After saying goodbye to his team-mates at Wilford, Eastwood held a press conference where he will officially announce his retirement to the media and the outside world. None of the media had known about the news before, although some of them might have guessed it.

The press conference was held at the City Stadium. There had been some media rumors before the press conference that Eastwood would not have announced good news at the press conference. Some of Eastwood's concerned Forest fans gathered outside the stadium anxiously awaiting the latest news from the press conference.

When Eastwood, accompanied by Donn, appeared in front of reporters in suits and leather shoes, the noisy press conference scene suddenly fell silent.

Sitting in his seat, with countless microphones and voice recorders in front of him, Eastwood was in no hurry to speak. It took some courage to make this decision public for the first time.

Don sat down next to him and patted him lightly on the back.

There was silence in the room, and after a while, Eastwood exhaled and said in his characteristic tone, "I have made a decision. When I had surgery in the U.S., my doctor told me that even if my knee was healed, it might not be able to continue to withstand the stress of professional football. I thought about it for a long time, and I decided to retire like this. ”

Although some people have roughly guessed what the reason for Eastwood's sudden press conference is, it is still shocking to hear him say it firsthand. The scene was in an uproar.

Eastwood, who had said this, ignored the fierce reaction of the reporters, and he got up and walked out again accompanied by Done. Some of the reporters who reacted first crowded to the front row to ask him some questions, but he waved them off: "I don't have anything more to say, thank you." ”

After saying that, he lowered his head and got out.

Someone took aim at Donn.

"Mr. Donn! Mr. Donne......"

"I'm sorry, I don't have much to say. That's the way it is, we're going to have a farewell ceremony for Freddy at a home league in a little over half a month, and that's it, thank you for coming here......"

Don waved his hand and declined further questions from reporters.

※※※

"Gypsy shooter announces retirement!"

"Three serious injuries to the right knee and the end of my career!"

"Tony. Don lost a general, and Eastwood said goodbye with tears! ”

"Counting the three serious injuries in Eastwood's career, this retirement was doomed ten years ago!"

"The culprit of the Gypsy's retirement is someone else, not the former captain of Nottingham Forest!"

……

All sorts of appalling, visually striking headlines appear in the media.

For a while, everyone knew that Eastwood was retiring. Countless reporters flocked to Wilford for further information. Although Eastwood has never really been one of the best strikers in Europe, his two winning goals in two European Champions Cups have made his name spread throughout Europe and the world. There are even media outlets looking back on his career that Tony would have had it without Eastwood. Donn will never be able to win those two trophies.

Nottingham Forest fans have long regarded him as the best striker in the world, and their affection goes without saying. Now I heard that Eastwood was going to retire, and I couldn't accept it for a while. Every day, there is always a large crowd of fans outside the Wilford training base holding Eastwood heads, posters and slogans to keep Eastwood alive. It's a pity that the hero in their minds is not at the training ground, but at home.

The atmosphere at the training ground was also different from what it used to be, and it was hard to see so many slogans to keep Eastwood. But the leader is right, since they are brothers, then the brothers' decisions must be respected. The road was chosen by Eastwood himself, and no one else was qualified to interfere.

Some fans flocked to the message board of the post-80s Shaolin abbot station, posting excited messages, hoping to persuade Eastwood to change his mind.

But none of this worked.

Some reporters wanted to go directly to Eastwood, only to find that they had turned off their mobile phones.

※※※

As a professional footballer, it takes more than courage to make the decision to retire at the age of 30. Even if he made this decision, it would not be comfortable for him. Eastwood was depressed during the twenty days of recuperation at home.

His wife, Serem, sees all of this and sometimes jokes with her husband about playing cards: "Fate says you can go back and play football." ”

Eastwood glared at her, "If I believed your stuff, I wouldn't be a gypsy." Don't mention it, Serem. I won't change the decision ......"

"You've been playing for so many years, and suddenly one day you don't play anymore, don't you feel uncomfortable?"

