Life was ant to be enjoyed to the fullest, and Richard saw no reason to downplay Manchester City’s success after winning the championship; doing so would have felt hypocritical.
The Manchester City squad had every right to celebrate this victory—though Richard insisted it remain a controlled celebration. Still, on the night of their League Cup triumph, the team went wild at Ric Turner’s bar, mingling with neighbors and strangers alike over drinks and dancing.
The next morning, back at his office, Richard turned on the TV and began flicking through the newspaper headlines. Naturally, he was most interested in the football coverage.
Even if he didn’t always enjoy reading them, as the owner of a football club, it was his duty to subscribe to Britain’s major newspapers. He ignored the tabloids—he found papers like The Sun too focused on sensationalism and lacking substance. Instead, he spread out The Tis, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and The Daily Mail across the coffee table. While his aim was to go straight to the sports section, a few front-page headlines grabbed his attention.
With the League Cup final taking place over the weekend, there had been no Premier League matches for either Manchester City or Aston Villa, so the coverage was heavily focused on the final itself.
"City Conquer Wembley: Manchester City Lift League Cup in Historic Triumph"
"Manchester City’s Mont: O’Neill Leads Emotional League Cup Victory"
"A Radiant Dawn—A Century and Twenty Years in the Making!"
As Richard sipped his coffee and skimd the articles, he grew increasingly bored.
The papers were filled with sycophantic praise, lauding him and the team endlessly. So of the photos were quite striking—O’Neill being tossed into the air by ecstatic players, Larsson sprinting along the sidelines after his goal, all set against a dazzling backdrop of flashing lights and confetti.
Richard sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Fleet Street... I’m kneeling to you," he muttered dryly.
The season wasn’t over yet—and what his Manchester City team really needed now was a reality check.
More importantly: The FA Cup.
He deeply wished they had won the FA Cup before the League Cup. That way, the players would’ve remained hungry, focused. Now, with a trophy already in hand, Richard feared the squad would relax too much before the FA Cup final.
But that was the nature of Fleet Street: if you’re on top, they’ll lift you to the stars. But once you fall? They’ll stomp on you—and spit while they’re at it.
There was no denying the truth: once a player begins to shine in England, the British dia has an unmatched ability to turn them into global superstars. Britain was already the beating heart of European news, and with English as the global lingua franca, no other country could compete.
The Italians, Spaniards, Germans, and French simply couldn’t match the scale or speed of British football coverage. And that, perhaps more than anything else, was why the Premier League could attract so many overhyped superstars—and still broadcast itself to every corner of the world.
"Good evening and welco to this very special Match Replay. Tonight, we take you back to one of the most emotional monts in recent football history. The 1996/1997 League Final. Manchester City—starved of silverware for decades—faced off against a confident Aston Villa side under the arch of Wembley Stadium."
Richard tossed the newspaper aside, his interest piqued by the football comntary show replaying from the night before.
A panel of forr players and pundits were deep in discussion, analyzing tactics and dissecting every detail of the League Cup final. The atmosphere buzzed with lively debate and differing opinions.
Richard preferred shows like this, finding them far richer in content than standard news reports.
A football score might seem simple—1–0, 1–1, 2–1—just a few goals. But in those ninety minutes, it was never just about one player’s mistake or a single spectacular mont. There were layers, context, pressure, psychology, and team dynamics at play—things the headlines often missed entirely.
Experienced retired coaches and insightful pundits often shared insights that viewers might miss—details even he could overlook. Watching these shows greatly helped him deepen his understanding of the main squad. Even as just a spectator, it opened up new perspectives.
That was the reality of football—success took ti. The ga was always evolving. It wasn’t enough to master current tactics and trends; one needed the foresight to anticipate what was coming next. In practice, that ant hours of studying opponents with tireless precision.
It was much the sa as being a head coach or manager.
The work could often feel tedious, even dull. But Richard had learned to make the best of it. And every now and then, all that painstaking research would pay off—uncovering a weakness in the opposition that no one else had noticed. In those monts, the sense of satisfaction was imnse, like the first rain after a long drought. It was a feeling only those inside the ga could ever truly understand.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
There was a sharp knock on the door. Richard looked up, expecting O’Neill for their scheduled eting. But to his surprise, it was Miss Heysenm—and the agenda she carried instantly caught his attention. His eyes lit up.
