NOVPUB
Chapter 141: Crucial Match
City’s demolition once again sent shockwaves through the Second Division, leaving clubs like Birmingham City and Brentford visibly shaken.
Birmingham had already served as the first warning. Some still believed their collapse had been a one-off—chalked up to the pressure of leading the table or simply being caught off guard. But after City’s recent 5–0 obliteration of Swansea, that narrative was quickly unraveling.
Now, fans, pundits, and media alike were scrambling for answers.
Tabloids ran wild with headlines. On talk shows, ex-players debated. And in pubs, online forums, and radio call-ins across the country, one question echoed:
[...Are Manchester City too good for this league?...]
What happened to Manchester City? How did their performance suddenly transform—especially with the season nearing its end?
Just months ago, they were mid-table, plagued with inconsistency, injuries, and questions surrounding management. But now?
They’re dismantling teams with the swagger of title contenders. Something had clearly changed.
Was it the arrival of Ronaldo? The return of key players? A tactical shift? Or perhaps something deeper behind the scenes?
The media didn’t know the full story yet—but everyone agreed on one thing: City were no longer the same team they were at the start of the season.
The next day, Richard was sitting as usual in his office, comfortably reviewing the latest results of the high-performance team concept he had been sketching over the past few months, drawing references from journals and other sources.
High Performance Team work domains:
1. Medical
2. Strength and Conditioning
3. Sport Science (e.g., load monitoring, nutrition, etc)
4. Psychology
5. Scouting
6. Analysis
7. Research
8. Others or non-appropriate (N/A)
Every department needs at least one leader, and areas like Psychology, Sports Science or Research are still relatively unfamiliar in today’s football world.
"Let’s start with medical, strength and conditioning first then," Richard mumbled, circling the first two.
Done with it, he rose from his seat, grabbed his car keys, and prepared to head to the airport.
At ten in the morning, Richard and Frank Shepherd were waiting to pick up Gordon Barry, who had just returned from Brazil.
This time, Gordon’s contribution was substantial. He had worked his way into convincing Pelé, and he was also the one to propose key strategies:
First, pit The Sun against Wythenshawe Hospital, using the Royal Family’s name to stir public sentiment. What do American businessmen care about most? Money. They can’t afford to lose their loyal, fanatical readers—especially those who are Royal Family enthusiasts.
Second, use Pelé’s influence to silence the CBF and strip them of their control over Brazilian football. At the same time, make it more difficult for João Havelange to secure re-election as FIFA president.
Third, shift the narrative from Ronaldo’s collapse to food poisoning, providing effective damage control. No one would know that Ronaldo’s collapse was due to stress—or any other reason.
These were the three strategies Gordon had outlined during his earlier meetings with O’Neill and Frank Shepherd.
He had gone to Brazil and used his position as a senior barrister to persuade the current Minister of Sports, Pelé—who, coincidentally, needed funds to pass his Pelé Law—to lobby politicians, particularly the president, to approve the law.
Frank Shepherd took care of Ronaldo’s case, spreading and amplifying the story about the CBF president, ensuring it quickly made its way into the Brazilian media.
O’Neill, for his part, managed the press conference with The Sun and enlisted Wythenshawe Hospital’s patron to pressure the newspaper into quieting down and minimizing their coverage for the time being.
As for the catering, that was just an added bonus. Richard had spotted an opportunity when he wanted to integrate City’s kitchen into the High Team’s Performance division for next season.
When he learned that the subsidiary was owned by the Lee consortium, he knew that, essentially, he needed to get rid of it. So, Ronaldo’s collapse, in fact, was a blessing in disguise for him.
Richard gave Gordon a hug and whispered, "Better check your paycheck next month," a playful glint in his eyes as he laughed.
Current second division table:
Birmingham City – 77 Points
Brentford – 77 Points
Manchester City – 74 Points
Bristol Rovers – 72 Points
Blackpool – 71 Points
Wycombe Wanderers – 70 Points
Current remaining matches: Leyton Orient (Home), Bradford City (Away), Colchester (Away), and Rotherham United (Home).
The fans were back for the next league game, and their opponents were at the bottom of the league, with no hope of avoiding relegation.
Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Cafu were not played and sat on the bench with O’Neill, aiming to rest them for the final three matches.
Solskjaer and Shaun Goater started, while Tony Vaughan and Richard Jobson replaced Roberto Carlos and Cafu.
With expectations so high among City fans, the visitors were well aware that the hosts would be under tremendous pressure in what was bound to be a nervous atmosphere—unlike them, who could play freely as they had nothing to lose.
It was Leyton who felt they should have had the chance to take the lead when Richard Jobson’s clumsy tackle on Leyton’s number 3 could have easily resulted in a penalty.
Phweee!
The referee pointed to the penalty spot, and Maine Road erupted in frustration. Players immediately began to argue, tensions rising to the point of near brawl.
Alex Inglethorpe stepped up to the penalty spot, his focus intense as the stadium fell into a hushed silence. Every pair of eyes in the crowd seemed fixed on him.
He took a deep breath, then started his run-up, the ball in his sights. With a swift, confident strike, he sent it flying toward the bottom corner of the goal.
The goalkeeper dived to his left, stretching out his fingertips, but the ball skidded just wide of the post, missing by inches.
