On the Sheffield United bench, Volnock walked back and said to one of the players on the bench: "Are you ready?" It's your turn. ”

"Yes, boss." The man stood up and took off his coat, revealing the red and white Sheffield United home shirt and the name behind it: Jackcleste.

He stepped off the bench and stood on the sidelines, waiting for the fourth referee to bring him on.

It's always strange to see the players he's coached on the pitch wearing the opponent's jersey against him. The two stood no more than two metres apart, and he frequently glanced at Leicester, who was standing on the sidelines, but Leicester just stared at the pitch as if he didn't see him.

Donn looked at Leicester, and then at Volnock. With another striker, what is this old man thinking?

"Hey, Jack." Don decided to take the initiative to talk to Leicester, they didn't have a chance to say hello before the game, and now it's okay to talk, by the way, the other manager's plan to come out.

Lester looked back at Don and smiled, "Sir, I really didn't expect to see you again in such a situation." ”

"yes, I didn't expect that...... Hey, Jack, what are Neil doing with you? You've got two strikers, and they're both doing well......"

"Of course I defeated you, sir." Lester blinked, "You said you had to be worthy of every penny you earned." ”

Don scratched his head, not expecting to be stumped by what he had said. "That's right, you're doing the right thing...... We are opponents now...... Damn the opponent! Finally, he scolded under his breath and retreated.

Jackcleister replaced the goal-scoring Peshsolidos, and although the 32-year-old was doing well with one goal, it was clear that his stay on the court was not a big enough threat to Dawson in Volnock's eyes. He needs someone who knows more about Forest's defensive system to hit the punch, and that person is Jackclester.

Done didn't make any adjustments to Sheffield United's substitution, he watched quietly from the sidelines, the situation didn't show any bad side, he didn't need to do anything.

But the dark clouds in my heart are gathering more and more, and they are accumulated in my chest.

※※※ "Michael Brown! 2：3！ Sixty-eight minutes later, Sheffield United scored! Mortenson shouted, and next to him was Mark Laurenson.

"Steve Kaba! It's incredible, Sheffield United equalised! Nottingham Forest has been battered! Just three minutes later, Mortenson's voice rang out again.

Lawrenson saw that his beard was hopefully saved, and he also had the heart to comment on the goal conceded by Forest.

'Smeka is limited and a defensive midfielder can't keep Sheffield United attacking. Although it seems that Volnock played 532 after replacing Thomp, in fact, this lineup should be 352 when attacking, two full-backs pressed up to assist as wing-backs, and the strong pressure of the five midfielders is not at all something that Smeka can bear alone. Having lost the midfield barrier, Michael Dawson's backline was powerless to stop the waves of Sheffield United's attacks. Michael Brown was the one who was ignored by Donn, and now he's being punished! ”

Done looked at the Sheffield United players cheering and celebrating the goal, and could hardly believe what he was seeing, and the situation on the pitch had changed so much in less than ten minutes. What's going on here? Afraid of falling into Volnock's trap, he did everything he could to prevent it from happening, but in the end he ended up in it, and he got deeper and deeper!

He glanced at Volnock and saw that the other man was looking at him too. The two looked at each other, and Volnock shrugged with a smile, then turned away from him.

Don felt a flame explode in his chest.

Damn it! Lao Tzu has been deceived! Deceived by this old immortal!

From the calm performance of conceding two goals in the first half, the old man has been acting, including the handshake and greeting at halftime, all of which are acting, just to make himself think that he has some conspiracy, make himself suspicious, and then fall into the trap he dug in another place step by step.

He brought on Michael Thoche to trick himself into replacing Pope, reducing a defensive midfielder and reducing the defensive pressure on their midfield. He knew he didn't value Michael Brown, who looked like a defensive midfielder, and then used him to organise the attack, one of these two goals was done by him himself, and the other was instigated by him, and he was the real heart of Sheffield United in this game! Tonkey is just a façade!

Donn was furious. He has always enjoyed the thrill of playing with his opponents, but he never thought that he would also be played by others one day. Despite his reluctance, Donn had to admit that he was still too young and inexperienced compared to the fifty-four-year-old Neil Volnock. The two of them have a difference of 20 years.

