4-4-2
Much-favoured tactical formation in which a team lines up with four defenders, four midfield players and two strikers. The two central defenders are flanked by full-backs and two wingers play outside the central midfielders.

Attributes
The ability of players and coaches in the game are represented by a score out of 20 for each of their skills - 'attributes'. Some or all of a player's attributes may be masked, meaning you'll need to examine a potential signing closely, usually by assigning scouts, to discover their true ability.

Auto Save
Football Manager can automatically save your progress at intervals to ensure you lose minimal information in the event your computer becomes unstable. You can alter these intervals on the Preferences page.

Backroom
The players, manager and chairman of a football club are constantly in the glare of the media, but without the backroom staff, those behind-the-scenes figures such as physios and scouts, no team could achieve success. Assembling the right backroom staff is a key objective of every football manager.

Balance
As well as being an attribute in itself, balance is a term often used to assess the quality of a team as a unit. Simply fielding the best eleven players on the planet is no guarantee of success. Aside from obvious considerations, such as their positions, a team's balance depends on how the players complement one another. A perfectly balanced four-player midfield, for instance, could consist of a left-footed left winger, a right-footed right winger, and a complementary duo of one attack-minded and one defensively minded central midfielder.

Bosman Ruling
A European judgement, named after former professional footballer John Bosman, allows players to move freely between clubs at the end of their existing contract. Famous Bosman transfers include Sol Campbell to Arsenal from Tottenham Hostpur in 2001 and Steve McManaman's transfer from Liverpool to Real Madrid in 1999.

Caps
The term 'international cap' refers to players making an appearance for their national side. It originates from the late nineteenth century when headgear in football was common. It is debatable exactly when the first international caps were awarded, but around this time there existed the practice of presenting a player with a cap for each appearance - usually embroided with an emblem of their nation. The practice continues today.

Captain
Your enforcer on the pitch. The team captain should be a respected and charismatic individual who will make key decisions in the heat of the action and instruct players. Has a key role in motivating the team and provide leadership. Choose your captain wisely as it could affect the morale and performance levels of your entire squad. See Tactics

Click/Clicking
This refers to a single press of the left mouse button.

Club Expectations
The chairman and fans of your club will have definite ideas on how well they expect the team to fare in your current season. They'll express themselves in News items or you can check out the Confidence screen to see whether you're living up to their hopes.

Corner-kick
If the ball passes over the goal line, but not into the net, and a defending player got the last touch a corner-kick is awarded to the attacking side and is taken from the corner of the pitch nearest where the ball went out of play.

Database
The pool of loaded players, managers and staff in your game. See New Game for details of how to alter the size of your database.

Download
When you save information from the internet to your computer in the form of a text file, program or image you are downloading it.

Draw (US - 'Tie')
When referring to the outcome of a match, a draw is when no team scores more goals than the other. In league competitions a draw results in each team being awarded 1 point.

Drop-Down
This refers to a button which, once clicked, unfurls to reveal additional options, all related to the main category.

Enhancement Pack
Also known as a patch. An official update to Football Manager offering extra features or fixing bugs.

Formation
Each manager selects eleven players for a game, but can fine-tune each of their positions in a 'formation', selecting a combination of goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and attackers. Common formations include 4-4-2, 3-5-2 (three defenders, five midfielders and two strikers) and 4-3-3 (four defenders, three midfielders and three strikers).

Foul
When a player makes an illegal challenge on an opponent. The referee may award a card as a penalty for such unsportsmanlike behaviour. See Red/Yellow Cards

Free-kick
Awarded to a team after an opponent is penalised for a Foul. The defending side must not stand within 10 yards of the kicker while the kick is taken.

Friendly Match
A warm-up game in which managers can try out new tactics and players. The actual result of the game is not usually important.

Full-back
A full-back plays either on the left- or right-side of defence in a rigid defensive role, usually as part of a 'back four' defensive line (as in 4-4-2). Wing-backs have more freedom to make forward runs and are usually positioned slightly further up the field and in a five-man defence.

Goal-kick
If an attacker is the last to touch the ball before it goes over the opponent's goal line, but not into the net, a goal-kick is awarded to the opposing side and taken from the edge of the six-yard box.

Holiday (US - Vacation)
Leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure - or in a Football Manager's case the opportunity to sit back, let your assistant take over and make yourself a cup of tea.

Hot Seat
When two or more users play on FM2006 on the same computer at the same time. As each manager will have to take turns to be at the computer, the person currently in charge is known as the player in the hot seat.

IP Address
A unique code which identifies a computer connected to the internet. In a network game of Football Manager you can use an IP address to identify a server. For information on joining an online game see Network.

Loan
A player may be temporarily loaned from one club to another instead of being permanently transferred. The player will then play for the loaned club for the agreed time before returning to his original club.

Mind Games
At the top of every sport, psychology is as much a part of a winning formula as ability on the field, and football is no different. Managers are constantly clashing, seeking a psychological edge in the build-up and aftermath of a key encounter. Football Manager gives you the opportunity to enter a war of words, reply to stinging attacks on your ability or sing the praises of a boss you respect. See Release Comment

Minnow
A minnow is usually a smaller club playing above their level in some cup competition. If a lower league team ever reaches the later stages of a cup and play a top team they will be referred to as a minnow.

Nationality
A player can adopt a nationality or multiple nationalities according to blood lines (eg an English grandmother could qualify a player for British nationality) or residency. Many countries have strict rules about letting players from certain countries ply their trade in their leagues in order to protect opportunities for homegrown players. In England, for instance, players from outside the EU must have featured in the vast majority of games played recently by their national side to be granted a work permit.

Odds
The price offered by bookmakers based on the probability of a given outcome in an event. E.g. odds of 10/1 will give a gambler a £10 payout for every £1 bet placed, indicating the likelihood of this event is not high. Odds of 4/5 suggest an event is likely as only £4 will be paid out for every £5 placed.

Offside
A contentious rule stating that no attacker should be in front of the ball and between the second last opposing player and the goal line in the opposing team's half, at the moment a ball is played forward to him. If the attacker interferes with play, with an opponent or gains an advantage by being in that position then they are deemed to be offside and a free kick is awarded to the defending team. See Offside Trap.

Offside Trap
A risky defensive tactic is to attempt to catch opponents in an offside position by moving the defence forward as a unit just before a ball is played forward to an attacker.

Online
When your computer is connected to the internet.

Out of Position
When a player is played on the field in a position that does not suit his natural ability. Players playing out of position are likely to put in a performance that does not reflect their true ability.

Patch
Also known as an Enhancement Pack. A downloadable file containing bug fixes, gameplay improvements or new features that can be added to your existing software by performing a Check for Updates. These can also be accessed by visiting www.sigames.com.

Penalty Box (Also 18-yard box or 'the area')
An area extending 18 yards around the goal. If an opponent is fouled by a member of the team defending the goal a penalty kick is automatically awarded.

Penalty Kick
A free kick given against the defending team when they commit a foul inside their own penalty box. Taken from 12 yards, no player aside from the goalkeeper and the kick taker is allowed in the box while the kick is being taken. The keeper is also not allowed to move off their own goal line.

Penalty Shootout
A way of determining the winner of a game which is drawn at the end. Five penalties are taken by each team, with the winner being the team who scores the most. If teams have scored the same amount then the shootout enters "sudden death" where a team scores and the other team in the same equivalent penalty (e.g. sixth penalty each).

Players
Left-click at any time to bring up a player's information screen.

Playmaker
All the great sides in world football have one player who rises above the rest to 'pull the strings'. You can select your playmaker in the Tactics screen. Ensure you choose a player with strong creativity stats to ensure he'll be adept at opening up opposition defences.

Poach
In playing terms, poaching is the act of stealing unspectacular goals, usually from short range, although the term is more often used in football parlance to refer to brazenly, underhandedly, or illegally acquiring the services of a player or member of staff from under the noses of a rival or their existing employer.

Red Card/Yellow Card
A referee can award a red card for serious foul play. A red card results automatically when a player receives two yellow cards. A yellow card is seen as a warning as well as a reprimand - it doesn't result in a player having to leave the field of play without being replaced, but it can carry with it disciplinary points that can result in a playing ban if they accrue sufficiently.

Right-click
A single press of the right-hand mouse button. For Mac users, hold down the 'Ctrl' key and click.

Server
A computer that has been designated to host an online game of Football Manager. For information on joining an online game see Network.

Set-Piece
An action which occurs after a stoppage in play, such as a corner, goal kick or free kick.

Six-Yard Box
An area extending six yards around each goal from within which goal kicks are taken.

Skin
The themed graphical display of the game. Altering the skin will not affect gameplay, only the 'look' of Football Manager. The skin can be changed in Preferences.

Squad
The roster of players at your disposal is split into the teams you have at your club, usually the first-team, reserve and youth teams.

Target Man
Many tactics make use of a target man, a player who operates up front and is the target of long balls and direct passes. Target men are often deployed in defensive formations as an outlet for teams under pressure. If you decide to operate with a target man you should ensure he will be capable of holding the ball up and keeping it under close control while he awaits support from on-rushing midfield players.

Throw In
When the ball goes out of play on either side of the pitch a throw-in is awarded to the team who didn't get the last touch. A player cannot be off side if he receives the ball from a throw-in.

Transfer Bid
In Football Manager, much as in real football, players' contracts are owned by one or more clubs. In order to sign a player clubs must first approach a club and agree a fee to release the player from his commitment to his current contract. The only exceptions are when a player is nearing the end of his contract, as he can negotiate a deal to commence after his current contract ends, or when the player is not under contract to any club.

Transfer List
When a player is no longer wanted by a club they are placed on the transfer list (See Set Transfer Status). Signing a player who is not transfer listed is often more difficult as the buying manager will have to work to prise the player from his club, sometimes by offering a transfer fee that greatly exceeds the value of the individual.

Transfer Window
In many footballing nations a rule has been adopted to prevent the free flow of players between clubs. The Transfer Window limits the time when clubs may buy a player who is in contract. When the transfer window is closed movement in the transfer market is limited to players who are out of contract or who move on a temporary loan basis.

Up Front
Players playing in an attacking role are deemed to be up front. Your strikers usually play up front.

Utility Player
A player who is adept at performing in a variety of positions, although one who is often not world class in any single area of the pitch. Examine a player's positions to see how well they can perform in different roles in Football Manager.

Winger
A midfield or sometimes forward player who is asked to play in a wide position. Such players often run the touch-line and are expected to put in crosses for the forward players.

Work Permit
Based on a player's nationality, certain countries make demands that a player has participated in a certain percentage of games played by their national team, before they grant a work permit to play in their chosen nation. In Football Manager you will be notified through scouting reports if a player will need a work permit and an application will automatically be made for one in the event you do agree terms for a player who requires one. In the event the permit is turned down, you should always contest the decision as, in some cases, the ruling will be overturned.