Episode One: A New Era

It may not be on your tellybox every week but Harchester Till We Die is aiming to fill the Dream Team shaped hole in your life as we present regular long-form fiction on this site detailing the trials and tribulations as The Dragons attempt to sit atop the Premier League table again. 

In our first entry, a new era is beginning at Harchester United but there's a familiar name about to land at the club. 

As the rain came down, a flight landed at East Midlands Airport. After the rigmarole of passport control and baggage reclaim, a slight, dark-haired young man made his way towards the taxi rank outside the Airport. Climbing into the first available car, the man slid into the back seat and instructed the driver 'Harchester por favor'. 

A smartly dressed middle-aged gentleman stepped out of the player's tunnel and strode towards the as-yet unmarked pitch at The Dragon's Lair. Looking around the ground at the thousands of empty seats that in a few short weeks time will be filled with Harchester United supporters, Ian Franklin began to realise the enormity of his new job as the club's manager. Since their Premier League title win of 2007, United have spent the majority of the intervening years in the lower reaches of the top flight, occasionally flirting with relegation to the Championship and never really threatening the likes of the Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea in the battle for honours. 

Franklin came to the club highly rated with Harchester beating several other Premier League clubs to his signature. His CV spoke for itself having taken European clubs such as LASK (Austria), Fortuna Dusseldorf (Germany) and Maribor (Slovenia) into the knockout stages of both the Champions League and Europa League before making the decision to return to his homeland with the aim of helping Harchester into the upper echelons of the English game. 

As Franklin sat in his seat in the dugout for the first time, his comfort was abruptly ended as Lucy Carswell, the club secretary poked her head around the entrance of the player's tunnel and politely said 'Mr Franklin, the chairman wants to see you briefly before the press conference'. Ian jovially replied 'Better not keep the new boss waiting then' and quickly made his way up the stairs towards the chairman's office. 

The taxi dumped the young man in the bustling city centre of Harchester with his worldly possessions packed in a small suitcase. In his strong accent and broken English, his attempts to engage in conversation with the locals fell on deaf ears, with hope waning the young man pulled a photograph out of his wallet and showed as he approached an elderly gentleman in a purple and white hat bearing the colours of Harchester United. 'Please sènor, show me how to get here' he pleaded, thankfully the old man smiled and said 'follow me son'. 

After facing the assembled press and media the day before, Ian Franklin's first proper day in his new job saw him take training for the first time at Harchester's impressive multi-million pound development complex. Whispers and small talk came from the players until the imposing sight of their new manager hushed their chatter. 'Thank you gentlemen. You may not know of me but over the course of this season you'll get to know me quite well. I'm the manager of this club and as of this moment the talking stops and the hard work begins.' Franklin announced firmly. 'This club deserves better, the supporters deserve better, the man in the boardroom paying our wages demands better and together we're going to deliver it.' he continued knowing he had the attention of his charges. 'We have a busy pre-season schedule in which you'll each have an opportunity to impress me and stake a claim for a place in the starting lineup when our season begins in four weeks time against Tottenham, I want you to work hard and give your full commitment and you can expect the same from myself, that's all I have to say for now so let's crack on, time awaits for no man.' 

After spending the night in the company of his new elderly friend, the young man was taken to Harchester's training ground by the old man as a final favour the following morning. As he got out of his car, the old man said encouragingly 'Good luck son, tell 'em what you told me and you'll be fine'. Buoyed by the old man's kind words, the young man strode purposefully towards the main entrance and was greeted by the club receptionist. 'Ola sénora, I would like to see the manager por favor' he announced happily. 'You and everyone else I'm afraid, he's a very busy man so I have to ask do you have an appointment?' the lady behind the desk replied in a polite bur firm manner. 'No madam, you do not understand, I have come to play for this club, it has been my dream ever since I grew up in the villa miserias of Buenos Aires.' the young man said with a hint of panic in his voice as he began to realise that his chances of getting what he wanted were beginning to fade. 'I'm sorry sir but I feel you've had a wasted journey, our manager doesn't discuss his transfer business in great detail but he would make us aware if he was expecting a new signing to arrive today' the receptionist fired back with her polite undertone quickly evaporating as she grew exasperated by the young man's persistence. Remembering the effect his photograph had had on the old man the previous day, the young man pulled it out of his wallet again and informed the receptionist 'Please, this man is my father, he used to play for this club many years ago and I want to carry on his name, I am Carlos Fernando Rodriguez. The receptionist immediately recognised the man in the photo as Luis Amor Rodriguez, a former player and manager of Harchester United, softening her tone slightly she reached for the telephone and called for Alex Wilkinson, the club's reserve team manager and former team-mate of Rodriguez senior. 

After taking Carlos into his office and offering the youngster a drink, Alex began to explain 'Look son, there's no doubting your dad's contribution to the history of this club but if you think you can just swan in here, quote his name and expect us to offer you a contract then I'm afraid you're sadly mistaken'. 