It seems that Donn's bad luck is not over, and he is destined to drain the luck of his previous consecutive victories in this crucial match. After Sheffield United's equaliser, Forest were in a state of panic. Their main right-back, John Thompson, sprained his ankle in a scramble with Steve Kaba and was unable to continue.

"Bastard!" Seeing the team doctor Fleming shaking his head at him, Donn scolded depressedly. He turned to look at the bench, where one of the five substitutes had been used and four remained...... In the end, Donn's gaze stayed on the childish child.

"James, you go hot...... Damn it! There's no time for you to warm up, so I'll play now! "He took the kid off the bench and pushed him to the sidelines." Just like you do in training! ”

Other than that, he really didn't know how to explain the precautions of the seventeen-year-old to the first time he played. James 'Biggins, who was only a substitute right-back who was placed on the bench by Donn, unexpectedly got his first appearance for the first team.

Watching this little kid tremble and run onto the field, Don really couldn't expect too much from him. He's still too busy to take care of himself.

※※※I don't know if the young James Biggins has ever had such a dream:

When the team was in danger, he, a nobody who was originally sitting on the bench watching the game, was suddenly called out from his seat by the head coach, and then patted him on the shoulder and said to him expectantly: "James, our team is all up to you!" Go up and kill those bastards for me! Win the game! ”

The assistant coach and other teammates also nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes! Now you're the only one who can change the situation, James! You're a genius, you can do it! ”

Then he stepped onto the field with his head held high, led the team to victory under the disdainful gaze of his opponents, and finally made all opponents kneel in front of him and beg for mercy...... But the truth is - the present situation can indeed make a genius hero who became famous in the first fight; But it can also be a blow to a teenager who is full of expectations for the future, and this kind of pressure competition is not something that an ordinary person can bear.

James Biggins knew what was going on, as the team was tied in a good position to lead the opposition, and the main players were forced to withdraw from the game with injuries, which took a huge toll on the team's morale. But he didn't know what he was going to do. What should he do?

Donn didn't tell him that his brain couldn't think about this kind of problem.

He stood blankly at right-back, then watched the wolf-like Sheffield United players rush towards him...... and the Barlamor Lane stadium once again erupted in loud cheers and applause, while the Forest fans fell silent, not only in the stadium stands, but also in the pubs far away in Nottingham.

"God! What happened in those twenty-eight minutes...... "Mottson groaned, "Sheffield United didn't score a goal in the first half, and in the second half they scored four goals from the fifty-first minute! 4：3！ Now the home team is ahead! Nottingham Forest went from leader to catcher in the blink of an eye. Poor James Biggins, who was playing for Nottingham Forest's first team for the age of seventeen, scored an own goal! ”

Beggins knelt in front of goal as ecstatic Sheffield United players ran past him. The soccer ball lay quietly in the goal, Biggins lowered his head and couldn't see the expressions of his other teammates, he was now dead. He felt like he was the sinner of the team.

Deswalker and Ian Bowyer, who were sitting in the coach's box, both put their hands on their foreheads, a scene that none of them expected. It was unbelievable that it was good at half-time, but now it's unbelievably bad.

From 2:0 to 3:4, the game was ...... It really makes people want to scold their mother.

Standing on the sidelines, Donn looked at the field in a daze, he no longer had the heart to care about how excited Volnock was celebrating the goal.

It was as if he heard the footsteps of the Premier League passing by him and then moving away...... What does this score mean? Nottingham Forest, who lost 2-1 at home to Sheffield United and are now 4-3 down at 4-6 on aggregate, means they will need to score at least two goals in the remaining eleven minutes to qualify for extra-time if they want to reach the play-off final.

That's a tough demand for a Forest team these days.

Because of Biggins, Forest's backline is disorganized and morale is running high, so it's good that they can guarantee not to concede any more goals for the rest of the game...... Michael Dawson bowed his head to comfort Biggins, who scored an own goal, and he did all the work that a captain could do, but he couldn't bring victory to the team. Perhaps his heart is more painful than Biggins, who scored an own goal.

Looking at the dejected players on the field, Don asked himself in his heart: Is this the end of it?

"Tony! If you can't lead the team to next season's Super League, I'll make you look good! Michael's roar could be heard in the distance, and Donn looked back at the stands above the dugout.

There is a lot of elation with red and white Sheffield United fans, and where is Michael's shadow?

