top 6 will provide better options than Sanchez and Lukaku.

            1. diesel001
              • 9 Years
              7 years, 7 months ago

              The worst thing is that with Martial, Pogba, Sanchez and Lukaku their front four could be great. But Mourinho has killed them.

    5. I Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      The ones you mentioned + Mendy and Ozil.

    6. Malcolm Tucker for England …
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Joe Bennett and Calum Paterson as fund freers

    7. shirtless
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Mendy!

    8. grandemessi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I will go with Auba instead of Kane. Greater assist potential.

    9. 32chickens
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      You seen that young midfielder' for villa,may be playing FPL- getahlife is his name

    10. dvdguy
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Auba
      Salah
      Sterling
      Mahrez( if he goes to city)

  15. Tomerick
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Will it be available on cassette tape?

  16. Rider on the Storm
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Will it be available in France? It could be a fun gift for my brother who i beat for 3 years in a row!

    1. davidwardale
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      It's certainly on Amazon.fr. Not sure about eslewhere.

      1. Rider on the Storm
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Hood idea, i'll check

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

    So another season is over, 22,716 OR. A bad January and February made things a grind for me but I won my mini league so satisfied.

    Just checked my Bench points weekly average for the season, 2.97.
    Seems low, anyone lower?

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      That seems low, mine is 4.92 per gameweek and I had a injured RLC on the bench half the season. I seemed to always bench Ryan when he got 10 points or more mind.

      1. emyoueffsee
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        I had him and Femenia injured on my bench for ages too. Uncanny how little I lost on my bench this season though, my benching game seemed strong.

    2. mattressman
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Very low indeed. My bench average was 6.68. Scored points average was 61.52 and 4831 OR.

  18. Rossendale Rover
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Paul, it appears to deduct £3 from your basket, not £5 as stated in the article.

    1. Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Aye it's a con. Haha.

    2. Fantasy Gold
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Watch for further transactions on your account.

      You’ve been scammed buddy 😆

    3. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I think there was already a £2 discount for the pre order and and when you add in the code it adds up to £5

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

      As Ogie said, I think it's already two quid off at Waterstones, so the code just takes another three off.

  19. JustPark
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    I might be late but Deadpool is Man United?

    1. Reedy
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I don't understand this either

        1. Reedy
          • 15 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          Thank you! Nothing makes sense to me anymore

          1. JustPark
            • 9 Years
            7 years, 7 months ago

            And this as well
            https://youtu.be/uxbQATBAXf8

  20. Malcolm Tucker for England …
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Scott Carson...currently the best English 'keeper?

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Pickford.

      Still maintain Hart isn't as bad as everyone makes out though. He has a weakness (diving down to his left), which really he should be able to work on and improve.

      I saw Butland's own goal and that guy is not a secure GK IMO. Alex McCarthy could be an interesting choice if he can keep his form up next season.

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Jack Butland or Tom Heaton imo

  21. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Derby in trouble. Sessegnon goal.

  22. SW6
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Sessegnonnnnnn!!!!!!

    1. SW6
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Nsjksbeusj!!!

    2. Je suis le chat
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Good old Sess, his last minute goal once broke the OMG machine.

    3. Richd
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Not at the game ?

  23. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Fulham goal. Odoi

  24. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Has anyone on here actually read Triggerlips's book? Is it any good?

    1. Fantasy Gold
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Ask Chapelle.

  25. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Sessegnon goal & assist 😮

  26. SW6
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Odoi!!!!!!!

    1. Davido989
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      🙂

  27. Jairzinho
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    DONT MESS WITH THE SESS

    1. Je suis le chat
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Say yes to the Sess.

  28. Rik Waller
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Which team do we want to win? ie: Which team is another Stoke and which is more of a Bournemouth?

    1. Johnny Leghorn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Fulham defo more Bournemouth. They play some nice football.

  29. Zilla
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Where do you think Wolves and Cardiff City will finish at next season?

    1. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      I think Wolves have an excellent chance of staying up. Cardiff will struggle.

      A lot of crap stayed up this season though so promoted clubs have a better chance than normal.

      1. Zilla
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Didn't watch a lot of Cardiff's matches, are they really bad and just managed to grind out some matches?

        1. how now brown cow
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          I think you have to be a decent team to get out of that league.

          I just can't see Warnock and that squad staying up.

          1. Zilla
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 7 months ago

            Yeah I see. Is there a good chance for any of Fulham, Villa or Boro?

            1. how now brown cow
              • 11 Years
              7 years, 7 months ago

              Not an expert on championship. Like what I've seen of Fulham though, and Villa have some quality players.

    2. Fantastisk
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      19 and 20.

      1. Fantastisk
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        Fulham 18

  30. timmmuh
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 7 months ago

    Now that the Saints avoided relegation... what in the world happened to Fraser Forster this year? From World Cup team to 2nd string on an almost relegated team???

    1. Fantasy Gold
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      He should never have been in the England squad in the first place.

      Shockingly bad goalkeeper.

      1. Fantasy Gold
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 7 months ago

        I’d prefer Hart over him and that’s saying something.

        1. how now brown cow
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 7 months ago

          Quite agree.

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 7 months ago

      Championship team, if he's lucky.