Chip Strategy

FPL 2023/24 Wildcard: When is the best time to use it?

When is the best time to Wildcard in Fantasy Premier League (FPL)?

Many managers prefer to use this chip as a firefighting measure, allowing them to freshen up their team if a number of unfortunate injuries and/or suspensions occur.

However, others use it to target fixture swings, which can be identified via our Season Ticker.

For those in the latter camp, here are some potential Wildcard windows to consider that appear more appealing than others.

GAMEWEEK 5

best time to Wildcard

We’ll get a total of four Gameweeks before our first international break in September, which precedes Gameweek 5. This immediately feels like one of the better opportunities to Wildcard.

It will be popular as the two-week window allows more time for planning, whilst it can also be handy if any injuries and illnesses are picked up abroad.

By this point, the summer transfer window will be closed. Another advantage is you can jump on players who are rising in price which boosts team value, at a time when price changes are more volatile.

Between Gameweeks 1 and 4, Newcastle United sit bottom of the Season Ticker. However, between Gameweeks 5 and 10 they are top, so this is a significant fixture swing.

Players like Bernd Leno from Fulham might also be worth bringing in on a Wildcard.

Using this strategy, you could select two or three Brighton and Hove Albion players in your Gameweek 1 squad, allowing you to capitalise on their opening fixture run against Luton Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United, before hopping off once the schedule toughens up.

GAMEWEEK 9

best time to Wildcard

Using your Wildcard immediately after the second international break of the season is another appealing option.

At this stage, underlying statistics should start to settle down and key trends emerge, with eight Gameweeks of information to help inform decisions. In turn, this increases the probability of selecting players who can be held for longer periods.

The implications of the transfer window, which closes on September 1, will also have had further time to clear up.

Between Gameweeks 1 and 8, Chelsea sit top of the Season Ticker. However, between Gameweeks 9 and 15 they are bottom, so this is another significant fixture swing.

In addition, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Liverpool have favourable swings around the Gameweek 9 mark.

One downside to this strategy is that you miss out on an earlier window to take advantage of price changes and increase team value.

OTHER OPTIONS

Gameweek 4 is gaining traction as a possible window to deploy a Wildcard. With price rises and falls fierce at this time of year, it can help increase team value and perhaps allow you to get ahead of the curve.

For example, you could hop on Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur after their Gameweek 3 victories, with more favourable fixtures ahead.

However, there isn’t much to go off on the pitch, which isn’t ideal. The transfer window will only just have closed when the Gameweek 3 deadline passes on September 2, so we won’t have seen any of the latest arrivals in action.

If the earlier windows come and go without the need to play your Wildcard, there could be merit to saving it until Gameweek 13, which follows the third and final international break of the calendar year, or even later.

Rotation has traditionally stepped up a gear in December, so this approach could allow you to be better prepared to identify the best substitutes who can be ready and waiting to step in when needed.

Finally, a Wildcard in Gameweek 19 – the penultimate window to use it – would allow you to offload Man City players for their Gameweek 18 blank and then revisit them immediately, in one fell swoop and without hits, for their Boxing Day return to domestic duty.

OTHER KEY FIXTURE SWINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR

Arsenal enjoy a nice start of Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium, followed by Crystal Palace and Fulham.

They also face Everton and Bournemouth before Gameweek 8, which is when the schedule starts to get a bit tougher, with games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Newcastle United to follow.

best time to Wildcard

Tottenham Hotspur’s fixtures from Gameweeks 3 to 5 and 8 to 13 are very good, while Manchester City’s tougher fixtures are in October/November.

They have Arsenal, Brighton and Man Utd between Gameweeks 8 and 10, followed by Bournemouth, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa.

If there is ever a time for FPL managers to limit themselves to one Man City player (Erling Haaland), this is probably it.

best time to Wildcard



91 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Excellent article. Tom is one of the best when it comes to spotting fixture swings.

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      FFS, almost!

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      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        You should be 1st, not 2nd.

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    2. Philosopher's Stones
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Virgin Van Dijk at it again.

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    3. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Is there a ranking of fixture swing spotters ?
      I'm sure Tom had a good chuckle at this one Virg.

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        I can't think of many other pro pundits who are good at spotting fixture swings. Pras maybe.

        Isn't it funny. I started to call the mods and cons on here "FPL pundits" several years ago, and the scout then ran with the term "pro pundits" shortly after.

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        1. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          So you're claiming the word pundit? It's a stretch.

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    4. Triggy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Does that make Tom King of the Swingers?

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        .......The Jungle VIP?

        Swingers, thou. What a film. Essential viewing after a break up.

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  2. Sheffield Wednesday
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Crystal Palace have pretty good fixtures over the first 8GW, with only ARS and mun rated as difficult. Is it the manager uncertainty that is leading them to be overlooked at this stage?

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Where is the consistent source of points in that team? That’s why I tend to overlook them.

