Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: First Meeting
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Yeeeeeeah!!!—
As I stepped out of the training ground, the cheers erupted once again in unison.
What a novel feeling.
Before, there weren't many wearing my uniform, but now, every hand I reach for pulls back someone decked out in it.
"Yeager!!!"
"Please sign it—say it's from the day of the double hat-trick!"
"Sure thing~"
For these fans, today must feel extra special.
Manchester United, steadily declining since Sir Ferguson's departure.
After hitting rock bottom with relegation, we've been on the rise since I joined—but it's still awkward to brag about.
We used to scrap it out in the EPL, among the Big Six. So shouting "We're heading straight back to the top flight!" now feels kinda embarrassing.
But now, we have something we can truly boast about, something no other club can touch.
Ban Yeager.
Just one player who genuinely loves their club—that's all it takes to make any team enviable.
"Oh? Hey there~"
"H-Hi!"
The Smith duo appeared right on cue, as always.
We haven't formally exchanged names, but this was our third meeting, so I felt familiar enough to greet them first.
I signed the middle-aged fan's uniform first, then it was grandpa's turn.
I worried he might tear up again, but thankfully, he held it together.
"Thanks for always cheering us on."
I finished signing for the fans nearby and turned to head to the other side.
"W-Wait a sec!"
"Yeah? Oh~"
As I turned to leave, a hurried voice called me back. It was the woman I'd seen at the stadium earlier.
I hadn't noticed before amid the chaos.
'Wow, she's stunning...'
Her silver hair caught the sunset glow, rippling like waves of gold.
I found myself staring blankly until she fumbled something out and held it toward me.
"Could you... sign this too...?"
A high-quality soccer player poster.
Starring yours truly, of course.
"D-Daughter, isn't this Daddy's?"
"Ha... to think you'd peel it off..."
I'd suspected they were family since they stuck together. Sure enough.
I took the poster and signed it quickly.
"Name...?"
"...Victoria."
I usually skip names to save time, but something about her made me ask anyway.
"Victoria..."
I added a line below my signature.
Victory Man United
"Nice name."
Embarrassment hit late, so I handed back the poster as casually as possible and headed to the crowd on the other side.
Later, I learned Victoria wasn't even a Manchester United fan.
A historic double hat-trick performance etching his name in the record books.
An interview pouring out love and loyalty for the team.
Thorough fan service, even right after the match ended.
A player this polished and genuine doesn't just belong to one club—he belongs to the world.
The Smith family stories sparked a flood of heartwarming tales about Ban Yeager.
All based on facts, so no issues—and it introduced tons of people to his stellar character. Hard not to fall for him.
And then, the man who's received more love than anyone—the soccer icon who adored Manchester United—mentioned Ban Yeager.
David Beckham's shoutout drew massive attention—even pro players felt the hype around Ban Yeager.
But whenever someone shines, haters emerge to stir unease.
The usual contrarian nonsense, opposing for opposition's sake.
No matter how much he proves them wrong, his rising popularity only swells their ranks.
As if to silence them, Ban Yeager shone in back-to-back league games, extending our win streak.
Round 34: Coventry City 3:1 Win
Ban Yeager notches a multi-goal haul, takes league top scorer lead.
Round 35: Hull City 2:0 Win
Ban Yeager: 1 goal, 1 assist—involved in every score.
Two games, two double-digit attack points, leading the team to victory.
Even then, the haters' invincible logic persisted.
Half the haters were astroturfed by certain groups manipulating opinion.
The other half? Just trolls trolling.
Point is, they won't vanish even if we promote and keep winning.
Superstars carry both praise and hate—it's destiny.
He'd prepared for it. Heck, he's grateful for them.
'Hate harder, please!'
The louder they scream, the brighter his success shines.
League schedule down to 11 games left.
Before Round 36, there's an FA Cup fixture.
Three days after Birmingham City—meaning tomorrow.
FA Cup Round of 16 kicks off.
Then just two days later, Round 36.
Grueling, but both at home—Old Trafford double-header.
First up: Fulham, scrapping in the Premier League relegation battle.
30 minutes to kickoff—plenty of time, even checking lineups.
Screen switched to Ban Yerin's polished presentation—way sleeker than before.
Her thorough research and delivery impressed even the trolls—pure admiration all around.
'Hehe... Big bro hooked me up with all that info~'