The new Premier League season is upon us and the sound you can hear is millions of FPL fans refreshing their accounts again.
And if there’s one man who knows the game inside out, it’s Mark McGettigan; aka FPL General.
‘The General’ is one of the most trusted sources of knowledge and advice in an ever-expanding community and has hosted his own podcast for years.
So we caught up with Mark to talk going ‘full time’, his plans FPL Athletic Podcastand… Patrick van Aanholt…
How long have you been playing FPL and why should we take a single word you say seriously?
I have played the Fantasy Premier League version since the beginning, which was the 2002-03 season. I was 12 years old! If my math is correct, this will be my 21st campaign!
My first fantasy football experience was that summer for the South Korea/Japan World Cup. I remember picking Roque Santa Cruz for Paraguay as one of my five strikers and then waking up very early to watch him score in his opening match against South Africa. I was instantly hooked.
Over the years, I have managed to achieve some very good finishes in the FPL. During 2014-15 to 2017-18, I finished inside the top 500 in the world rankings three times in four seasons (102, 352 and 362).
This will be my 21st season @OfficialFPL
Anyone else played from the beginning? (2002/03)
— FPL General (@FPLGeneral) July 22, 2022
When did you realize you could make a living from FPL?
I went full time with the fantasy stuff in August 2018. It was the perfect time for me to do it as I just had three great endings.
Before that, my Twitter account @FPLGeneral was growing at a very fast rate, the podcast was getting way more downloads than I expected and I just went for it, took a risk and luckily it worked out. I am extremely fortunate to be able to say that my greatest passion now is my work.
Why should people listen to your podcast?
FPL Athletic Podcast gives you everything you need to know ahead of each game week in just 30 minutes. There’s no fluff, it’s straight to the point, best transfers, best captains, hot topics of the week covered and some strategy talk too.
It’s perfect for those with busy lives who need a quick fix before the FPL deadline. It will also air twice a week this season, with one review show every Monday and the other looking at the weekend’s games on Friday.
Who are the best FPL accounts to follow?
I follow about 500 Twitter accounts, but I have a small list of managers that I pay special attention to. List includes @FPL_Salah, @HollyShand, @BenDinnery, @BenCrellin, @lateriser12, @zophar666, @LetsTalk_FPL, @FFScout_Mark, @FFScout_Az and @FPLFocal.
Which player or players do you have the best of your FPL career?
Riyad Mahrez is the first name that comes to mind. I picked him in week one for Leicester’s title-winning season in 2015-16. He scored 17 goals, provided 11 assists and collected 38 bonus points for a total score of 240 points. Not bad for a £5.5m midfielder!
Another player who is a legend in my book is Patrick van Aanholt. On the last day of the 2018 season, I transferred him to replace Harry Maguire. His goal, assist, clean sheet and three bonus points moved me from 697th to 362nd in the rankings. A good way to end a campaign!
What is your biggest regret about FPL?
My biggest regret about FPL is doing the content creation/giving people advice. When I went full-time in 2018, I made the mistake of taking too many one-on-ones during the season. By the time it came down to a Friday night, my head was reeling from watching so many different teams during the week. When it came to making my transfer/captaincy decisions, I made a lot of mistakes. It ended up being my worst season ever, but a lot of lessons were learned that year.
Which player could you not do without this season?
Trent-Alexander Arnold. I think most people will answer this question the same way. He has scored over 200 points twice and costs just £7.5m. If he was £8.5m or £9.0m we would consider him for the first week.
If you were to offer young FPL players one piece of advice this season, what would it be?
Play your game. Don’t get caught up in the social media buzz about gamers. Back yourself. Always. Good luck for the 2022-23 season!
There will be plenty of FPL content from myself and other top fantasy writers throughout the season on The Athletic, including The Athletic FPL Podcast. We’ll try to bring you all the latest news and strategies on how to navigate the season smoothly. Stay tuned.
(Photo: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images)