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      1. Zimo
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Eze or Johnstone

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        1. Botman and Robben
          • 7 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          Zaha 🙂

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      2. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 4 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        The Scout name checked Luton and Everton in the article "FPL 2023/24: Best fixtures for the new season" and I don't see them outperforming Crystal Palace over the first six or eight weeks. I finished the season with Eze (who performed well under Woy) and Guéhi who is a reasonable cheap 5th defender to keep on the bench most matches, as is Andersen.

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        1. Andy_Social
          • 12 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          It's not just the manager - it's whether Zaha stays. I'm open to a 5th defender, a 4.5 occasional starter from either Palace or Everton (alongside one from Brighton/Brentford).

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    2. CONNERS
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      I'd consider a Palace defender as a cheap bench player perhaps, but if Henry or Pinnock are also 4.5, they're probably better options.

      Not interested in their attack due to the unpredictable returns and high number of blanks.

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      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 4 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Pairing a 4.5M defender from Brentford and Palace might be something I'll consider after prices are revealed.

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        1. Nanoelektronicar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          Sadly, can't see 4.5 starters from Brentford, but let's wait. Everton and Burnley is what comes to mind in that price range.

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          1. Andy_Social
            • 12 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            Pinnock could be, as could most of the Everton and Palace defence. I'm looking for 3 4.5 defenders and hope to pick from that pool (and a 4.5 Brighton GK/Def would be a bonus - unlikely though).

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  3. Arteta
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    All I know is that the best time to use WC is definitely not in GW2.

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  4. Jafalad
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Any fantasy Ashes cricket games? Best one?

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      The one where Australia gives the bath-dodging, pasty-skinned, snaggle-toothed, whinging poms a sound thashing!

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      1. panda07
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Aussie, Aussie Aussie - Oi, Oi, Oi!

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        1. panda07
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          True story, I first heard that chant in the Reggae bar in Koh Phi Phi. The bar had a Thai boxing ring in the middle of it and you could fight your mates/other people in the bar. There was an Aussie guy and an English guy fighting and their mates got involved and it developed into a mass brawl with chairs etc. being thrown. The Aussies managed to get the upper hand and they started chanting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi, Oi, Oi!" - oh the patriotism!

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          1. The Knights Template
            • 10 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            I hope Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ was playing in the background!

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      2. Dunster
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        England batting first - should 300 for no loss by lunch.

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    2. Charlie Price
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Go to Cricketdraft.com

      I have created a mini league as well named Exiles From Fantasy Football.

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  5. Zimo
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    What do we think Jesus' price will be?

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    1. Ron_Swanson
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      10m

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    2. Calculated Risks
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      8.5 to 9 I think

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    3. Bavarian
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      8

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    4. Kantelele
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      8.5

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    5. Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Jesus/Ode/Martinelli all 8..5
      Saka 9.0
      is my prediction. Is FFS doing a price prediction comp again this year?

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      1. Zimo
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Jesus should be cheaper than the mids imo so it'll probably be Jesus 8.5, Ode/Martinelli 9, Saka 9.5

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    6. FPL Virgin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Forwards need a price cut across the board. They were generally £1m overpriced last season.

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      1. Andy_Social
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Jesus should be 0.5m less than the Arsenal mids, making it a tough call which of the 4 to go for.

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  6. Kantelele
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    GK pair Pickford + Henderson looks amazing

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  7. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Still no rotation article which we were promised yesterday.

    Just made some coffee as well 🙁

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      What type of coffee?

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Ground. Tesco Italian. I had to downgrade from the good stuff to afford my scout membership during a cost of living crisis and now they can't even keep their promises about when articles will be published.

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 10 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          Italians make the best espresso. No question. Make mine a double. Again please!

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          1. FPL Virgin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            Very true. You've not had proper coffee/pasta/pizza until you've been to Italy.

            Italians do it better, as Madonna once said.

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            1. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              1 year, 3 months ago

              Madonna is very hairsuite.

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    2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 15 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      I often wonder how you lived 7 years ago, what did you do as a hobby? You must have no time for anything else now?

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        This FPL addiction - which scout cultivated and nurtured - has indeed changed my life.

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        1. The Knights Template
          • 10 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          It turned you into a virgin and me into a knight! Has it turned anybody else into anything?

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          1. FPL Virgin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            It turned Fossie into a very rich man. He's just bought his second villa in the south of France.

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            1. The Knights Template
              • 10 Years
              1 year, 3 months ago

              Wokka wokka wokka!

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          2. Sheffield Wednesday
            • 4 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            Um

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        2. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          Lucky you were groomed by FFS and not Schofe

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  8. Nanoelektronicar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Will there still be two wildcards and same chips next season? If there's single wildcard, using it early or saving it for the doubles will make interesting different strategies.

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    1. Ron_Swanson
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      likely to be the same IMO

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      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Yep, likely to stay the same unfortunately, except for this new weirdo game.

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    2. RedLightning
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      For quite a few seasons now (apart from last season, which was different because of the World Cup Break), there have been two wildcards and the second one has become available in the first Gameweek in January, which is GW21 this season.
      If there are no unexpected changes to this, that is also when my January to May League will start scoring, and I wouldn't be surprised if FPL's Second Chance does the same.

