Team Spirit

Chapter 118 (1.2 views, please vote!) Green Gun Stadium! Mark returns home in glory, and a crowd of friends arrives from afar.

Sky Sports: "Second Division season concludes! Dartford stage a comeback to win the title, completing a quadruple! Continuing their promotion run!"

Mundo Deportivo: "Lu Kai, the 100-goal golden boy, has seen a serious decline in his statistics after switching to defensive midfield, showing a clear downward trend! In his La Liga debut, Barcelona's star player Iniesta had no statistics but delivered a stunning performance, showing great promise!"

Marca: "Iniesta is in trouble! Iniesta himself suggests that Mundo Deportivo and Gazette stop publishing news about him!"

BBC: "In the League Three assists chart, Lu Kai leads by a wide margin, winning the title again! In the League Three top scorers chart, Phil Jevons has 27 goals for the Golden Boot, Eastwood has 23 goals for the Silver Boot, and Parkin, Trundle, and Tyson have 22 goals for the Bronze Boot! Lu Kai and Holt are tied for the top ten with 17 goals!"

The Times: "Good news keeps coming! Lu Kai has won the League Two Player of the Season award, and he deserves it! His five goals in the FA Cup Golden Boot and his inclusion in the FA Cup Team of the Season are excellent value for money!"

Les Echos: "Lu Kai's individual season statistics are as follows: 42 goals and 34 assists, with 76 goal contributions in a single season, a 'decline' of one-quarter compared to last season! But his cup performance is impressive, and his achievements are even more valuable!"

Manchester Evening News: "Bizarre Players' Tunnel! Lu Kai and his teammates' actions in the players' tunnel during the final round of the English Third Division have sparked nationwide debate! A Blackpool fan posing as a Yeowell fan has accused Lu Kai of match-fixing!"

After the end of the English Second Division, people inevitably focused their attention on Lu Kai, wondering what he was doing in the players' tunnel.

At the same time, it was also revealed that Alfred had appeared at Scansorpe’s home stadium.

Keen-eyed fans quickly spotted the key point!
“Lu Kai and Alfred were using the same model of mobile phone! I checked, it’s a satellite phone! They were talking on the phone at the time!”

"I was there. Alfred was directing the Scandinavia players, absolutely!"

"Is this even allowed? This is absolutely undermining the fairness of the game! Dartford should be penalized with points!"

"It's a rigged affair! There's definitely something fishy going on! Scanthorpe were going to lose, but after Alfred intervened, they scored two goals to turn the tide! This is unfair to Yeowell!"

"Um... is the person upstairs obsessed? I'm a Yeowell fan, and I think it's fine. Anyway, we've already secured promotion, so whether we win the Third Division title or not doesn't really matter."

"Yeah, Scanthorpe will definitely fight tooth and nail for a direct promotion spot, while we Yeovil don't need to go toe-to-toe with them at all. It's normal to be reversed in the end, didn't you see the final round of the battle?"

"I feel like that person is faking it; he's not a Yeowell fan at all, is he?"

"He works for a betting company! I found a lot of scripts in his history to get people to place bets, and he posted a lot of website links!"

That's right.

The main culprits in this controversy surrounding Dartford's alleged match-fixing are actually several small betting organizations.

Because Lu Kai accomplished what they couldn't.

Moreover, due to limited financial resources, large betting organizations offered higher prices, up to ten times the amount, when buying back the "Dartford wins the English Third Division" lottery tickets.

They, on the other hand, can only do five or six times more.

Naturally, very few fans would be willing to be recycled.

So... even with odds of 1 to 5,000, large betting companies actually lose less money.

At the same time, they have a lot of capital, so they can afford to lose money.

But these smaller online gambling operations are in trouble.

Just as public opinion was in an uproar, "My Love Diary in Asen Green" premiered.

This update came out incredibly fast.

Because the season is over, all the news needs to be covered within the next week, otherwise it will lose its buzz.

Once the season ends a bit late, everyone's focus shifts to player contract renewals and new signings.

In this episode, Eva Green's twin sister, Joy Green, comes to visit her and naturally gets a camera, thus allowing her to film from two different angles, following Alfred's side.