"What's wrong with that? I haven't played football in this time, isn't it okay? ”

Eastwood is really untouched by football these days, and can still walk freely on crutches, and he has been in the stable to care for the old Marblanc who has been with him for ten years.

Serem grinned, not talking about the topic anymore. "You're going to the stadium tomorrow, don't you go to bed early?"

Eastwood shook his head: "I'm not a player to play. ”

Serem kissed her husband on the forehead: "Then I'll go up first and see if the children are asleep." ”

"Hmm." Eastwood replied with some absent-mindedness.

When he was the only one left in the living room, Eastwood buried his face in his hands. Serem was right when he said it – he really didn't fit in when he suddenly stopped playing.

He had just been injured when he called the boss, and at that time he thought he was really tired of this life. Looking at his knees, he even thought he was going to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. At that time, he resolutely said goodbye to the past ten years, and he firmly believed that he had made the right choice.

Now he still thinks that retirement is the right thing to do, but his heart is no longer as resolute as half a month ago. Sometimes when he closes his eyes, his ears are filled with the tsunami-like cheers of the city stadium, and everyone is calling his name. When he was asleep, he would dream of being back on the pitch, with a healthy pair of knees, and running around the pitch to score goals and enjoying the cheers of the fans.

When he woke up from the dream, he realized that he really couldn't do without football.

It's true that his knee can't continue to play anymore, but he is still happy that the boss gave him a job as a coach, at least he doesn't have to be 108,000 miles away from football, and he has nothing to do with each other from now on. He was still able to fight side by side with his brothers, but in a different capacity.

Football for me has long been more than a hobby or a job.

Football is my life.

※※※

While the morning sun was still faint behind the clouds, Eastwood was already out of bed. The sound of his clothes waking his wife up.

Serem looked at her busy husband with sleepy eyes: "Didn't you say you don't compete?" What are you doing when you get up so early? ”

"Warm up on horseback." Eastwood's answer was as if there was a home game in a normal day.

When Serem heard this, he sat up from the bed: "You don't ...... again"

"Sleep, Serem."

The wife reached out and grabbed a few handfuls of unkempt hair on the top of her head, shook her head and muttered, "I'll make you breakfast." ”

※※※

A faint light slanted in through the window, smoke and dust flew in the pillars of light, and the dimly lit stables seemed quiet. This silence was quickly broken by the creak of the door being slammed.

Eastwood stood in the doorway, took a deep breath, and sniffed the familiar scent.

The creature in the stable sensed someone coming and snorted, which was considered a greeting.

"Blank." Without turning on the lights, Eastwood waited for his eyes to adjust to the dimness of the room before walking in.

Another snort.

Eastwood stopped in front of a dark horse and reached out to gently caress the black horse's neck. The movements are gentle, as if you are touching your lover.

The black horse Blanc also leaned his head next to his master and rubbed it affectionately.

Eastwood didn't answer his wife's question just now, he just told Serem to go back to sleep. Because he couldn't explain to his wife what it was like – he would only ride Blank around his yard early in the morning when he had a home game that day, and he wouldn't do anything else. So why do it today.

He's not confused, he knows he's just going to say goodbye to the pitch before the game today, he's not going to play. But his body just wanted to ride Blank for a run at this time. The body's usual surname?

Eastwood untied the horse's ropes, put the bridles on Blake, and slowly pulled him out of the stable.

The outside was clearly brighter than the inside, and a man and a horse were looking at each other. Eastwood looked at Blanc and smiled, "Hey, old man. Today I retired, and so did you. Let's run again? ”

When he was still at Grace Racing, he warmed up on the road on nine-year-old Blank. He lives in a modern caravan, in the woods of the green belt of the neighborhood, and everyone looks at him strangely, but he never cares, he prides himself on being a gypsy. Now that he has money and children, he doesn't have to live in a caravan, but he still has the strange habit of warming up on horseback in the morning of every home race.

