Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Securing Solid Gains (1)
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Black-Haired Tactical Genius
Chapter 65: Securing Solid Gains (1)
[Season ticket holders only: Bolton-Funding event underway!]
“...?”
Nelson Oakley stared at the popup message, utterly baffled.
“Bolton-Funding...?”
There was a detailed explanation below.
It was an event planned based on crowdfunding.
‘Crowdfunding...!’
He’d heard of it.
It was a method where you set a target amount and deadline, then gather investments from the masses.
Of course, there were various types like reward-based, equity, or lending.
What puzzled him was why a crowdfunding popup was appearing on Bolton’s official homepage.
“Ahem.”
Nelson Oakley glanced toward the kitchen.
His wife was busy preparing dinner.
He turned back to the screen and double-clicked the popup.
The new window that appeared left Oakley with his mouth agape.
* * *
A bright morning.
Jeong-woo sat on the sofa at the customer-facing table, grinning contentedly at his laptop screen.
[Together We Build Bolton! When You Thrive, Bolton Thrives!]
[Bolton-Funding Event! We’re With You All the Way!]
The screen detailed the event he’d orchestrated.
Park Hee-won muttered beside him, looking thoroughly exasperated.
“Is your brain wired differently or something?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“I mean, your soccer smarts are off the charts—way too high. But everything else...”
“Everything else what?”
As Jeong-woo’s eyebrow shot up, Hee-won averted his gaze and grumbled under his breath.
“Yeah, sure, that makes sense. God doesn’t give everything to one person.”
Then, suddenly scrunching his face, Hee-won voiced a concern.
“Wait... isn’t this funding setup gonna violate the third-party rule?”
Third-party meant involvement from outsiders.
In soccer, it referred to splitting player ownership shares.
Naturally, that was illegal.
Even the K League had handed out punishments for clubs and agents splitting player shares.
But Jeong-woo just shook his head firmly.
“Third-party only applies when you actually transfer real player shares to a third party. This is just an event. We’re purely using our own money to pursue player signings.”
Hee-won’s brow furrowed deeply.
Jeong-woo leaned back into the sofa cushions and added,
“We’re running the crowdfunded investments separately. To be precise, the crowdfunding goes to the club, not the player. It’s as good as the club receiving it. The player’s just the face of the investment. We can dump the funds into club facilities or player wages. And when the time comes, we pay out profits from player sales as promised.”
There were precedents for this.
Chelsea legend Gianluca Vialli had been the first to introduce crowdfunding to soccer like this.
“It’s called fan-funding.”
Vialli’s fan-funding let supporters invest directly in the clubs they loved.
The club secured funds, then shared the profits.
“Portsmouth even built a new academy pitch with revenue from fans.”
The difference was Jeong-woo putting players front and center, promising investors future profits from transfer fees.
“For example, say a player bought for £750,000 sells for £7.5 million later. Someone who invested £7,500 gets £67,500 profit. But they don’t own any player shares. Why? The investment itself goes to the club. It makes us financially healthier.”
Hee-won could only marvel again.
Use the investments—without giving shares—to fund operations and debt, then redirect other revenues to signings.
And when the player’s sold, supporters get their principal back or even turn a profit based on the fee.
No third-party ownership, so no rule violations.
And Jeong-woo had pulled it off.
Through this crowdfunding event format.
“That’s why it’s Bolton-Funding.”
Of course, all these details were laid out clearly in the event description.
Making it plain to fans that the goal was club growth.
The choice was ultimately up to the Wanderers.
‘This guy, really...’
Hee-won was starting to fear Jeong-woo.
In this arena, he was like the Einstein of EQ.
And this had been brewing in Jeong-woo’s head for a while.
Limiting targets so supporters could join in on signings and profit from future sales.
Of course, not all funds would come from supporters.
Jeong-woo smirked arrogantly, twitching his eyebrow as he spoke.
“Heh heh heh. But we’ll strictly cap amounts. No multiple accounts per person. One per season ticket. Total cap at 20%.”
“Why not go all in? If you’re doing it, why not 100%...!”
Jeong-woo cut him off.
“Because full reliance creates too much pressure—for us and them. Say we buy a player for £750,000 and have to sell cheaper, like £380,000 or £190,000. That’s a loss, no matter how you slice it later. Would they jump back in after bleeding money? So we need top talent—unknown, cheap top talent! Participation’s their call.”
“Wouldn’t a known player be better for drawing investments?”
Jeong-woo chuckled and shook his head.
He even wagged his index finger side to side.
“Hee-won, you’re only looking right in front of you.”
Hee-won didn’t deny it.
That’s how he’d always lived.
Jeong-woo wrinkled his nose and bared his teeth in a grin.
“When an unknown gem explodes... it’s jackpot city. Look at Sensuous Ruff. Kid was valued at zero, now he’s up to £20,000 or so. Treat it like stocks.”
“Oh ho.”
“And you and I both have a good eye for talent... so the odds of hitting the jackpot are sky-high.”