This is the dedication behind this documentary.

Although everyone knew this was a film production, the production team still protected the narrative logic and provided a reasonable explanation for the origin of the other perspective.

The atmosphere reached rock bottom when Dartford were leading by a large margin, only to find that they were still out of contention for the championship.

The next moment, Lu Kai was substituted and picked up a satellite phone to contact Alfred, who was watching the game at another stadium.

Alfred recounted the scene, and Lu Kai used the delayed live stream footage to create a mental model.

The editing was very tight, with no pauses or breaks, making it seem like those live-streaming e-commerce hosts in short videos.

This editing technique is very classic and has been used in many film and television genres, such as Sherlock Holmes.

Alfred's descriptions were incredibly precise, and his vocabulary of proper nouns was simply phenomenal. He could translate anything he saw into words.

Lu Kai's mental fortitude is comparable to that of a top midfielder; he has predicted the upcoming situations on several occasions.

The two were practically locked in a "battle of the titans".

Ultimately, with the combined help of Lu Kai and Alfred, Scanthorpe pulled off a comeback victory.

Dartford wins the championship!

At the end of the video, the people involved revealed their "true thoughts".

Kevin Dawson: "I hope my brother can advance. We are brothers, and I want to share this joy with him."

"If we make it to the next round but my brother's team doesn't, I won't mention it all summer. It would affect our relationship and the atmosphere in our family."

"I told Captain Lu and Mr. Alfred about my troubles, and they took it very seriously and helped with various analyses for both teams overnight."

"Honestly, I'm very touched. I'm willing to do everything I can to help Andy because he's like family to me. The fact that the coach and Lu are willing to help me shows that they consider me family!"

Then came Andy Dawson: "When I saw the data analysis Mr. Alfred gave me, I was stunned! I never imagined football should be played like this!"

"I'm not saying our coach is bad, I mean, it's a completely new system."

“Kevin wants to help me, and I know that better than anyone else.”

"As his older brother, I want him to lift the championship trophy even more than he does! Because we are family!"

Alfred, gazing into the distance in front of the camera, poses perfectly: "Why didn't I play my last game at Riverside Stadium, but instead went to Skanthorpe?"

"Because I know that the decisive battleground is not at home, but thousands of miles away... That's called strategic thinking."

"Am I suspected of fixing the Scandinavia tournament?"

"I think it's absurd. As you can see from the video, there are hundreds of Scandinavia fans like me 'teaching' the players how to play."

"I'm just one of them. We all just want Scandinavia to win, it's that simple."

"If wanting you to win and express your opinions is considered manipulating the game, then every single game in the world is being manipulated by all the fans of both sides."

"And those real gamblers who are hoping the team will lose have become the legal ones!"

"I don't understand why anyone would have this kind of logic."

"Please always remember that those who wish you well are always better than those who wish you badly."

"So to all my friends who want Dartford to win, I will consider you my family."

"And Andy heard his family's call, did the right thing, and turned the tide. That's all."

Finally, Lu Kai sincerely stated in front of the camera: "If possible, I hope that any player associated with Dartford will perform well, and that any team associated with Dartford will win."

“Morgan contacted me a while ago to talk about his situation at Liverpool, where there are both opportunities and challenges. I shared my thoughts with him, and he is now adapting very well at Liverpool.”

“Back then, Ashley Cole always talked to me about wingers and wide midfielders, but I told him that full-backs are where you can shine the most. He listened to me, and now he is one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.”

"Seeing everyone doing better and better sometimes makes me even happier than when I achieve success myself."

"Europe may lack this tradition of doing good for others, but China does, and I am Chinese."

"In China, the explanation for all of this is simply, 'We are a family!'"

All four of them simultaneously unleashed their Family Heroes!

This concept, which is perfectly normal in China, has always been a killer in the Western world!

Helping others is a noble quality that only Jesus possessed.

Now that Jesus is walking in the football world, you actually try to smear him for manipulating matches?

In response, Ferguson commented: "If winning is considered manipulating a game, and using tactics to help others win is a sin, then I might be the most guilty person in England."