Journalists have interviewed him before about why he can always score the winning goal at the most crucial time and help the team win. He always attributed the reason to his lucky pony Blank.

Today, Lucky Pony has become Lucky Old Pony, and he himself is thirty years old.

Eastwood patted Blank on the back and stepped on the stirrups.

"Walk, old man!"

He patted the black horse's buttocks, and Blanc trotted up with his master.

The cold breeze of the morning blew on Eastwood's face, blowing Blanc's mane, and Eastwood felt a long-lost comfort. He would love to whistle loudly on horseback.

"Oh, Blank! You're a really good runner! Actually, you can still run, you're not old, right? ”

Blake ran lap after lap in the racecourse, and then Eastwood simply let go of the reins, spread his hands, leaned back, closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the wind blowing around him. In a trance, Blanc became his legs, and he ran tirelessly on the field, no matter how fierce the collision was, he could not stop his progress. He just ran and ran, leaving all his pain and sorrow behind. Run, run, and leave the cheers behind. Run, run, run, run......

"Freddy, do you want to play professional football?"

In the cold wind, a few drops of water spilled down Eastwood's face.

※※※

When her youngest daughter, Chardonnay, got up to go to the bathroom, she heard a clanging sound coming from the kitchen, and she walked downstairs curiously, only to find out that it was her mother.

Sleepy-eyed, she rubbed her eyes at the door and asked, "Mom?" What about Daddy? ”

Serem looked back and saw that it was his little daughter, and smiled, "Daddy has gone horseback riding." ”

"Does Daddy have a race today......" The six-year-old daughter doesn't know much about her father's things, she only knows one thing - once Dad is riding a horse early in the morning, it must be his race in the afternoon or evening, and she has to wait in front of the TV to watch her father.

"yes, it's the last game." Serem walked over and kissed her daughter's tender cheek. "Go back to bed, you haven't put on your shoes yet, be careful of catching a cold."

"Mommy, did you see my new sneakers?" Upstairs came the voice of his eldest son, Rahim, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps from upstairs.

"Why are you all up so early today?" Serem asked, looking at the two children in front of him. "I didn't see your new sneakers, your own stuff is always littered, and you can't find it when you need to use it, right?"

"I made an appointment with a friend to go playing football in the morning." The eleven-year-old Rahim reached for a slice of bread on the table, but was quickly knocked off by Serim's eyes.

"Go brush your teeth and wash your face!"

"Where's Daddy?" Raheem didn't act immediately, he turned his head and looked around. "Went to the stables so early to talk to Blank?"

"No, he's going horseback riding."

Rahim whistled and turned to go upstairs to wash up.

"Rahim, get your sister's shoes down!" Serem shouted downstairs.

"Got it!"

Serem picked up her well-behaved little daughter and placed her in a chair to keep her bare feet from touching the cold floor.

It's a pity that her efforts were in vain.

The sound of the door opening outside the restaurant sounded, and Shadonie jumped out of her chair excitedly and ran barefoot to the door.

"Daddy—"

"Shadony! Good morning, my little beauty! ”

"Good morning, Daddy!" The youngest daughter kissed her father on the face.

"Go wash your face and brush your teeth, Shadony. Rahim! How long do you have to grind? Take your sister's shoes off! "In this home, it looks like Serim is more like the head of the family. Eastwood, on the other hand, doesn't care about anything but eats.

"It's coming, it's coming!" The eldest son ran down like the wind, threw his shoes in front of his sister, and ran up again. "Good morning Dad!" It wasn't until the others were back upstairs that the greeting was heard.

As the family of four got together for dinner, the father announced a decision: "You go to the City Stadium with me in the afternoon, Raheem and Shadony." ”

Shadoni didn't have a problem with it, she was still young and happy to be with her father, she didn't have much social time for herself. Raheem was a little surprised: "I made an appointment with Heather and Andy......"

