roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 17 - football fiction comic

7/22/2019 Roy of the Rovers - A New Beginning - Week 17 - Football Fiction Comic

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Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning

Week 17

Jake Cheetham and Drew Powell sat side by side on an expensive leather sofa, gamepads in hands, with faces

showing the same grimace of concentration found on a goalkeeper facing a penalty kick. You have to be

North Vale, Drew. Im Melchester through and through. The two midfielders, two of the best young players in

the country, always went through the same ritual every Thursday evening, they played a video game preview

of Rovers weekend match. This Saturdays match had greater significance than usual forDrew Powell.

Melchester Rovers were travelling to South Wales to face North Vale, the side where Drew began his career

and the club he supported as a boy. Cant we transfer me over to Vale then? You never make me play well!

Cheetham shook his head and their match began.

In Wales on Saturday afternoon, Drew would be facing his first club for the first time. His entire family would

be there, all in the home end cheering on North Vale.

He would have been doing the same had he not

become a professional footballer. Thinking about

running out onto that pitch again broke Drews

concentration, Thats one-nil to Rovers! A wonderful

strike from Jake Cheetham! Drew paused the game,

Wait a second, mate. This game has got me thinking

about playing my team, I mean my old team. How do I

try to beat the club that Ive always supported, that

gave me my first football memories, my first football

everything? Jake was not sure he could offer any

advice, but tried anyway, I always supported Rovers

even though I lived in Essex. All the lads at school

supported Gatesfield or Eastgate. They called me a

glory-hunterNo sorry, mate, Ive nothing I can say

about this. Maybe you should talk to Roy Race about

what he felt when he played for Walford against

Melchester. That must have been so hard. Im sure

hell be able to help you.

Drew dropped the controller to the floor and took out his mobile phone, What are you doing? asked Jake,

Im ringing Roy Race. You said to ask his advice. Roy answered promptly, Race here hi Drew. Having a

good evening? Jake looked at his best friend, he would never have had the nerve to just ring the great Roy

Race, Drew was certainly confident. Remember when you said in pre-season that if we ever wanted any

advice we should ring you, any time? Well, I want to ask you something about Roy interrupted, Is this

about playing North Vale, your first love? If it is you better meet me in town, bring Jake along too. See you in

an hour, you know the Greek restaurant on the Old High Street?

So the young stars hurriedly got changed into more respectful clothing and called a minicab to head into town

for dinner with Britains greatest ever footballer. The club had an agreement with a local taxi firm to avoid any

unnecessary bad publicity if any of the players were out late or drunk, so the boys knew their driver, Evening

Gus! Were going to that Greek restaurant on the Old High Street, is it any good? The driver shook his head,

No idea, never been there. Roy Race, he like it though. He probably be there, he always there.

The journey into town from the Melchester suburbs was simple enough, just ten minutes along the central

motorway. As the car pulled up, See I tell you, Roy Race, look! The players laughed, We knew hed be here,

Gus. Were meetinghim, see hes waving. Jake gave the driver a tip and Roy opened the left passenger door,

Nice to see you chums. Up for some great food? Hello there Gus, hows the wife? Roy did not wait for an

answer, but led the way into the small, but chic Greek restaurant. As always the welcome was warm and

genuinely friendly. Gus was right Roy did eat here a lot, maybe three or four times a week. He could not cook,


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had never had to and now he was living alone, he saw little point in having a housekeeper. He had accrued a

fortune as a player and only made more when he sold his stake in Melchester Rovers to the Basranians.

Mister Race and Mister Cheetham and Mister Powell! Its great to see you all today, sit down, can I get you an

aperitif, something to drink?

The restaurant was family run, the grandfather sat at a table in the corner sipping coffee watching a game

show on Greek television, the other members of the family all worked, either serving or in the kitchen. The

homely atmosphere is what kept Roy coming back and the food was excellent, healthy too. Roy ordered threebeers, Theres never been anything wrong with a couple of beers lads, remember that. Its what gave my

team in the seventies and eighties a unique bond, we were friends as well as team-mates. So Drew, I guess

youre a bit confused about facing your childhood club, hey? Drew nodded, Thats right. Jake mentioned that

you once played against the Rovers, that must have been mega weird. In March 1983 Roy Race resigned as

manager of Melchester Rovers to takeover at London side, Walford Rovers, It certainly was, but let me

explain; Sam Barlow the chairman was constantly interfering in team matters, I hated that. When he publically

challenged me after a match against Redstoke, Id had enough. Walford offered me a lot of money. To be

honest I dont think Id have left if it wasnt for the record salary. It was a great opportunity too, to live in

London, spend big money on transfers, it was a new challenge. Jake and Drew were listening intently to the

great man, What happened then, why did it go wrong at Walford? asked the current captain, It didnt really

go wrong. There was some dissent amongst the players, old Joe Bellamy didnt want to play the Rovers way.

