Chapter 27: Wengar also gets ripped off

It was 7 o'clock on a crisp Sunday evening, and Arthur stood at the front of the locker room, holding his tactical board and looking around at his players. The energy was electric, the room buzzing with anticipation. A huge game was coming up in just half an hour—the 41st round of the English Championship—and it was no ordinary match. Leeds United, who were sitting pretty in first place, were about to face off against Derby County, who were in third. The stakes couldn't be higher. A win tonight would secure their promotion back to the Premier League five rounds ahead of schedule. Arthur could feel the weight of the moment, but he wasn't about to let his team get lost in the pressure. No, this was the time to rally them, to remind them how far they had come, how much they had overcome. The fact that they were even in this position was a testament to their hard work, determination, and, frankly, a bit of good fortune. "Alright, boys," Arthur said, clapping his hands together, the sound echoing off the locker room walls. "Listen up." He looked around the room and made sure every player's eyes were on him. "This is it. This is the game that can change everything. If we win tonight, we're back in the Premier League. Five rounds ahead of schedule. You've worked your butts off to get here, and now it's time to show everyone what Leeds United is made of." He paused for a second, letting the gravity of the situation settle in. "Do you remember what people were saying about us at the start of the season? The media, the fans, the pundits? Everyone counted us out. They laughed at us. Said we didn't have what it took to bounce back. Well, look at us now." Arthur's face softened for a second, just a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "They thought we were done. They thought we couldn't recover from relegation. But here we are, top of the table, with a shot at promotion. And do you know why?" He didn't wait for an answer, but let the question hang in the air, dramatic but full of confidence. "Because we are Leeds United. And we're not going down without a fight." The players were already leaning in, their eyes locked on Arthur as they hung on his every word. He could see the fire in their eyes—the same fire that had driven them from the depths of relegation to the top of the Championship. The same fire that had burned away doubts and fears, transforming them into a team that no one could ignore. Arthur raised his voice slightly, letting the words come out with passion. "In just over 10 minutes, we will be walking out there onto that pitch. And it's not just a game. It's a statement. A statement that says we are back, and we're here to stay." He stepped forward, making his way to the center of the room, where Milner was standing, clipboard in hand. Arthur handed him the tactical board, then turned back to the team. "Now, I know you've all heard the talk. Some of you have read the papers. Some of you have seen the tweets. People don't believe in us. They think we're just a flash in the pan. But they don't see what I see in this room. I see warriors. I see men who are ready to fight for each other, for this badge, for this club. And we're going to show the world just how powerful we are." At this point, Arthur could feel the intensity in the room rising, like a pressure cooker building towards a boil. The players were on their feet now, fists clenched, faces set with determination. He could almost hear their collective heartbeat, each one of them itching for the match to begin. Arthur's voice grew louder, almost a shout now. "Leeds United warriors, let's do this! We've got one job tonight: to go out there, to fight, to tear our opponents apart. We're not here to play nice. We're here to win. Let's go show those people outside the locker room how powerful we are. Let's remind them why they should've never doubted us!" The room erupted. Every player was shouting now, adrenaline pumping, their faces flushed with excitement. They were ready. They were fired up. And Arthur knew, in this moment, that they would fight until the very last whistle. With a final fist pump in the air, Arthur signaled for the players to head out. "Alright, you know the drill. Let's get out there, and let's finish this season the right way." At exactly 7:25 p.m., the players of Leeds United, all in their crisp blue and white kits, filed out of the tunnel and onto the pitch at Elland Road. The stadium was absolutely packed, the stands filled with fans who had been waiting for this moment for months. The energy in the air was electric, the crowd buzzing with excitement. You could practically feel the tension in the air—it was like the entire city of Leeds was holding its breath. Ten months ago, things had looked bleak for Leeds United. They'd been relegated from the Premier League, their financial situation was a mess, and the future of the club seemed uncertain at best. The fans had watched helplessly as their team tumbled from the heights of the Premier League to the depths of the Championship. It was heartbreaking. The club was in debt to the tune of over 80 million euros, and there didn't seem to be a way out. But then, out of nowhere, a young manager named Arthur had come in and taken over. The first few months were shaky—Arthur knew that. But he had steady hands. He made key changes, brought in new players, and slowly but surely, turned the ship around. Under his guidance, Leeds United had found their stride, clinching the half-time Championship and making a legitimate push for promotion. But the winter transfer window had thrown another curveball. With the departure of head coach Blackwell and some of the team's key players, the fans had started to worry. Some even started blaming Arthur for the changes, for "selling the team's heroes." But they had forgotten one very important thing—Arthur had been the one to bring Howard to Leeds in the first place. Undeterred by the noise, Arthur had become the face of Leeds United's rebirth. The fans, once skeptical, had quickly turned into his biggest supporters. They understood now that no matter what happened with the lineup, as long as Arthur was in charge, Leeds United was going to be alright. They had faith in him. He had become their hero, their beacon of hope. And you could see that faith everywhere you looked. The south stand at Elland Road was packed with fans waving a massive tifo of Arthur, his fist raised high, his mouth open in a roar of determination. It was a symbol of the club's rise from the ashes. The message was clear: Leeds United was back—and they were here to stay. Arthur took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the stadium, the fans, the players on the pitch. This was it. The moment they'd all worked for. The moment they'd earned. And no one, not even Derby County, could take it away from them now. ····· It was exactly 7:30 PM when the referee blew the whistle to start the game. The atmosphere in Elland Road was electric, as the fans were all on edge, knowing that this match could very well be the one that secured Leeds United's promotion back to the Premier League. Arthur