What do you think?
Player Manager #3
Player Manager 3: A Sports Progression Fantasy
One uniquely gifted football fan goes from face-in-the-crowd to manager-to-remember as this electrifying LitRPG series for fans of Ted Lasso continues.
When football fanatic and loveable loser Max Best saved an old codger from a mugging, he never expected to be rewarded with the ability to immediately pinpoint a player’s specific skills—and use that knowledge to up his own levels. Ever since that fateful night, Max has devoted himself to the game far more than any mere fan, becoming not only a serious footballer in his own right but a leader both on and off the pitch.
Then, just as he’s about to accept a manager position at formerly bottom-of-the-league Telford, Max is offered the job of director of football at Chester FC, a role that may not even exist . . . yet. But in order to have a chance in hell of getting the gig, he’s going to have to convince the team’s fan representative board—one of whose members goes by the charming name “Bulldog”—that he’s for real.
To do that, Max will have to play attack and defence as he navigates the stark reality of the professional football industry and struggles to survive to play another day. Because while playing hard on the field can get you a win, playing hardball off the field can lose you everything.
The third volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 800,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
When football fanatic and loveable loser Max Best saved an old codger from a mugging, he never expected to be rewarded with the ability to immediately pinpoint a player’s specific skills—and use that knowledge to up his own levels. Ever since that fateful night, Max has devoted himself to the game far more than any mere fan, becoming not only a serious footballer in his own right but a leader both on and off the pitch.
Then, just as he’s about to accept a manager position at formerly bottom-of-the-league Telford, Max is offered the job of director of football at Chester FC, a role that may not even exist . . . yet. But in order to have a chance in hell of getting the gig, he’s going to have to convince the team’s fan representative board—one of whose members goes by the charming name “Bulldog”—that he’s for real.
To do that, Max will have to play attack and defence as he navigates the stark reality of the professional football industry and struggles to survive to play another day. Because while playing hard on the field can get you a win, playing hardball off the field can lose you everything.
The third volume of the hit progression-fantasy series—with more than 800,000 views on Royal Road—now available on Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and Audible!
407 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2024
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 18, 2026
Book 1 I thought I wanted Max to be a manager. Book 2 I was sure the player angle was the most fun and I wanted that. So I was disappointed when he went the Director of Football route in book 3. But goddamn, this was so much fun. Best one so far, and I can't stop reading this.
August 16, 2025
Ben nu echt invested in het vrouwenteam
January 12, 2025
Unlike most of the LitRPG I've read (except Dungeon Crawler Carl) this series gets better and better with each iteration. Football (soccer) fan or not, if you're looking for a WELL WRITTEN litrpg (for a change), you can't go wrong with this series. a great cast of characters, an engaging premise, involved storyline, I found myself constantly rooting for Mr. Best!
January 13, 2025
This series continues to be unexpectedly brilliant.
The characters are all drawn very well, all with both flaws and virtues. The world of professional soccer is described believably in all its details. And the "game" is consistently used to the benefit of the story.
Perhaps the best part of the series is the empathy shown for the players and the kindness shown by the protagonist.
I have been repeatedly surprised by how much I like this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports at all.
The characters are all drawn very well, all with both flaws and virtues. The world of professional soccer is described believably in all its details. And the "game" is consistently used to the benefit of the story.
Perhaps the best part of the series is the empathy shown for the players and the kindness shown by the protagonist.
I have been repeatedly surprised by how much I like this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports at all.
May 3, 2026
Big big comeback here, this book is absolutely full of my favorite aspects of the first two. There's a huge foundation that is getting built and I looooove following along. The last 50 pages were also written in a different way than the rest of the series and it was /incredibly/ well done. Absolutely loved this one, have read 1500 pages of this series in 5 days, will likely start reading the next one even though it's an hour past my bedtime :)
November 21, 2025
Burnley!!!
