Squad number OCD

[Lathund]

Well, it's not actual OCD as it's nowhere near as severe, but I'm pretty obsessive about my squad numbers and I've never ever just clicked "auto" and moved on. A lot of thought goes into it. I have to have them a certain way, and when it's not right it tends to annoy me.

The basics aren't very odd at all. Starting XI gets 1-11. Currently I play a 4-4-2 so how that works is pretty self-explanatory. In other formations the basics are the same (8 is always a CM, 9 always a striker etc), but things can vary, like 10 will be an MC in a 4-1-2-2-1 or 4-1-4-1, 7 will be a MC in a narrow formation etc. But that latter is one example of the "OCD" creeping in. If I play with no wingers, then 7 is a MC (And it'll be the most support-y MC; the creative one is 8 and the defensive is 6), but I couldn't take having the other winger number (11) as a CM; no that will have to be a striker, while giving 10 to a MC/AM. 5 is always my best (Or favourite) DC.

#12 is my real problem number. I don't like it. Not assigning it is an option, but "retiring" the shirt and giving it to the 12th man (the fans) feels a bit cliché. And besides, I don't like having unassigned numbers below 20. So it'll usually be a versatile player like an AM (LC), ST

#13 is my backup goalkeeper. 31, 30, 32, 34 are the ones that follow. I only ever assign 1, 13 and 31 at the start of the season. I like 34 better than 32 for a GK, but I want numbers to be consecutive.

#14 and #15 are for backup DCs. 15 for the better one, or if one of them will also be used as full back cover. 14 on a full back just looks weird.

#16 and #18 are for MCs. 18 for MCa (or AM depending on the formation), 16 for MCd (or DM).

#17 AM, MR or MCs depending on the formation. Often a player on the verge of becoming a starter, so a youngster with a season or two of experience.

#19 my backup #9.

#20 Problematic number, nothing really fits. Will usually be an attacking midfielder or creative forward. Never a winger.

#21 Attacking midfielder/creative forward/winger

#22 Backup RB (My #2 #2)

#23 Backup LB, or better yet a D (RL)

#24 and #25 central defenders

#26 and #28 MC or AM, usually youngsters.

#27 AM, MR or maybe MC. Will often be my most promising or favourite young attacking player in the team.

#29 3rd choice striker. Always a #9 type (Can't have anyone else ending in 9, can I??). If I have a fourth one it'll be #39

#32 Can be a D (RL) if it's not assigned to a GK

#33 DL. Ideally a D/M (L), as it's a factor of 3 and 11.

#35 and beyond are rarely used unless I have a real injury crisis. Same principles as in the 20s tend to apply though.

Since I can change numbers every season, I can usually have it my way. But it's annoying if I find out during the season that my best 11 isn't #1-11, as I like seeing those numbers on the pitch in an important game. When it comes to loyalty, I can let players have their original numbers unless it's completely wrong. Such as if my #17 AM has overtaken my #7 or #10, but the latter still has a significant part to play, then they can keep their old numbers for a while. Likewise when I have a player who can fill several roles, it might make more sense to let them keep their higher number. Like someone who will play both a #9 and #10 role, depending on other injuries and such, having that player as #18, #19, #20. Using a formation like 4-6-0 or a 3-5-2 with M (RL) instead of WBs would cause me real problems, so I don't

Players having a completely wrong desired squad number also bothers me. As it does in real life. Tugay having #3 and Zidane with #5 is forgivable as they were such great players to watch. But I can't take Asamoah Gyan and his #3, or Gallas with #10, seriously. I can accept some leeway, but that's just not on! Never liked either player.

Anyway, this is me sharing some neurotic tendencies in the game. Feel free to share yours; whether they're squad number related or about your imaginary press conferences, or something else. A few other things I tend to do is to collect GKs (I have 8 in my first team squad and reserves currently. Plus 3 in my U18s) and MCs, and I prefer technical/intelligent players with poorer physical stats to physical beasts with little skills even if the latter tend to be favored by the engine (Less so in FM13 though it seems!). I think I made a thread like this several years back which was fairly entertaining, but I wanted to catch newer FM degenerates too

Go ahead and out-weird me, I know you will!