But I suppose he was right, it was silly of me to think I could change a footballing philosophy overnight. I was

arrogant thinking my way was the only way to play. The team was good though, Bellamy was a great player, I

should have used him better. Alan Shields too should have been a star at a top club. Walford were so unsettled

after I left that they faded and never achieved what a club with their resources should have. But anyway, we,

Walford, were going great at the start of the 83/84 season, Melchester werent. The media were misreporting

a lot of things, trying to suggest that I was over my love for Melchester Rovers. It upset a lot of the lads,

especially Mervyn Wallace and Vic Guthrie, they really went for me in a testimonial game. But the Rovers fans

still wanted me to come back. Penny and the kids didnt ever move to London. The only thing keeping me from

Rovers was Barlow.

So what happened when you played Melchester in the league game? Drew was enjoying the story, but

wanted his advice, Yes, Rob Richards had come into the side. He was being billed as my replacement, the

Next Roy Raceand he was playing well. Ill be honest again here, I really wanted to beat Melchester. Like you

should really want to beat North Vale, Drew. I knew that my old pals would suffer, especially Blackie as

manager and my son, I knew he cried after every defeat at that age. I found as soon as I set foot on that pitch,

my professional pride doubled. I never forgot where I was, at my real home, Mel Park, but that pride made me

want to win even more. That was a problem, I was trying too hard to impress. It was like I was on trial again as

a teenager. I was shooting when I should have passed, taking too many touches, trying impossible long passes.

Youll need to be wary of that, but thinking about your game too muchis never a good thing. In matches like

this you have to play professionally, less emotion, more skill. It will never be just another game, but the top

players, which you are one of, can deal with that and still play well.

Drew was nodding, taking it all in, How did the game end Roy? Roy shook his head and took a gulp of beer, I

missed a penalty and chance after chance. My chairman was convinced that my heart wouldnt let me score

against Melchester. Was he right? Of course not, I just had an off day. But he wouldnt accept my reasoning,

he was a kind man. So when Sam Barlow resigned himself, I was released and returned to Mel Park. Jake was

interested in this last part, What about Blackie, how did he feel at being replaced? Roy smirked, I think they

would have sacked him after that defeat, Walford won two-one, sorry I forgot to say that. He was relieved to

have me back, I think. You know we never really talked about that. So Drew, I know that was a long story, but

just trust your professional instincts. Youre too good a player to worry about the past. Think of the future and

another Rovers win!

Roy lifted his glass, To Melchester Rovers, the greatest football club in the world! Cheers!Jake piped up,

And to victory other those useless Taffs!


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Hunstead started the second period in determined fashion, playing aggressively, getting the ball forward

quickly. They had made one substitution, bringing on Paul Lewis a big, strong striker, real lower league

journeyman and changed formation to 4-4-2. It was obvious to Rocky that Hunstead planned on exploiting

Carruthers lack of height, they were going to play direct football, lots of long balls, lots of crosses. This would

be a massive test for the centre-back, one Rocky was really looking forward to watching.

Hunstead were definitely playing with more urgency than in the first-half. No longer were Bromsmede being

allowed to pass the ball around without any pressure. Carruthers was relishing the challenge. Lewis wascharging towards him as he chased a long ball over the top towards his own goal line. The big forward was not

quick, in fact hed be considered slow in strikers terms,but his large frame loomed down upon the five-foot

ten-inch frame of Carruthers as the pair neared the corner flag, the ball still bouncing. The defender leant back

into the onrushing Lewis, showing surprising upper body strength. He brought the ball under control and while

holding off the striker, swivelled, rolling the ball to the right and running round the left. It was superb

defending, something Rocky could not recall seeing before. Carruthers moved forward up the right flank, his

head held high, scanning the scene before him. He launched a long diagonal pass into the inside left channel,

Dickson was after it. A simple idea done so well, thought Rocky. Dickson, controlled while leaping into the air,

bring the ball down with his left foot. Then, Ouch! exclaimed Rocky, Thatll hurt! talking to no -one in

particular. The Hunstead right-back had flayed Dickson, a high and reckless tackle, taking the forward down at

the knees. A melee ensued with all twenty-two players and the Bromsmede physio bundling into one another.

Dickson was not down any more, he was lunging wildly, arms and legs everywhere, scratching and kicking and

throwing aimless haymakers. Roger wasright, hes a nutter! mumbled Rocky. It took a good three or four

minutes before the referee had regained some control over the situation. He produced two red cards, one to

the right-back, the other to a still incensed Dickson. Dickson was screaming, showing his cut leg to the referee.

Carruthers showing remarkable maturity took his team-mate away, dragging him from the pitch and showing

the snarling striker down the tunnel. Rocky was impressed, this Thomas Carruthers was a natural leader and a

fantastic defender, he only wondered what skeletons lay hidden in his closet. How could someone this good

be playing at this level?

Storky Knight

Next WeekRoy Race gives Carruthers and Dickson a trial and can Rovers make it seven win in a row?

roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 17 - football fiction comic

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