'Please sénor Alex, you do not understand' Carlos began to protest 'I grew up in the poorest area of Buenos Aires, the children in my village all dreamed of being Messi or Aguero but I have only ever dreamed of playing for Harchester United, I want to follow in my father's footsteps and play for this club in the Champions League'. 'That's all well and good lad but footballing talent isn't hereditary, how do I know you're as good as your dad was' Alex retorted. Noticing the flipchart in the corner of the office, Carlos replied 'What about this game against Rot-Her-Ham, let me play and let me show you how talented I am', realising this was probably the only way he would get some peace, Alex replied in a forthright manner 'Okay, fine, my reserve team is playing ROTHERHAM tomorrow, go back to wherever your staying and get a good night's sleep and be here with your boots at 12pm tomorrow, you're getting one chance and one chance only'. Carlos was overjoyed but his happiness was short-lived 'Sénor Alex, I have no boots and I have nowhere to stay, everything I have is in this suitcase' he replied almost apologetically, Alex let out an exasperated sigh and said 'I'm going to have to have an awkward conversation with my wife.' 

The rain lashed down on to the top of Ian Franklin's Jaguar and the tyre splashed through a large puddle that had formed on the car park of Harchester United's training facility. In his press conference a couple of days before, the new manager expressed a desire to take an interest in all levels of the club and he was already planning on attending the reserve team's behind closed doors friendly with Rotherham United before a phone call late the previous evening from Alex explaining that he was naming a trialist in the squad for the game. 

The game was already into the second half by the time Franklin had made his way to the dugout to speak to Alex Wilkinson and Harchester weren't playing well, losing 2-0 to their lower division opposition. 'Where is he then Alex?' Ian enquired 'Where's the lad that you told me about last night?' Pointing to the slight figure warming up down the touchline buried in a thick winter coat 'He's there, something tells me he's not quite accustomed to a British summer just yet' Alex smirked before informing the first team manager 'I'm bringing him on in a moment, the quicker we get him on, the quicker I can say thanks but no thanks and get him out of my hair'. Franklin nodded with approval as Alex ordered Carlos to take his coat off and instructed 'We're 2-0 down and you're going on the right wing, this is your one and only chance, if you're really serious about your ambition then make this count'. As the fourth official held up the board to indicate that Harchester's number seven was coming off, the number fourteen shone in green among the murky, grey afternoon sky. In an almost derisory manner, Ian remarked 'Can he do it on a cold Wednesday afternoon in Harchester?' 

After a crunching tackle between two midfielders from the respective teams left Harchester's player writhing on the floor in pain the referee bellowed 'ADVANTAGE!' as the ball bobbled along the wet turf into the path of Carlos. Using the inside of his right foot, he hooked the ball out in front of him and sprinted down the tight wing, the Rotherham left-back came to chop the young Argentine down but was left embarrassed as he poked the ball through his legs and surged into the penalty area. By this time the goalkeeper came out to meet Carlos but he was left confused as the young winger feigned to shoot with his left foot but calmly slotted the ball into the empty net to cut Harchester's deficit in half. 

'Bloody hell!' Alex exclaimed as the Harchester coaching staff, including Ian Franklin, stood in amazement at what they had just seen. Carlos continued to dictate proceedings with an array of fine passes and long, interloping runs to threaten the Rotherham defence but despite being rejuvenated by their new player Harchester were unable to turn their pressure into an equalising goal. As the game entered stoppage time, Rotherham's left-back finally managed to keep up with Carlos and let his frustrations boil over as he scythed down the young Argentine to concede a free kick. After some deliberation, Alex instructed Carlos to take the free kick which was just outside the penalty area but out on the right wing. Carlos struck the free kick perfectly into the middle of the ball which elevated it at the ideal height for Harchester's centre-half to rise above the defenders and nod the ball beyond the goalkeeper's despairing grasp and grab a late equaliser. Despite the match only being a friendly, Alex Wilkinson led the Harchester bench in wild celebrations with all the players clamouring to give their new star Carlos a pat on the back. As the players trudged off the field Ian Franklin stood at the door of the dressing rooms and made a beeline for Carlos, 'Well done son' he greeted him warmly 'That was incredibly impressive, you've still got a lot of hard work to do if you want to play in the first team but I'd like to welcome you to Harchester United, Alex or Mr Wilkinson as you'll call him from now on has gone to the club's offices to prepare a contract for you to sign tomorrow.' 'Sénor Franklin, you have no idea how happy you have made me' Carlos gratefully replied with tears of joy beginning to sting in his eyes 'I promise you, I will not let you down'. 

The following morning, Carlos Fernando Rodriguez signed his first ever professional contract as a new chapter, not just in his life but in the history of Harchester United was about to begin. 

NEXT TIME: The season gets underway as Harchester United welcome Tottenham Hotspur to The Dragon's Lair for the opening Premier League game of the season. Can the new manager inspire his new club to a debut win and how will Carlos continue to develop as the reserve team start their quest for glory? Find out on Sunday here at HarchesterTillWeDie.