[Jibby123]

My 1st choice RB has to be '2', LB is '3', 2nd choice RB is '22', 2nd choice LB '23' as well. I always use same squad numbers for positions regardless. Completely pointless, adds nothing to the game, but it has to at least 5 mins spent getting it right every year and once the season starts I take no notice of their squad number anyway.

It threw my head big time when I stopped playing with wingers and couldn't give no. 7 to an AM®. No. 7 turned in to a DM, and it's never been the same since. My head that is.

[dankrzyz]

Glad I'm not the only one with odd and specific practices with uniform numbers. All of my GKs wear a number in the 90s, strikers always get single-digit numbers, 34 and 49 (my favorite numbers) go to top players, 10 and 22 to creative midfield talents, and loaned in players get numbers in the 60s, 70s, or 80s. Not very traditional, I know.

[superposh]

Every now and then I like to give a striker or AMC the number 2 or 3 shirt just to be different. Although Dempsey and Gyan currently wear these numbers for their teams irl. Not sure about Gyan actually. Is he still messing around in Saudi Arabia or somewhere? Also like giving a playmaker the number 6. I have also been known to give a tough tackling no nonsense DMC the number 5, which I believe is quite common in South America. I'm sure the OP will be breaking out in a cold sweat while reading this! Although I'm currently managing in the BSS so squad numbers are not an issue at moment. Hopefully a problem I'll have soon as my Havant & Waterlooville boys march up the leagues!

[CityAndColour]

13 and 31 are always my second and third 'keepers.

19 always goes to an attacker with flair, in homage to my days idolising Dwight Yorke.

I also never give a loanee a number inside 20, even if he is a walk-up starter and I have low numbers available.

[Ryknow]

I never give 13 to a player. But backup keepers are 40 and 42.

My favourite attacker (ST, AMR, AML) will be 7, the next favourite 14, then 21. 9 is always a striker but sometimes not the best.

6 is always my deep lying player maker. 2,3,4,5 my best defenders. 10 to the playmaker.

Then it's whatever suits.

[Lathund]

Every now and then I like to give a striker or AMC the number 2 or 3 shirt just to be different. Although Dempsey and Gyan currently wear these numbers for their teams irl. Not sure about Gyan actually. Is he still messing around in Saudi Arabia or somewhere? Also like giving a playmaker the number 6. I have also been known to give a tough tackling no nonsense DMC the number 5, which I believe is quite common in South America. I'm sure the OP will be breaking out in a cold sweat while reading this! Although I'm currently managing in the BSS so squad numbers are not an issue at moment. Hopefully a problem I'll have soon as my Havant & Waterlooville boys march up the leagues!

As long as I don't have to watch that team it's all good!

I'm fine with the #5 for DMC and #6 for DC though, as with how the numbers evolved from a 2-3-5 all the way to 4-4-2 it makes sense. I'd never have it that way in my team but each to their own

[lucic1]

Key Striker always gets the 18 shirt. Always has always will. Comes from Kilinsmann always wearing that number at every club and country he played

[Herbert Fandel]

#16 and #18 are for MCs. 18 for MCa (or AM depending on the formation), 16 for MCd (or DM).

##33 DL. Ideally a D/M (L), as it's a factor of 3 and 11.

Assuming I play with 2 up front, 18 is 3rd Choice striker, 33 is 4th choice striker, without fail.

67 goes to the best Scottish youth player (if I have one)

96 to the best u17 striker

[SRL88]

I like using #33 for LB's/LW's too .

[Jibby123]

Has anyone ever had a player throw a strop if he doesn't, or can't, get his preferred squad number?? I've not, but wondered if it makes much difference??

[cdleedsfan]

Henry was #14 so always assign that to a striker.

Scholes was #18 so always assign that to a creative midfielder

Keane was #16 so always assign that to a DM or CM

Owen was #20 so try to assign that to a striker

[Ackter]

I'm anti-OCD when it comes to squad numbers.

My striker is number 4 and my right back is number 11 at the moment.