stood by the sidelines, his hands clasped behind his back, his face as serious as ever, ready to guide his team to glory. Leeds United kicked off first, and they wasted no time in getting into their groove. It was immediately clear that the gap between the two teams was massive. Derby County, poor Derby County, seemed like they were playing a completely different sport. Leeds was in full control, and it felt like they were operating on a different level. The ball was passed around with such precision, you could almost hear the players whispering to each other through their perfect passes. It was a well-oiled machine, and they were all on fire. In the first 20 minutes, the statistics told the story. Derby County's possession rate? A pitiful 37%. Leeds had them pinned in their own half for most of the game, not even giving them the slightest chance to catch their breath. Arthur, not one to hide his strength or bide his time, was in full command from the sidelines. He wasn't about to sit back and wait for the right moment to strike. No, no. He wanted to take Derby down right then and there. And so, he stood there, waving his arms, shouting instructions, making sure every player knew exactly what to do. His players responded with enthusiasm, all of them completely fired up. On the other side, Derby County's players were struggling. Sure, they'd come into the game with a fighting spirit. They knew the odds were against them, but they had the words of their coach in their ears, trying to convince them that maybe—just maybe—they could pull off a miracle. But as the game unfolded, their hopes quickly turned to dust. The Leeds United juggernaut wasn't just slowly boiling them like frogs in a pot. No, they were a steamroller, and Derby County was about to get flattened. The opening goal came in the 23rd minute, and it was a thing of beauty. Milner, always the unselfish playmaker, saw Sneijder making a run and sent the ball soaring toward him near the center circle. Sneijder didn't hesitate. He took a glance, assessed the situation, and then effortlessly passed it to the right side of the Derby penalty area, where Adebayo was already setting himself up to strike. Adebayo, as strong as an ox, held off the defender behind him like he was a piece of paper, turned, and struck the ball sideways, perfectly to Tevez. Tevez, who had been surrounded by two Derby defenders, looked up, realizing he had no space to shoot. But in true playmaker fashion, he saw Sneijder in the center of the penalty area, wide open and ready to pounce. Without missing a beat, Sneijder took the ball and, with barely a moment of hesitation, unleashed a powerful shot. The Derby County goalkeeper, who was blocked by his own defenders and Tevez, had absolutely no chance to react. The ball flew past him like a missile, slamming into the back of the net before he could even blink. Leeds United had taken the lead. 1-0. The crowd went wild, the stands shaking with the roar of thousands of ecstatic fans. Arthur, standing on the sidelines, couldn't help but grin. This was exactly what he'd wanted—fast, efficient, and utterly dominant. But he wasn't done yet. The second half was a complete demonstration of Leeds United's superiority. They came out of the locker room after halftime and took no prisoners. Derby County, already on the ropes, had no answers. Leeds pressed forward, pushing harder and faster, knowing that the match was theirs for the taking. In the 61st minute, Adebayo was in the right place at the right time again. He received a well-timed pass and, with a calmness that belied the pressure of the situation, slotted the ball past Derby's goalkeeper to make it 2-0. But Adebayo wasn't done. Not even close. Just 17 minutes later, in the 78th minute, he found himself on the score sheet once again, this time with a brilliant header that left Derby's defense and keeper completely stranded. At that point, the game was all but over. There was no way back for Derby County. They were utterly outclassed, and the scoreline was reflecting that. Leeds United's attack was just too much for them to handle. As the referee blew the final whistle, signaling the end of the game, Elland Road erupted. Fans were spilling into the stands, flooding onto the pitch, celebrating the victory. Leeds United had done it—they had officially secured their return to the Premier League, and the celebrations were wild. Players were hugging, jumping, and even crying in some cases. It had been a long, hard road, but they had made it. Arthur, eager to get to the locker room and take a moment to himself, was almost immediately swarmed by fans. He barely had time to process what was happening before he was pulled into the celebration. His players, swept up in the madness, lifted him into the air, tossing him around like he was a rag doll. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but at that point, he figured it was best to go with the flow. Milner and Sneijder, in their typical mischievous fashion, found two bottles of champagne and immediately soaked Arthur. The locker room celebration was then taken to the next level, as a full-fledged champagne melee broke out. Bottles were popping, champagne was flying, and everyone was laughing and shouting. It was absolute chaos, but Arthur couldn't help but smile through the madness. This was the kind of chaos he had been waiting for—the chaos of victory. After the champagne had stopped flowing and the players had finally calmed down, Arthur gathered them in the locker room. He had one last bit of business to attend to. "Alright, boys," he said with a grin, "I'm giving you Monday and Tuesday off. Take some time to rest, relax, and enjoy the win. You've earned it." The players cheered, happy to hear the news, knowing full well that they had five rounds left to go in the league, and one of those games was a showdown with Sunderland—a championship decider. As Arthur wrapped up, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The job wasn't finished yet, but they had made incredible progress. They were back in the Premier League, and nothing could take that away from them now. The next day, Arthur was still in bed, enjoying a well-deserved lie-in, when his phone rang. Groggy and half-asleep, he answered. It was Allen. "Arthur," Allen said, his voice crackling through the phone, "we've got a situation." Arthur, still half-dazed, sat up. "What's going on?" "Arsenal," Allen said. "They've sent another offer for Adebayor. This time, they're serious. Wenger's offering 29 million euros, triggering the penalty clause. Looks like we're going to have a decision to make." Arthur's eyes snapped wide open. 29 million euros. That was serious money. But he wasn't about to make a rash decision just yet. "Alright," he said, fully awake now. "Let's talk about it. We need to make sure we do what's best for the club." It was going to be a busy week ahead, but for now, Arthur couldn't help but feel a little pride. Leeds United was back. And the Premier League was just around the corner. Now, he just needed to make some cash to bring the next batch of players to cultivate and sell at high price to profit.