I’m sure you can tell by the number of 5* etc that this is a great series that once you start you will definitely finish. I’m just padding out a review to get the character count because all I really wanted to say was it’s not often Burnley gets praised!!! Our owner isn’t a billionaire though I’m sure there are some Max Best smoke and mirrors!
I’m sure you can tell by the number of 5* etc that this is a great series that once you start you will definitely finish. I’m just padding out a review to get the character count because all I really wanted to say was it’s not often Burnley gets praised!!! Our owner isn’t a billionaire though I’m sure there are some Max Best smoke and mirrors!
May 23, 2024
This series is so good by itself, but the narrator sends it to a 6* for me, if I could send it that high.
If you are into sports games, or just into football (soccer) this is a really really fun slice of life story.
If you are into sports games, or just into football (soccer) this is a really really fun slice of life story.
September 7, 2026
[Player Manager Book 3] First reactions/Comments/Questions
I have finished! Ahhhhh. That ending! That was crazy, the character development of Tyson ahhhhhh. And Spectrum! Omaigosh. And duuuude. The other POV was amazing! It was so freaking long too. Omaigosh, the highhh
—-4/9/26—-
The manic bulldozing Max did to meet everyone at the board kinda annoyed me because he was hella obnoxious. Though I understand his stress, I do wish he would tone it down a bit. I liked meeting everyone one on one though, new characters. Then we got to the voting meeting and it felt a bit anticlimactic? Except the one with Crackers and the mp3. That was sweet. It’s just I dearly wished we had the full training scene with Tyson. Because Bulldog voted for him just like that? I feel like I missed a couple of pages. It feels like such a 180 where I missed the turning point completely.
—5/9/26—
Hmmm, this book is super stressful? Max is super stressed out which is making anxious reading this middle tthird chink of the book which is a lot.
—6/9/26—
Guys, why is Wilson so adorable 😩 That zoomies into a surprise koala, the stealth hug and adorable comversations, the pure love towards Max guh.
——-
Oh my, Dani dani dani. That match and the hospital was top. This is what I’m talking about! The sizzling chemistry, the wordless communication, the connection you get without saying a word! Dang, that whole bit was beautiful. Relationship progress dor the win.
—7/9/26—
Sumo, Sumo, why are you so nice 😩 I had to stop at where he said it’s totally fine to just barge in. 😩 What’s happening, why am I suddenly being bombarded with genuine smiles now, Max and Henri, Max and Wilson, Max and Dani and now Max and Sumo n Co. ahhh Is this how Ted Steel takes me alive? Making me suffer with Max so so ling so every good action to help Max feels like such a precious onion??
Aww, I really love the kids. They add such a pure and simple outlook to the story. Happy the the Rebels are back 🥲
———
Hmm, the music video. I actually never heard the whole As It Was song, just the bells intro really. It’s meh for me aha. Because I just had a month long Epic: The Musical binge and they are 100 times more hooky and atulidly addictive 😅 So the video was good. But I admit it started to feel really on the nose and when I had a second to think about it, it feels cringy as Max said 😂 I do wish I could see it though. I feel the aanimation to the musical beat would sell it far better than text. For what its worth, it sound cool.
——-
I think I’ve been burnt too many times by Max because Max being so happy and saying he had never been happier or excited for the future kept giving me dread for what is gonna happen or what dumb rage thing he’s going to do to bring it crashing down 😅 Is it this Der Tournament thing? A lot of times when he’s not being battered into a nicer person, he’s a cocky dick so his plans blows up in his face. Is this one of them? He’s so self sabotaging 🥵
——-
Ughhh, Dani said >!yes,!< guys please tell me when I should believe in the goodness all in and stop being on edge having this calm before the storm feel because it sucks 😅 I think the author did too good a job in the previous books and now I keep waiting for the shoe to drop\* \*😅 Is this the calm before the storm?? This streak of things looking up is getting too long, I feel like the next setback is pas due and going to be huge. This is making me anxious 😂🫠
———
Oh wow, I have reached the absolutely best part of the entire book, the long interview/other pov chapter. I was wondering when I would get to the fabled Outsider POV of Max and the few very short interview snippets didn’t really seem like what was being gushed by reddit. And I finally got the first one! And man. I adored it to bits. It’s so insane and heartwarmingly cosy to read about Max without needing to present for every exhausting high stress thought 😂
That bit with benny and the ambulance felt like overreaction though not gonna lie. Because the next day Max said he can play for 15-20 mins. The whole entire team building a circle around benny was way a bit too ridiculous imo. And shame on Beth for making a 14-yr old bawl. That was a bit iffy to me.
