roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 19 - football fiction comic

8/13/2019 Roy of the Rovers - A New Beginning - Week 19 - Football Fiction Comic

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Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning

Week 19

Christmas party season was in full swing as Vernon Eliot and his Melchester Rovers side arrived atThe Mount Plaza Hotel in West London. Throngs of revellers were drifting, under the influence ofalcohol, around the entrance to the hotel, spilling in and out the doors from the bar to the forecourt.In light drizzle, the players collected their bags from the undercarriage of the bus and to the delightof gathering office folk, stopped to sign autographs and pose for photographs before heading up totheir rooms. It was Friday night and the players appeared to have a relaxed attitude, but at three-oclock on Saturday Rovers would face the sternest test of their season so far, a match againstKelburn.

Vernon Eliot knew Freddy Sepps Kelburn side inside and out, he was assistant manager under Seppuntil he was appointed Melchester Rovers manager in the summer. Sepp had only made threeadditions to the squad that finished as runners-up in 2012/13 so there would be no surprises.Vernon popped his head into the main bar, it was so busy, Gerry, theres no way we can have aquiet drink in there. Come to my room in a little while, I want to discuss last ye ars Kelburn versusRovers match again. Gerry remembered, Kelburn won four -one, but instead of going through hisusual routine of spending ten minutes trying to turn on the television in his room, he fired up his lap-top to review the details of the 2012/13 match.

9 th February 2013 Chris WilsonThe Big Match

Kelburn put their mid-weektroubles aside as theyemphatically beat strugglingMelchester Rovers to continueto set the Premier League pace.

Terry Johnson and Ainsley Burn were both selected for the home side but they went behindwhen Olly Morrison drove in a 15-yard shot.

Kelburn hit back with a Nando Castillo header and Fred Lightbourne drilled in an 18-yardshot to extend the defending Champions lead.

Jaime Estera set up Edwin Peril to slot in a third before Boris Petkovic powered in Kelburn'sfourth. The playmaking trio of Estera, Peril and Ramon buzzed around with an incisivenessand invention that Melchester could not handle with the former particularly prominent.


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Estera has four goals and five assists in the last five games and the stylish Spaniard was themain orchestrator as his side secured a sixth top-flight win in seven.

Melchester were left still searching for a first league victory of the calendar year andmanager Mel Stone will be concerned at the leaking of seventeen goals in 2013.

The victory for Kelburn will also be a relief for the West London side after the five-nil defeatin Monza. Where the double sending-off of Terry Johnson and Ainsley Burn for fighting with each other late in the first-half with the score at nil-nil, prompted manager FreddySepp to promise stern punishments.

But both defenders were selected to play but against Melchester, and after Castillo missedan early chance, they failed to stop the visitors taking the lead.

Fabrice NDiaye chipped a cross to the far post where Freddy Van Den Broeck nodded theball down for Morrison to drive in a shot from just inside the area for his eleventh league goalof the season.

The lead did not last long as Petkovic crossed for Castillo to head in from eight yards as theRovers defence stood and watched.

Melchester have let in five goals four times this season and, despite playing with a five-manmidfield to be more defensively stable, they could not stop Kelburn, playing with vibrancyand verve, surging into a two-goal advantage.

An acrobatic Castillo shot was blocked by Miguel Piedra but the effort was only cleared toLightbourne, who thumped in a shot from the edge of the area.

Soon afterwards, the exemplary Estera ran unchallenged for half of the pitch before sliding

through a pass which Peril coolly tucked past keeper Nathan Daniels.

Melchester were playing on the counter-attack and had they had more of a cutting edge inthe final third they might have caused Kelburn more concern.

Morrison headed just wide from an NDiaye cross in a promising chance for the visitors.

But Kelburn were in no mood to allow any sort of comeback and the manner with which theystroked the ball about with style and panache after their summer clear-out is a credit to the

job Sepp is doing.

Petkovic completed the victory with a drilled fourth, with Kelburn now holding a four-pointlead at the Premier League summit.

Kelburn assistant manager Vernon Eliot: "We're pleased that we're going into this international break at the top of the PremierLeague. We have so many more games to play but we're in a good position and have a lotof confidence. As long as we don't have many injuries, we'll keep chipping away and try towin as many games and points as we can. I still think M elboro - if you look at their squad -and Danefield United will be up there."

Melchester Rovers boss Mel Stone: "I was probably more annoyed and disappointed at half-time than I was at the end of thegame because, after taking the lead, we certainly needed to be in the game for longer. Whenyou come here, particularly with the quality that they have got - the offensive quality they've


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got now - you know it's going to be a tough ask. But, when you score so early, you need tostay in the game longer. At the moment, as a team, we're not defending well enough."

That defeat was the last tame performance of Mel Stones reign as manager of Melchester Rovers.The club s Basranian owners sacked the Scotsman as Rovers dropped into the relegation zone, withthe worst defensive record in the division. Roy Race was tipped to return as caretaker manager withthe hope of keeping Rovers in the Premier League and he was approached, but the great manrefused the offer, preferring the sunshine of his retirement in Crete. Instead Melchester appointedFrenchman Pierre Lorain, coach of French champions Sorbonne on a four year contract. Relegationwas avoided but Lorain had no interest in seeing out his contract. His reputation enhanced he wasoffered the job of France national team manager, he could not refuse, but the Basranians would notrelease him. A bitter battle ended up in court, where the Middle- Easterns eventually agreed to sell

Lorain for four millions pounds.The fight for Lorain lasted over two months, during this time Rovers were without a manager. TheBasranians refused to accept that Lorain would leave, leaving the first-team without guidance for thevital pre-season period. As star players De Mol and Morrison left on free transfers, other seniorplayers went public in their condemnation of the clubs owners. Melchesters mighty fanbase stoodup, angry and disillusioned; the campaign to take over the club began. It was led by Trevor Brinsden,a legendary super -fan and the shrewd advertising guru, David Roth.

