News

Mark Sutherns to return to Fantasy Football Scout for 2020/21 season

“Where’s Mark?”
“I miss Mark”
“Bring back Mark”

Hundreds upon hundreds of you have enquired about the whereabouts of the Fantasy Football Scout founding father since his decision to take a step back from frontline FPL duty two years ago.

He’s never been too far away from the site, though, and now, we’re delighted to report, he’ll once again be putting out Fantasy content when the new season gets underway in September.

Mark will be involved with Fantasy Football Scout in a Pro Pundit capacity, so expect articles and video appearances as he bids to bounce back from – what he deemed to be – a frustrating 2019/20 campaign.

Mark rejoins a team of contributors that includes top Fantasy managers such as Lateriser, Zophar and Tom Freeman, who have multiple top 1k finishes between them and who, we are delighted to say, will be writing for us once again in 2020/21.

Lateriser, who finished 30th in the world last season, will also be stepping up the frequency of his articles in the campaign to come.

As ever, subscribers to Fantasy Football Scout will get unrestricted access to all of their analysis and team reveals.

If you’re new to this website, Mark is its creator.

Starting Fantasy Football Scout out as a blog in 2007, he grew these pages steadily over the years and developed the site into the leading Fantasy Football resource.

He’s got an enviable FPL record to back that up, too, as his season history (pictured above) shows.

A remarkable nine of his finishes have been within the top 5,000, with four of those resulting in overall ranks inside the top 1k.

We’re absolutely thrilled to have Mark back on board for 2020/21 and look forward to his insight in the weeks and months to come.


1,232 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Rumour Mill
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Welcome back Mark, hope you are feeling refreshed after your break 🙂

    About time 2020 had a good news story!

  2. beric
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Good news indeed, welcome home Mark

  3. beric
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Since you're back, how about we revisit an idea I've suggested a few times...we get both up and downvote buttons and every profile has an ongoing ranking.

    Would be funny as well as other benefits.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Very few benefits.

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        i can name a few

        - discourage fake news
        - discourage antisocial comments
        - encourage quality posts by those with genuine insight, by creating an incentive of getting a nice high karma rating
        - give users some idea of which opinions are particularly valuable
        - identify consistent trolls

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Plenty wouldn't care about their rating.
          Bans discourage the top 2.
          Voting does 3 & 4.
          Plenty abused downvotes in the past so they went.

          1. beric
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            -Plenty would care too
            -People who are banned rejoin with a new account, might be less of this if people have a tronger attachment to their profile, created by accumulation of karma
            -Without the user profiles stating their ranking, advise from different profiles is indistinguishable
            -Give us another chance, I wasn't on the site when we had downvotes, or if i was it was whilst i was drinking heavily and I don't remember. Come to think of it, mightve been me that abused it

            1. Ginkapo FPL
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              😎

    2. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      We used to have that. Didnt work. RonH was forever upvoted and Virg forever downvoted.

      Oh wait, yeah that works

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Did we really have that?

        I miss RonH

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          I miss Ronh, F*0rca, RBJ etc

          1. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            btw, why are you not on Nirvana?

            1. beric
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              I think I got an ivitation to it years ago but never joined as it was when I wasnt really playing FPL.

              How do I get involved?

              1. Christina.
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                Is your email still what it used to be?

                1. Christina.
                  • 14 Years
                  3 years, 8 months ago

                  Just heard you were invited by Epicfail but never joined. let me know if you need a second bite at the cherry...

                  1. beric
                    • 12 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    Yeah man for sure! He invited me when I was having a bit of a dark time, wasnt playing FPL

                    1. Christina.
                      • 14 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      ok I will try and get someone to contact you.
                      x

                      1. beric
                        • 12 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        thanks man x

                      2. Gnu
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 14 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        You'll enjoy it.....despite Tina 😉

                2. beric
                  • 12 Years
                  3 years, 8 months ago

                  Ive still got that one yeah - starts with ram....?

                  1. Christina.
                    • 14 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    you want another invite then?

        2. GreenWindmill
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Place used to be littered with them https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/4962490

          1. beric
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            evidence that it works, all those downvoted comments suck

          2. beric
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            I went back and upvoted a lot of sportings posts

            1. GreenWindmill
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Ha!

          3. Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Wowzers, a time in history when I cared

            1. GreenWindmill
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Whenever I dip into the archives it's just another reminder that things I think happened about 2 years ago were closer to 10 years ago.

