The Next Big Thing
Chapter 88: Last match at first club

Chapter 88: Last match at first club

"Ladies and gentlemen, it’s match day at The Den," the commentator declared, his voice echoing with both excitement and reverence. "And can I tell you how quiet it feels without the roar of The Lions? Normally, that silence would signal a suspension or some other drama, but this time, it’s a different beast—a global pandemic keeping fans at bay."

Baron James, 59 years old and the sole voice in the commentary booth due to COVID restrictions, didn’t let the emptiness of the stadium dull his passion. For decades, he’d been a storyteller of the beautiful game, and today was no exception. The absence of the crowd only amplified his role—to capture the heart and soul of football and share it with listeners tuning in from afar.

For decades, Baron had been a steadfast presence in football commentary, a career he’d dreamed of since his youth. While others were drawn to the thrill of playing or the joy of spectating, he had been captivated by the art of describing the action—the rhythm, the poetry, the brilliance of players on the pitch.

No, he wasn’t Peter Drury with his lyrical prose, nor Martin Tyler with his iconic calls, but Baron had carved out his own legacy, his words weaving a rich tapestry of the game for fans near and far.

Today was another Chapter in his lifelong story of doing what he loved most celebrating the extraordinary moments that made football the global phenomenon it is. And as the match began, Baron James leaned into his microphone, ready to bring the action to life with every ounce of his passion.

"Today’s clash pits the home side, Millwall, against Derby County, who have come determined to challenge them. But this isn’t just the first game of the Championship since the lifting of the ban—it’s also a battle for redemption for the visitors."

"The last time these two teams met, Millwall handed the Rams a devastating blow, putting four past them and sparking a five-game losing streak that cast Derby County into the shadows."

"But things are different now. While Millwall has remained consistent, sitting 6th on the table and vying for a playoff spot, Derby County has undergone a remarkable transformation. Since the arrival of their player-coach, Wayne Rooney, the Rams have been on a tear. In 14 games this year, they’ve lost just twice, drawn once, and claimed 11 emphatic victories. Their resurgence has been nothing short of spectacular.

Scoring at least two goals per game, Derby County has delivered electrifying football that has thrilled fans and silenced critics. If you witnessed their recent thriller against Manchester United, you’d know this is a team reborn—a team ready to turn the tables and settle the score."

"And here come the players for the home side, Millwall," the commentator began. "In goal, we have Bartosz Bialkowski, with captain Shaun Hutchinson and Jake Cooper anchoring the center of defense. Murray Wallace and Mahlon Romeo take the full-back positions, left and right, respectively. In midfield, we have Jed Wallace, Jayson Molumby, Ryan Woods, and Shane Ferguson.

Ryan Leonard plays as the support striker, with the lone man, Matt Smith, leading the attack. Millwall are fielding their full squad today, sticking with their standard 4-4-1-1 formation. It seems they’ve come to play, especially with the players donning their signature kit."

"And it seems Derby County didn’t come to play either, fielding their full squad—well, their full squad since player-coach Wayne Rooney took charge. In goal, we have Ben Hamer, with Matthew Clarke and Andre Wilson as the center-back pairing. Jayden Bogle, now solidified as the right-back, and Max Bird as the left-back.

It’s worth noting that the team’s captain, Curtis Davies, is still on the bench, with Rooney himself donning the captain’s armband today. He’s partnered in midfield with the revelation, Jason Knight. Out wide, we have Tom Lawrence as the left winger, Louie Sibley in the support striker role, and a controversial choice with 16-year-old David Jones on the right wing."

The commentator’s voice became more animated.

"David Jones—this young talent, who according to all sources, is set to join Manchester United next week. It’s odd, isn’t it, that Wayne Rooney still chose to play him today? But, when you look at Derby’s incredible run lately, you can’t help but credit a lot of it to this young lad.

Since joining, he’s contributed 12 goals and 7 assists, and his mesmerizing dribbles have left defenders scrambling. It’s no surprise why Manchester United has already made their move. Today could be his last for the Rams—let’s see what he can do in this one."

"And up front," he continued, "we have Martyn Waghorn, a player on fire, having found his scoring touch since the turn of the year."

David stood on the pitch, taking in the moment. He had come a long way—this was his 15th professional match, and it would be his last for his first-ever club. He had moved too fast, and while he wouldn’t say he was leaving on the best of terms, Derby would always hold a special place in his heart. Despite being practically ignored by most of his teammates on the ride here, their attitude towards him still sour, he was fired up, more determined than ever.

