roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 27 - football fiction comic

8/12/2019 Roy of the Rovers - A New Beginning - Week 27 - Football Fiction Comic

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Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning

Week 27


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An enraged Rocky Race sprinted onto the pitch as the referee blew the final whistle signalling defeat

for his Baltimore Bullets side. The rookie coach was incensed at a number of controversial refereeing

decisions that had cost his side any chance of victory against Pittsburgh Powermen. Star midfielder

and captain, Carlos Figueroa had been sent-off for dissent, following a hotly disputed penalty

awarded to the Powermen, that also saw the Bullets goalkeeper dismissed for serious foul play.

Race screamed at the officials, Unbelievable! I cant get a break with you guys! You are determined

to screw me! Rocky had lived in the states too long, he was even beginning to sound like a Yank.

Rockys assistant coach, was now holding him back, ushering him to the locker rooms. Rocky was still

focussed on the referee, spitting insults and curse words like a drunk Duncan McKay. Rocky, ease

off, man! Youll be fined and suspended already, dont make it worse, dude! But Rocky still had that

fiery temper, the same flaw that saw him shown the red card over twenty years ago on just his

second senior Melchester Rovers appearance.

While soccer was still a minority sport in the United States of America, the MLS did receive

comprehensive television coverage. Every second of his outburst from the moment he reacted to

the penalty call, by abusing the fourth official to the punch that caved in a locker in the away

changing room, was captured and beamed live across the country. Few would have been watching in

the U.S. but there were plenty of interested viewers in England. But right now a sense of injustice

prevailed, he did not seem aware that this episode would soon be picked up by Sky Sports News and

broadcast to millions of football fans, club chairmen and officials and of course his father. If Rocky

Race wanted to make it big as a football manager, he had to curb that temper. No-one in England

would touch him right now. Roy Race had been watching the game live, having stayed up late

especially to support his sons team. He was ashamed, again, of his boys behaviour. He would have

to ring him, but not right now, he knew Rocky too well. There was no way the latest Race manager

would listen to advice until he had cooled down.

Instead Roy used his digital television remote control to rewind the Powermen versus Bullets match,he would watch again adding to his notes. Sooner or later Rocky would ask his advice, he was sure of

that and he wanted to be prepared. The MLS was a weak league, far below any level Roy had ever

played, but it was ultra competitive, every side relatively equal. That meant success could be

achieved, but a side like the Bullets were just as likely to fail.

Roys notes on the match did not focus on Pittsburgh, he wanted to analyse Baltimore. Rocky had

only been in the job for two months and clearly did not know the strengths or weaknesses of his

squad. From the first minute he was up on the edge of his technical area shouting instructions. He

was pointing and yelling, forcing players to stick to their assigned positions. It was not working, his

team were unfamiliar with the system. It was the Roy Race system, 4-3-3, the Melchester Way, as it

had become known, but the Bullets could not or would not play it. The captain, Figueroa, whoshould have been the young coachs voice on the field was most guilty. He was dropping very deep,

between his centre-backs, receiving short passes from the defenders and goalkeeper. It was

undermining all the training and tactical drills Roy knew his son had worked at on the training field.

The Melchester Way needed speed and power, the Bullets had power and they were obviously very

fit and some genuinely quick, but without quick passing it just could not work. Figueroa was slowing

down play so much, playing at such a leisurely pace, that any movement ahead of him was wasted.

The wide men were running tirelessly but never received decent service, in fact they were working

themselves into the ground for nothing. Rocky had a real problem, he had to change systems, he

could not change players. He had to build his side around Figueroa, the Honduran was good enough

to win matches at this level on his own. Rocky had to abandon his football philosophy just like Royhimself had done in the early nineties. In football everyone must be willing to adapt.


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Melchester Rovers missed the chance to go level on points with fourth-placed Everpool as they played out a grim goalless stalemate withDeans Park at Mel Park.

Rovers were attempting to recover from the frustrating 2-1 defeat at Redstoke, while Parkwere desperate to bounce back from the 2-2 draw at home to bottom club Castlemere. And itshowed in a game that was desperately disappointing in between a flurry of chances in theopening and closing minutes, ending in a result that did not serve the purposes of

Melchester Rovers manager Vernon Eliotor Deans Park counterpart Jack Cassidy,other than in avoiding defeat.

Former Rovers defender Jeff Espirit cameclosest for the visitors but his early effortwas saved by Nathan Daniels, who alsoturned the American's late header onto thebar. Declan McKaffree missed Melchester'sbest opportunity although Jake Cheethambrought two fine late saves out of Park

keeper Daniel Dear and Danny Jonesheader was cleared off the line by ThomasAdoube.