"Rahim." Mom's stern voice rang out, "Your dad wants to be with you at that time." ”

Rahim. Eastwood looked at the stern mom, then at the smiling dad, and nodded, "Okay, Dad." ”

My sister is still young and may not know what retirement is, but eleven-year-old Rahim can definitely understand it. It's really more important than hanging out with his friends.

Eastwood reached out and grabbed his son's head. "Thank you, Rahim. As compensation, I will spend more time with you in the future. ”

"You have to count, Daddy." Raheem felt that his dad seemed to prefer to stay with Blank. The horse had long been an official member of the family. Before he was born, his father was with Blank, and the relationship between them was rock-solid. Sometimes when he thinks of this, he feels aggrieved - which is his father's own son?

Eastwood smiled and twisted lightly on his son's pursed cheek, "Lie to you being a puppy." ”

※※※

The City Stadium in the afternoon was bustling with activity earlier than usual. Nottingham Forest fans have long known from various media that today's game will be different. Their favorite shooter Freddie. Eastwood wants to say goodbye to everyone ahead of this league game against Arsenal, to Nottingham Forest, to his career.

Although Eastwood is not a player developed by Nottingham Forest, he has been here for 10 years and can be said to have dedicated his entire career to Nottingham Forest. It's long forgotten that he was a member of West Ham's youth team.

The half-hour before today's game was Eastwood's time, and no Forest fan wanted to miss it, as they arrived more than half an hour earlier than usual to say goodbye to the Gypsy striker who brought him two European Championships.

While the Nottingham Forest and Arsenal players warmed up on the pitch, Eastwood, dressed in a casual jacket, was bringing his family and the club's president to greet him.

"It's a shame to retire so early, Freddy." Evan. Dogetty patted his former player on the shoulder and shook his head. "I remember the first day you reported to Wilford, driving a caravan towing a horse and arguing with your wife at the door...... You scared the hell out of me. Ha ha! ”

Evan was laughing, and Eastwood was laughing. But when he remembered that time, his smile was a little bitter. He was only twenty years old......

"Toney gave you a coaching contract and I'm glad you accepted it. To be honest, I've always felt like the club owes you a lot. ”

Eastwood shook his head, "Please don't say that, Mr. Chairman. It's an honour to play for Nottingham Forest. When I played at Grace Athletic, I never imagined I would lift the European Cup and the Premier League, and twice. ”

※※※

Because we were going to say goodbye to Eastwood before today's game, everyone's emotions were not very high. Although Eastwood agreed to be the coach of the team, everyone still has more feelings for Eastwood as a player.

Even the boss, who has always liked to say something before the game, was very abnormal today, sitting at the door without saying a word, and I didn't know what he was thinking.

The atmosphere in the dressing room was a little awkward.

George. Wood was probably the most silent of all, and he straightened the captain's armband on his arm over and over again, put it on and took it off, looked at it in his hand, put it back on, and took it off again......

He seemed preoccupied.

Don looked down at his watch, finally ending the uncomfortable silence.

"Alright, guys. Almost, let's get out. We'll have to ...... with Freddie Say goodbye. ”

Wood was the last player to walk out of the dressing room, so it stands to reason that he was the captain and should have been at the front.

After the players of the two teams came out of the corridor, they did not line up on the field to take pictures, exchange team flags, guess coins, or shake hands...... They lined up outside the corridor, waiting for a man to appear.

As an unrival team with nothing to do with Eastwood, Arsenal have been very cooperative this time around, showing full respect to a legendary goalscorer who is leaving. Donn is grateful that Arsene Wenger is willing to do so, and perhaps also thankful that this game is not against his rivals......

Eastwood stood in the hallway, surrounded by staff members who were responsible for maintaining order. Now he holds his 11-year-old son Rahim in his left hand and his six-year-old daughter Shadoni in his right hand, somewhat nervously waiting for the signal to play.

A unified voice had already sounded in the stands outside, and all the fans were chanting his name, very clearly and uniformly.

"Daddy? They're calling your name. Sadoni listened intently for a moment in her arms and said to her father.