A collective gasp echoed through the stands, followed by an eruption of cheers from the home crowd. The missed opportunity was a bitter blow for Inglethorpe, but for the home team, it was a moment of salvation.
"You beauty!" one supporter yelled, clapping wildly as others joined in, raising their hands in jubilation.
The atmosphere shifted from nervous tension to jubilant celebration as the City fans rallied behind their team, shouting louder than before, ready to back their players for the rest of the match.
Finally, the chance came just before the first half ended.
Solskjær, stepping into Ronaldo’s role by dropping deep—though not quite as effective—managed to whip in a deep cross from the right. Goater bundled the ball past Paul Heald, sending the home fans into a frenzy.
But something happened. Leyton Orient players immediately appealed furiously, claiming the ball had struck Goater’s arm.
Despite the protests, the referee let the goal stand.
"That’s how it’s done! Classic Goater! He doesn’t care how it goes in—as long as it does go in!"
He continued, his voice rising above the roar of the crowd,
"Leyton’s players are fuming, waving their arms at the referee, but the goal stands! Goater won’t mind one bit. That’s number eleven for the season, and maybe the scrappiest yet—but they all count!"
Manchester City 1 - 0 Leyton Orient.
The Blues scraped through to keep their hopes of automatic promotion alive by beating Leyton at Maine Road.
In a post-match interview, Shaun Goater addressed the controversy surrounding his decisive goal. Leyton Orient players had fervently appealed for handball, but Goater was quick to dismiss the claims.
"It was off the chest!" he insisted. "I was so pleased to see that go in—absolutely delighted. With the cross that came in, it was one of those situations where, if I’d gone to head it, I would’ve needed to dive. But it wasn’t too low, so I just stooped and used my chest. I was only about four yards out, and I knew that once I chested it, it would cross the line, because the cross had already beaten the goalkeeper."
After the match, City fans—and even Richard—waited nervously for the results of the Brentford and Birmingham games.
Soon, news filtered through the media: Brentford had beaten Preston, but Birmingham had lost again—this time to Huddersfield Town!
Current second division table:
1. Brentford – 80 Points
2. Birmingham City – 77 Points
3. Manchester City – 77 Points
4. Bristol Rovers – 75 Points
5. Blackpool – 72 Points
6. Wycombe Wanderers – 70 Points
7. Bradford City – 70 Points
Current remaining matches: Bradford City (Away), Colchester (Away), and Rotherham United (Home).
Fixture 44: Bradford City vs Manchester City
City came into the match unbeaten in their last 11 league games, firmly focused on securing automatic promotion. Meanwhile, Bradford City were eyeing a late surge to overtake Wycombe and Blackpool, aiming to climb from 7th to 5th place in the standings and secure a playoff spot.
Tension had been simmering throughout the match, but it finally boiled over in the 75th minute. A late, crunching tackle near the touchline sent Emile Heskey tumbling into the advertising boards.
Youngster Keith Gillespie, full of energy but also hot-headed, didn’t just stand by. Already on a yellow card, he reacted impulsively—pushing the culprit, Wayne Jacobs, one of Bradford’s defenders, and sending him tumbling to the ground.
That was the trigger. A mini-melee erupted.
Immediately, players from both teams swarmed in. Shoves were exchanged. Words were shouted—faces inches apart, eyes blazing. A few players tried to play peacemakers, arms outstretched, holding others back, but the escalation was rapid.
The referee blew his whistle repeatedly, sprinting toward the chaos, while the fourth official frantically tried to calm both dugouts. The crowd roared—not just in support, but in sheer disbelief at the unfolding drama.
Eventually, after what felt like an eternity, order was restored.
Two players received stern warnings, but then the referee turned toward the main culprits of the incident.
Four red cards!
Emile Heskey and youngster Keith Gillespie were sent off for City, while Wayne Jacobs and Richard Liburd—Bradford’s most involved players in the scuffle—were also shown straight reds.
With both teams reduced to nine men, the match opened up—and eventually, the goals flowed for City.
They secured a 2–0 win at Valley Parade, with Ronaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos capitalizing on the extra space and looser marking.
With the trio of Brazilians bombing down the center, right, and left, who could stand it?
The result mathematically ended Bradford’s hopes of securing their dream promotion to the First Division, while putting City one step closer to theirs.
Suddenly...
"BIRMINGHAM OUT!"
The sudden shout pierced through the buzz of the crowd at Valley Parade like a fire alarm.
Richard jolted in his seat, spilling a bit of coffee onto his trousers. He turned sharply, eyes darting toward the source of the commotion.
Just a few rows behind him, a City fan was already on his feet, waving his phone and grinning like a man possessed.
"Out?" a fan beside him blinked, still processing. "You sure?!"
The shouting fan nodded furiously, phone still raised as others around him leaned in to confirm. "My friend just called me. Final whistle just went—Huddersfield held ’em! They’re done! They’re OUT!"
A ripple of excitement coursed through the away end like electricity. Richard couldn’t help but rise too, stunned by the sheer suddenness of it all.
The sudden defeat of Birmingham allowed City to catapult into second place, changing the entire landscape of the promotion race.
Just months ago, it had been a tightly contested battle among several clubs—but now, the picture was clear. With Birmingham falling off the pace, it had effectively become a two-horse race.
From this point on, all eyes were on Manchester City and Brentford.
