Fantasy Football

You've seen the rest now play the best - Independent Fantasy Football brings you the first real innovation in fantasy football, allowing you to pick the playing formation of your team. You can opt for a defensive strategy with five defenders, three midfielders and two strikers in a 5-3-2 formation, or go on the attack with three strikers in a 4-3-3 line-up. Complete your team with a goalkeeper and a Premiership manager and you'll be ready for kick-off.

To put your title-winning team together you have a budget of pounds 40 million to spend. It is up to you how you spend the money, with no restrictions on the number of players you can choose from any one Premiership team. Look carefully and you will find some real bargains, with Alan Shearer on sale for the fantasy price of pounds 11.1 million!

So take up the challenge and prove your skill as a manager to win a football fan's dream prize and the opportunity to gloat over friends and colleagues well into the 1997-98 season.

PRIZES

The overall winner at the end of the season will be the entrant who has accrued more points than any other Independent Fantasy Football team in that time. Win the ultimate prize - a trip to the 1998 World Cup in France. The winner, plus companion, will see all the action of a quarter-final and a semi-final of their choice, plus the final. In addition, the highest scoring team each month will win a pair of tickets to one of England's World Cup qualifying games at Wembley.

HOW TO ENTER

Using your football knowledge decide your team formation from the following four options:

FORMATION A. 4-4-2 4 Defenders, 4 Midfielders, 2 Strikers

FORMATION B. 4-3-3 4 Defenders, 3 Midfielders, 3 Strikers

FORMATION C. 5-3-2 5 Defenders, 3 Midfielders, 2 Strikers

FORMATION D. 3-5-2 3 Defenders, 5 Midfielders, 2 Strikers

You are free to enter as many teams as you wish, allowing you to try out more than one tactical formation, but each team must be made as a separate entry via a separate telephone call.

Once you have chosen your formation, select your team of 10 players to fit your chosen option, plus one goalkeeper and one manager from the list below. Players can only play in the positions that they are listed under and the team's total value must not exceed pounds 40 million. Remember to give your team a name.

Use our Team Selection form below to make a note of your team's details, then dial our registration hotline to register. Where possible, please try to use a tone telephone, although a traditional pulse telephone can be used if necessary. Make sure you follow the instructions on the phoneline carefully. At the end of your call you will be given your own special PIN number, which you must keep safe. It can be added to your Team Selection form.

HOW TO SCORE

Every time one of your players scores a goal you will be awarded four points. Four points will also be awarded for goalkeepers and defenders whose team have kept a clean sheet during a match. If a player scores the winning goal, i.e. if there is a one-goal difference in the scoreline, the player scoring the final goal for the winning team is awarded one bonus point in addition to the standard four points awarded for that goal. Each successful assist (a pass that, in the opinion of our team of experts, leads directly to a goal) will give a player three points. The opinion of our experts on this matter is final. Each player selected and starting a game will be awarded one point.

Players lose one point for a yellow card and three for a red card. Own goals, either scored or conceded, do not count for scoring purposes.

The Premiership manager that you choose will be awarded three points if their real-life team win, one point if they draw and no points if they lose.

Results will be published in The Independent every Wednesday for all games played from the previous

Monday to Sunday inclusive.

Look out for transfer opportunities which will be

announced during the season.

Please read the Rules and Conditions carefully

before making your call.

TO REGISTER TODAY, SIMPLY CALL:

UK 0891-252-244(tone)

UK 0891-252-234(pulse)

Republic of Ireland: 1550 131 553

UK calls cost 39p per minute cheap rate and 49p at all other times.

Republic of Ireland calls cost 58p per minute including VAT at all times.

Maximum call length 6.5 minutes.

RULES AND CONDITIONS

1. Only entries made via The Independent Fantasy Football official registration phonelines will be valid.

2. For your Fantasy Football team selection you may only use the players published in the official lists printed in The Independent.

3. Entries must comprise 11 players and one manager. The players must consist of a goalkeeper plus one of the four team formations listed left. The total cost of the team, including manager, must not exceed pounds 40 million.

4. FA Carling Premiership footballers have been assigned a fictional transfer value by our experts which represent current ability. There will be no correspondence relating to players or their fictional value.

5. Independent Fantasy Football results are calculated on all matches in the FA Carling Premiership. Points are awarded according to the scoring system described in "How to Score".

