Last season's Texaco Star Manager was Rowan Lees, whose team North End Re-United scored a whopping 716 points. His battle with second and third placed managers James Page and Dennis Plummer went down to the final weekend of the season, with Rowan securing the win due to West Brom's inability to keep a clean sheet!
Below, we ask Rowan for one or two tips to help you make your team as successful as his.
Q: Rowan, congratulations once again on winning Texaco Fantasy Football 2009/10. How did it feel, and how did you celebrate?
A: Once again massive thanks to Texaco and the Football League for running the competition, and for all the fantastic prizes! To win a competition like this with so many people involved is pretty special, though being a North End supporter seeing Blackpool get promoted was the only down side!
I managed to reach top spot in time for the last game of the season which also coincided with my son’s 3rd birthday party. After checking the days results I was fairly confident I'd won giving us even more to celebrate!
Q: What were the key moments in the season for you, and who were your most important players?
A: The day before kick off I was having a last little tinker with the team and draughted in Michael Chopra and made him Captain. His tally of goals helped me off to a flyer along with an early transfer of my star performer Peter Whittingham. The run in was helped by the performances of Graham Dorrans, Andy Carroll and Gylfi Sigurdsson but it really did come down to the last day of the season and the fact West Brom conceded won me the title.
Q: Have you got any advice for other managers when it comes to selecting their teams for the 2010/11 season?
A: Past performance is always a good starting point though high point scorers and players from relegated clubs usually come at a price. Unless your name's Arsene Wenger balancing the team out with undervalued players is usually a case of trial and error.
It may seem obvious but selecting players who are guaranteed to play is essential for scoring points and avoids wasting valuable transfers.
Q: What about making transfers? How can Texaco Fantasy Football managers get the most out of their transfer allocation?
A: Managers need to try and limit transfers for when dodgy keepers and defenders are costing them points and identify quickly when players are injured. With this tactic, it was about February / March when I found myself in the top 30 and still had plenty of transfers to use for the run in.
Whatever you do, don't try to use your transfers to chase the points every week, as you'll find that your allocation will disappear very quickly in what is a long season.
Q: Finally Rowan, have you got any predictions for Texaco Fantasy Football 2010/11 that you'd be willing to share? Players to pick, teams to do well etc.
A: The strong finishers last season and newly relegated teams are the obvious candidates though there aren't many weak teams in the division at all this season. I’d like to say Preston North End will be right up there but there's been a lot going on this summer with the winding-up order, takeover and players leaving to balance the books. A top half finish I hope is realistic then push on next season when Blackpool return!