Chapter 6
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Conditional Share Acquisition
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A heavy silence hung in the air.
The smile vanished from Jack Walker's lips as he quietly picked up his teaspoon.
"I thought this young Eastern fellow knew some manners up until now, but this feels like mockery."
Anyone would fly into a rage at the idea of being offered just ten pounds for the team he'd built from the ground up.
"Father, I'll call security and have him escorted out."
But I declared boldly,
"Chairman Walker, if you'll just hear me out for five minutes, you'll understand why I'm making this proposal."
"What?"
"Chairman, these ten pounds are for the Blackburn Rovers of the past that you've led all this time."
"No need to hear more, Father!"
The moment Linda bristled and reached for the security phone, I calmly pulled another envelope from my jacket pocket.
"And this is the future."
"...!"
"A loan payment guarantee issued in the name of the Vice President of Daeyang Global's UK subsidiary. With this, I'll take on every bit of Blackburn Rovers' debt exceeding thirty million pounds."
"What did you say?"
"Loan payment guarantee? That means taking on all the debt..."
"This is my answer for Rovers' future."
"...!!"
"Chairman Walker, will you cling to past glories and fall together? Or will you hand over the 'shadow' of those glories and entrust the future to me?"
A weighty silence fell.
He'd seen the first envelope's ten pounds as an insult, but at the revelation in the second—that I'd shoulder all of Blackburn Rovers' debts over thirty million pounds—his eyes wavered.
Then Jack Walker's wrinkled lips twitched, and he began to laugh.
"The second proposal is at least worth hearing."
It landed!
"You'll take on all my team's debts and lead it into the future?"
"Yes."
"...Ha, hahahahaha!"
"The passion you've instilled in the club you led, and the debts to the Royal Bank of Scotland from its operations—I'll pay them off steadily. If Rovers gets relegated this season, the club's value will plummet, and loan recovery proceedings will start immediately."
"So you proposed this thinking Rovers will be relegated this time?"
"Of course, I'll lead Blackburn to ensure relegation never happens."
This was the plan I'd racked my brains over ever since Father first told me to acquire it for two million pounds.
Analyze the team's main bank and debt situation, then acquire it under the conditions of writing off corporate debts and assuming the guarantor role.
The pounds tied up in the UK couldn't be moved to Korea anyway—they were money that had to be spent here. I'd leverage my position and shares to turn it into profit.
Jack Walker fiddled with the two envelopes and nodded.
He recognized this wasn't mockery, but a businessman's bold bet.
"Three years ago, a Dutch firm bought our British Bearings Bank for a dollar, and now copycats are popping up one by one."
"It's happened in football too, hasn't it? Like Ken Bates buying Chelsea FC for just one pound in 1982."
It was a famous story in the UK.
He seemed convinced by the proposal to acquire Blackburn by guaranteeing the existing club's debts.
"Hey, are you here to do football business, or to scam my father?"
"I'm here for a business deal."
"Hahahaha!"
As I responded to Linda, Jack Walker burst into laughter again.
He laughed long and hard, wiped a tear from his eye, nodded, and slipped my acquisition offer of ten pounds into his wallet.
"Consider this a down payment. How long do you plan to stick around Blackburn?"
"Until the acquisition is finalized."
"Stay here for the time being. I'll be in touch soon."
Jack Walker kept chuckling.
My Blackburn Rovers acquisition deal was going to succeed.
"Linda, see the guest out."
Linda rose quietly, her face sour as she guided me out.
She spoke to me in a thorny tone.
"I'll oppose this."
"Madam Mattiessen, this won't harm you in the slightest."
"What?"
"I'm taking on all the debts of Rovers that you and your husband, President Stanley Mattiessen, stand to inherit."
"Th-that's true, but..."
The inheritances in wealthy families with multiple businesses are all the same.
In Korea, chaebols pass art galleries and hotels to wives or daughters; in Europe, they hand over football clubs to wives or daughters.
Not just Blackburn here—AS Roma, Olympique Marseille, AC Milan, and others had all been like that.
But if I acquire a money-losing, relegation-bound football team that's her share—and take its debts too? Of course, that means she inherits other assets instead. Unless she absolutely couldn't live without football, she'd choose something else.
In fact, in 2010, Linda sold Blackburn Rovers to the Indian Venky Group.
"Anyway, this comes down to Father's decision, but my brothers—including the other siblings—won't sit idly by."
"Convince them."
"!?"
With that, I left the Blackburn office under Linda's escort.
Section Chief Park's car was waiting, and the moment I got in, I lit a cigarette.
"Hotel ready?"
"Yes, Vice President."
"He said wait a few days. Consider it half-done."
From the looks of it, he'd approve conditionally, with some strings attached.
"Section Chief Park, I need to find someone."
"Someone? Who?"
"The manager who won the league for Blackburn in the 94-95 season."
"...Kenny Dalglish? He resigned from Newcastle last year and has been a free agent since."
"Let's look up the phone book at the hotel."
I decided to move ahead, anticipating success.
A short while later.
A call from Blackburn in Lancashire reached the chairman's office at London's Harrods department store.
[Mr. Al-Fayed, it's Jack.]
"Walker, how's your health?"
The two British tycoons, born in 1929, greeted each other warmly over the phone, inquiring after one another's well-being.
"So, have you met that young fellow?"
Al-Fayed knew exactly why Jack Walker was calling.
[He offered ten pounds as the acquisition price for Rovers, which I've built since '91.]
"Hah, what?"
[And then he offered to guarantee the loans.]
"He proposed taking on the debts."
[The gall of it!]
"Did I make a bad introduction?"
A brief silence, then a small chuckle from Jack Walker.
[But that look in his eyes was dead serious. Did I have eyes like that in my youth?]
Al-Fayed smiled faintly at Jack Walker's words, laden with meaning.
That young son of his Korean friend had pulled it off.
The ten-pound offer was witty, and following it with a pledge to shoulder tens of millions in debt appealed to the guts of a businessman his age.
[Al-Fayed, what was your biggest hurdle when acquiring Fulham?]
"The FA regulations, of course. I understand the British perspective—an Arab buying their football club."
[Guess I should talk to David soon too.]
Jack Walker mentioned FA General Secretary David Davies and let out a hearty laugh.
While staying in Blackburn, I kept checking on the London branch over the phone.
"Ah, President Kim. How'd the outdoor deal go?"
[Delivery permit approved. Total 140 million pounds.]
"It went through. Good."
No matter how tough the company was, we needed foreign currency.
In this restructuring, I'd pushed the Daeyang Group fashion division—saved from cuts—with outdoor products like hiking boots, mountaineering gear, and training wear. Paired with sponsorships for Himalayan climbers abroad, aggressive marketing landed this export deal.
"Tell the sales team that nailed this to expect big bonuses. Promote the lead section chief to deputy next year."
[Yes, Vice President. But the football team acquisition...]
"Wrapping up soon."
After hanging up with President Kim, I clenched my fist instinctively.
"Food, hiking gear, outdoor odds and ends—one by one, we're securing contracts..."
"Vice President, it's Jack Walker."
"!?"
I snatched the phone Section Chief Park handed me.
"Switched."
[Young Mr. Lee. Can you come see me right now?]
Done—this was the green light.
"Of course, heading over now."
[Pick your best suit. Called the press too.]
I ended the call and jumped up.
"It worked! Success!"
"Vice President, acquisition approved?"
I high-fived Section Chief Park, suited up properly, and headed out.
Reporters swarmed around Ewood Park.
Sky Sports, BBC, Daily Mail, Metro—even the notorious The Sun's news vans.
As I arrived, flashes exploded wildly. I greeted them and slipped inside quietly.
Inside were Blackburn Rovers figures, including Jack Walker.
CEO John Williams standing in for the owner, Stanley Mattiessen—Linda's husband and Rovers' vice chairman—and Brian Kidd, who'd been set for manager.
"Everyone, behold—the bold lad who's taking Rovers' future."
We exchanged greetings, and especially at the end, Brian Kidd gripped my hand tight with meaningful words.
"Thanks to you, I'm assistant coach at Blackburn instead of manager from Man United."
"Ah, assistant?"
"Suddenly Chairman Walker changes the contract—20% raise to assist the manager."
I glanced at Jack Walker—he was smiling.
Papers hit the table.
"This is the loan payment guarantee from his company, Daeyang Global, covering all current Rovers debts. And this is my share delegation for Rovers."
"Can we fax to London for verification?"
"Of course."
The terms were as follows.
Jack Walker delegates his 41% stake in Blackburn Rovers to me, in exchange for Daeyang Group assuming Rovers' debts.
Additionally, until Rovers escapes the relegation zone from its current 18th in the league this season, I'm appointed Sports Director and COO.
This contract lasts until relegation avoidance: if relegated, immediate termination; if safe, he delegates his remaining 39% stake, and we discuss full merger with the English FA.
Jack Walker valued my boldness but chose the safest risk.
Want Blackburn Rovers? Prove it by avoiding relegation this season—then everything's yours.
"Fine. If you want proof, I'll deliver."
"Stanley, John, Brian—all of you, support this young man well."
Jack Walker's orders were given. This was the start.
"Alright, shall we begin the press conference?"
Before that, I excused myself to the lounge.
Lit a cigarette and called home in Korea.
It was around 10 p.m. there—Father picked up and asked just one thing.
[Did it work?]
"Yes, Father."
[How much?]
"Over thirty million pounds via debt assumption."
Father did the math and replied.
[That's over 60 billion won. Back when Hyeonkyung Group bought the baseball team A-Tae Dolphins for 42 billion—now Haetae Tigers to Ki Hyun Auto for around 33 billion...]
Comparing to Korean baseball teams, Father finally approved.
[Got it. Since you set your mind to it, run it with the UK subsidiary.]
"I will. Spread the Daeyang name across Europe."
After informing home and hanging up, I straightened my clothes.
Now it begins.
My second chance at life—finally, owner of a European football club.