"Hey, you ready, kid?" a familiar voice broke through his thoughts. David turned to see Wayne approaching. He nodded silently, meeting the coach’s gaze. Wayne, who could have been angry, instead gave him a look of support—a gesture David wished his father had shown. He shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. This isn’t the time for that, he reminded himself firmly.

"Yes, I’m ready, coach," he said, his voice steady and resolute.

Wayne gave a quick, reassuring nod. "Good, good," he replied, before jogging back to his position, hyping up the players along the way.

This was it. David’s last match at the club. As he gazed ahead, determination burned in his eyes. He had made up his mind—today would be a spectacle, a performance that would be remembered. He would leave everything on the pitch.

Meanwhile, in a bar not far from The Den, Millwall Stadium, a group of fans had gathered. What was odd, apart from the fact that they were there despite the lockdown ban, was that they weren’t wearing the white, blue, and gold jerseys of the town’s club. Instead, most of them wore black and white, colors synonymous with two clubs in England—Newcastle and Derby County. But, since it wasn’t striped, it was the home kit of the now-playing Derby County team.

"Thank you, John," came the voice from the bartender’s side, followed by a man wearing white, blue, and gold.

"No problem, Trevor. Just make sure you teach that ungrateful brat a lesson," said the man.

Yes, it was Trevor, the Derby County fan who swore to teach the kid who had destroyed his dreams a lesson. Trevor had gathered the most extreme fans he knew and, covertly, they had all come to the bar of a friend, someone he had fought with plenty of times before. As he watched the players lining up, ready to begin, his eyes locked onto the kid wearing number 30. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Trevor, are you serious? Are we actually doing this?" came the voice of his friend John, who had followed him into this revenge plot.

Trevor turned towards him, fire in his eyes. "Yes, John, we are doing this. We’re going to storm the stadium and protest."

John sighed, trying to reason with him. "And how exactly is that going to help our club? We’ll just get banned, or worse, the whole league will get paused. We could be arrested. The person you’re protesting against will just carry on with his life, going to that same club you’re protesting about. What would your wife think?"

Trevor’s face twisted in anger as soon as John mentioned his wife. "I’ve told you already. If you don’t want to do this, then don’t. It’s not compulsory. Me and the others, the ones who actually care about our football club, will go and fight for the club we love while you sit here drinking beer."

John opened his mouth to argue further, but Trevor stood up, shouting, "Rams! Rams! Rams!" His voice boomed across the bar, drawing the attention of everyone present. The group responded in unison, shouting, "We are Derby! We are Derby! We are Derby!"

Seeing the passion in the room, Trevor smiled. He had gathered people who, like him, shared an undying love for Derby County.

"My fellow people, the day has arrived," he began, his voice strong as the people around him nodded in agreement. He pointed at the television behind him mounted in the corner of the bar, where the screen showed Wayne Rooney talking to the object of their rage—David Jones.

"Do you see that boy in the video?" Trevor continued. "He’s the reason we’re gathered here today."

"That boy took us for fools!" Trevor paced back and forth in the bar, his voice rising with anger. "He took the love and respect we gave him and used us!" He stopped, staring at the crowd. "He abandoned us for a newer, bigger toy!"

He began pacing again, his frustration growing. "He seemed to have forgotten that it was us—Derby County—who gave him his first ever chance to play football. And now, what is he doing? He’s abandoning us!"

His voice grew louder as he spoke. "Well, my people, are we going to continue being treated like this?"

"No! We are not!" the crowd roared in response.

"I said, my people, are we going to be played like fools?"

"No! We are not!" they shouted, even louder this time.

"My people, I said, are we going to allow someone to use our compassion against us?"

"No! We are not!" came the resounding reply, louder still.

Trevor’s anger boiled over, and he thrust his fist into the air. "Then let’s go out there and show them: if you mess with the Rams, you get the fucking horn!"

He expected another fierce rallying cry from the crowd. But what he got instead was a shout of "Goaaaaallllll!"

Trevor froze, eyes wide in confusion. The match had just started, hadn’t it? He whipped his head toward the screen, his heart racing as the realization hit him

I want to Thank Zofino who gave me golden ticket yesterday thank you so so much i truly appreciate its nice to see the book getting love

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