    3. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bollocks, you'll turn this place into reddit where people only post what they think will get upvotes for karma/rank, not what they actually believe.

  4. Pointless
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Welcome back Mark!!!! Best news I've heard all season. Much missed. Hopefully on Scoutcast too?!?!!

  5. Rum Ham
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Outstanding news. Welcome back Mark.

  6. Andy_Social
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Great to see you back, Mark. Hope your family are well.

  7. Leaf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Should just join Nirvana

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Ive tried but thoughts of raheem sterling keep disturbing my meditations

      1. Leaf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Be careful taking about Raheem.

        1. beric
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          whats he done now?

          1. A Fat Spanish Waiter
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            The guy who was stripped of the title was making racist comments about Raheem.

            1. beric
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Ah I see, didn't know he was the target

  8. Tomlette Greggs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    The OG is back. Remember all those hours spent listening to Mark & Granville on the pod. Great to have you back, Mark.
    Well done FFS, too, for making this happen!

    1. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yes agreed , the old pods were great.

      Used to listen every Thursday night on long drive home from a Regular poker night .

      Does Granny still do stuff on here ?

    2. FPL Virgin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Hub who? 😆

  9. FPL Notebook (John)
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Great news!

    I have absolutely nothing against the current Scoutcast team - i think they're all brilliant and would like them to continue.

    However, I'd love it if without any warning one week, the Scoutcast was a pure Mark/Granville episode!

    1. MANGE TOUT RODNEY
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      100% this!

  10. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Back to try and tame the beast.....don’t be surprised if Towlie also suddenly re-appears 😉

  11. Pioneer
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    This is great news. Welcome back, Mark! Hope we can see you rejoining the Scoutcast and also bring back the preambles?!

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    It might only be early on in the window but that’s the signing of the summer.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I'm happy for people here who missed him.

  13. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    OH MAN.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 8 months ago

        In 2020, I'm glad someone has found happiness. No matter how odd it is

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

          Is it possible to cry from happiness?

      • Long ago I drew a walrus
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Tissues? 😛

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

          Vat of baby oil, m8.

      • FPL Virgin
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I need a clean pair of underpants.

        This better be real this time. This better not be the recurring dream I keep having.

      • Rainer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Gallon of baby oil at the ready?

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

          Already Amazon Primed that bad boy. Preparations are in place.

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

          I had 50% off a love burger from LEON at lunch ... and now this.

          It's a Lou Reed kind of day 😀

          1. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            just ruddy perfect, happy for you virg

      • Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Jesus Christ. Goodbye dignity 😆

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          😆

        2. FPL Virgin
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Was it ever there to begin with?

    2. Our Tiny Windows
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      That’s the best picture you have of him!?

      1. The Sociologist
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Blue Steel.

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Looks more like Mark Steel

      2. WALOR
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You shoulda seen him before the botox

    3. Skip to the End
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Welcome back Mark, such great news!

      You will always be a legend in this community. The podcasts with Granville were amazing, and together with this site, got so many of us hooked on fantasy football.

      Hopefully you can find a way to manage the pressure and continue to play and enjoy your own game.

    4. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      https://mobile.twitter.com/pedri_cule/status/1293444614632833024?s=21

      We need more of this commentary from Martin Tyler and Gary Neville

    5. sully29
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Great to see Mark back.

      I will say though that much as I missed Mark on the scoutcast in the teething period after he left, I really rather like the current format it has formed into. I think it makes more sense to have it that way in the long run. Plus one can only imagine how much easier it'd be for Mark (or anyone else) to be part of a rotation of pundits rather than constantly being the main guy.

      Seemed like it was understandably a bit too much for him at the time so hopefully it's less demanding on him now with the way the site has changed.

      1. Az
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Nice post Sully, thanks for your support! 🙂

      2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Don't understand the pressure thing. Working full time on FPL is probably a luxery compared to real jobs?

        He should have considered him self very fortunate really no ?