For Jeong-woo, unproven but talent-stuffed players beat verified ones.
Bigger margins.
Finding those hidden gems was harder than plucking stars, though.
Moreover,
“Signings beat loans, hands down.”
Loanees were just passing through Bolton.
Especially big-club kids like from Man City—they wouldn’t see this as home.
“Sure, some City lads might bond with us... maybe even want a permanent move. Slim chance, but who knows.”
Impossible to predict.
But reality wasn’t romance.
“The issue is they belong to Manchester City.”
City typically re-signed loanees long-term before loaning them out.
Longer contracts meant skyrocketing fees.
“We don’t have the cash to buy City’s future assets anyway.”
Even if the player and Bolton wanted it, it wouldn’t happen.
“Romeo and Juliet style. Damn it.”
Still, it benefited both sides.
“We get an edge in the table fight from City prospects, and City feeds experience to their jackpot kids via loans to grow them.”
Win-win.
Jeong-woo pulled a cigarette from the pack on the table edge and lit it.
Flick, flick!
He cracked his teeth slightly with the 250-won lighter.
“And this crowdfunding...”
The main goal was investing in rough diamonds.
But who knew.
Gray smoke curled from between his teeth.
His half-lidded eyes sharpened.
“Who knows. Like I said, if a City player really wants out permanently... maybe this event lets us snag him.”
So starting with low-risk, high-reward assets made sense.
Hee-won marveled once more at Jeong-woo’s foresight, then narrowed his eyes.
“You... not selling the club, right?”
Jeong-woo flinched and turned away, yelling,
“Shut up! I’m selling high!”
* * *
Time flew at Bolton.
Four days after Manchester United, they friendlied Kierzley FC, a parish club.
Result: 4-0 thrashing.
Three days later against Weststern: 5-1 romp.
Why preseason locals (bar United)? Simple.
Strong regional ties, minus United.
Parishes teemed with Wanderers, including Weststern and Kierzley supporters.
For Jeong-woo, post-United hype and revenue meant festival-style games with neighbors were ideal.
They profited more than usual from third-tier crowds too.
‘Unity and image boost. Heh.’
Plus, Jeong-woo had another aim.
Post-friendlies, he shared dinner with Weststern’s sixth-tier chairman.
Staring at the sixty-something gent across the table, Jeong-woo smiled meaningfully.
“I hear Weststern’s chairman runs a textile factory...”
Time to score some merch raw materials.
And...
* * *
Next day, Jeong-woo headed to Manchester City’s training ground.
To scout loanees.
“This is where City Reserves train.”
Francis Carson, the loan coordinator, walked beside him, pointing out facilities.
No sightseeing post-United—just a meeting room chat with Cole Palmer before leaving.
Talked his ear off.
‘Cole Palmer’s loan is locked.’
Born 2002, attacking mid/winger prodigy.
City Reserves star with Carabao Cup and one CL group sub.
‘One of City’s prized prospects.’
Midseason injury stalled him, though.
Lost ground to surging peers.
‘Harsh reality.’
Bolton couldn’t afford superstars on loan.
Hoseb had said as much.
‘“If possible,” he’ll send loanees.’
Even with loan power, Hoseb consulted staff.
He was City’s boss.
‘He’ll nix negatives.’
Right call.
Anyway...
‘Damn.’
Touring City facilities hit hard.
‘Buildings this shiny? And tall?’
Massive too.
Endless corridors, ceilings double Bolton’s.
They hit the bathroom eventually.
Jeong-woo flinched, stroking the urinal rim.
“Gold-plated?”
It gleamed gold.
‘Nah, no way.’
He denied it.
But Carson chuckled and nodded.
“Pure 100% gold. Chairman says it calms nerves and detoxes. For players and front office.”
“...”
Detox, huh. No wonder the piss power differed.
Nearly blasted through it.
Mansour’s tenure transformed City.
Gave old first-team facilities to Reserves, built new for seniors.
Carson boasted proudly.
‘Explains the size.’
Reserves pitch dwarfed Bolton’s first and second team combined.
Grass like plush Simmons mattress.
City poured into tourism too.
Theme parks, five-star luxury hotels, shopping complexes—boosting club and city value.
Second visit, but skyline from the car still drew gasps.
The whole city gleamed.
“Real-life SimCity...”
“Pardon? What was that?”
Carson asked.
Snapping from reverie, Jeong-woo masked panic with a sly grin.
“Nothing. Just thinking aloud.”
Insanely jealous inside.
‘Focus on business now.’
Composed, Jeong-woo narrowed his eyes at players training beyond the fence.
He’d requested U-19s too, not just Reserves.
So he and Carson watched U-19s scrimmage from outside.
Didn’t take long.
One stood out immediately.
“That kid... what’s his name?”
Jeong-woo pointed at the small guy shielding the back four.
Carson inwardly admired.
Without hints, he’d nailed a top U-19 prospect.
Glancing at Jeong-woo’s face, Carson replied.
“Frank Gerrard.”