Roy of the Rovers - A New Beginning - Week 12

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Roy of the Rovers – A New Beginning

Week 12

In the sitting room of his apartment, Trevor Brinsden was reviewing a short memorandum, it had

been sent to all four of his laundry depots: “Staff council, volunteers wanted. That should tempt our

spy!” Trevor was desperate to identify John Lucas’ mole, but all he knew was that he was male.

Surely he would apply to be on the staff council, the memo made it clear that the councillors would

have monthly meetings with senior staff including the owner. This was another of David Roth’s

ideas, “So Trev, where are these applications?” Trevor passed over the dozen or so one page

statements. Roth divided them into two piles, “This should be easy; there are only two men, Gary

Richardson and Javier Acosta.” Trevor interrupted, “It’s not Gary, I’ve known him for years, he’s a

mate, been on the firm since the beginning.” David quickly read through Acosta’s statement, “Trust

Lucas to use the poor and weak. He’s only been in the country a year. He’s from Colombia and thinks

he’s best to represent the low level staff because he’s new he can see all the problems.”

Trevor brought up Acosta’s employment record on his laptop, “Twenty-two years old, been on the

firm four months. So his probation is up in two months, how much damage can he do in that time?”

Roth answered, “That depends on your current practises. You use casual workers, better get them

on zero hour contracts that will secure that side. Send another memo out demanding that all

workers wear the correct protective clothing and that line managers will be conducting spot checks.”

Trevor was grateful again for David’s advice, “I’d move the accounts department too, that way

everything will be up in the air for a few weeks. Lucas will definitely try to hack into those. But he

can’t do that if they’re unplugged and in transit. Once they’re moved, move them again. You’ve got

four district offices make use of them all. Lucas has great resources, remember that report, we’ve

got to play a defensive game here Trev!” Trevor stood up and eyed a large team photograph of the

1972/73 Melchester Rovers squad, “That’s not the Rovers way, Dave! I’d rather attack, let him worryabout us. He’s going after me, he’s going to find something, he has to.”

Trevor’s house phone started ringing, caller-ID showed an international number “+1, that’s the

States,” he picked up, “Hello…Rocky! I’ve some bad news, mate…” Trevor explained everything that

had been going on with Lucas. The once famous son of the even more famous father was notamused, “I’m out here to be anonymous. I coach a college soccer team and work on MLS TV. Don’t

let him do this to us. If the wife finds out, my marriage will be finished!”



* * *

Roy Race sat in his favourite restaurant in the city centre of Melchester waiting for his dinner

companion. Roy adored Greek cuisine, he developed a taste for it after taking Rovers on a pre-

season tour to Crete in 1980. Since then he and the family had often holidayed on the islands,

eventually buying a large villa with its own private beach in 1993. Roy had spent the majority of the

previous three years living there enjoying the pleasant climate and great food. “Roy! Sorry I’m lateold man,” Roy stood to greet his guest, a tall figure, still with a shock of dark hair, reached out a big

mitt and shook hands vigorously, “No worries Johnny! You looking forward to tomorrow?”

The ‘Hard Man,’ Johnny Dexter, was now manager of his club, Danefield United, the opponents of

Melchester Rovers on Saturday. Danefield had been underachieving for the past eight years, since

winning the European Cup for the second time in 2005. That’s why Dexter was brought home as

manager, he would not tolerate underachievers, this United side would be tough and play with

passion and desire.

“I can’t wait, Roy! We’re on good form, seventh in the league, just two defeats, to Portdean and

Kelburn. Rovers are indifferent really, but it will be a tense game I can promise that. I’ve made sure

we’re difficult to beat.” Dexter had been in the job for just over a year now, having made his name

as a manager at Castlemere, who he had established as a mid-table Premier League club. In his first

season he had led Danefield to third place, their highest place for six years. “I like the look of your

forwards; you signed two genuine world-class players to play with Berchesi. They’re the best front

three in the country, in my opinion.” Roy’s compliments were not for the benefit of his old friend, he

really believed that Danefield could challenge for the title. “It’s only a matter of time before your

team gels. The defence is solid and improving, your new goalie is playing really well, I rate him.

When the defence is settled and that forward line firing consistently, you will have a real top side. I

have to say I’m jealous. Our squad at Rovers is very thin. Vernon has to be really strict with tactics atthe moment, just to try to get them playing the Rovers way, but some just aren’t up to it.”

“Harry Jacobs is out this week too. He’s been impressive, can’t be far away from an England call-up;

although he’s competing with my man Newton for that left-wing position. Newton’s been on superb

form, the league’s top scorer with eight.”