——-
Guys. Guuuuys. That was crazy. Tyson. The character development. Omaigosh. What the heck. Delivered to me through an Interview/Outsider POV whattheheck. \*Tyson flappy arms\* Also, omaigosh, Benny and Tyson are like friends now?? From the tiny mentions of Benny and Tyson in the same sentences, to them walking together when Beth caught up to that whole goal?? Dude. The character development 🤯
I have finished! Ahhhhh. That ending! That was crazy, the character development of Tyson ahhhhhh. And Spectrum! Omaigosh. And duuuude. The other POV was amazing! It was so freaking long too. Omaigosh, the highhh
—-4/9/26—-
The manic bulldozing Max did to meet everyone at the board kinda annoyed me because he was hella obnoxious. Though I understand his stress, I do wish he would tone it down a bit. I liked meeting everyone one on one though, new characters. Then we got to the voting meeting and it felt a bit anticlimactic? Except the one with Crackers and the mp3. That was sweet. It’s just I dearly wished we had the full training scene with Tyson. Because Bulldog voted for him just like that? I feel like I missed a couple of pages. It feels like such a 180 where I missed the turning point completely.
—5/9/26—
Hmmm, this book is super stressful? Max is super stressed out which is making anxious reading this middle tthird chink of the book which is a lot.
—6/9/26—
Guys, why is Wilson so adorable 😩 That zoomies into a surprise koala, the stealth hug and adorable comversations, the pure love towards Max guh.
——-
Oh my, Dani dani dani. That match and the hospital was top. This is what I’m talking about! The sizzling chemistry, the wordless communication, the connection you get without saying a word! Dang, that whole bit was beautiful. Relationship progress dor the win.
—7/9/26—
Sumo, Sumo, why are you so nice 😩 I had to stop at where he said it’s totally fine to just barge in. 😩 What’s happening, why am I suddenly being bombarded with genuine smiles now, Max and Henri, Max and Wilson, Max and Dani and now Max and Sumo n Co. ahhh Is this how Ted Steel takes me alive? Making me suffer with Max so so ling so every good action to help Max feels like such a precious onion??
Aww, I really love the kids. They add such a pure and simple outlook to the story. Happy the the Rebels are back 🥲
———
Hmm, the music video. I actually never heard the whole As It Was song, just the bells intro really. It’s meh for me aha. Because I just had a month long Epic: The Musical binge and they are 100 times more hooky and atulidly addictive 😅 So the video was good. But I admit it started to feel really on the nose and when I had a second to think about it, it feels cringy as Max said 😂 I do wish I could see it though. I feel the aanimation to the musical beat would sell it far better than text. For what its worth, it sound cool.