In FM11 I had a midfielder as number 1 for his entire 19 year career.

[Ackter]

This'll wind so many people up

[Bracken]

Ackter trying to give some people nightmares

First 11 get the usual numbers, 13 goes to my favourite player outside the first 11. I have a few numbers that go to certain types of players outside the first 11 (16 goes to an attacking player, as does 21, while 12 will be a CM) but other than that it's just kind of random. 25 never goes to anyone, no matter what club I'm playing as, (it's retired at Chelsea anyway) in honour of Zola.

[Ackter]

There was a massive fuss kicked up in the OTF FM thread when I first posted a picture of him with that number too

[Lenzar]

I usually try to give 1-11 to players fairly high up the order, for correctly positioned players - 2 is a right back, for instance.

When I first got into the BSP as Havant & Waterlooville, for the first game we lined up as 1-11. Later on, though, as I signed better players, the system started to be less obvious - I now have players wearing shirts as high as 34 despite being first XIers.

I definitely don't believe in the silly high numbers given for vanity reasons, unless I have enough players to justify such numbers.

Generally, if I have a full squad, the numbering will drift to the following:

1 GK

2 RB

3 LB

4 (D)MC

5 DC

6 DC

7 MR

8 (A)MC

9 FC

10 FC

11 ML

12 Defensive sub

13 Sub GK

14 Defensive sub

15-17 Midfielderish subs

18 Sub FC

19+ reserved for other players who are down the order.

31-48 Youth team players, +30 from above (31 GK etc)

That depends on what formation etc I am playing. In my small club to big club game, for instance, I played 4-5-1 and the 10 shirt went to the AMC.

[Kenco]

I'm not keen on the traditional 1-11 positions so I tend to tweak a little, with 10 given to my AML and 7 to a striker. Sometimes one of my fullbacks will get 4 or 5 with a centre back getting 2 or 3.

17 always seems to end up with a talented attacking player for some reaon.

My main OCD thing is that once a player has a number it's his until he leaves the club, I never change their number. Because of this, I spend a bit of time at the start of the season before assigning numbers, picking out potential stars from my youth and giving them a good number. Even when I loan players out, I keep their number free for when they return as I like continuity.

[budisuharto]

On the same topic regarding numbers, I have yet to see a regen that has a favoured number. Is that the case or have I not seen enough yet? Thanks

[LilSaint]

#12 is my real problem number. I don't like it. Not assigning it is an option, but "retiring" the shirt and giving it to the 12th man (the fans) feels a bit cliché. And besides, I don't like having unassigned numbers below 20. So it'll usually be a versatile player like an AM (LC), ST

you can do that? i had no idea

[Jibby123]

This'll wind so many people up

That is seriously messed up. As sad as it sounds (and is!!) that would do my nut in. It's just not right.

[Lathund]

you can do that? i had no idea

In your head you can. Most clubs that don't give out the #12 shirt do it for that reason, and I'd need a better explanation than "cuz some random Swede has OCD" if I do it

And yeah Ackter, that's just not on!

But on that note, anyone done an Argentina and assigned squad numbers alphabetically? With or without exception for a godly talented #10?

[Herbert Fandel]

But on that note, anyone done an Argentina and assigned squad numbers alphabetically? With or without exception for a godly talented #10?

In my youth I used to do it sorted by value, but I have become more serious in my old age

[Ackter]

I imagine this probably won't go down well either then:

My starting DC for 16 years.

Wanna see his replacement?

[aaron1606]

I imagine this probably won't go down well either then:

My starting DC for 16 years.

Wanna see his replacement?

You cruel, cruel person.

[Hurball]

I like to give defensive-minded players even numbers (with the exception of #5 for a CD). They seem more solid to me for some reason. #8 #14 #16 #22 etc all go to defensive mids/centre mids.

Left sided players get odd numbers (#3, #11) , although #9 has to go to a strong centre forward.

I save prime numbers for flair players and/or team legends. #17 and #19 especially, I save for attacking wingers or attacking midfielders who I rate highly... #7 goes to the generic crowd favourite, #17 to my personal favourite...