        1. GreenWindmill
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Not really how mental health works though is it? Stress is stress even if the root cause is something you love. I'm not privy to the reasons Mark took a step back but if work was occupying an unhealthy amount of his time, keeping him away from his family, causing him to lose sleep, etc. then he made the right move.

          Even footballers suffer from depression and there can be few more fortunate than them - money and success are not silver bullets to a happy life.

        2. Tigers Time
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          I would imagine in those early days it wasn't plain sailing - it would have been a gamble because none really knew how big FPL would be.

    6. beric
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Serious nostalgia from GreenWindMills post up there.

      Remember JK? His profile blurb is a classic

      JK - Cønt ⭐
      Fantasy Football Scout Member8 Years
      Premier League Team: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/entry/160/history
      FPL Veteran to varying degrees of success, ranging from a 1.1k finish to 645k finish. Also fond of the UCL game, when the site works. As well as an (underserved) reputation for an RMT, I found fame in the Euro 2012 Fantasy game when I won the Order of Valour 2 matchdays running, after arguably the greatest punt ever, in Michael Krohn-Delhi and then dumping a 14 point captain for greater rewards and winding up with the 8th highest matchday score and an OR of 14. Managed Team Bangladesh to victory in the 2015 FFS Cricket World Cup Tournament and finished 3rd in the FIFFSA 5-a-side World Cup as a member of Team Cuba

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Woah JK. Are you discounting my punt on Sean St Ledger (C) in euro 2012. I demand a rematch.

    7. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Too new to the site to have any real experience of Mark’s old contributions. Hope they live up to the hype!

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        His preambles were usually a good read

    8. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good news, welcome back Mark!

    9. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Wow ...

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

        Hub will be sh*ttng their kecks now.

    10. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Fpl Virg is going to masturba*** tonight.

      Welcome back Mark!

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

        Pot noodle and a w*nk. Sorted.

    11. Civan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Great news! Welcome back!

    12. Surfeit of Lampteys
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      This is such fantastic news. Got so much respect for Mark and not just cos he's a Forest fan but also cos he's one of the few FPL experts who also knows his football.

    13. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Could Arsenal's Emi Martinez be priced at 4.5 at the start?

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        reckon him and Leno will both be 5, which isn't terrible

    14. Hughes the Daddy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Great news. A hearty welcome back and I hope the break has been beneficial for you.

    15. Emiliano Sala
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Welcome back "The Beast Creator"

    16. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dark horse picks for the year.

      Son - 10m

      He will likely come in at around 10m which is slightly under the premium price. His PPG is elite though and when fit, he's nailed in the Spurs side. Shoots a lot as well. I think with the right fixtures, he could definitely hit the ground running and cause some people to tear up their initial plans to get him in.

      Rashford - 10m

      I think Rashford is still hugely underrated as an FPL asset. All the talk is on Martial and Fernandes after the most recent season, but if Rashford was a mid, he would basically have swapped points totals with Martial and got over 200 despite missing a chunk of games after injury. I still think as a 10m forward he could provide some nice value. He's also one of the most nailed United attackers.

      Vardy - 10.5m

      Nobody is talking about him at all. He scored the most goals in the league for a reason, and hit a few more after restart too although Leicester got hit by injuries pretty badly. Still think he can do a job although I'd be surprised if he can do as well as last season.

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Agreed on all three so long as Rash is a mid.

        Absence of any Vardy talk is passing strange. Yes there is Europa, but but for that midseason dip post baby he'd have matched KdB for season value and he isn't going to get anything like the same price hike.

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Not just Vardy - there's very little talk about premium strikers (if you can put him in that bracket) at all.
          Where's the talk of Aguero, Jesus, Kane? Auba only mentioned in context of predicted shift to mid. The lack of noise suggests there will be low ownership across the board with only Jimi and Ings from the sub-premium category having significant numbers.

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Very much agreed

            My thinking is that there’s going to be a “new” category of sub premiums next season with loads around the 9-10 mark both in midfield and attack.

            Contemplating starting off anyway by swerving the really high ticket players and loading up from that range. Captaincy an issue but I was quite happy to captain the likes of Vardy Martial last time and can see that possible again

            1. Andy_Social
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              I had a little play the other day and built a great squad with a 3-5-2 formation:
              5.5 keeper, 3 premium defenders, 5 mids between 8.5-9m and 2 strikers between 9-10m.
              Benchfodder.

