Since there was no live broadcast of the Premier League in the United States, David couldn't watch the match between Notts County and the league leaders. However, as soon as the game ended, David knew the result.
Notts County had won—and it hadn't been easy.
It was a nail-biting game, one that seemed almost out of place in the British Second Division.
Notts County quickly settled into their rhythm at home, launching a series of fierce attacks, and it was Iniesta who opened the scoring for the team.
However, Brighton didn't take long to recover. After conceding, they stabilized their play and intensified their own offensive. Just before halftime, a defensive mistake from Notts County allowed Brighton to equalize the score.
The second half was a fierce battle. Although Notts County had a slight advantage on the counterattack and posed more of a threat to Brighton's defense, neither team could break the deadlock until the 75th minute.
At that point, Notts County made a tactical change, substituting Alonso, who had been on the field for a while and was running low on energy, with Villa. This move brought an unexpected and immediate result. Villa's first touch after coming on was a powerful statement—he received a precise pass from Marcio on the wing, turned, and attempted a shot. Brighton's defender, caught off guard, fouled him from behind in the penalty box. Without hesitation, the referee pointed to the spot.
Despite protests from Brighton players, the penalty decision was clear-cut, and Villa stepped up to take it. He calmly sent the goalkeeper the wrong way and scored, putting Notts County back in the lead.
After taking the lead, Notts County shifted to a more defensive strategy, focusing on protecting their advantage as time ran out. With the clock ticking down, it seemed they would secure a crucial victory over the league leaders and extend their winning streak to four games.
But Love had underestimated Brighton's resilience.
In response, Brighton launched an all-out assault, substituting in a tall, powerful striker. They also pushed their center-backs forward, creating a towering presence in the penalty area. Brighton's approach became more direct, resorting to high balls into the box, a style commonly used by many English teams.
Although this type of play was crude and straightforward, it posed a significant threat to Notts County. The height advantage in Brighton's attack was something Notts County struggled to handle. With Lescott suspended, and Westman and Bolaruz starting, the duo's aerial defense wasn't enough to deal with the three towering attackers pressing in the box.
In response, Love made an immediate adjustment, bringing on Mertesacker, a player known for his height and aerial prowess, hoping that at least one of his defenders would be able to match Brighton's aerial assault.
However, before Mertesacker could enter, Brighton capitalized on their physical advantage, using their high balls to create chaos in Notts County's penalty area. A long cross from the wing found its target, and Brighton scored the equalizer, making it 2-2.
Love couldn't help but curse under his breath. The opponent's luck had been incredible in that moment.
Still, there was no time to dwell on it. Substitutions had to continue. It was a matter of life and death—one team had to emerge victorious. Love switched to Ribery, hoping to use his speed to outpace Brighton's defenders and create opportunities in the final third.
With just minutes left, both teams played at an intense pace. The action was relentless, and the fans were on the edge of their seats.
When the fourth official raised the board indicating three minutes of stoppage time, the players on the field didn't notice just how much the atmosphere had shifted. All attention was on the game, and the tension in the stadium was palpable.
As the clock ticked down, it seemed like the game would end in a 2-2 draw. But Villa, who had been the hero earlier, stepped up once again.
Brighton's full-back, attempting to control the ball in his own half, hesitated for just a moment. Villa, ever-alert, pounced on the opportunity. Instead of clearing the ball out of play, the Brighton defender tried to pass it back to the goalkeeper. But the goalkeeper, caught off guard by the pass, misjudged the ball, sending it too far ahead.
Villa, who had been sprinting forward, seized the opportunity. He intercepted the loose ball just outside the penalty box and, in one fluid motion, calmly slotted it past the stranded goalkeeper, securing the win for Notts County.
Who could have imagined that a substitute forward would score twice in such a dramatic fashion, becoming the team's savior?
The final moments were a whirlwind of joy. Meadow Lane Stadium erupted in celebration as the players poured onto the field to congratulate Villa. Fans in the stands went wild, their cheers echoing throughout the stadium. Brighton's players, on the other hand, stood stunned, unable to comprehend the events that had just unfolded.
Brighton's goalkeeper collapsed to the ground, his face a picture of despair as the weight of his mistake became clear. The loss was devastating.
With this key victory, Notts County proved their strength. Beating Brighton, one of the top two teams in the league, had carved a bloody path to the top. No one would now underestimate the historic club.
Despite the win, Notts County still trailed Brighton by three points. But with this victory, they had quietly moved into third place in the standings.
Major bookmakers had taken notice. Notts County's odds to win the league had significantly dropped, now only slightly higher than Brighton's, with Mansfield in second place. The title race was heating up.
