Perhaps it was because they had a drink with the boss and the others that their luck had improved. On May 1st, the penultimate round of the league tournament, this was the Forest team's last chance to close the gap between them and West Bromwich Albion.
In the end, the Forest team won 1: 0 against Wigan Athletic at home. In this game, most of the Forest fans' minds were not on the City Ground but on Reading's home ground, the Madejski Stadium, where West Bromwich Albion seemed to have encountered a very tenacious resistance from Reading.
When the final result of the game came over, the City Ground stadium was in jubilation!
1: 0! Reading had defeated West Bromwich Albion at home!
Lady Fate had favored Tang En and his team again at the most critical moment. Now, Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion were only one point apart!
In the final round of the league tournament, the Forest team could defeat West Bromwich Albion and jump to second place, thereby qualifying for direct promotion. Tang En felt his confidence all at once. He did not need to activate Plan B to investigate the situation of his opponent in the play-offs. He had studied West Bromwich Albion for a whole month!
West Bromwich Albion had lost at a time when they should not have lost. He believed that their morale must have been affected. The Forest team's morale was high. The players had never been so convinced that they could directly promote. The Forest team was playing at home again in the final round. Almost everyone became optimistic about Nottingham Forest overnight.
This bunch of fence-sitters! Tang En did not have the mind to care about what others thought. When they were not optimistic about the Forest team, the Forest team had never lost. Now that they were optimistic about the Forest team, they might not necessarily win.
The training plan had long been arranged, with the coaching team in charge of all aspects. Offense, defense, set pieces, fitness, ball control, all kinds of training … Everything was carried out in an orderly manner according to the plan.
After so many games, the players' mentality had gradually adjusted to the best.
Tang En and Walker had studied West Bromwich Albion's files for a whole month. He was even more aware of the opponent's strength and changes than many hardcore West Bromwich Albion fans.
What else did Tang En need to do? Before this important final match, he suddenly realized that he had become the most leisurely person in the world.
As May 9th approached, Tang En remembered that he should go to that place again.
A whole year ago, Gavin was buried. A day later, the Forest team lost the first leg of the play-off semifinals. A week later, the Forest team lost the entire play-off. Tony Twain, who had once been named the Manager of the Month for February and whose goal was to pursue victory, had lost the most crucial match …
He kept saying that "I only pursue victory", but as long as he was still in the First Division, he would always be a liar. He would never be able to raise his head in front of Gavin's soul.
Now, a year had passed. Nottingham Forest had once again reached a fateful moment. Tang En felt that it was necessary to visit Gavin's grave again.
Therefore, on May 8th, the last morning before the game, after the team's training ended, Twain did not tell anyone and went alone to the small gray church built on the hillside.
He thought that no one other than himself would visit that quiet graveyard. But when he got there, he was surprised to find Fat John there too. He was holding a bouquet of white lilies in his hands, and he was bending over to put them down.
When Fat John stood up and found that there was another person beside him, he was shocked.
"Tony! You scared me to death … "He was really scared — the flesh on his face was trembling.
Tang En chuckled dryly.
"Why are you here? Isn't the team training? "
"Training is over." Tang En shrugged.
"Isn't there a match tomorrow …"
Tang En walked forward and placed the bouquet in his hands in front of the tombstone, side by side with the ones Fat John had put down. Then he stared at the low tombstone and said, "It's precisely because the match is tomorrow that I'm here to take a look."
John understood what he meant. He looked at the name on the tombstone and was lost in thought. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was as if there was no one in the empty cemetery except for the occasional chirping of birds overhead.
After a while, Tang En sighed and asked, "Are you still in contact with Michael?"
John shook his head. "No. His phone number, new address … He didn't tell us anything. It's like he evaporated from this world. "
"He must be living a good life in America." Tang En did not know what else to say. This did not seem like a good place to chat.
"Michael … has always loved football," John murmured. "When he was with us in the past, he would always brag that he loved football more than he loved his wife. He said that football was everything to him and that he could not live a day without football. Can you imagine that kind of craziness? "
Tang En nodded. For a person who had personally created a football hooligan group, it was normal for him to be so crazy.