It's pretty sad, but it matters to me!

[Dperry]

http://caws.ws/forum/topic/375009-squad-numbers-in-football/

Warning: Unsafe for those with squad number OCD

[easternhawk2]

No.1 is always a keeper. 9 and 10 are always strikers, 7 is always a winger. Other than that everything, within reason, so I won't have my midfield playmaker as no.2, is up for grabs. 2-6 are normally my defenders or my DM. Players don't change number unless someone in the club leaves(so my striker with no 28 won't swap with my striker with no 10)

[lemeures]

always liverpool, and never take 25 off reina! carra is 23 so allows an extra defensive position

first team obviously to 11 after that, my first sub is always the sub keeper, so hes 12.

13 and 14 for my sub defenders 15 and 16 for sub mids, 17 the sub winger and 18 sub striker.

if i have an amazing youth to play cup games, he gets the 1 jersey. any other keeper has to have a 1 at the end

ignore there being 11 players, each player has the position hes for. 22 or 32 for right back and so on. 11 is just a 10 after the first team. easy way to remember your youths best positions if they are numbered like that!

[Ackter]

Despite my unusual numbering habits, 12 and 13 are always sub keeper numbers.

[ScottGooner]

Aside from #1 which goes to a GK, I don't care about my CB wearing #10 and a striker wearing #4.

[CMdan44]

Ackter, I will destroy you. #1 for an outfield player?

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

As for my squad number OCD, it depends on the club I'm at and the country I'm in but there's always a sort of pattern to it and I have two hard and fast rules: 1) either 13 or 14 are unused because if I was a player I'd have one of those and 2) no-one will have the number 22 because it looks stupid (this goes back to the days before I had a good PC and had to make do with LMA Manager on PS2. I always liked to look for young players with potential and it seemed to me that at age 23 players were unlikely to make huge leaps forward any more but at 21 they might still have a chance. This left a gap of about a year, 22 was a wierd age, where you'd no idea if they'd maxed out or had a little extra to give. It actually angered me so much that the mere sight of the number 22 very nearly induced physical sickness - and you thought you had number OCD - and so no-one ever got it as a squad number and that tradition continues to this day. The slight irony is that I'm now 22 and I still have an aversion to people of that age. I can't wait for my next birthday).

Despite this pretty severe OCD-type behaviour, I'm pretty free with the numbers I do assign, and sometimes allow players with preffered numbers to break my system, except that number one can only be a keeper and no keeper can ever wear any number from 2-11. If I've got two or more evenly matched keepers, none of them will get number 1, they'll be numbered from 20-27. I'll give a Centre-Back pretty much any first-team number and there are some wierd ones in there, like 3, 5 and 8 being open to strikers if I sign a new star forward after 7, 9, 10 and 11 have been taken. Sometimes the numbers 1-11 never get assigned at all, if I feel my squad will need a massive overhaul in the near future (next season or two). 30 - 38 are usually reserved for on-loan players or hot prospects except 32 which makes up for the missing number 22 and usually goes to my third best centre-back. 39+ go to anybody who's good enough for a number but who doesn't fit in further down, usually decent youngsters or players coming to the end of their stays with me.

The list usually looks a little something like this:

1. First-Choice GK

2. Any DF

3. LB or CB (or ST at a push)

4. CB, RB, DM, CM or RM

5. CB (or AM if I feel like homaging Zidane, or ST at a push)

6. CB, LB, DM or CM

7. CB, (LB), RB, DM, CM, RM, LM, AM or ST (Unofficially retired if I take over at Celtic)

8. CB, CM, LM, RM or AM (or ST at a push)

9. Poacher

10. CB, CM, RM, LM, AM or ST

11. CB, LB, LM, RM, AM, or ST

12. anything but GK or CB

13. Young GK, or CM, AM or ST

14. ST (homage to Henry)

15. young CB

16. young CB

17. RB or RM

18. CM, LM or ST

19. CM

20. GK, or CM or ST

21. GK

23. GK, CB, RM, LM, AM or ST

24. GK, LM or ST

25. GK, CM or AM

26. GK

27. GK or young ST

28. young CB or young AM

29. ST

30. ST

31. CM or ST

32. CB, LB, CM or ST

33. LB, CM, LM or ST

34 & 36. left sided ST

35. pacey RM

37 & 38 young CB or ST

39. left sided ST

40. ST

41, 42 & 44. Young CB

43. GK

45. CM or AM

46. technically gifted winger or AM

47 & 49. ST

50-66. never used

regens or star players who do not fit in lower down the number scale get 67, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 85, 89, 90, 95, 98 and 99 or their birth-years.

