Football Dynasty

Chapter 102: Harry’s Graduation & the Music Goldmine

21 September 1994

In the same month as Harry, Richard’s brother graduated, major news also came from the world of football—especially English football.

Gary Lineker, England’s second-highest goalscorer of all time (just one goal short of Bobby Charlton’s record), announced his retirement from playing. Since leaving Tottenham in 1992, he had been playing for Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan.

Two days later, UEFA announced that the Summer Cup would be reintroduced next year under a new name: the Intertoto Cup.

The competition would feature 40 clubs, and at least one Premier League team (the highest-placed applicant who failed to qualify for one of the three major European competitions) would be eligible to participate.

From the European competitions, Blackburn Rovers, competing in Europe for the first time, were eliminated from the UEFA Cup 3–2 on aggregate by Swedish side Trelleborg and Newcastle advanced with an emphatic 10–2 aggregate victory over Antwerp, including a 5–2 win at home, where Andy Cole scored a hat-trick.

Richard personally called Andy Cole to congratulate him on the achievement.

Next, Manchester United began their quest for the European Cup with a 4–2 home win over Swedish champions IFK Gothenburg in the first game of the group stage. Ryan Giggs scored twice.

Outside of football, the Rover Group finally made several announcements in quick succession.

As had been discussed in previous meetings, the production of the Mark II, Rover 200, and Rover 400 would be discontinued.

Facing a complete collapse in sales, Alan Mulally, the new CEO acted efficiently by scrapping the Metro nameplate and replacing it with a new model name: the Rover 100.

With almost all products no longer in production except for the new Rover 100, this means Rover’s current production line depends almost entirely on that single model. You know, when a company puts all its eggs in one basket—especially in a highly competitive market like the automotive industry—it exposes itself to major risk.

If consumers don’t respond well to the Rover 100, there’s no backup product to generate revenue. Additionally, automotive factories are expensive to operate. Running them for just one model may not justify the costs. Without economies of scale, profitability becomes much harder to achieve.

Without any other options, Richard approved the development of a variant of the Rover 100 Cabriolèt version.

"What about Mini, MG, Jaguar, and Triumph?" Richard asked Mulally over the phone.

Currently, Rover Group owned several iconic brands: Land Rover, Rover, MG, Triumph, and Mini. However, due to the company’s dire financial condition, only Land Rover and Rover were actively being prioritized.

MG, Triumph, and Mini were barely scraping by, with production either halted or significantly reduced.

"Until we can break even with the Rover 100, the current situation can’t be turned around," Mulally said firmly. "If the Rover 100 also fails, we’ll have no choice but to consider selling off some of the names under the Rover Group."

In the end, if the Rover 100 couldn’t succeed, MG, Triumph, and Mini would likely be put up for sale—a last resort to keep the company afloat.

"Understood," Richard said before ending the call.

"Something wrong? Is there a problem at the company?" Bryan, his father, asked, glancing at Richard as they prepared to attend Harry’s graduation ceremony.

It was Richard’s first time returning to London for a family reunion after tirelessly dedicating himself to City, Maddox Capital, and the recently acquired Rover Group.

A year probably—and in that time, so much had changed, especially the transformation of Wilmington Square, which he had purchased for £50 million.

Thanks to its location near Regent’s Park—home to the world’s oldest scientific zoo, and the oldest open-air theatre in the world—the Wilmington area, along with the surrounding 100km radius, was included in the UK government’s latest urban planning initiative.

The roads were repaired, sidewalks were widened, and safer pedestrian crossings were introduced. Parks were revitalized with lush new trees, walking paths, benches, and soft lighting. Wilmington Square Garden, in particular, was truly fortunate—it had blossomed into a charming, tranquil oasis in the heart of the city of London.

"Nothing serious, Dad—just the usual problems," Richard said as he composed himself then, turning to his mother and giving her a warm hug, he asked, "So, how’s life been here, Mom?"

Anna smiled as she returned the hug. "Oh, it’s been peaceful," she said, brushing a bit of lint off Richard’s shoulder. "The neighborhood’s much quieter than it used to be back in Mayfair. Here, there aren’t so many cars or blaring horns. It’s... calmer."

She glanced around fondly at the tree-lined streets and freshly manicured gardens of Wilmington Square. "Sometimes I just sit out in the garden with a cup of tea and a book. You can actually hear the birds in the morning—not like the old apartment: luxurious, but lacking peace, with engines and shouting from dawn to dusk."