"Yes, Shadony. They're shouting Daddy's name. Do you like this dress? He put his nose on Shadony's forehead. He was referring to the Red Forest jersey worn by his daughter, with his name 'eastood' and the number '11' emblazoned on the back.

"I like it!"

"Why?"

"Because there's Daddy's name!" Shadoni said excitedly.

Compared with Shadony's excitement, Rahim, who was holding his father's hand, was silent without saying a word. He doesn't find it a lot of fun like his sister. Although his father will have more time to spend with him after he retires, he still likes the father who runs on the field and scores goals and cheers. His friends would say to him enviously when they mentioned his father, "Rahim, you have a heroic father!" "If only my dad were like your dad......" "Rahim, your dad scored again in yesterday's game!" That ball is so cool! Shoot yes! "Rahim, please help me get your dad for an autograph......

He pursed his lips, and the more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable it became, and tears lingered in his eyes, as if they were about to fall at any moment.

My dad is a hero! I'm a hero's son, I can't cry!

He thought viciously.

Sensing his son's grip on his hand, Eastwood looked sideways to the left. He looked at his son, who was silent and bowed his head, and smiled.

After a piece of music, the announcer's voice rang out on the live radio: "This is not good news, our gypsy star Freddie. Eastwood decided to say goodbye to everyone on this day......"

The staff at the crossing gestured to Eastwood for him to come out.

"Let's go, Rahim."

Eastwood took his son by the hand and walked out with his daughter in his arms.

※※※

When No. 11 of Nottingham Forest walked out of the tunnel crossing with two children wearing his jerseys, there was a tsunami of shouts from the scene.

"Freddy! You are our hero! ”

"Well done, gypsy!"

"Goodbye, Freddy! Good bye! ”

"Change your mind, Freddy! Please! ”

"Don't go, Freddy...... Look at this formation, are you willing to go? ”

"Freddy, we need you! Tony needs you! You can't do this! ”

……

Eastwood smiled, let go of his son's hand, and waved goodbye to everyone. But two tear streaks already appeared on his face.

Players from both Arsenal and Nottingham Forest stood next to him and gave him a round of applause. Someone else gave him a thumbs up.

Sadonie looked at the scene in front of her curiously, she may not understand the feelings of these people, but she knew that her father was very popular. The expression on Rahim's face was even more ugly, and he almost cried in public.

Serem stood in the box, standing up and applauding her husband like everyone else in the room.

He walked all the way to the middle of the venue, leaned over to put his daughter down, and took the wireless microphone from the staff.

The sound of the scene gradually subsided. They knew Eastwood had something to say, and they didn't want to miss every word he said.

"It's ...... Thank you, thank you. Eastwood held back his emotions and tried to keep his trembling voice back to normal, slowing down his speech so that his words could be heard. When I was an amateur player, I never imagined that I would say goodbye like this one day. I'm glad you all came to see me......"

There was silence for a while, and Eastwood was trying not to let himself cry on the spot. No matter how hard he forced a smile, there was no smile in his heart at this time.

'I'm grateful to Nottingham Forest, to my team-mates and even more to Toney. Coach Donn, if it weren't for him, I would never have stood here and said thank you. ”

The telecast gave Don a close-up. He stood in front of the coach's bench with his hands on his chest and a serious expression.

"I've only had a career of 10 years...... But I don't think it's short-lived. In the past ten years, I have received all the honors I have thought of or not thought of, and I am very satisfied and grateful. I've had a lot of fun every day of my 10 years at Nottingham Forest because I'm doing what I love and in the environment I love. ”

"But now, I have to say goodbye to you, I have to say goodbye to my teammates." Tears were pouring down Eastwood's eyes. "Ten years ago, the boss told me that I would be a legendary goalscorer for Nottingham Forest...... I'm sorry, boss, sorry to disappoint you......"

Eastwood slipped the microphone into the hands of the staff and leaned down to hug his daughter, Shadony.

