Auction Academy · Strategy
How to build player tiers for a football auction
Put players into groups you would be happy to choose between, then set spending limits for your own squad. A tier should help you make a choice when the bidding moves. If you would never buy half the names in it, it is not your shortlist yet.
Start with the job you need filled
A list numbered from one to two hundred gives every player an order. It does not tell you whether the gap between two names matters. Begin with the position you need and the sort of return you expect. Separate reliable starters from players whose appeal depends on winning a place.
Use Auction League's listed positions. A player you think of as a winger can fill a different squad role from the one you expect. Check the available pool before you build a plan around him. Your shortlist has to produce a legal team, not merely a collection of players you enjoy watching.
Give each row a decision
Here is an invented shortlist for one midfield place. The prices are personal ceilings for this example. They are not forecasts or suggested bids for real players.
| Profile | Ceiling | What would change the decision? |
|---|---|---|
| Regular starter with a strong attacking role | £14m | A role change or loss of minutes |
| Similar attacking role, less secure starts | £9m | Confirmed first-choice status |
| Reliable starter with a limited scoring route | £4m | A better option still available at this price |
Count acceptable alternatives, not remaining names
Suppose six midfielders remain on your sheet, but four depend on injuries to get into their club's team. You have two straightforward alternatives, not six. If both sell, the next purchase changes the risk of your whole squad.
Write down the response before the auction. You could pay more for the second acceptable option, spend less and strengthen another position, or change formation if your squad permits it. Each can be sensible. Paying more because you have only just noticed the problem is the part to avoid.
A tier is also allowed to be wrong. If team news changes the evidence, move the player. If a rival simply bids more than you expected, change your view of the room's prices first. One loud bid is not new information about a footballer's role.
Make the sheet usable in a noisy room
Keep the sale price, buyer and your next acceptable choice visible. You should be able to answer a nomination without opening five tabs. Before the first lot, practise crossing out your favourite target and naming the replacement. That is the situation the sheet needs to handle.
Common questions
Should every player in a tier have the same price?
No. You can value their likely return similarly while allowing different prices for playing-time risk or how well they fit your squad.
Can I copy a Fantrax tier list?
Use it to find names to research. Recheck scoring, positions and the date before treating the order as useful for Auction League.
Put the plan into practice
Read six real auction prices from our founding league.
Ready to bring your group? Run your auction, then enter the final squads in the app.
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