"If not for Gavin … I think maybe he would still be as crazy as before. We got together because of football. After he went to America, there was a period of time when Bill and I were not in the mood to drink. "
"In fact, you guys go to Burns' bar less now."
"Because we also need to spend time with our families …"
"Is football still the only thing in your lives?"
Tang En's question left John speechless for a long time. "… I think, nothing will be the only thing in life. Of course, except for Gavin. Football is the only thing in his life. "
Hearing Fat John's words, Tang En thought of Michael saying something similar. "From birth to death, he will always be a Forest fan."
Perhaps feeling that the topic was a little heavy, John changed the subject. "Tony. Tomorrow's game … we will win, right? "
"You don't sound too sure." Tang En smiled. "What are you worried about?"
Fat John pursed his lips. "Alright, I know your answer. It's a pity … Michael won't be able to see it. Every time we watch an English Premier League game, he always yells at us about what would happen if Forest was in the English Premier League … Uh. "He realized that the topic had changed back.
"What will happen to Forest in the English Premier League … we will know when the time comes." Tang En looked at the hazy sky in the distance. "I'm leaving, John. I hope it won't rain tomorrow. That way, we can celebrate our victory to our heart's content. "
Fat John waved at him. "Even if there's a storm, we can still celebrate to our heart's content. Goodbye, Tony. "He watched as Tang En slowly walked out of the tranquil cemetery surrounded by the forest.
※ ※ ※
Thanks to Fat John's "auspicious words," it rained heavily on the day of the game. The sky was dark, and dark, thick clouds pressed down on the sky above Nottingham. In the afternoon, the City Ground stadium had to turn on all its lights. The curtain of rain fell from the sky. Near the top of the stands, it was not much different from a waterfall.
Were they still going to continue the game in such heavy rain?
Of course!
The drainage system of the City Ground stadium was well done. Despite the heavy rain near the technical area near the grandstand, there was not much water on the field other than being a little slippery.
Tang En stood by the side of the field, letting the rain soak his suit. He frowned as he looked at the field.
This was the last round of the league tournament. All the venues started at the same time. This was also the most crucial game. The Forest players were clearly a little nervous. Their movements on the field were stiff. Coupled with the slippery field, the game was developing in a direction that was disadvantageous to the Forest team.
The scoreboard showed the score so far: 2: 1. The team in the lead was the visiting team, West Bromwich Albion!
The game had just started when the Forest team took the lead. At that time, the City Ground stadium was in a state of jubilation. Everyone, including the technical area and the substitutes' bench, jumped up and cheered.
They were all thinking, "This is a good start!" The second place in the league tournament, the English Premier League is waving at us!
However, after scoring a goal, the Forest players, who were a little relaxed, were immediately seized by West Bromwich Albion's sneak attack! When the score became 1: 1, the mentality of the Forest players changed again.
They began to get impatient. The thought of scoring made them press further and further up. With such a good chance to fight back, West Bromwich Albion, who was ranked second in the league tournament, naturally would not let it go. There was a counterattack, 2: 1.
The Forest team went from relaxed to impatient, and then to nervous. This was the entire process of psychological change in the first 40 minutes of the first half.
The trailing Forest team began to worry. What if they lost the game? What if they could not advance directly? As they thought about it, their movements changed. They were absent-minded and had no rhythm at all. Nothing could be said.
How could they win like this?!
They had all forgotten what was said before the game. Our preparation for more than a month, the effort and sweat we put in, are going to go down the drain with this heavy rain?
Damn it!
Only the fans in the stands did not give up. They were still singing and applauding, cheering for the team. Perhaps they all believed in Tang En and his team and thought that 1: 2 was just a small setback to reach the final goal of victory.
Our future is bright! We will definitely replace West Bromwich Albion and advance directly to the English Premier League! As for who will be the unlucky ones who will be eliminated in the play-offs, that is not something we need to worry about!
The visiting fans also used their singing to fight back against the arrogant Forest fans. Looking at the Forest team, which did not have the upper hand on the field and was at a disadvantage in the score, they sang with some schadenfreude, "Next season, we'll go to the Premier League! La la la la, West Bromwich Albion! You guys continue to stay here, la la la la, continue to stay here! "
When the halftime whistle was blown, the score was still 2: 1. The visiting team, West Bromwich Albion, was in the lead.
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