Secret Mode and Sumo Sheffield have just announced a new retro-inspired, football-themed card game, which will be coming to Steam in 2026.
Nutmeg!, as the project is called, sees players take control of a Division Four side in the 1980s (when mullets, moustaches, and perms were all the rage), before embarking on a quest to get your team to the top of the table and stay there over the period of 20 years (or leave when you eventually get a better offer).
Outside of games, players will be able to handle transfers, talk to press, and look after other matters related to the day-to-day running of the club (much like in other football management games), with the twist here being the need to assemble a deck of cards through completing challenges, which can then be used in fast-paced battles during matches to change the flow of a game.
It's a pretty promising premise, and one that is arguably made even more interesting by the stylish presentation, which lovingly pays tribute to the technology of era. Deals, for instance, are carried on an old computer, while players will be able to view the league table and other football highlights through a set of teletext-style pages displayed on a retro TV.
In addition to that, there's also some other satisfying nods to the era, including a retro sticker collection book, which appears to be how you view your current team.
Here what you can hope to expect:
Deck-building goes in two-footed on football management!
Become the gaffer of a classic football team and embark on a 20-year journey up and down the English football Divisions through the 1980s and 1990s.
A Game of Two Halves
Pick your line-up and formations, and challenge the opposition in a fast-paced card battler with three points on the line in every match.
Move the Goalposts
The only football game where getting cards is a good thing! Earn card packs by completing challenges. Combine cards to enhance your deck and bully the other team off the pitch.Get Your Head in the Game
Route one? Tiki-taka? Counter-attacking? Refine skills and strategies in training to earn extra card packs and humble your opponents when Saturday comes.Keep Your Eye on the Ball
Pick your club, manage player transfers, scout and develop youth talent, and scrap for every place across four Divisions.Get Stuck In
Oversee the entire club from your desk. Control the finances, talk with the press, and hire and fire backroom staff.Big Game Player
Immerse yourself in some of the most iconic eras of English football. Unlock new clubs each season and decide whether to be a journeyman manager or a one-club hero.
The game is currently available to wishlist on Steam.