Fresh Air, FA Cups & Fantasy Points

 

Lessons from my father, Manchester United, and the long game of FPL.

Dad and I, on the rare occasion of a steam engine in our backyard - where the journey really began, family, football and Manchester United.

It’s 1976. I’m eight years old, sitting at a family wedding in a hotel ballroom filled with laughter and clinking glasses. The air is thick with the smell of roasts, potatoes, and rich stews — that unmistakable scent of cooking meat and onions that clings to every curtain. The aroma of whiskey and stout drifts through the room, heavier than the conversation, as uncles prop up the bar and aunties nurse port glasses.

My dad leans over the table and announces — to no one in particular — that I’m not feeling well and need to get some fresh air. I protest immediately. “I’m fine,” I say. But then comes the sharp kick under the table. Dad drops his voice and whispers, “Say you don’t feel well.”

Next thing I know, we’re slipping out of the reception. I half expect a walk outside, maybe a bit of fresh air or maybe a trip to the lobby to cool down. Instead, he heads straight for the TV room, already alive with chatter and the faint haze of cigarette smoke - he did love his Player's Navy Cut. The telly’s on — colour, no less — and he plonks me down on the couch.

“This,” he says, nodding toward the screen, “is Manchester United. Watch how they play.”

It was the FA Cup Final. United versus Southampton. That moment — that quiet act of fatherly deception — was the start of my lifelong love affair with Manchester United. Not born out of geography or glory, but from a dad who thought there were lessons worth learning from football. As every November approaches, when his birthday rolls around, I find myself thinking back to that day. The hum of the reception behind closed doors. The glow of the TV. The moment football became something more than just a game.

Fast forward to now — not 1976, but Gameweek 8 (and I am thinking of 17 or maybe 18… or 19). Still watching, still learning. And once again, I’m planning something that looks a little bit unconventional: the Bench Boost.
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Bench Boosting into the Chaos

Most managers hoard the Bench Boost for that big, glittering Double Gameweek later in the season — the one that never quite lives up to the hype. But this year is different. We’ve got two Bench Boosts to play. One has to be used in the first half of the season, or it’s gone for good.

So, I’m thinking: why not plan for it early?

The festive fixtures are chaos personified — rotation, fatigue, mystery “tight calves” that last two weeks. It’s the part of the season when your £4.0m defender suddenly becomes a hero because everyone else is rested. If there’s ever a time you want a strong bench, this is it. So I’m planning to turn that necessity into a weapon.

The key to my plan? Holding Salah.

Yes, most managers are jumping ship. He’s looked a touch off-form, and AFCON is on the horizon. But elite footballers don’t suddenly forget how to play — they dip, they recover, and when they do, you want to be on the right side of it. I’ll ride it out.

Once Salah heads off to AFCON, I’ll sell him and spread the funds. That’ll give me a bench full of starters, not passengers. When the right Gameweek lands — maybe 17, 18, or 19 — I’ll hit the Bench Boost button. Hopefully, it’ll give me the springboard I need heading into the second half of the season, both in rank and in confidence.

It’s not glamorous. It’s not a maverick captaincy punt. But it’s calculated — a small, sensible rebellion against the template.
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Back to 1976

As for that match — United didn’t win. In one of the biggest shocks in FA Cup history, Southampton beat them 1–0. Bobby Stokes scored in the 83rd minute with a neat finish that broke my dad’s heart but somehow sealed my fate as a fan. It was Southampton’s first major trophy, and the last time Queen Elizabeth II attended a final to present the cup herself.

Dad didn’t say much after the final whistle. Just nodded, ushered me back to the reception, and said, “That’s football — it keeps you humble.”

Nearly fifty years later, I think he’d say the same about FPL. You can plan, you can prepare, but sometimes Bobby Stokes still pops up and ruins your week. The trick is to keep watching, keep learning, and every now and then, step outside for a bit of fresh air.

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Post Story Thoughts

So that’s the plan — a Bench Boost somewhere between Gameweeks 17 and 19, built on faith in Salah and a bit of festive fortune.

But as always in FPL, the real game starts once the decisions are made.

Will it backfire holding Salah for so long based on his current form?

Is it the approach that Slot has adopted — and the downturn in Liverpool’s results — that’s dragged him down?

And is Gameweek 17–19 really the optimal window to play a Bench Boost, or am I overthinking it?

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I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Drop your feedback, insights, or just your gut instinct over on BlueSky or X — @FplRogue.

And more importantly — how do I identify the next Bobby Stokes to get that extra jump on the field in OR?