1st Division Manager

1st Division Manager - the 1991 football management sim for Commodore 64
from Codemasters.

Take charge of an English league club, balance transfers, training, and
tactics, and aim to win promotion to the top division.

Core loop
- pick a team and set formations, attack, and defense levels
- buy and sell players within a fixed budget
- manage weekly fixtures, training, and morale
- watch match highlights and adjust plans for the next game

Systems and items
- transfer market - scout bargains, negotiate wages
- training screen - boost fitness or recover from injury
- finance view - monitor income, wages, and gate receipts
- match highlights - short text and sprite summaries per half

Level design and feel
Menu-driven interface with quick load times and simple match views.
The loop between finances, transfers, and match day keeps steady rhythm
across the league season. Reports play out like teleprinter snippets.

Why it is notable
- part of Codemasters’ budget management line alongside tracks like
“Pro Soccer Simulator”
- accessible balance between arcade presentation and stat depth

Tips
- invest early in a strong goalkeeper to steady results
- rotate tired players to keep morale up through long seasons
- avoid overspending on transfers - wage limits bite hard later

At a glance
Year - 1991
Developer - Codemasters
Design and programming - Colin Jones
Graphics - Codemasters team
Music - Allister Brimble
Publisher - Codemasters
Genre - Sports management
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2 - keyboard for input