Weight-loss footballer from Swansea to feature in new version of one of the world’s most popular football video games
A Swansea man has had his significant weight loss achievements as part MAN v FAT Football recognised by being included as newgens in the latest version of popular video game, Football Manager, whose brand new 2024 edition launched on November 6th. MAN v FAT Awards winner Ben Gleeson received the accolade after winning MAN v FAT’s ‘Coach of the Year’ award.
FM24, developed by Sports Interactive and published by Sega, enables players to charge of the world’s greatest football teams and manage them in their own way. Their previous release, FM23 hit more than six million players in September.
Ben Gleeson, who coached MAN v FAT Football in Swansea, is one of those who features in the new version of the game. He is one of more than 200 coaches at 160 clubs involved in the UK-wide programme that sees 8,000 players take part every week. He was named as the MAN v FAT Coach of The Year earlier this year. Collectively, UK men have now lost 600,000 pounds in weight on the MAN v FAT programme.
“I’m a massive fan of Football Manager and it’s such a thrill to be included in the new version,” says Ben. “It’s not the kind of thing you
expect to happen to you.
“Being the coach of MAN v FAT Football Swansea has been an absolute pleasure. Outside of getting married and the birth of our two wonderful daughters, what has happened with our Swansea club has been the proudest achievement of my life.”
Head of Partnerships at Sports Interactive, Richard Trafford, said: “Football for good is so important to us at Sports Interactive and
that’s why we’ve previously included MAN v FAT advertising in-game. To follow on from that by celebrating Ben and Michael’s achievements through a place in FM24 as newgens – or newly-generated players that can generate in any career – is something we’re really proud to be doing.”
Aimed at men with a BMI of higher than 27.5, MAN v FAT was created by Andrew Shanahan, who developed a programme that combines football with achievable weight loss goals for men.
Before their weekly matches, players are weighed, followed by a 30-minute game of six-a-side football, with extra goal bonuses awarded to teams based on their weight loss. Weight loss and match scores then contribute to teams’ league positions within a club.
More information is available at manvfatfootball.org