Another voice came from the side: "Coach Tony Downe, have you ever wondered if we can't be promoted to the Super League this season?" ”

Can't upgrade, can't upgrade, can't upgrade...... Michael, Gavin Jr...... No! I can't let this happen, I'm not going to let it happen!

Don strode back and said to a solemn Walker, "Where's Westerkar?" Let him play! ”

Donn replaced Smeka, the only defensive midfielder, and made a desperate move to 17-year-old striker Karaji Westkar. Will Nottingham Forest, who switched to 433, be able to score twice in the remaining ten minutes? To be honest, I don't have much confidence...... Westerkar has come off the bench on three previous occasions and has not scored and his quality does not allow him to do the heavy lifting. I don't understand why Don made this adjustment...... Useless! Mortenson mercilessly criticized Donn's on-the-spot command, and Laurentian snickered next to him. In this way, his beard can be regarded as preserved...... And that's where Mortenson gets upset.

Evan Dogerty turned his head to look at the TV in the corner of the box, watching the TV much more clearly than watching the scene. Hearing the narrator say this, he smiled, and then said to his father, Nigel Dogetty, "Look, I said it. He can't be trusted. ”

Nigel didn't seem to hear his son, he just watched the game intently. When Evan thought he was being ignored again, the old man said in a low voice and slowly, "Whatever you want, anyway, you will soon be talking here." You can do whatever you want......"

※※※ It turned out that Donn's substitution was the best interpretation of "courage and strategy", removing the only defensive midfielder and playing the completely unfamiliar 433 formation, the Forest team became more and more overwhelmed, they didn't know what the manager wanted to do, and they didn't know what they should do. Some people want to score as soon as possible, others want to make sure the backline doesn't concede any more goals first, and a team falls apart in the final moments and is torn into two parts, one in front and one in the back.

Donn has lost control of the team, standing on the sidelines and not giving any useful instructions. He could only watch, expecting ...... Expecting a miracle.

The cheers from the stands at Ballamor Lane were getting louder and louder, and Sheffield United manager Neil Vornock was already eager to high-five those around him. This is who he really is...... In the 91st minute of the game, James Biggins scored a goal from a corner kick to atone for his own goal. But it didn't help the team in the slightest, because it came too late.

A minute later, the referee blew the full-time whistle and the Ballamor Lane stadium was filled with cheers as the home fans celebrated their side's reach for the play-off final, with Tony Towne once again the underdog.

The dream of working hard for half a season was shattered, and in an instant his mind went blank and he stood on the sidelines blankly. He didn't even see Volnock, who reached out to him.

The noisy stadium stands are gone, the green stadium is gone, and there is darkness all around. The elated Sheffield United players, the frustrated Nottingham Forest players, Neil Vornock shrugging his shoulders and smiling disdainfully, Ian Bowyer closing his eyes in pain, Deswalker trying to comfort the players, Michael Bernard who didn't know where, and Gavin Bernard who was already lying quietly in the dirt, these people surrounded Donn tightly, making him feel tightness in his chest and shortness of breath.

His heart tightened.

The season is over.

※※※Ten days later, Bradford's Glory Valley Stadium. The stadium had a good name, but it didn't give Volnock the glory he coveted. His side lost three goals to Wolverhampton Wanderers here and lost qualification to the Premier League. Volnock put all his energy into dealing with the difficult Tony Donn, but he used up the last of his strength while winning.

Three days after that semi-final, on May 19, on the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula in the south of England, in the Spanish city of Seville.

A Portuguese named Jose Mourinho beat Bryan Clough's disciple Martin O'Neill 3-2 in extra-time at the Stadio O'Olimpic, and Portugal's Porto beat Celtic of Scotland to lift the UEFA Cup in the 02-03 season.

The victory introduced the whole of Europe to the young Portuguese manager, who is accustomed to not smiling, and a group of excellent players under his command.

But none of that had anything to do with Donn, and his season ended on May 16. It was his first season as a professional head coach leading a professional team, and while incomplete and imperfect, it was bound to have a profound impact on the path Donn would take in the future.

The two defeats against West Ham United and Sheffield United will always be remembered by him. There is a voice that will always ring in the bottom of his heart, reminding him:

How painful it is to fail......

(To be continued)