As the movement gained momentum, the Basranians, faced with a global merchandising boycott,agreed to sell, taking a substantial lose. But ultimately they would be glad to rid themselves of an

increasingly costly failing asset. It was David Roth who approached Vernon Eliot to become the


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manager of the new community-owned Melchester Rovers and it was Vernon who insisted thatGerry Holloway be his assistant.

That was an awful performance at Kelburn last season, so whats different this year? Vernon askedGerry, one of his usual half- rhetorical questions, Not much from Kelburn; none of Sepps new

signings have established themselves yet. I expect only two changes from the eleven of January;Petkovic is injured, so Aguilera plays in his place, Roberto may well play in midfield as Graham Hay isJohnsons best centre -back partner. Attacking- wise, I think theyll be the same. Vernon agreed, Butwere much better. On paper, Id say last years side was stronger, De Mol and Morrison are bothsuper players, but neither Stone nor Lorain could find a system to make Rovers even a top-half team.We have and on current form I dont think either of those two would be playing better than Powe llor Lyons and Harry Jacobs has been a revelation.

Rovers were overrun in midfield, Kelburn were just too inventive for them. That will still be thebiggest challenge tomorrow. Im happy with what you and Mozzie worked on this week though. Asformer playmakers you two really put our midfield through its paces. Do you still agree that we get

Cheetham to play a little deeper, with Batty man- marking Estera? Gerry nodded, I cant believeSepp tried to replace him Estera earlier this season. He soon changed his mind though; what aplayer. These small Spaniards are really dominating world football now. Maybe we should go and getone!

Vernon took another two bottles of lager from his minibar, opened them and handed one to Gerry,Im confident we can get a po sitive result. Were so evenly matched, our results so similar. But wehave the in- form forwards, Lyons, NDiaye and Jacobs are all in the goals, Castillo hasnt been firingat all. If we can just control the movement in the midfield we should win. It will be tight though.

Kelburn had four attacking midfielders who all interchanged positions. It had been fluidity and pacethat had troubled Rovers so far this season and Kelburns midfield was certainly mobile, but they didnot attack with the pace of Carf ord or Melboro. If Batty can disrupt the movement of the ballbetween the attacking midfielders and Castillo, our defence should be sturdy. The problem comes ifLightbourne has one of his good games. Fred Lightbourne was a real Kelburn -great, third in their all-time scorers chart, he and Terry Johnson were the only two players Freddy Sepp had never neededto replace, despite the massive funds available to him. But the central midfielder was nearing the

end of his long career and was now more inconsistent than ever. But when he played well, Kelburnreally were a different side; so dynamic and so much more likely to score. Vernon liked Lightbourne,Thats it Gerry, if Fred plays well, which he hasnt been doing against the better sides, then we facea very different challenge. Hes a top man, is Fred, but I hope he has an off -day tomorrow.

Gerry took a swig from his bottle, I hope we get a good result, its almost Christmas, weve got ou rstaff party tomorrow night and I really want to enjoy our dinner!

With Rovers having won seven in a row and Vernon again able to name an unchanged side; Kelburnboasting an array of expensive world-class talent and Freddy Sepp, probably the best manager inEurope, this was sure to be a great match.


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Roy Race was delighted, he had witnessed his two trialists, Kelvin Dickson and Thomas Carruthersoutclass pretty much all of his development squad in a practice match and skills session. He hadspoken with both of the teenagers at length before training, he was impressed with their interviews.Dickson obviously had major problems in his recent past, but Roy could sense that he would bedelighted to move away from them forever. Kelvin had already chosen to leave his East London

home and move to Bromsmede, a spill-over suburb of Melchester and live with his elderly aunt. Roybelieved this to be a mature decision. Bromsmede was not a nice town, packed with large housingestates, with above average unemployment and crime rates, but it did not have a gang culture, likethe mean streets of Hackney where Dickson was raised. He should be able to stay out of troubleliving there and the added responsibility of caring for his immobile relative would surely keep him onthe straight and narrow.

The decision to offer Carruthers a deal was far more straightforward. The eighteen year-olddefender was an exceptional talent. He had previously rejected an academy deal with Melboro,choosing to focus on his A-Levels. He was a bright boy and could go to a top university, he hadapplied to Loughborough to study physiotherapy and was offered an unconditional place, which hehad accepted. Even now, Thomas had not completely accepted Roy Races offer , he wanted todiscuss it with his parents. But Roy was confident that he would accept, the only thing that naggedhim was Carruthers support of Melboro, Rovers great rivals. If he had refused the club hesupported would he now join Melchester Rovers? Roy had been very clear with him, insisting that hebelieved that he could be playing Premier League football next season, if not before. This offer wasdifferent, surely he would accept.

The fact that Carruthers posed for photographs with Dickson and Roy was a good sign. Roy wouldhave two new players to work with; young, hungry players with great potential. But what madethese signings even more valuable was that it was his own son, Rocky, who had recommended them.If they could break though, following in the footsteps of Roy and Rocky, in playing for MelchesterRovers and England, it would be great for the Race family.

Storky Knight NEXT WEEK: ITS THE DERBY ON BOXING DAY!

roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 19 - football fiction comic

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