      I think it is very unlikely that there will be any changes to the wildcards.
      There may or may not be changes to the other chips, but we probably won't know till the game is launched.

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  9. Kantelele
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    James price prediction ? I think 5.5

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    1. FPL Virgin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Maybe 5 given how poor Chelsea were last season (price cuts are expected across the team) and how injury prone he is.

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      1. Kantelele
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        5 would be great

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    2. x.jim.x
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Makes sense if they put Chilwell at 6.0

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      1. Andy_Social
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Despite last season, I can't see James being less than 5.5. Would be great if Chilwell is the same but will prolly be 6.0m

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  10. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Why does Jonty think Haaland will be £14m?

    Haaland is a forward and he didn't even break Salah's record for FPL points. When Salah had his record season, he wasn't £14m the following year.

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    1. x.jim.x
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Haaland stopped playing about 10 games from the end of the season. Anything less than 15.0 and he gets almost 90% ownership and capped every week again, snore.

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        We all say these type of things at the beginning of the season. Like all the purists moaning about Trent being £7.5m at the start of last season. Turns out FPL were right and he was overpriced if anything.

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        1. x.jim.x
          • 10 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          If you think Haaland is going to have a Trent/Liverpool-esque dropoff, I don’t know what to tell you.

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          1. FPL Virgin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            Who knows what will happen? Teams have had a full season to study and figure out how Haaland and City play together and will look to stop them tactically.

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            1. x.jim.x
              • 10 Years
              1 year, 3 months ago

              Yeah, City are famously easy to stop, especially with how tactically rigid Pep is.

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        2. RedLightning
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          Based on his form in recent seasons he could arguably have had a higher initial price, and big at the back was a thing. He and Andrew Robertson were both in my GW1 squad, but Liverpool's defensive form then unexpectedly fell off a cliff and I removed them both when I played my early wildcard. From GW23 onwards however, when Jurgen introduced a new formation and he became a hybrid midfielder, he was well worth the price.

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    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      I call him Joenty.

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    3. Ron_Swanson
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Kane would have to be 13.5 or even 14 if that was the case. That's if he was still in the Prem which he probably won't be

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    4. Zimo
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Wishful thinking on their part. He's gonna be 13m.

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    5. RedLightning
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      LiveFPL, based on a Ragabolly algorithm, thinks 13.5m.

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      1. Andy_Social
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        I check Livefpl (13.5m) and FPL Team (14m). I'd be confident they're in the right ballpark.
        Problem is, even at £14m, he'll be 95% owned with EO 160%+ every GW. It'll spoil the game.

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        1. RedLightning
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          That should be an opportunity for us to beat the majority by doing something different.
          For example, we could captain Kane, Salah or Rashford when he's away or has a difficult fixture. Last year's winner had an excellent captaincy choice record, and only captained Haaland in half his matches.

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          1. FPL Virgin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            +1.

            Precisely.

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  11. boc610
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    anyone remember the early XFM days with gervais, merchant and karl pilkington?the glory days...anyway they use to make fun of this guy that would write in who called himself 'paul the party animal parker', he may have been real or it might have been a bit... but when I see jack grealish's antics plastered all over the daily rags I really think of him.

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    1. FPL Virgin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      You can still find those episodes on YouTube. Absolutely brilliant.

      I'm pretty sure Paul and the letters he sent in were real.

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    2. x.jim.x
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Seems like a proper liability to me - one of them that ruins your holiday by getting too carried away in the airport.

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      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        I had a friend like that at uni. Two pot screamer, 60kgs, 5ft5, liked to swear at Samoans after a few coldies. Often found himself drinking alone!

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    3. Dunster
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      FPL Virgin reminds me of Dickie Anderson.

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Which one was he again?

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        1. Dunster
          • 3 Years
          1 year, 3 months ago

          The one who wrote in every week to say how rubbish the show was!

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          1. FPL Virgin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            1 year, 3 months ago

            Ah yes! 😆

            That was so funny. Ricky called him "Dickie"!

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  12. The Mandalorian
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    Exclusive: Manchester Utd negotiating exclusivity with Qatar's Sheikh Jassim in $6 billion-plus sale talks

    https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/manchester-united-negotiating-exclusivity-with-qatars-sheikh-jassim-6-bln-plus-2023-06-15/

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    1. Sheffield Wednesday
      • 4 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Sounds exclusive

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    2. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      Exclusive: Manchester United sell their soul in a desperate attempt to start being successful again.

      Joins City, Chelsea and P$G into the oil club list.

      Pathetic

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      1. x.jim.x
        • 10 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        Success has nothing to do with it

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  13. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 3 months ago

    I keep refreshing the homepage and still no fresh content.

    Everyone on here is rightly furious. 😡

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    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 3 months ago

      I certainly hope you’re not trying to steal mine place at the top of the turret again!

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      1. FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 3 months ago

        My itchy fingers are ready with a prewritten copy and paste complaint.

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