[AlexNFFC]

I'm so pleased there are other people out there with squad number OCD! For me, 1-11 are self-explanatory, 12 is always my backup keeper (unless 12 has been allocated to the fans like on my last save at Oxford), I never give 13 out. My backup full backs are always 20 and 21 as the numbers add up to 2 and 3. Back up centre-backs are 26 (John Terry) and 24 - I don't ever give out 25 as I associate that number with Gianfranco Zola - I'm not a Chelsea fan btw! Backup strikers are usually 14 and 23, or 32. I often give 39 out to a striker as well, thanks to Anelka and Bellamy, and Darren Bent when he first moved to Villa. I don't like to give unnecessarily high numbers out though if I can help it, and try to keep it semi-realistic. I've been known to spend about half an hour working it out!

[AlexNFFC]

This'll wind so many people up

Part of me just died inside

[Lawlore]

Aside from giving #23 to a young striker (in honour of Robbie Fowler, of all people), my numbers are pretty standard.

That article was a good read up there, although it failed to mention Buffon and his request for shirt #88... which led to people accusing him of being a fascist and/or Nazi.

This might also be of interest: http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/lists/3384/crazy_squad_num.html

[AytchMan]

I imagine this will torque the pumpkins of a few purists: playing exclusively lower league, I give out squad numbers on the basis of seniority with the club. When I take over a club, I start with the oldest guy at number one (whether he's a starter or not) and work on down. Then, as new players come in, they start at the bottom of the ladder, that is, with the highest numbers. After a few years, it's an interesting way to see who's in the old guard and still with the club. As an aside, I can report that no player has ever complained.

[Bababui]

When I was using 2D I would assign numbers by position:

1-5 GK

10-14 LB

15-19 RB

20-30 DC

31-34 ML

35-39 MR

40-50 CM

50-55 DM

90-99 STR

[Lathund]

Glad to see I'm not alone in my weirdness! The problem though is that while we have that in common, you're all doing it wrong!! ()

The reason my keeper is #13 is that in older CM versions the keeper always used to be the second sub (And so have #13). I've kept that since. Speaking of which, sub #1 is always a striker, #3 a striker/winger/attacking midfielder (Depending on formation), #4 winger/midfielder, #5 winger/midfielder, #6 midfielder/fullback, #7 defender (Ideally one that means I can cover any injury in defense with just one defender on the bench). I'm nowhere near as stringent about this as the numbers though,it's just a general guideline that sub #1 is the most attacking one, and they're gradually less attacking from there. Keeper excepted ofc.

[parkour94]

Usually I use:

For goalkeeper, 1, 24, 30 (ice hochey influence), 31...

For central defenders, 2, 3, 4, 33

For full-backs, 5, 13, 16, 25...

For defensive midfielders, of course, no. 6...

For center midfielders, 8 and others

For the more creatives players or some of the best of the squad, no. 7, 17

For wingers, 11, 23...

For strikers, 9, 10 (sometimes), 12, 21

Sometimes for players loaned from other teams, I tend to use between 30-39

For the youth squad (not all) between 40-49

For the reserve squad, other numbers, using more frequently between 60-70

[RBKalle]

Not much to do with OCD, more with tradition and consistency...

1: GK

2: RB

3: LB

4: DMC/defensive-minded MC

5-6: CB

7: RM/AMR

8: CM

9: ST

10: AMC/most talented midfielder (often left unassigned if I feel nobody's derserving enough)

11: ST/AML

12: Utility player

13: CB

14: no fixed rule

15: young MC/AMC

16: no fixed rule

17: backup winger

18: MC

19,21,22: rotation/young offensive players

20: super sub striker (guess why...)

