Kevin Toms has been in the gaming industry since the late 70s and is considered a legend to many gamers of a certain age. As with many developers in the 8bit days Kevin worked a full time job and focused on his passion for creating great games in his spare time. In 1982 it was this passion that was to bring gamers the original and best Football Manager under his own publishing label Addictive. Andrew Newton has managed to get a few words with him about the iconic game and his more recent games available on mobile devices.
Andrew Newton: Back when you were creating Football Manager did you ever think it would create such an impact on British gamers or that it would be one for footy fans only? Were you surprised it started the football management genre?
Kevin Toms: I only really thought that football fans would want to play it. I am one myself. For me, it was not such a surprising innovation as it was to others. I had for some time been inventing board game variations, to me it was a natural progression to go on to putting it onto a computer. That was particularly true because I had become a professional computer programmer. As a result, I was just combining two things – my professional skills and my games design skills. It was a natural progression into making Football Manager.
AN: Football Manager proved so popular it was ported to nearly every 8 and 16 bit computer in the UK. How difficult was it to ensure the game was faithfully converted?
KT: The problem was the market for computers, for home computers was very fragmented. There were far too many that needed their own versions. In the case of my Football Manager, the demand was so strong, that it was worthwhile financially to try porting it to every platform. But it was quite painful process, and on some machines, there was a need to compromise like for example no graphics match action on the Electron because it was not possible within the memory available.
AN: As the game was a huge hit and your name and photo were on the cover did you ever get recognised on the street by fans?
KT: Yes, that did happen at some surprisingly odd places. On holiday in Italy for example. On a car ferry. In a petrol station when I was filling my car with petrol. I never knew when!
AN: The dedicated Acorn Electron magazine, Electron User stated in their review of Football Manager that they doubted the “game will ever be bettered”, do you feel that Football Manager 2 and Football Manager World Cup Edition proved them wrong?
KT: Now that is a very interesting subject that I could spend a lot of time on. Football Manager 2 and Football Manager World Cup edition were different games. In fact, looking back, I believe I tried to evolve the games design too fast with too much change. I should’ve been more incremental. But I was young then.
The original Football Manager, as on the Spectrum for example, had a core of playability and simplicity that is hard to beat. Having said that, I believe I have repeated that playability and simplicity of use, on mobile with Football Star* Manager.
AN: With current gen’ gamers associating football games with the realistic graphics and play of PES and FIFA, do you feel the management side is overlooked and did you see a gap in the market for the classic Football Manager?
KT: I saw the gap myself, and it was reinforced by comments from players on social media to me – some of whom where are still playing my original Football Manager on emulators, over 30 years on, because they found it better to play! I knew there was something missing for people and I knew it was something I knew how to create. So, I started.
AN: Was bringing the game to mobile platforms an easy and enjoyable process?
KT: Not easy, I was learning as I went, I was doing it completely afresh, with no reference except knowledge of my original game. I was already a mobile developer, so that was not an issue. What I did experience though, was every step of the way, every piece I did, it felt good. It felt so positive. Hours, weeks, month, often working in coffee shops for many hours at a time, enjoying the atmosphere but barely noticing the people passing by. Owners of my favourite coffee shops would know me to get my coffee and sit quietly in the corner with my laptop. Few of them knew what I was doing.
AN: Have you had any feedback from fans new and old about the game’s mobile version?
KT: Oh, so much, so much! It’s been a completely amazing and rewarding experience for me. So many people are so glad I created it and kept the feel and playability of the original. – That happened naturally because it was me writing it, with my way of writing games. People have told me how much they love the game, how much they play it, how much it reminds them of their younger days and brings back happy memories to them. And they tell me that they literally play hundreds of seasons of the game. They tell me it is just as addictive and fun as my original, but now they can take it everywhere and there are no loading delays!! It doesn’t even need Wi-Fi so it’s very common for people to play on commutes and on long plane journeys.
AN: What future plans, if any, do you have in store for Football Manager?
KT: Well it is Football Star* Manager now, to keep the name separate but also I put my name in front of my games so they are easy to find – it’s Kevin Toms Football * Manager. I have just created a variation for The World Cup called Kevin Toms World Football Cup. It is out now. And yes, I have a lot of plans of more to do. Next in fact I have a book to write – The Origin of Football Manager – explaining how it all came about all those years ago when the games industry in the UK and worldwide was just beginning. It will be an interesting read! Lots of things never before said.
Andrew Newton and Flickering Myth would like to thank Kevin for giving up his time for this interview. You can check out the game page for Kevin Toms Football * Manager here and visit his blog here. You can follow Kevin on Facebook here and on Twitter here. If you want to support Kevin develop more great games you can help out on his Patreon by visiting here.
Both Kevin Toms Football * Manager and Kevin Toms World Football Cup are available to purchase for a bargain price on Android, Kindle Fire and iOS now.