Bryan added with a chuckle, "And your mother’s become the local expert on which neighbor walks their dog at what hour."

"Haha, that’s good then," Richard nodded in agreement.

If his father and mother had said they didn’t like living here, Richard wouldn’t have minded selling the place after settling the collateral with Barclays. After all, the area had already been fully developed—its value had likely appreciated significantly.

But it seemed that wouldn’t be necessary. The three apartments were now worth every penny.

After they finished getting ready, the three of them made their way down to the garage. But as Richard caught sight of the vehicle parked inside, he stopped in his tracks—completely stunned.

A brand-new Rover Metro.

"Dad... you bought a new car?" he asked, almost at a loss for words.

His father chuckled, a little sheepishly. "Well, your mother and I thought it was the least we could do. A way to support your work."

Only then did he understand.

Simply put, it was their way of supporting their son’s business venture—they had bought a Rover Metro, unaware that it would soon be discontinued.

Richard didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. And after he explained the situation, it was now their turn to be speechless.

"Don’t worry," Anna said with a wave of her hand. "We’ll get the new Metro 100 later—and maybe that new version you mentioned—as a graduation gift for Harry."

Richard couldn’t help but glance at his mother, puzzled.

She had changed too.

In the past, she had been extremely frugal—adamantly opposed to spending money. He still remembered how she had harshly scolded him and confiscated his funds when he first tried to invest in a property in Islington.

"Oh, don’t think we’ve forgotten," his mother said, raising an eyebrow. " We thought you’d gone completely mad at that time."

"And now look at you," his father then added with a proud smile. "Football clubs, car companies, and now off to Harry’s graduation. The Maddox boys aren’t doing too bad for themselves."

Their son had become a success story—so successful, in fact, that he had nearly single-handedly rescued the nation’s last major car company, turning it around with close to a billion pounds in backing. How could they not be proud?

Seeing how happy his parents were, Richard smiled wryly. ’Ah, forget it.’

Dressed sharply in suits, Maddox family climbed into their brand-new Rover Metro and set off from London toward Oxford.

The journey began with familiar London traffic—stop-and-go, honking horns, the occasional cyclist weaving between cars. But once they cleared the city limits and merged onto the A40, the ride began to smooth out.

"Not bad for a car that’s about to be discontinued, huh?" his father mused, tapping the dashboard with a half-smile. He then glanced at the rearview mirror. "Your mother made me polish it twice this morning."

Richard chuckled. "Hahaha, Mom, you’re killing Dad."

Anna smirked. "Well, after all, we’re showing up in Oxford. Can’t look like country folk, can we?" She reached up and tilted the rearview mirror toward herself. "By the way, Richard, sweetheart, is my makeup okay?"

Richard gave a thumbs up. "Yes, Mom. You’re the most beautiful."

Anna beamed, dabbing lightly at her lips with a tissue. "You always know how to flatter your old mother."

Bryan chuckled from the driver’s seat. "He’s just saying that so you won’t make him polish the next car twice."

"Oh, hush," Anna replied with a laugh. "Besides, it’s Harry’s big day. Oh, by the way, Richard—how old are you now?"

Richard was taken aback by the sudden question, a slight sense of dread creeping in."Twenty-seven, Mom. Why? Are you planning another surprise party?"

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "Twenty-seven, huh? That’s a fine age... you know, for settling down—"

Anna jumped in eagerly. "Exactly! I mean, look at you—successful, charming, good-looking—just like your father. When are you going to find someone nice and give us a grandchild or two?"

"..."

’Ah, so that’s why they asked my age...’ Richard groaned internally before letting out a long sigh.

"We’re just saying," Anna continued, feigning innocence with a playful tilt of her head. "We’re not getting any younger, and I think it would be lovely to have a little one running around at Christmas."

"Yeah, son, your mom is right," Bryan added. "Who was your last girlfriend anyway? Why didn’t you ever bring her to meet us?"

Ah, they mean Ashley... Richard shook his head, leaning an elbow against the window as he watched the countryside roll past. (P.S. Richard’s ex, mentioned when he arrived at Maine Road, Chapter 10)

’Dating hasn’t exactly been my top priority now,’ he thought.

Between the club, the business, and everything else... he just hasn’t had the time. Manchester City, Rover, even Maddox Capital—everything’s in a critical phase right now.

But thinking about the woman who had been by his side during his early days at Manchester City, Richard exhaled slowly, lost in thought. ’I wonder how Ashley’s doing right now...’