6. In the event that a goalkeeper or a defender is substituted, the player substituted and the substitute are both deemed to have played in the match in question. Therefore, if there is a clean sheet both players shall be credited.

7. The Independent overall prize of a 1998 World Cup trip will go to the team whose total score exceeds that of any other team over the whole season. If there is a tie, a simple draw will take place.

8. One pair of tickets to see England play at Wembley will be awarded to the manager whose team's points exceed that of any other manager during any month. Each month running between the dates specified below. In the event of a tie a single draw will take place. The monthly games shall run: Month 1: 17/08/96 to 22/09/96 Month 2: 23/09/96 to 27/10/96 Month 3: 28/10/96 to 24/11/96 Month 4: 25/11/96 to 22/12/96 Month 5: 23/12/96 to 19/01/97 Month 6: 20/01/97 to 23/02/97 Month 7: 24/02/97 to 16/03/97 Month 8: 17/03/97 to 20/04/97.

9. Only FA Carling Premiership matches apply. If a player is transferred out of the Premier League or is unable to play for any other reason, that player will not score within this game from that point on until he resumes playing in the Premier League.

10. All points scored during all Premiership matches count towards the fantasy team's total score for the season and the final top prize. No cup or international matches count.

11. Team selections, once made, cannot be altered until such time as a transfer list may be published in connection with Fantasy Football. There is no limit to the number of entries any person or household may make by individual entry. One PIN claim number will be issued for each valid team registration. You must keep your PIN claim number safe.

12. Closing date for entries is 5pm, 11 September 1996.

13. The competition is open to residents of the UK and Republic of Ireland only. Entrants under 18 must be able to provide written permission from parent or guardian if requested and ask permission from the person who pays the telephone charges before phoning their entry.

14. Inaudible, incomplete, incorrect or those entries considered obscene will not be accepted. Newspaper Publishing plc are not responsible for entries lost or delayed in transfer. Proof of magnetic transcript is not accepted as proof of entry.

15. Employees of Newspaper Publishing plc, Europrint Promotions Ltd, TIM, agents and families are not allowed to enter. Normal Newspaper Publishing plc rules apply.

16. UK calls will be charged at 39p per minute cheap rate and 49p per minute at all other times, Republic of Ireland calls will cost 58p per minute including VAT at all times. Entries made by pay phone will cost approximately double that of a normal phone. Your call should not last more than 6.5 minutes. Make sure your team selection is correct before dialling so that your call is for the minimum duration.

17. Newspaper Publishing plc reserves the right to stop the game at any time and change the conditions. The Editor's decision is final in all

matters relating to the game. No correspondence, either in writing or by telephone, will be entered into.

18. You may receive future offers or

information from Newspaper Publishing plc or approved companies. If you do not wish to receive these please write to:

Independent Fantasy Football, One

Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL.

19. Should you have any difficulty in

registering your team, please call our helpline on 0171 293 2220.

Promoter: Newspaper Publishing plc, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5DL.

