Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Miracle of the FA Cup Lower League Team (1)
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“Hello... I'm Lucas Cruijff. Please take care of me..!!”
Clap clap clap clap clap—
A young injection of fresh blood into Manchester United after a very long time.
Of course, I was there too, but compared to the inexperienced Lucas Cruijff—who reeked of youth in both skill and experience—it was right to exclude myself from that comparison.
“Yeager..!”
Once the greetings ended and everyone scattered to their training, Lucas made a beeline for me.
Just like with me, Harry Maguire came over together with him this time.
“Ah, you must've met Yeager during youth training.”
“Yeah, Harry. We're close, so I won't have any trouble adjusting.”
“Hello, Captain..!”
“Hey, good to meet you. If you're tight with Yeager, no worries there. Hit me up if you need anything. Let's do well from here on out.”
“Thank you!!...”
After a quick handshake, Harry Maguire headed off.
Maybe because he was seen with me, the Fletcher brothers approached first, followed by others one by one, properly greeting me before leaving.
“...Yeager, you're popular here too, huh.”
Lucas Cruijff started looking at me with eyes full of admiration and respect.
“Well... yeah, sure, let's say that.”
No matter what he thought, what mattered more was getting this guy ready for first-team action ASAP.
“What's your height and weight?”
“Me? 6'2” (189cm), 179 lbs (81kg).”
“Got it?”
This was the same physique as Lucas Cruijff during his peak years.
Same age as me, but his growth had already finished.
I'd keep growing for another two years at least, so I felt a mix of envy and relief that he wouldn't get much taller.
The future Lucas Cruijff was a hexagonal striker excelling in speed, physicality, scoring, linking play, duels, and work rate.
His technical side wasn't fully developed yet, but his athleticism and goal instinct should already be solid.
Even that alone made him an outstanding resource for Manchester United's current strikers.
Three straight league games crammed in every three days, with no rest.
The next match was the FA Cup once again.
FA Cup 4th Round (Round of 32)
Surprisingly, plenty of 3rd and 4th division teams were still hanging around at this stage.
Miraculous upsets where lower league sides beat top-flight giants often popped up in the FA Cup—or the already-eliminated Carabao Cup.
For the past four years, Manchester United had been dubbed the miracle team.
25-26 EFL Cup Round 2 Exit
4th division Grimsby Town 2:2 (lost on pens)
26-27 FA Cup Round 3 Exit
3rd division Fleetwood Town 1:0 loss
28-29 EFL Cup Round 1 Exit
4th division Chesterfield FC 2:1 loss
Not content with sharing points and league spots, they even hand out romance to lower leagues... Absolute GOAT...
Romance Doctor Meng handing out 4th division miracles lol
Premier League skips Round 1 lololol
Yeah, EPL joins from Round 2 lol
A truly dismal history.
They hadn't just tanked league games—they'd butchered cup competitions across the board, fairly and squarely settling into the 2nd division.
Now, with Ban Yeager joining, things were skyrocketing.
Still a long way to break even, though...
Up to the FA Cup 4th Round, miracles still happened where lower league teams beat EPL sides.
Man Utd, who used to hand out miracles left and right, now had to seize one for themselves.
Thanks to the FA Cup's draw, Ban Yeager got to face a top-flight team sooner than expected.
Critics downplaying him all said the same thing.
After U-17 vs Spain, no pro showings—then when he proved it at Man Utd, they'd say tons of players shine in 2nd division but flop in 1st.
Now, facing Premier League West Ham United in the FA Cup.
Yeager fans and haters alike were thrilled, claiming their takes were about to be validated.
Whether it was the FA's propaganda or journalists chasing clicks, one thing was clear: forces wanted Ban Yeager to fail.
At that moment, the man himself was gauging the public mood.
‘Time to get ready soon.’
He'd anticipated this petty backlash.
No direct clashes yet, but the more he shone, the more the FA's incompetence stood out.
Especially with the Korea FA president election in a month—they had every reason to pray for his downfall.
He desperately wanted to screw them over in the election, but at his return point, it was already unstoppable.
Chung Mong-joo's fifth straight term was inevitable.
He'd only tolerate it until inauguration.
His plan: drag him down before half the four-year term was up.
For now, priority was delivering the same—or more dominant—performance against West Ham.
Ban Yerin instantly blocked the user suggesting Man City affiliation.
She was already fed up with being mistaken for a City fan by her brother Ban Yeager.
This marked Ppan-ye's first-ever user ban.
Sesko up front was a striker who couldn't score but scraped by with linking and duels.
The problem was the wingers.
Shea Lacey had been the reliable one, but he was out with an ankle injury.
Man Utd's winger pool was just Mason Mount, Alejandro Garnacho, and Antony.
They'd urgently called up one from the reserves, but he wasn't match-ready yet.
In the end, despite a successful window, they had to run with the hopeless trio on the wings.
Goals still meant yelling “Do it!” at Ban Yeager.
Soap bubbles rising one by one in West Ham's away end at Old Trafford.
West Ham United's anthem, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles, echoed out.
West Ham, cheering in this cute way, were infamous for their hooligans.
Their rep was so bad, there was even a movie modeled after their firm.
Acting like Old Trafford was their home turf.
“We’ll never play you again~”
“Going down! Going down! Going down!!!”
Poking at the relegation to 2nd division, they relentlessly mocked Manchester United.
Man Utd weren't about to take it lying down.
This was Old Trafford.
The Red Devils unleashed massive roars and chants, overwhelming everything.
The stadium dominated by Man Utd anthems.
Right before kickoff, stadium cams locked onto Ban Yeager.
The announcer's voice boomed through the mic across the whole ground.
“Ladies and gentlemen!!!” Sirs and madams!!! “Coming over from Korea!” From Korea! “Attacking midfielder!” Attacking midfielder! “Korea’s goal machine!” Korea's goal machine!!
⟨ YEAGER BAN!!!!!! ⟩
Ban Yeager!!!