Meet The Team

Name: Will (willr)

Role: Technical Manager / Director

Team: Arsenal

Home: Brighton

Current Job: Security Consultant (Not the nightclub type the online type)

About Will: If this was a football club I'd say Will would be the captain. This project all stemmed from him saying I reckon we could do a better job at that. Isn't that what Richard Branson does with Virgin. I hope Will enjoys that compliment. He has had involvement in every part of the process, recruiting us, forming the company, and almost every other part of the game from the technical side of things right through to the community, finance, and admin side of the company.

He's currently working on arranging the technicalities of the first server and balancing out version one of the database and player generation.

While he's not working his intense job, or creating this game, Will enjoys composing music and playing Tennis. He also told me he enjoys making things, I'm not sure if this is computer games, a mess or model planes but it sounds interesting right.

Anyway lades and gentlemen I give you Will.

Name: Jon (jdiddy)

Role: Lead Developer

Team: Nottingham Forest

Home: Edinburgh

Current Job: Software Developer

About Jon: To me Jon is the constant bringer of good news. Everytime we catch up i end up going 'wow that's cool'. Over the last few months now he has been flat out putting in some big hours on the client. From my sneak peaks this has definitely been paying off. Jon is the back bone of development at the moment, and with the teams 'ambitious' visions, he certainly has a big job on his hands.

Currently he is balancing client development and getting the preliminary ME finalised. All in a days work hey!

When not working on the game, Jon loves his music, travelling and likes to play computer games. He's also mad for his sport, good job really working on this game.

So I give you the hardest working developer I know, Mr jdiddy!

Name: Jules (toffeejules)

Role: Features Manager/ Director

Team: Everton

Home: Greer SC USA/Farnham Surrey UK

Current Job: Pilot/Restauranteur/Entrepreneur - Currently in America setting up a restaurant

About Jules: What can I say about Jules, he is a dreamer with a great vision of where he wants the game to be. I think between Jules and the rest of the devs (but Jules is always involved) there are enough potential features for testing, launch and maybe 2 years of upgrades. With new components getting dreamt up all of the time. However, focus on where we are trying to get is never lost. But along side this Jules has also been a big player in the negotiation in possible partnerships with interested parties, and formation of the company.

Jules is currently continuing to look at possible links and as he informs me looking at developing post launch features. Which sound very exciting.

Jules away from the game enjoys starting companies, and has had success in many different areas, his portfolio reads like a list of random sectors proving a bit of business nous. He plays footie, follows his beloved toffee's and 'messes about' with his radio controlled helicopter when he isn't working.

Name: Mark (Ratsey)

Role: Graphic Design Manager

Team: Arsenal

Home: Aylesbury

Current Job: Graphic Designer (Partner in a design and print company)

About Mark: Mark is the guy behind a lot of the graphics that we have leaked out to you guys. He does a hard job taking the vague and excessively ambitious ideas that we dream up and making them a reality. When you get a mail from Mark you know it is going to be something that gives you an insight into what this game will look like, and he always delivers.

He's currently putting together draft layouts for the various pages of the client. This has been a hefty and long winded job but the quality speaks for itself and I can't wait for you guys to get to see some more.

When not working on the games graphics Mark is a keen walker and climber doing his part as a leader in the scouts too. He is a keen gamer but favours the retro titles. Lets face it they don't make them like they used to. He's also uses his artistic eye in his other hobby, photography.

Name: Noel (Nobular Bells) Nobs

Role: Features Designer / Support

Team: Liverpool FC

Home: Derry, Northern Ireland

Current Job: Careers Advisor

About Noel: Mr Bells, one of the more famous FML mods joined the team with a similar view to myself. With a good vision of how the game should be moderated and regulated the rest of the guys were sold. He will eventually organise support, moderating and tutorials for the game. Big job hey!

Currently Mr Bells is putting together layouts for tactics and match environment screens and he's doing a very good job. I actually suggested he join the graphics team he did so well. Of course you will all also know Nobs from his UFLife blog on our fan site UFLIVE-FAN and his fantasy premier blog which is a great read each week on our forum. He is also the voice behind our twitter account (when I'm not hijacking).

Away from the game the new daddy Noel, follows his beloved 'pool and spends his time reading cooking and playing squash with the remainder going to 'general computer geekiness' as he puts it!

Name: Tom (Tommy)

Role: Community Manager

Team: Everton & Melbourne Victory

Home: Melbourne, Australia

Current Job: Student (Studying Business Information Systems)

About Tommy: Tommy is the guy behind the wheel of competitions, newsletters, websites, Facebook, Google+ - he's your man. I write a blog he makes it presentable and puts it up. This role will grow and spread into marketing as the game develops meaning that he will probably have a massive task and tiny budget.

Currently Tommy is putting together the next newsletter with some tasty looking snippets for you and also getting the system in place to allow you to reserve a team name!!! But sssshhhh although we have mentioned this before it's a secret.

In his spare time the Australian branch of NSS (Netsports Software), he plays that other football with no cross bar and an egg for a ball. Aussie rules. As well as basketball and proper football too, joining up with Jules as a toffee's fan (they're ganging up on us). He also loves Maths apparently... that must be a lie Tom!

Name: Thom (Thom)

Role: Finance Manager/Company Secretary

Team: THE Aston Villa

Home: Birmingham

Current Job: Trainee Accountant/Business Analyst

About Thom: I have spent a lot of time looking at systems to try and calm the in-game economy and provide a more fluid and stable currency. I have also spent a lot of time looking at business plans, ticking company boxes and planning company structure.

Currently I am waiting to put the economy ideas we have into the game and look at modelling the economy. I also continue in the company secretary role of ensuring compliance with the legal side of the game. Obviously you guys will know me from the backstage blog I write and the constant jibber jabbering on the forums.

Away from the game I spend a lot of time at the gym, listen to old school music from before I was born and make up the number of hard done by Villa fans who suffer every week.

Name: Ryan (Clamp)

Role: Quality Assurance Manager/Graphic Design

Team: Nottingham Forest

Home: Nottingham

Current Job: Software Analyst

About Ryan: Ryan is the man behind the icons, and many of the logos you guys see around the game. So he along with Mark are the guys behind all of the graphics that make the face of our game and company. Ryan has made literally hundreds of designs for various menus and adhoc features, and I think from the responses from you guys you agree they are top drawer.

He's currently continuing to work on in game designs, something that will get a lot busier when we start work on the customisable menu dock.

Away from the game he is keen on his sports including football/darts/snooker/pool/badminton and squash. So an all round very active guy!

Name: Stephen (The Coach)

Role: Consultant / Tactics and player controls

Team: Arsenal

Home: Limassol

Current Job: Nea Salamina Manager

About Stephen: What better way of making a game feel more real than talking to a guy who does it for real. What The Coach has offered so far is an original take on match day controls and player instructions which means that we are going into this part of the game with as many new ideas as we have brought to the various other features. Basically its getting the computer game /football management balance right and he is the man for the job.

He is currently working on various tactics, coaching and youth development ideas with the other features guys (Me, Jules and Noel). He is also the man with the contacts that have led to our merchandise production. See the thread about UFL shirts for more.

Stephen is a UEFA Pro License Holder & FIFA Instructor, i'm impressed. He is also a motivator and true gent. Away from the beautiful game he enjoys watching good films, football and more football. My kind of guy.

Thanks everyone for reading, we hoped you enjoyed learning a little more about the UFLive developer team! A big thanks must go out to Ryan who organised the graphics and Thom who wrote this up.

More questions about the team? We'd love to hear them! Please head to the forums or Facebook page.