Team Market

CODE PLAYER TEAM VALUE

CODE PLAYER TEAM VALUE

CODE PLAYER TEAM VALUE

CODE PLAYER TEAM VALUE

CODE PLAYER TEAM VALUE

GOALKEEPERS

300 Seaman ARS 5.9

303 Bosnich AV 4.0

304 Flowers BLA 5.2

305 Kharine CHE 3.7

306 Hitchcock CHE 1.5

307 Ogrizovic COV 2.2

308 Filan COV 1.5

309 Southall EVE 3.0

330 Martyn LEE 3.3

333 James LIV 4.7

335 Poole LEI 1.5

336 Hoult DER 1.6

337 Schmeichel MU 5.5

338 Walsh MID 3.0

339 Srnicek NEW 3.7

340 Hislop NEW 3.7

343 Crossley NOT 2.7

344 Wright NOT 1.3

345 Beasant SOT 1.8

346 Pressman SW 2.7

347 Coton SUN 1.8

348 Walker TOT 3.4

349 Miklosko WH 3.0

350 Sullivan WIM 1.8

DEFENDERS

400 Dixon ARS 3.1

403 Winterburn ARS 3.1

404 Bould ARS 3.0

405 Adams ARS 5.3

406 Keown ARS 3.7

407 Staunton AV 3.0

408 Southgate AV 5.2

409 McGrath AV 3.0

430 Ehiogu AV 3.0

433 Wright AV 3.4

434 Tiler AV 1.2

435 Berg BLA 3.4

436 Le Saux BLA 4.0

437 Coleman BLA 3.7

438 Hendry BLA 4.4

439 Kenna BLA 1.9

440 Duberry CHE 3.0

443 Petrescu CHE 3.0

444 Phelan CHE 1.9

445 Lebeouf CHE 4.4

446 Sinclair CHE 2.2

447 Minto CHE 1.3

448 Daish COV 2.7

449 Shaw COV 2.2

450 Burrows COV 2.2

453 Stimac DER 3.3

454 Powell DER 1.8

455 Wassall DER 2.2

456 Short EVE 3.0

457 Watson EVE 2.7

458 Unsworth EVE 3.0

459 Hottiger EVE 2.2

460 Hinchcliffe EVE 1.9

463 Jobson LEE 2.7

464 Kelly LEE 3.6

465 Wetherall LEE 3.5

466 Dorigo LEE 3.2

467 Pemberton LEE 1.2

468 Walsh LEI 2.2

469 Grayson LEI 2.2

470 Whitlow LEI 1.2

473 Watts LEI 1.6

474 Babb LIV 3.7

475 Jones LIV 2.7

476 Wright LIV 2.8

477 Ruddock LIV 3.0

478 Scales LIV 4.4

479 Harkness LIV 2.2

480 Neville (G) MU 3.7

483 Neville (P) MU 3.7

484 Irwin MU 4.1

485 Pallister MU 4.9

486 May MU 3.0

487 Vickers MID 2.2

488 Pearson MID 2.2

489 Whyte MID 2.2

490 Cox MID 2.5

493 Albert NEW 4.1

494 Howey NEW 3.7

495 Peacock NEW 3.0

496 Barton NEW 3.3

497 Beresford NEW 2.2

498 Cooper NOT 3.0

499 Chettle NOT 2.4

500 Jerkan NOT 2.9

503 Lyttle NOT 1.8

504 Pearce NOT 3.4

505 Monkou SOT 2.5

506 Dodd SOT 2.2

507 Benali SOT 2.2

508 Charlton SOT 2.2

509 Nolan SW 1.9

530 Atherton SW 1.9

533 Walker SW 2.5

534 Stefanovic SW 1.6

535 Melville SUN 2.2

536 Kubicki SUN 1.2

537 Ball SUN 2.2

538 Campbell TOT 3.7

539 Calderwood TOT 2.9

540 Austin TOT 2.2

543 Edinburgh TOT 1.6

544 Mabbutt TOT 2.7

545 Dicks WH 3.5

546 Bilic WH 3.7

547 Reiper WH 2.7

548 Hall WH 2.7

549 Bowen WH 2.2

550 Pearce WIM 2.2

553 Reeves WIM 1.8

554 Thorn WIM 1.8

555 Thatcher WIM 2.7

MIDFIELDERS

600 Merson ARS 4.4

603 Platt ARS 4.8

604 Parlour ARS 2.4

605 Helder ARS 3.7

606 Hillier ARS 1.5

607 Taylor AV 1.9

608 Townsend AV 3.1

609 Draper AV 4.1

630 Donis BLA 3.0

633 Wilcox BLA 3.7

634 Ripley BLA 3.0

635 Sherwood BLA 3.4

636 Flitcroft BLA 3.0

637 Gullit CHE 4.4

638 Di Matteo CHE 4.4

639 Wise CHE 3.7

640 Newton CHE 2.4

643 Peacock CHE 2.1

644 Salako COV 2.4