※※※

"Fuck ......," Chrislak heard Donn next to him scolding softly, "You're already a fucking legend, Freddy." ”

The English man, who always played a stern assistant with a thick voice in front of the players, also suddenly burst into tears.

※※※

"Daddy? You're crying......" Shadoni looked at her father strangely, her familiar face wet.

"Daddy didn't cry, Daddy this is ...... Glad. Eastwood squeezed out a smile, "I'll have more time with Shadony in the future, are you happy?" ”

Shadoni looked at her father for a moment, then grinned, "Happy! ”

"Let's go back."

He picked Shadoni up again and took Rahim's hand.

※※※

"Freddie. Eastwood, when he joined Nottingham Forest on 1 January 2004, was an amateur player who broke his leg once, when he was 20 years old. Mortensen, who was in charge of commentating the game, said emotionally, "Now he's 30 years old and he's taking his family to say goodbye to the Forest fans. He says he's not a legendary goalscorer, but there's no one more legendary than him in the minds of Nottingham Forest fans. ”

"An amateur player scored the winning goal in two European Cup finals to help Nottingham Forest regain the European Cup after a 28-year absence. He suffered a serious injury to his right knee before becoming a Forest player, but he dragged it on the pitch for 10 years for Nottingham Forest, scoring a total of 137 goals. He isn't the player with the most goals ever scored for Nottingham Forest, but he's definitely the most valuable player in the club's history! Two goals, two European Cups! His experience is enough to make a movie for all the children who love football, and he tells those people that even if you have been seriously injured, even if you have been swept away by the team you once played for, even if you have been reduced to playing in an amateur league to sell used cars, as long as you have not given up your ideals, you can create a legend! ”

"Hats off to the legend of the decade! Goodbye, Freddy! Goodbye, Mr. Lore at Nottingham Forest! ”

※※※

As Eastwood led his child slowly down the road, a chorus of fans rang out in the stands. They were singing a song written specifically for Eastwood. It was a heroic ode to Eastwood after he scored the decisive goal to help AC Milan regain the European Champions League after 28 years of losing it.

"The game went to the last minute, did you think it was over? There is not much time left, the referee is looking at his watch, and you say, 'Forget it, we have a future'. ”

The cheering songs gradually died down, and some people began to leave early. A bunch of drunk wine glasses were thrown from the stands, and it was a mess! ”

"The opposing players are laughing at our dying throes, and the opposing fans are celebrating their victory in advance!"

"Forest's No. 11 stepped up and he said: 'No! The game isn't over yet! Don't rejoice too soon! ’”

"Don't be too happy!!

"He's like Robin Hood, his arrows pierce the hearts of his enemies!"

"The enemies screamed in horror: 'Who is he!' ”

"He-is-who!!"

"His name is Freddy. Eastwood! He's Mr. Kills for the Forest team! ”

"His name is Freddie! He never gives up! ”

"Freddy Freddy! It is your honor to fall under his arrows! ”

"La-la-la! Freddy! La-la-la! Robin hood! ”

"La-la-la! Freddy! Freddy! La-la-la! ”

Every time Eastwood scores another crucial goal, the home stands are bound to sing the song. Eastwood will run wild on the pitch with open arms, the number behind him fluttering like a flag over the city stadium, and the back number of "11" is like two sharp arrows, he is indeed the "Robin Middle" of Nottingham Forest.

But this time, Robin Hood was shot in the knee by the poisoned arrow of fate, and he could no longer stand up and continue to fight, and he fell under the big oak tree that had gathered with his comrades, and said goodbye to the brothers who fought side by side with a little unwillingness, leaving only a legend, so that future generations will yearn for and look forward to the legend - what kind of heroic years should it have been when he was there......

The rousing singing sang and sang until their Robin Hood disappeared into the corridor.

With tears in their eyes, the fans present applauded "Mr. Lore" in their minds for the last time, bidding farewell to another legendary story of "Robin Hood".

(To be continued)