On September 10, David began trading U.S. stocks. Before the market closed, he had completed a high-leverage short-selling position on the index.
If history followed its original course and the 9/11 attacks occurred as scheduled, David would receive at least a billion pounds in profit. But if history shifted, then David's risky bet would leave him with nothing.
However, this time, David wasn't as anxious as he had been with his previous risky investments. All the signs pointed to this world following a similar path to his past life after his rebirth.
In fact, he had only provided broad guidance to his trader, predicting a market panic and downturn, while leaving the specifics of the trades to maximize profits in the hands of the experts. David himself knew very little about the intricacies of the stock market.
Once the market closed on the 10th, David quietly returned to England. After the attacks on September 11, U.S. stocks would be suspended for a while, not reopening until September 17. Staying in the U.S. seemed pointless.
Back in England, Notts County was preparing for the second round of the English League Cup. The draw had produced a favorable—yet also challenging—matchup: they would face Premier League team Middlesbrough.
For lower-league teams, drawing a Premier League opponent in the cup is both an opportunity and a challenge. Middlesbrough's current form wasn't good, however. They had lost four straight games in the Premier League and were sitting at the very bottom of the standings.
Given their poor league record, Middlesbrough was unlikely to prioritize the League Cup. This meant that Notts County might face a weakened, unmotivated opponent.
Even if Notts County had to fight hard, Love was confident they could overcome Middlesbrough's weakened side. After all, Middlesbrough had made no significant changes to their lineup, with many of their top players expected to rest.
Despite Middlesbrough's poor form, Love couldn't ignore the quality of their Premier League squad. Even if they weren't at full strength, their players were still capable of causing trouble, and it was possible they would use the cup match as a way to regain some morale after their terrible league run.
To prepare, Notts County had done their homework, scouting Middlesbrough's likely lineup and figuring out which players would start. The fact that Notts County wouldn't face Middlesbrough's strongest squad took some pressure off Love's shoulders. Still, he knew that the team needed to be fully focused.
While the team prepped for the match, David's mind wasn't on the game. His thoughts were far across the ocean, on a different continent entirely. He was waiting for the inevitable—waiting for an aircraft to collide with a building.
David knew it was a cynical and inhumane way of thinking, especially given the tragic loss of life in the attacks, but he couldn't help it. After all, he was prepared to profit immensely from the destruction that was about to unfold.
As the September 11 attacks occurred, news of the tragedy spread worldwide in an instant, with the eyes of the globe fixed firmly on the United States. Despite the loss of human life, David's heart raced with excitement. He knew his gamble had paid off.
Just as David was lost in his thoughts, reveling in his success, his beautiful secretary knocked on the door, pulling him back into the present.
"Sir, here's today's Times," she said, handing him the newspaper. "There's an interview with Middlesbrough's coach, McLaren." Her face showed signs of anger.
David immediately understood the situation. Middlesbrough's outspoken manager, McLaren, had likely said something about Notts County. Otherwise, his secretary wouldn't have come in looking so upset.
Sure enough, McLaren had spoken out of turn. During the interview, when the reporter didn't even ask about Notts County, McLaren decided to bring them up on his own.
"According to the FA regulations," McLaren had said, "the two teams will share the ticket revenue from the cup match. It's a good thing for Notts County that they get to face Middlesbrough. The revenue from a game like this is enough for them to fund their season."
"They should consider themselves lucky and grateful. If they asked, we might even donate half of our ticket income to them as a charity for the weaker teams in the lower leagues, just like many Premier League teams have done in the past."
David didn't even finish reading the article before he flung the newspaper across the room, causing his secretary to jump in surprise.
"Damn it!" he shouted, his fury palpable. "How dare he look down on Notts County? If he doesn't know the power of Notts County tomorrow, I'll make sure he does!"
David was livid. Yes, Middlesbrough was a Premier League team, but they had been languishing at the bottom of the league with four consecutive losses. They had effectively locked themselves into a relegation spot.
Now, McLaren had the audacity to speak as though Notts County were beggars, coming to the Premier League team with their hands outstretched for charity. It was infuriating.
Notts County, despite its financial struggles, would never grovel before anyone. They might be in a tough spot, but they would fight for every penny and not beg for anyone's pity.
And besides, when David's dealings in U.S. stocks were completed, who were Middlesbrough to anyone? Notts County would have more money than they could ever dream of.
"Go on, beg me!" David muttered under his breath, mockingly mimicking McLaren's high-handed tone.
He had no intention of accepting anyone's charity. Notts County's strength wasn't just in the money—it was in the fight, and David was determined to make sure the world knew that.
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT