Chapter 60

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Translator: Silver Dragon

Chapter: 60

Chapter Title: The Leeds Era Ends This Season

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28th minute of the first half. Baggio's opening goal.

And the massive screen at Ewood Park capturing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me cheering wildly.

The moment my face appeared on camera, all 30,000 Blackburn fans erupted in cheers and applause.

Savoring the ultimate dopamine rush of being respected by the fans as their chairman, I put on even more of a show.

"Go! Go! Go! Go!!!"

I thrust my hand toward Leeds' goal and shouted, and everyone joined in chanting "GOGOGO!" to cheer them on.

Leeds came out even more aggressively after the kickoff.

And the rougher they got—like rabid dogs—the more we had hunters like Gattuso, Holland, and Mellberg ready to pounce.

Bodies colliding.

Elbows flying as the match grew more and more intense.

Then Gattuso charged at the Leeds players.

Yoo Sung-chul and Southgate held him back just before he could get carded, but it was a powder keg waiting to blow.

In that moment, Yoo stayed cool, took the free kick, and chipped it to Figo.

Figo controlled it and drove toward the center, then slipped a pass left past the blocking Leeds defender.

Duff took it and surged forward with the kind of dribble Figo couldn't manage, but Lee Bowyer launched straight into a sliding tackle.

"What?!"

A blatant studs-up challenge that raked right up Duff's leg. He clutched it and couldn't get up.

"You bastard!"

The powder keg finally blew.

Those Dirty Leeds maniacs had taken out Duff!

Duff writhed in agony and stayed down as the medical staff rushed in.

The ref didn't hesitate, flashing a card at Lee Bowyer.

Not yellow—straight red. Sent off.

Leeds players mobbed the ref protesting the red, but anyone could see it was a malicious studs-up hack.

Heynckes turned beet red with rage after the sending-off, and boos rained down on the Leeds players from Ewood Park.

In the end, the medics ruled Duff out, stretchering him off as Shaun Wright-Phillips came on, touching the stretcher as he entered. Free kick.

Figo lined up the free kick and smashed it, but Paul Robinson's save kept it out.

The half ended after a frantic back-and-forth.

I rushed to the medical room at Ewood Park.

"Ah, Boss!"

"How's Duff?"

"He'll need to go to the hospital for scans."

"N-no fracture, right?"

"Not that bad. Ngh..."

When Duff had grabbed his leg, I'd seen the gash beyond the studs.

A deep cut with ugly black bruising swelling up over it.

The team doctors gave emergency treatment before sending him to the hospital, and seeing it up close made Leeds seem even more despicable.

If I could, I'd storm the locker room and tell them to beat the crap out of them the same way.

I barely regained my composure and returned to the stands to watch the second half.

Even down a man, Leeds kept pushing forward, but our midfielders cut them down at every turn. Then Leeds crossed the line again when they tried to break through.

Leeds' Alan Smith lost the ball to Yoo Sung-chul and lunged in with a wild tackle.

The ref pulled a yellow. Smith lost his cool protesting until teammates dragged him away.

He's called Smith from the Leeds era, but he's a real striker who's like a ticking time bomb.

Yoo calmly played on after the tackle. As Baggio went up for a header, Woodgate caught him with an elbow.

The ref's whistle blew nonstop. Leeds' fouls piled up, and the Ewood Park boos grew louder.

Heynckes subbed Baggio for James Beattie. Figo took the free kick himself, driving it toward goal.

Paul Robinson couldn't stop it this time. A picture-perfect free kick made it 2-0.

Figo roared at the Leeds bench like he meant it, leading the charge.

Leeds kicked off and surged, but Gattuso barreled in with a revenge tackle on Alan Smith.

Yellow for Gattuso too.

Barnes quickly took the free kick to Viduka.

Viduka, with his massive frame shrugging off Southgate and Mellberg, unleashed a header, but Friedel dove to punch it away.

Corner kick. Leeds players piled forward.

Blackburn and Leeds tangled nonstop waiting for the corner. Kicker Ian Harte lofted it high, and Alan Smith leaped.

Gattuso, Southgate, and Mellberg jumped too, but Smith raised an elbow and smashed Gattuso's face.

"What a shitshow..."

Finally, Alan Smith followed up his earlier tackle with a retaliatory elbow right in front of goal.

Leeds had shown exactly what 'Dirty Leeds' meant today. The ref pulled a second yellow, sending Smith off too.

Beer cups, coins, lighters rained down on the Leeds bench. Security rushed in, and the PA announcer barely calmed the crowd.

A 2-0 win, but a filthy match I never wanted to see again.

The final whistle blew. Leeds players scurried to their bus under security escort, while hyped-up Blackburn fans jeered them, turning hooligan.

"Mr. Lee, Heynckes unusually slammed the opponents today, calling it the worst match. Any comment?"

"Plenty!"

I let all my boiling anger pour out.

"Peter Ridsdale should use the money for his office fish tank on FA fines instead. What the hell was that?"

If I could, I'd go straight to Peter Ridsdale and yell, 'Is this what you call football? Teach your players some manners!'

"A clash before the season finale. Will you carry this grudge to Elland Road?"

"Can a man bite a dog back because the dog bit him? We'll play football. Not elbow wars."

The journalists scribbled every word.

"Not white roses—filthy, mud-caked thorns."

That night's sports news highlighted the match: 4 yellows, 2 reds between Leeds and Blackburn. Biggest story of the league slate.

"FA sanctions are in."

"What? We filed the complaint—why us?"

Advisor John Williams wiped cold sweat with a handkerchief and handed over the fax.

"Leeds fined 50,000 pounds for failing to control players' unsportsmanlike conduct. And for Mr. Lee, excessive criticism of the opponents..."

"How much?"

"...stern warning."

The FA dishes out kingly bullshit, and they warn me for dishing Leeds?

"Some interviews boost team morale and interest in Blackburn, but excessive bashing of opponents should be moderated."

"Damn, no choice. Leeds coughed up 50k?"

"Yes. Matches with 5+ yellows qualify for misconduct sanctions."

I opened my desk drawer and pulled out the checkbook.

Grabbed a pen and wrote 50,000 pounds.

"Mr. Lee, why the 50,000-pound check?"

"Gonna write one too."

"???"

Blackburn Children's Hospital.

A specialist pediatric facility fitting the UK's welfare system, used by countless Blackburn citizens.

White, Arab, Black, Asian mothers cradling sick kids. I called the hospital staff.

And a few friendly reporters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for an on-site donation ceremony.

"On behalf of Blackburn Rovers chairman, we donate 50,000 pounds to Blackburn Children's Hospital."

"Th-thank you, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Chairman."

The medical director, stunned by the sudden 50k check, accepted with endless thanks.

"Now, look over here."

I smiled at the reporters as I handed it over. Shutters clicked instantly.

"After the season, we'll do volunteer work with the players too. Take good care of them."

"Yes, yes. Chairman."

The reporters grinned at the easy positive story.

Their faces said it all.

Ridsdale paid the fine while insisting they did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nothing wrong, but with their 'Dirty Leeds' record, every sports outlet piled on.

Watching Leeds become public enemy number one under media fire, I made one promise.

The glorious Leeds era in the Champions League and league ends today.

Three CL tickets up for grabs in the Premier League this season.

Leeds qualified for the group stage and took massive loans expecting CL revenue next year too.

I'll topple them and keep them out of the CL this season.

I need to see their big-signing squad collapse with my own eyes.

Mark my words.

Leeds' golden era ends service this season.