              1. pingissimus
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 8 months ago

                Interesting

                I’d be looking at something similar but with maybe 3 4.5s at the back to start off. Just a bit more in attack - either mid or forward.

                1. FPL Theorist
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 8 months ago

                  What I've taken away from the value discussion is that it's worth owning at least ONE very expensive attacker. If you captain him most of the time, then he justifies the price.

                  However, you experience rapidly diminishing returns the more 10m+ attackers you own. People think they need 3-4 good captain options, but they pay a heavy price for the security offered by lots of premium assets.

                  1. pingissimus
                    • 5 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    Get your point

                    But midfield is where you get what you pay for most no? I’m pondering a backbone where the captain is simply who I fancy most that week rather than concentrating funds on confirmed captain favourites.

                    Next season will be different of course but at least half my captain choices were sub premium - notably Vardy KdB Martial. Had a very tidy captaincy season at 585 points.

                    1. FPL Theorist
                      • 4 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      Yes, by attackers I mean both mids and forwards. I guess some people interpret it as forwards only.

                      Owning no premiums seems very radical, unnecessarily so to me. But it could work.

                      1. pingissimus
                        • 5 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        All very theoretical - haven’t tried piecing together a putative squad. Fixtures and prices will determine all especially with likely blanks.

                        Also I’m starting from the point that I’ll be flexible. Season value and season holds are not a significant part of my calculations. Starting off without any of Mo Mane Raz KdB doesn’t mean I miss them altogether

                    2. Drexl Spivey
                      • 5 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      585's a very decent return.

                  2. Andy_Social
                    • 11 Years
                    3 years, 8 months ago

                    Perma-captain your striker and you never captain Salah, KDB, Sterling, Bruno....

                    1. FPL Theorist
                      • 4 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      Sorry, did not mean to exclude midfielders from this. Just a statement about the number of premium attackers to have, whether they be mids or forwards or a mix of both.

                    2. Andy_Social
                      • 11 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      Just rigged up this:

                      Pope+4m
                      5 defenders 2x5m + 3x4.5
                      1 premium mid - capt (12m), 1 sub-prem (8), 2x7m, 1x6m
                      Werner, Jimi, Ings

                      1. FPL Theorist
                        • 4 Years
                        3 years, 8 months ago

                        Looks decent, although the 6m mid seems like money wasted on the bench given you'll start 3 forwards. Seems you should spend that on at least one premium defender instead.

                        1. Andy_Social
                          • 11 Years
                          3 years, 8 months ago

                          Yeh, or a classier midfielder. Just a rough 5 min structure to show how to set up a cheap backline, 3 good value strikers and still have a viable midfield. Obviously the details will change when more info is out. It's not what I'm going with myself anyway!!

                    3. pingissimus
                      • 5 Years
                      3 years, 8 months ago

                      No intention of perma captain anyone. Also no intention of trying a perma rotation. More flexibility is required to my mind.

                      All seasons differ but many last time struggled early on as they committed to Mo Sterling and staying there almost gone what may and took an age to move off it as so much of their funds were wrapped up there and didn’t allow other permutations.

      2. Cok3y5murf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You've overpriced the first two

    17. I Must Break You
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Observation about the FantasyFootballScout Hall of Fame: Is there possibly a bit too much weighting given to recent seasons? Mark Sutherns is a perfect example in my mind. One bad season and he's dropped from top 10 all the way to 71st place? If Phil Helmuth has a bad year at the poker tables, is he all of the sudden not considered a top 10 poker legend of all time?

      1. Je suis le chat
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Game is getting much harder so I think it's good the way it's weighted.

        1. I Must Break You
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Valid point, and it’s all good. I’m just wondering if there’s a happy medium somewhere, as the guy everyone seems to be blowing here all day should probably be somewhere higher than 71st on the all-time HOF list given his 6 top-10k and 3 top 500 finishes. (How many in the top 70 can claim that?)
          And yes it’s harder now, just like in professional poker. Doyle Brunson hasn’t won anything in 30 years but he’s still a top-5 hall of famer.
          And I apologize for all the poker references but I actually see the two games as being remarkably similar.