When Richard didn’t respond for a while, Bryan and Anna exchanged a quick glance in the front seats. It seemed... there was something going on they didn’t know about.

About an hour and a half later, as they entered the historic town of Oxford, the skyline of spires and old stone buildings rose before them. The car slowed as they neared the university grounds.

Soon, time passed until the ceremony began.

"All rise for the academic procession," the voice over the speaker echoed, and the crowd stood as the faculty entered in their bright, velvet-trimmed robes, the music of "Pomp and Circumstance" filling the hall.

Anna dabbed the corner of her eye with a tissue. "I still remember when he used to run around the street pretending to be a policeman," she whispered to Richard.

Bryan hurriedly said. "Now he’s walking the stage as one."

Harry rose to his feet, crossed the stage with steady steps, shook the chancellor’s hand, and accepted his degree—his eyes flickering with a mix of nerves and quiet pride.

From his seat in the audience, Richard leaned back slightly, a warm, proud smile tugging at his lips.

Nearly five years of effort had finally paid off. Of course, there’d still be a bit of training before Harry could fully step into Maddox Media & Entertainment—but this, today, was a great start.

After the formalities were done, gowns flapped in the summer breeze, and camera shutters clicked from every direction.

Richard and his parents waited near the stone steps as Harry emerged, still adjusting his cap, grinning from ear to ear.

"There he is!" Anna called, waving both hands like a proud mother at a school play.

Harry jogged over and pulled them all into a big hug. "God, that felt like forever."

Bryan clapped a hand on his back. "You did it, son. Took your time, but you did it."

Harry laughed. "Four years—and an extra one for good measure."

"You’re officially a Maddox now," Richard said with a grin. "All that’s left is surviving the family business."

"Don’t worry," Harry smirked. "I’ve been watching you long enough to know how not to do things."

They all laughed—the kind of laughter only a close family could share, filled with love, relief, and a hint of the chaos that brought them there.

"So, are we done here?" Richard asked, glancing around as he noticed the crowd beginning to thin.

Harry shook his head. "Not quite. There’s still the after-event—some live music, a little food, you know the usual uni send-off vibe." He nudged Richard playfully. "Let’s stay a bit longer. I want to introduce you to some of my friends."

Richard looked toward his parents before giving a small shrug. He didn’t mind it. "Lead the way, graduate."

The late afternoon sun bathed the stone buildings in gold, while the soft murmur of laughter and conversation lingered in the air. Families clustered in small groups, snapping photos, trading hugs, and basking in the moment.

Anna had found herself among a group of fellow proud mothers, animatedly chatting and laughing. Bryan, meanwhile, had struck up a lively discussion with one of the professors about classic British cars. As expected, he couldn’t resist slipping Richard’s name into the conversation.

The Maddox name still carried weight at Oxford—especially given Richard’s ongoing support as a donor. Naturally, the professors were all smiles and polite interest.

With everyone occupied, Richard slipped away to a quiet table where Harry was waiting.

Harry nudged him with his elbow. "You sure you’re not too busy for a bit of music and mingling?"

Richard’s gaze drifted toward the student band setting up on the lawn—guitars being tuned, mics adjusted, amps humming faintly. "Not at all," he said. "This is all pretty new to me. I never got to attend university, remember?"

Harry was silent for a moment, then turned to him. "Did you ever want to?"

Richard chuckled at his brother’s suddenly serious tone. "Nah. I couldn’t afford to sit in lectures when deals were waiting," he said, glancing toward the band. "You said your friend’s in the band?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah, the singer’s a friend of mine."

Soon, the band took the stage.

"Hello, everyone," the singer said. "We’re On a Friday. Today, we’ll be playing three songs—hope you enjoy them."

The first song wrapped up to a modest round of applause.

The second song followed.

And finally, the third.

The lead singer stepped forward with a small smile and adjusted the mic stand. "Thanks for sticking around, everyone. This’ll be our last song for today."

Still, no one seemed to care—not even Richard. That was, until a familiar melody began to drift into his ears.

A familiar tune began to play: 🎸🎵♪🥁

🎤: When you were here before...

🎤: Couldn’t look you in the eye...

Richard frowned at this.

🎤: I wish I was special, you’re so fuckin’ special...

🎸🎵♪🥁

🎤: But I’m a creep...

Only then did he realize why the song sounded familiar.

He quickly grabbed Harry’s hand. "You said that singer is your friend?"

Finally, he found a breakthrough to enter the music industry!