Fit check
Is Retro Football Boss worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Football history enthusiasts who want clubs and competitions from earlier eras
- Management simulation players who prefer long-term club decisions over direct match control
- Players interested in how football rules, finances and tactics changed between 1888 and 1998
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking a modern football database rather than a historical period ending in 1998
- Players who want certain scouting and coaching information instead of reports that may be imperfect
- Players looking for direct control of matches rather than club management decisions
Our take on Retro Football Boss
The defining detail is football’s historical evolution: wages, transfer rules, player positions and tactical systems change as a career moves from 1888 toward 1998.
What is Retro Football Boss?
Manage English professional football from 1888 to 1998 across more than 130 teams and over 8,000 possible starting combinations.
The database contains over 40,000 players, including league players and foreign stars. Competitions range from domestic divisions to the European Cup, with reserve leagues operating alongside them. Club finances cover gate receipts, wages, transfer fees and running costs, while rules and tactical roles change over time. Scouting reveals player potential gradually, although scout reports can be imperfect. Coaches assess squad strength across six tactical areas, but their feedback can also be fallible. Historical wages range from £2 per week in 1888 to over £4,000 per week in 1992. The format supports short sessions as well as longer careers.
How Retro Football Boss plays
- 01Historical Player Database
- The game includes over 40,000 players from the English professional game and international football.
- 02Period Club Choices
- More than 130 teams cover 110 years, including short-lived clubs and sides from the non-league system.
- 03Historical Competitions
- The competition structure includes domestic divisions, European tournaments, reserve leagues and short-lived cup events.
- 04Changing Club Finances
- Club income and expenditure change with the era, covering match income, player pay, player trading costs and ongoing expenses.
- 05Evolving Tactical Roles
- The available positions and systems change over time, from wing-halves and inside-forwards to later formations.
- 06Uncertain Scouting Reports
- Scouting must uncover player potential, but the information supplied by scouts is not always reliable.
- 07Six-Area Coaching Feedback
- Coaching staff report on team strength across six tactical areas after squad and tactical changes.
Retro Football Boss compared to similar games
Retro Football Boss covers English football from 1888 to 1998, with historical clubs, competitions, finances and changing tactical systems. Football, Tactics & Glory is presented as a football manager built around player attributes and their effect on matches.
Retro Football Boss: platforms & release
Is Retro Football Boss worth it?
It is worth it if: football history enthusiasts who want clubs and competitions from earlier eras. Skip it if: players seeking a modern football database rather than a historical period ending in 1998.
Where can I download Retro Football Boss?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens Retro Football Boss's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is Retro Football Boss on?
Windows and macOS.