From 23 onwards it's more or less random, depending on need, but I still sort of follow the 2-9 pattern for outside players, with backup RB getting 32 when 22 is taken by an young winger/striker

Backup keepers get 30-33 in ice hockey fashion.

Younger prospects can get their year of birth when most viable numbers are already taken. In such cases they keep that number in following seasons.

[sl101075]

My first choice keeper HAS to have nr.22!

GK: 22

DL: 3

DR: 2

DC: 4

DC: 5

ML: 11

MR: 7

MC: 6

MC: 8

SC: 9

SC: 10

The rest of the numbers, I don´t care about....

[michaeltmurrayuk]

Am I the only one who assigns #12 to my backup RB?

I've used the following numbering scheme since the 2D pitch came in as it allowed me to instantly know if someone was out of position (though less of an issue with the 3D pitch) aswell as there best position:

GK 1, 13, 31 I'll occasionally assign 99 to a youth keeper.

RB: 2, 12, 32

DCR: 6, 15, 36

DCL: 4, 14, 34

DCL: 3, 18, 27

RM: 7, 17, 37

CMd: 5, 16, 35

CMa: 8, 19, 28, 38

LM: 11, 22, 33

STs: 10, 20, 30, 40

STa: 9, 29, 39

Missing numbers in the 20's are assigned to squad players who I'm not sure where they will play.

The thing that annoys me is the 1-11 order you use in unassigned competitions being in the wrong position, it's even worse in my FM13 game as my LB is somehow #11 and my left winger is #3 and I cannot seem to switch them back

[Ackter]

Glad to see I'm not alone in my weirdness! The problem though is that while we have that in common, you're all doing it wrong!! ()

The reason my keeper is #13 is that in older CM versions the keeper always used to be the second sub (And so have #13). I've kept that since. Speaking of which, sub #1 is always a striker, #3 a striker/winger/attacking midfielder (Depending on formation), #4 winger/midfielder, #5 winger/midfielder, #6 midfielder/fullback, #7 defender (Ideally one that means I can cover any injury in defense with just one defender on the bench). I'm nowhere near as stringent about this as the numbers though,it's just a general guideline that sub #1 is the most attacking one, and they're gradually less attacking from there. Keeper excepted ofc.

My keeper is still always second sub.

it annoys me that autopick now picks him first.

[cdleedsfan]

I hate Gareth Bale for wanting number 3

[llama3]

I have a few numbers that i use in certain ways - but if a first team player is wearing a number already then I do not change it until they leave:

1 - Goalkeeper

3 - Any full back

4 - Central Midfielder

5 - Central Defender

6 - Central Defender

7 - Creative Midfielder

10 - Any Creative Player

14 - Quick Forward

15, 16, 17 - Prefer Midfielders

22 - Often a Defensive Player, particularly if he is French.

23 - Creative Player

24 - Any of my reserve goalkeepers (i.e. 2nd, 3rd or 4th choice)

[drtrick]

My 1st choice RB has to be '2', LB is '3', 2nd choice RB is '22', 2nd choice LB '23' as well.

Haha, that's how do it too. I basically have my first eleven (1 - 11), then i have the back up eleven using numbers 21 - 31 and then any extras in the corresponding number from 41-51 for whatever position they're likely to play in most.

[joshboyle14]

What's everyones views on the number 39? I always seem to give it to a new striker or winger I buy especially when 9,10 and 11 are unavailable.

[AlexNFFC]

What's everyones views on the number 39? I always seem to give it to a new striker or winger I buy especially when 9,10 and 11 are unavailable.

39 is a striker's number, thanks to Anelka and Bellamy

[Recury]

My keeper is still always second sub.

Pfft, this is FM, you don't need a sub keeper.

[Ackter]

Pfft, this is FM, you don't need a sub keeper.

On the one occasion I can remember my keeper being injured was within the first 10 minutes.

His sub was injured 10 minutes later.

Against Barcelona.

Away.