——-
I think I’ve been burnt too many times by Max because Max being so happy and saying he had never been happier or excited for the future kept giving me dread for what is gonna happen or what dumb rage thing he’s going to do to bring it crashing down 😅 Is it this Der Tournament thing? A lot of times when he’s not being battered into a nicer person, he’s a cocky dick so his plans blows up in his face. Is this one of them? He’s so self sabotaging 🥵
——-
Ughhh, Dani said >!yes,!< guys please tell me when I should believe in the goodness all in and stop being on edge having this calm before the storm feel because it sucks 😅 I think the author did too good a job in the previous books and now I keep waiting for the shoe to drop\* \*😅 Is this the calm before the storm?? This streak of things looking up is getting too long, I feel like the next setback is pas due and going to be huge. This is making me anxious 😂🫠
———
Oh wow, I have reached the absolutely best part of the entire book, the long interview/other pov chapter. I was wondering when I would get to the fabled Outsider POV of Max and the few very short interview snippets didn’t really seem like what was being gushed by reddit. And I finally got the first one! And man. I adored it to bits. It’s so insane and heartwarmingly cosy to read about Max without needing to present for every exhausting high stress thought 😂
That bit with benny and the ambulance felt like overreaction though not gonna lie. Because the next day Max said he can play for 15-20 mins. The whole entire team building a circle around benny was way a bit too ridiculous imo. And shame on Beth for making a 14-yr old bawl. That was a bit iffy to me.
——-
Guys. Guuuuys. That was crazy. Tyson. The character development. Omaigosh. What the heck. Delivered to me through an Interview/Outsider POV whattheheck. \*Tyson flappy arms\* Also, omaigosh, Benny and Tyson are like friends now?? From the tiny mentions of Benny and Tyson in the same sentences, to them walking together when Beth caught up to that whole goal?? Dude. The character development 🤯
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2026
Been listening to this series in the last week, and while I think that the idea is quite decent, the execution sucks. As a lifelong FM player, I've always wanted to read something like this, but as I kept pushing through, it moved on from a book about football management into a social commentary work with football elements in the background.
As the plot went on, the author focused more and more on politics and social issues instead of the supposed main plot point of the work. Seems like that's what he wanted to write about instead of football management.
In addition to that disappointing me, the MC is a genuinely unlikeable person. The only reason he didn't get his ass kicked is because of the plot.
I stopped in the middle of the 3rd book where we were getting ready to make a TikTok Harry Styles video to reach out to a deaf girl so she could join up with the yet unnamed female football team in the English non-leagues... Because that's what you want to read about in a football management book with gaming elements.
As the plot went on, the author focused more and more on politics and social issues instead of the supposed main plot point of the work. Seems like that's what he wanted to write about instead of football management.
In addition to that disappointing me, the MC is a genuinely unlikeable person. The only reason he didn't get his ass kicked is because of the plot.
I stopped in the middle of the 3rd book where we were getting ready to make a TikTok Harry Styles video to reach out to a deaf girl so she could join up with the yet unnamed female football team in the English non-leagues... Because that's what you want to read about in a football management book with gaming elements.
August 21, 2026
This will probably be the best book I'll read all year. Was simply fantastic and really kicked the series into a new gear, which was already amazing. We got less Max Best the Player, and got Max Best the Director of Football. He coached the youth and disabled teams, was busy setting up the women's team and making January transfers for the first team of Chester.
April 9, 2026
I would say maybe this series hits a niche for me. I’m probably going to keep reading it and this one was the most enjoyable. The litrpg portion actually took somewhat of a back seat to the story which was good because the maim character started seeming a bit looney in book 2.
May 17, 2024
What is this????
Dear author..... Give us more, it's yoooo slooowwwww. Where is the next part??? I need it right nowwwwww. Honest to Max.
Dear author..... Give us more, it's yoooo slooowwwww. Where is the next part??? I need it right nowwwwww. Honest to Max.
February 18, 2025
Fully addicted to the series
Onto the next one
Onto the next one
March 29, 2025
I absolutely love this series! Fantastic stuff. 👍🏽👍🏽
May 3, 2025
Fantastic, great, awesome, love it.
August 16, 2025
better that the last in every way, I'm glad Max can't just 1v11 solo and win
April 17, 2026
3.75 stars sunk cost fallacy occurring but also I like soccer so fun to have in the background
March 12, 2026
5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews