Looking back, FM 2005 had a specific DNA: If you want to win the Champions League with Crystal Palace in your first season, forget "Total Football." You need to embrace the meta.

Let us know in the comments—unless you’re still mad about that time your star player got upset because you praised him too much. (Yes, that was a bug. Yes, it ruined your save.) Boots up FM 2005. Puts Freddy Adu on the left wing. Clicks "Go On Holiday."

Before Football Manager became the data-driven juggernaut it is today, there was FM 2005 . It was buggy. It was beautiful. And if you didn’t exploit the match engine, you were losing to the guy who did.