Dexter was glad Roy had invited him to dinner, they had not seen each other socially for over four

years. Many outsiders falsely believed that they did not get on. That was just not true. Johnny had

no time for Roy’s son, Rocky, that was no secret. But the ‘Hard Man’ had always called on Roy for

advice throughout his managerial career. “Remember Ben Argent, Racey? Can’t believe I paid you

two million quid for him! He was a real wally.” Roy did recall the young midfielder, he had hoped he

would develop into a Jimmy Slade or Terry Spring, but he had a bad attitude, “Some players are

beyond help. I wouldn’t even blame the fame or money with Ben. He just never grew up. I hoped the

move to Castlemere and your tough approach would straighten him out.” Dexter had tried his best

to force Argent to realise his potential, “I went in hard to start with, but he wasn’t a tough guy. He

just melted away from me and stopped coming to training. Softly, softly didn’t work either. He then

did what he wanted, getting into trouble again.”

“We had some good match-ups in the late 90s though. You really transformed Castlemere into a

good Premier League side, that takes some doing. Now you’ve got the big job, your dream job. I wish

you all the best, after this Saturday of course!”











Fabrice N’Diaye's late penalty gave Melchester victory over Holverton and liftedRovers to eighth in the Premier League.

Frustrated for long periods, the hosts were relieved when N’Diaye finished after Ahmed Mohalehbihandled.

N’Diaye had earlier been denied by Holverton keeper Steve Stringer, while Drew Powell hooked over

the bar.

Tommy Stone volleyed over in the first half but the visitors were increasingly pressed back and wereultimately undone from the spot.

Until then, it looked like Holverton's five-man defence would thwart a Rovers side that appeared tolack the guile to create goalscoring opportunities.

But, when Mohalehbi was adjudged to have used his arm to block Jean-Paul Lamidel's cross 10minutes from time, N’Diaye slotted his third league goal of the season.

It was perhaps apt that this contest between the lowest goalscorers in the Premier League's top half was settled by a sole goal from the spot, but that will serve as little comfort to a Holverton team that

could justifiably argue they deserved a point.

Hampered by injuries and the suspension of on-loan Portdean midfielder Jack Hartson, Whites bossSteve Robertson was forced to make six changes to the side beaten by Melboro’ last week.



Holverton were set-up to contain, an objective they fulfilled successfully for much of the first period.

Besides the set-piece that gave Powell the space for Rovers' best chance of the half, the hosts weremainly restricted to long-range efforts from Wesley King, the lively Jake Cheetham and Freddy VanDen Broeck, recalled for his first league start since early August in place of Curtis Blunt.

But Holverton were also able to counter and make chances of their own - Georgie Mann and Nicolas

Sagna forced home goalkeeper Nathan Daniels into action, while the excellent Stone fired over on hisreturn to the club with whom he spent eight years.

The Whites, though, found attacking opportunities harder to come by as the game wore on andRovers applied more pressure in the second half, particularly after the introduction of Harry Jacobs.

When Richie Lyons fed N’Diaye, the Frenchman was well -placed to break the deadlock only for Stringer - making his first league start for the Whites because of an injury to Ally McSweeney - to divelow to his left and palm away.

With that chance gone, Holverton looked increasingly likely to get away with a draw until the penaltydecision went against them.

There was still time for Rovers to suffer a twin scare, first when Lyons took a heavy fall into the crowdand then from a Stone free-kick with the last action of the match.

Lyons was knocked unconscious but got up to finish the game, while Stone shot wide.

* * *



Roy Race sat in his lounge reviewing the Premier

League table on his laptop. It was clear already

that there was a massive gulf in quality between

the top sides (Melboro’ and Kelburn) and those in

the bottom half, let alone the two alreadystranded at the bottom (Oldfield and Deans Park).

What worried Roy most, however, was that

Melchester Rovers had already played against

three of the weaker sides (Deans Park, Oldfield

and Redstoke), but had only picked up one win.

They would need to play much better when the

tough games against the top two came along

back-to-back at Christmas.

But Roy liked to look for positives; Rovers wereonly two points from fifth, the minimum placing

unwisely promised by Vernon Eliot. And they were

already seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Burndean were the surprise package so far. They

were converting their good cup form, of the last

three years, into league points. Many pundits

were shocked by the poor form of Castlemere and Deans Park, given their good finishes in 2012/13.

But it did not surprise Roy, both were so one-dimensional, always playing negative football. It seems

to be acceptable for so many of the Premier League’s lesser teams to just contain, never to take anyrisks on or off the field, never blooding young home-grown players. Roy would never have pictured

this after the amazing start to the Premier League in 1992/93, when teams of talented English

players slogged out entertaining matches week after week. That was the last season he played,

perhaps Roy Race had influenced English football even more than his greatest fans realised.

Storky Knight

NEXT WEEK – Rocky Race returns to England as Melchester Rovers face Eastgate in London…

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Roy of the Rovers - A New Beginning - Week 12