Everything gaffers ask
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
The short version: only you need an account, your ratings stay private, and it is free. The longer versions are below.
Do my players need to download an app?
No. bibs runs in the browser and only the gaffer needs an account. Players receive the teamsheet in the group chat, and with an invite link they can follow the win percentage and form tables all season, read-only.
Can players see their ratings?
Never. Ratings are private to the gaffer. That is a hard rule built into bibs, not a setting. Players only ever see teams, results and the season tables.
Is bibs free?
Yes. Free for the gaffer and free for every player. No match fees, no subscriptions, no locked features, no card details.
What team sizes does bibs work for?
bibs is built for small-sided football: 5-a-side, 6-a-side and 7-a-side, and everything in between when the turnout does not cooperate.
How does bibs balance the teams?
The gaffer rates each player 1 to 10 for pace, shooting, defending and goalkeeping. On matchday bibs weighs those ratings, plus each player's recent form, across everyone playing and splits the group into two sides that match each other as closely as possible, with a balance score out of 100.
Does bibs account for players in and out of form?
Yes, automatically. Every win adds 0.1 to a player's hidden form rating and every loss takes 0.1 off, up to a maximum swing of plus or minus 1.0. Players on a streak carry a little more weight in the balance and players in a rut a little less. It resets nothing, needs no input from the gaffer, and is never visible to players.
Is bibs a random team generator?
No, and that is the point. Random shuffling can easily put your best players on one side. bibs balances deliberately from your ratings, so the same players in gives the same fair teams out.
What do players see with an invite link?
Matchdays, results, the win percentage table and each player's recent form, all read-only. Only the gaffer builds the squad, rates players and picks the teams, and ratings are never visible to anyone else.
What happens if the game is a draw?
Log it as a draw and it goes down as honours even, with its own result card. Draws count in the table without handing either side a win.
Can I log games we played before using bibs?
Yes. You can log a past game and bibs slots it into your history in the right order, so the season tables reflect the whole story.
Does bibs work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. bibs runs in any modern browser on any phone, tablet or computer. Add it to your home screen and it looks and feels like an app, with nothing to install from an app store.
How long does set-up take?
About five minutes, and only the gaffer does it: create the team, add your regulars, rate them once. After that a matchday takes a few taps.
Can I change ratings as players improve?
Yes, nudge any rating whenever you like. Nobody else will ever know.