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Football Manager 2017 is still some time away - but we have obtained an exclusive screenshot which shows it will be the most detailed, comprehensive version of the game yet.

Everyone's favourite managerial simulation already allows you to do pretty much everything an actual football manager can do, right down to changing the width of your team's pitch.

However, the game has never included the ability to create a brand new mascot… until now.

As regular match-goers will no doubt agree, the official mascot is a key part of the matchday experience. You only have to look at the influence of Filbert the Fox (Leicester), Haydon the Womble (Wimbledon), Harry The Hornet (Watford) and Gunnersaurus (Arsenal) to realise that the guys in the oversized suits are important employees.

(Image: Jan Kruger - The FA)

That's why the geniuses at Sports Interactive - the creators of Football Manager - have decided to include a tool in the new version which will allow users to physically build a new team mascot.

Here is the exclusive first look at the FM 17's new 'Mascot on the Touchline' tool, given to us by an anonymous FM insider:

As you can see, you will have the option to choose hand size, prop of choice and the degree to which your mascot will interact with the crowd.

The idea appears to have come from FM 2016’s ‘Manager on the Touchline’ innovation, which allowed users to create their own likeness:

And really, isn't mascot-building the next logical step in the process of making Football Manager as realistic as possible?