A comrcial partner had arrived at the club. To be exact, it was Umbro and Brother, both looking to extend their contracts with the club while also beginning discussions on next season’s kit design.
Releasing a new jersey every season is standard practice in modern football, driven by a mix of financial, marketing, and cultural motivations. One of the primary motivations is revenue generation—kit sales contribute significantly to a club’s inco, especially for top teams with a global fanbase.
Additionally, sponsorship and marketing deals often require new designs each year to maximize brand exposure and keep rchandise fresh and desirable. Beyond business, releasing new kits also helps refresh the club’s image and deepen fan engagent. Whether it’s celebrating a historic season, honoring club legends, or simply embracing modern design trends, new jerseys offer fans a renewed sense of connection.
Moreover, football kits have beco part of global fashion culture, where styles evolve rapidly. As trends shift and performance technology advances, the short lifespan of kits—both functionally and stylistically—makes annual updates almost inevitable.
Last season, Richard had first reached out to both Umbro and Brother and secured an agreent with them. Now, with less than a year remaining on that contract, their visit was a clear signal: both parties were interested in continuing the partnership.
Manchester City’s impressive performances in the Premier League—still holding third place with only three matches remaining—and their frequent appearances in live broadcasts had significantly boosted the club’s comrcial value.
Given this, neither Umbro nor Brother could afford to sit back. Not only was City excelling on the pitch, but their recent League Cup triumph had cented their presence in the season’s biggest monts. If you looked back at the most morable highlights in English football this year, more than half featured Manchester City. The shirt sales alone told the story—they were soaring.
Part of the surge in sales ca from City’s debut season in the Premier League. Excitent around the club was at an all-ti high, with both loyal and neutral fans eager to purchase new rchandise. Interestingly, even Millwall, as a rising na, saw its popularity spill over into broader fan engagent—reflected in the numbers.
Comrcial decisions, particularly those involving sponsorship renewals, are typically made at least six months before the current agreent expires—you don’t wait until the last minute to make a call.
Fortunately, all the groundwork had been handled by Miss Heysen. Richard only needed to give his final approval.
"This is the design they’ve proposed for next season," Miss Heysen said, handing the draft to Richard.
1997/1998 Ho
1997/1998 Away
!997/1998 Third Kit
Richard didn’t say much about the design of the new jersey, but he didn’t imdiately give his approval either.
When it ca to discussing next season’s sponsorship details, Umbro proposed a two-year contract at £1.5 million per year—aligning with the clause from last season that promised increased value if City secured a trophy. Brother, on the other hand, proposed a three- to five-year contract at £1.25 million per year.
Richard flatly rejected Brother’s proposal and presented a counteroffer that applied to both sponsors:
A one-year contract for £1.25 million
A two-year contract for £1.5 million per year
A three-year contract for £2 million per year
A four- or five-year contract for £3-3.5 million per year
Brother were nearly driven to frustration. Richard even declined Umbro’s dinner invitation, knowing it was rely flattery. He laughed it off but didn’t let it sway his firm stance.
His reasoning was clear: next season, Manchester City would likely make a major breakthrough in the Premier League.
Miss Heysen was taken aback by his decision, but Richard calmly urged her to relax and took the ti to explain his thinking.
As long as City maintained their strong position in the Premier League, they would qualify for European competitions next season—sothing that would greatly enhance the club’s comrcial value.
Moreover, Richard was confident that City would be even stronger next season, challenging for even more silverware.
In the end, all Miss Heysen could do was relay Richard’s ssage and prepare for the negotiations to co.
Of course, while Richard was fully confident in Manchester City’s prospects for next season, that didn’t an everyone shared his optimism. His bold stance and high expectations raised eyebrows, and not all parties were eager to commit without clearer guarantees. In the end, the sponsorship deal was postponed—put on ice, at least for the ti being.
Everyone was now turning their attention to the looming FA Cup
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