For too long, however, this was a poor game between two sides who seemed intent onavoiding defeat as their first priority - and a shadow of previous games between these twoclubs in recent years. Cassidy is still waiting for his first win at Mel Park in his managerialcareer, while the home side could not land a morale-boosting blow in their pursuit of theChampions League place as they remained three points adrift of fourth-placed Everpool.

Deans Park, meanwhile, are still fifteenth, now 9 points ahead of the relegation places.Theexcitement of the opening moments and an exchange of chances proved to be a false dawn

ahead of a turgid first half. Full-back Espirit should have punished his former club when herobbed Tommy Tonks 25 yards out to advance on Daniels but his shot lacked power and thekeeper was able to save low down. McKaffree then wasted an equally good opportunitywhen he muscled his way ahead of Darren Pyre only to head Drew Powell's corner wide.

Dear then needed to make a diving stop as the returning Jake Cheetham's shot deflected offPyre - but otherwise this was stale fare from two teams who have produced so much better.Cassidy made an enforced change at the start of the second half as he sent on KennySimpson for Peter Kipling, who had taken a blow to the head in an aerial challenge withMcKaffree. But it was Melchester who came closest again just after the hour when Jonesrose to meet another Powell corner only to see his header swept off the line by Adoube.

As the game entered its final 20 minutes both Eliot and Cassidy attempted to give their sidesfresh impetus as Richie Lyons replaced Tonks and Lars Pederson replaced the subdued


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Chris Wallace.

There had been little sign of any partnership between Cheetham and Powell but the pairlinked superbly as Rovers almost went ahead with 11 minutes left. Powell's cross foundCheetham at the far post but Dear reacted superbly to push his header safely wide. DeansPark responded as the game finally showed signs of life, Daniels doing well to save fromPark skipper Dan Walsh on two separate occasions in the closing minutes, but there was nobreakthrough.

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Jake Cheetham, the captain of Melchester Rovers, sat in obvious discomfort on the physiotherapists

table, his right knee clearly swollen. A heavy challenge from Deans Parks powerful skipper Dan

Walsh towards the end of the disappointing nil-nil draw at Mel Park forced Cheetham to receive

lengthy treatment and now he was a doubt for the vital match away at second placed Danefield

United. Johnny Dexters side were physical, yet also boasted some of the most exciting attacking

talent in the Premier League. What are my chances Deb? Jake asked Rovers long serving club

doctor Debbie Foster, You can play, but youll need a painkilling injection once the swelling has

eased, so you can train and another again on Sunday morning before the match. Its up to you Jake,

playing through the pain can make ligament strains like this far worse. You suffer pain for reason, its

your body telling you that its broken or breaking. Personally, I think you should rest. But as I said,

its up to you skipper.

The physio slid an ice compress up Cheethams right leg and secured it in place over the suspect

knee. There was no way Jake, the captain and leader of Melchester Rovers could not play in such an

important match. Rovers were still chasing that fourth place, they sat in sixth just three points

behind Everpool, who were fourth and one point behind fifth placed Portdean. Tynecaster United, in

seventh were joint on points with Rovers, and were desperate to match last seasons fourth place

having been shocked in the qualifying round in August by minnows Dinamo Vlaznia of Albania. Every

minute of every remaining match was crucial to Rovers season, if they could snatch the final

Champions League place, it would signal a return to the big time for the biggest club in England and

probably secure Jake Cheethams place in the England World Cup squad for Brazil.

I leave this compress on until this evening, right? Then you can give me the first jab? Debbie

nodded, I have to play. I want to play. I am the captain. I let the club and the boss down with that

agro with the Melboro players, now I can make up for that by leading Rovers to a win at Danefield!

Vernon Eliot, was passing the open door, Thats the spirit skipper! Lets show Johnny Dexter and

United we can play it tough too!The manager shouted as he entered the room, slapping his captainon the back. We need you Jake. Youve got to press on Shaun Royce, hes the man that makes them

tick. You know that, but since hes dropped into that defensive midfield position he is pinging it

about all over the park, man. Youve got to sit on him, make him run backwards, hes not as mobile

as he once was. Really make him move about the park. Im gonna make Drew press him too, me and

Gerry reckon, if you two push up we can stop the Danefield machine. They are on fire, man, but we

can match them.

The physio handed Jake a set of crutches as Vernon helped him down from the table, Ive had a

message from Ritchie Gunn too. He will be at Danefield on Sunday. Royce obviously is England

captain and a certain pick, the only person he will be judging is you, man. If you can dominate the

England captain then he will have to pick you. If you show him that youre back to your pre-Christmas form then he says you wont just be in the squad, youll be in the first team for the match

against Italy. Its not just Melchester who needs you Jake, England do too.

Storky Knight

NEXTDanefield United versus Melchester Rovers

roy of the rovers - a new beginning - week 27 - football fiction comic

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