645 Telfer COV 1.8

646 Richardson COV 2.4

647 McAllister COV 3.0

648 Jess COV 2.2

649 Simpson DER 1.2

650 Asanovic DER 2.2

653 Van Der Laan DER 1.6

654 Ebbrell EVE 1.9

655 Kanchelskis EVE 6.7

656 Parkinson EVE 1.8

657 Stuart EVE 2.5

658 Grant EVE 2.2

659 Bowyer LEE 3.0

660 Wallace LEE 1.8

663 Palmer LEE 3.0

664 Barnes LIV 3.0

665 Redknapp LIV 5.2

666 McManaman LIV 5.9

667 McAteer LIV 3.7

668 Thomas LIV 3.0

669 Giggs MU 7.4

670 Beckham MU 5.2

673 Keane MU 6.5

674 Butt MU 4.5

675 Sharpe MU 3.0

676 Juninho MID 5.9

677 Emerson MID 4.4

678 Hignett MID 2.5

679 Moore MID 1.2

680 Lee NEW 3.6

683 Batty NEW 4.5

684 Gillespie NEW 4.0

685 Ginola NEW 4.2

686 Clark NEW 3.0

687 Woan NOT 3.4

688 Bart-Williams NOT 3.6

689 Stone NOT 5.0

690 Gemmill NOT 3.0

693 Parker LEI 2.5

694 Taylor LEI 1.6

695 Izzett LEI 2.1

696 Waddle SW 2.7

697 Blinker SW 2.2

698 Jones SW 2.0

699 Hyde SW 1.8

700 Magilton SOT 2.4

703 Venison SOT 2.7

704 Heaney SOT 2.2

705 M Gray SUN 3.0

706 Rae SUN 2.7

707 Agnew SUN 1.0

708 Anderton TOT 6.7

709 Fox TOT 5.6

730 Howells TOT 3.2

733 Sinton TOT 3.0

734 Williamson WH 3.6

735 Dumitrescu WH 3.7

736 Hughes WH 2.7

737 Moncur WH 2.7

738 Bishop WH 3.0

739 Jones WIM 2.8

740 Earle WIM 3.1

743 Ardley WIM 2.0

744 Fear WIM 2.0

STRIKERS

800 Bergkamp ARS 7.0

803 Wright ARS 7.2

804 Hartson ARS 3.7

806 Yorke AV 6.7

807 Milosevic AV 4.4

808 Johnson AV 3.5

809 Joachim AV 2.4

830 Shearer NEW 11.1

834 Sutton BLA 3.7

835 Vialli CHE 8.1

836 Hughes CHE 4.4

837 Spencer CHE 2.5

838 Dublin COV 4.7

839 Whelan COV 5.2

840 Ndlovu COV 4.3

843 Gabbiadini DER 3.5

844 Ward DER 2.5

845 Sturridge DER 3.0

846 Ferguson EVE 6.7

847 Amokachi EVE 3.7

848 Rideout EVE 3.0

849 Yeboah LEE 5.9

850 Rush LEE 5.2

853 Deane LEE 3.0

854 Collymore LIV 8.1

855 Fowler LIV 9.5

856 Claridge LEI 3.0

857 Heskey LEI 2.8

858 Robins LEI 2.0

859 Cantona MU 8.1

860 Scholes MU 5.0

863 Cole MU 6.2

864 Fjortoft MID 3.1

865 Ravanelli MID 8.0

866 Barmby MID 6.7

867 Beardsley NEW 4.4

868 Asprilla NEW 7.4

869 Ferdinand NEW 8.6

870 Saunders NOT 5.2

873 Roy NOT 4.8

874 Campbell NOT 3.1

875 Booth SW 4.4

876 Hirst SW 5.5

877 Bright SW 2.5

878 Le Tissier SOT 7.0

879 Shipperley SOT 3.7

880 Watson SOT 2.2

883 Kelly SUN 2.1

884 Stewart SUN 2.3

885 Sheringham TOT 7.4

886 Armstrong TOT 5.9

887 Rosenthal TOT 2.1

888 Futre WH 4.0

889 Raducioiu WH 5.1

890 Dowie WH 3.3

893 Holdsworth WIM 4.5

894 Goodman WIM 3.2

895 Ekoku WIM 2.7

MANAGERS

900 Keegan NEW 8.0

903 Ferguson MU 9.0

904 Evans LIV 7.0

905 Rioch ARS 6.0

906 Royle EVE 5.5

907 Harford BLA 5.5

908 Francis TOT 5.0

909 Wilkinson LEE 3.5

930 Redknapp WH 3.3

933 Gullit CHE 4.5

934 Clark NOT 3.3

935 Robson MID 5.0

936 Reid SUN 2.0

937 Souness SOT 2.3

938 O'Neill LEI 1.8

939 Smith DER 2.0

940 Kinnear WIM 2.2

943 Atkinson COV 4.0

944 Little AV 5.0

945 Pleat SW 3.5