402 Advancement Part 1 (1/2)
The stands in the City Ground stadium reached a fever pitch as the crowd watched the football go into the net.
”Everyone has been guessing when Eastwood's first comeback game would be. No one believed that Eastwood could return to his former standard after his recovery. They all thought that it was a miracle for the Romanito return to the field at all. But! Freddy Eastwood used this goal to tell us that all our speculations were wrong! Ten months later, he's still the same Freddy Eastwood!”
Motson fired away at the microphone like a machine gun.
Mark Lawrenson was completely silent. This goal seemed like a slap in his face. Conventionally, it was very difficult for a seriously wounded player to return to his previous level. He had not expected Eastwood to fly in the face of convention!
”Look at Tony Twain's excitement. That young manager was the one who cared the most about Eastwood during his injury. And now Eastwood repays all the care that Manager Twain has given him! The 2:0 lead over Newcastle United is like a buy one get one free giveaway. He has gained a healthy and perfect striker; this is the most important thing!”
Eastwood broke away from Albertini's embrace and shook his arms as he shouted. But soon he was swamped by more Forest players. He was tightly held in the middle, with only one arm still raised high.
”Holy s**t, David, this is terrific!” The substitutes' bench was full of cheers. Twain could not help but swear. ”Can you imagine a more perfect comeback?”
Kerslake laughed as he shook his head.
※※※
Currently, it was no longer Souness of the previous half of the season coaching Newcastle United. As the results could not satisfy the Magpies fans, Souness was forced to leave the St James' Park stadium. The Newcastle United chairman, Shepard, had chosen to let the club's youth-development manager, Glenn Roeder, be the caretaker manager.
Twain and the man were old acquaintances. He was Twain's first opponent when he had coached for the first time. He defeated Twain that time, but then the circumstances of both men were polar opposites to what they were now. Twain did very well as the manager of Nottingham Forest, whereas Glenn Roeder was still only a manager of a youth team and caretaker manager, moving from West Ham United to Newcastle United.
Tang En's arrival changed a lot of things, but he could not turn a good-for-nothing into a genius, so Mr. Roeder did not change at all.
He wanted to equalize the score but lacked specific ideas. In the end, Nottingham Forest scored another goal and issued the verdict for the game.
What made it even more unbearable for him was that his failure became Eastwood's glorious comeback. No one cared about Newcastle United's performance or result for this game. Everyone was currently talking about one person: Freddy Eastwood.
However, Newcastle United was also a traditionally strong team in the North. Playing a supporting role to a player was an indignity.
Although the game was not over yet, the City Ground stands had already begun to celebrate in advance. Watching those jubilant Nottingham Forest fans, Manager Glenn Roeder was ashen-faced.
He was not incapable of accepting defeat. He just could not stomach that he had lost to that man again.
Although it had been three years, he still remembered what Tony Twain had said to him as he shook his hand at a press conference after the FA Cup: ”You'd better pray that your team will not be relegated.” He had never met such a thoughtless manager. And what made him even angrier was that what this tactless man had said came true! After the season had ended, West Ham United could not escape the misfortune of relegation despite their efforts to catch up on the points in the second half of the season. His West Ham United team was probably the relegated team with the most points in history.
He believed this was all credited to Tony Twain's curse.
The grudge was firmly lodged in his heart.