Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning - Week 4 Melchester Rovers had had a successful pre-season; they were unbeaten

n in all six matches, including good wins over Dutch Champions, Alkhoven and mega-rich French side Rapide Vrayone. Now it was time for the real test, the first Premier League match of the season, away at Carford City. Carford had finished fifth the previous season, only just missing out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League. They were managed by the veteran coach Ralph Gordon, famed for his all-out-attack philosophy. Gordon had managed Melchester back in the 1992/93 season, replacing Roy Race, when The King stepped down from the managerial side of his player-manager role. The fans had embraced the attacking tactics, but when results began to dip as the defence leaked goal after goal, some senior players led a rebellion and a return to the tactics employed by Roy. Gordon realised he had lost the dressing-room and resigned after just three months in the job. Vernon Eliot and Gerry Holloway thought of Ralph Gordon as a relic, a piece of ancient English football history. His tactics were nave and his teams under prepared, but he got results at Carford in 2012/13. He had spent big, signing a trio of world-class players from South America, but his signings were carefully selected, they were perfectly suited to his attacking tactics. Carford were one of the few sides in the Premier League to play a straightforward 4-4-2 formation, however it was a fluid system: the full-backs ultra attacking, always looking to overlap and support the attack; the two wingers were almost extra strikers and they had no holding midfielder; the central pair were real box-to-box runners in the mould of former Rovers star, Carl Hunt, Carfords greatest ever player, who died tragically in the Basran Disaster of 1986. Carford City matches were always entertaining and the early kick-off under bright Northern skies promised a really special occasion. ***

The two co-Chairmen of Melchester Rovers were warmly welcomed into the Hunt Suite, the executive lounge of Carford City Stadium. The American owners of City were proud of the way they had embraced English soccers cultures and traditions. Bryce McVeigh and his business partner Logan Jeffrey were both wearing enormous white and black striped scarves, although it was certainly too warm for such accessories. Trevor Brinsden could not help but chuckle as he shook the sweaty hand of McVeigh and accepted the flute of champagne on offer, these were not football people. He was a football man, a real fan, when McVeigh and Jeffrey got bored with Carford or soccer the club would be financially crippled. Wow! What a lovely day and a lovely lounge youve made here! Trevor knew he had to entertain the Americans and all the other foreign owners he would meet this season. If he appeared rude it would only support the rubbish printed by the likes of John Lucas in the Daily Gazette and journalists had spies everywhere, even in executive lounges. David Roth was much more at home in the board room and executive suites of big businesses. He had been director and owner of a number of London-based companies, was privately educated and had attended Oxford University and Harvard Business School, before completing his PhD at the University of Tel Aviv. Despite being born and raised in North London, Roth had been obsessed with Melchester Rovers for as long as he could remember and that passion was down to one man, Roy Race, who was there with him and of course the most popular man in the room. Roy still stood out in a crowd, at six feet two, with his hair greying but still obviously blond, he carried himself with the confidence that the best footballer England has ever produced should. He

moved through the busy bar area, posing for photographs and signing autographs without seeming to stop, Hows it going chum! Roy enquired of David, Im nervous but excited, cant wait to get under way. How do you think well go? Roy paused to think carefully how to phrase his answer, I dont do predictions, David! And youll find out soon enough, here come the lads

Storky Knight Next Week How will Vernon respond to his teams defeat?