Wenger went further, saying, "Only mediocre people are still accusing Dartford of manipulating the game, while wise people have already paid Alfred for tactical advice!"

England legend Kevin Keegan: "Alfred only had to shout a couple of times on the sidelines to help Skanthorpe score two goals, which once again proves his terrifyingly strong coaching ability! His in-game management may even be better than Ferguson's!"

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti: "I hope to meet with a tactical mastermind like Alfred. Any team that receives his guidance will improve!"

Real Madrid manager Vicente del Bosque: "Alfred has the best tactical insight in the world!"

Regarding the players, more attention is being paid to Lu Kai's brain modeling and deductive reasoning abilities.

Zidane pointed to his head: "Lu Kai is interesting, he has the same thing here as me."

Pirlo: "Some players don't understand what Lu Kai is doing in the video. I can understand it, but I can only do it when I'm not disturbed, such as when I'm in the defensive midfield position."

Rui Costa: "When that state occurs, I am invincible, but I cannot completely control when that state occurs."

Rivaldo: "It's natural; I often get into that state after dribbling. But if you make me stand there like Lu Kai, I won't be able to think of anything."

Ronaldinho: "What? Isn't that how everyone is? Don't you all have a bunch of little devils dancing in your heads? You know exactly what I should do and what the opponent will do. Just do it, no need to think at all!"

Those who don't understand won't understand even if you explain it to them.

They might even think these people are just showing off again.

However, some young players with this ability have been inspired by it and found their own path in football.

Ten-year-old Neymar was overjoyed: "Yes, that little guy keeps going around in my head, and the closer I get to the goal, the more elegant his steps become! I'm a born striker!"

Eleven-year-old De Bruyne muttered to himself, "Only a central midfielder can make the most of everything I see, so I should play midfield, not striker!"

Twelve-year-old Cross: "No wonder those guys run around all day, they can't see anything!"

Thirteen-year-old Thomas Muller: "No wonder those guys keep saying I'm running around aimlessly, they can't see me!"

Fourteen-year-old Di Maria: "So they can't see me? Then I have to change my playing style, otherwise everyone won't be able to keep up with me."

Fifteen-year-old Fabregas: "I told you that's the right way to play. It's not that I can't keep up with them, but that they can't keep up with me!"

Messi, hands in his pockets, occasionally choking with one hand: "You can see it all, but it's better to get past it."

Cristiano Ronaldo kicked the ball three times: "I can't see them, but that doesn't stop me from getting past them and shooting them."

On the contrary, England's midfield duo, Lampard and Gerrard, who are at the peak of their careers, have remained silent.

Lampard: "Holy crap, I'm panicking! What are they saying? How can they see me? Do I need glasses?"

Gerald: "Calm down, keep smiling, don't let them know I can't see you!"

……

What's the final thing in a successful season?
The championship parade!

After Dartford won the quadruple, the local government announced that it would hold a grand championship parade for them.

After all, this is a great success, including the League Cup.

Furthermore, three of Dartford's four trophies this season are professional league titles.

The previous three-time champions and five-time champions, all in all, didn't have a single professional-level trophy.

However, Lu Kai made a request: he hoped that Dartford would close the streets used for the march and deploy enough police to avoid any accidents.

In places where people gather like this, it can be troublesome if you encounter one or two antisocial personalities.

A happy occasion turning into a funeral is truly distressing.

Dartford City Council felt it was unnecessary, arguing that championship parades are commonplace in Europe and this was just a roundabout way of doing things.

Lu Kai insisted on this point, otherwise he would refuse to participate in the march.

The championship parade has a huge boost to local public opinion, can influence votes, expands the team's and region's influence, and can also stimulate local consumption.

Dartford City Council eventually compromised.

The Green Guns' championship parade then unfolded in a grand and spectacular manner.

Even Ashley Young, who was on his bed, came to participate.

But his complexion didn't look very good.

Lu Kai asked him a question and then learned that Yang Xiaodi had originally planned to buy a lot of things for his three older brothers after winning the lottery.

Kids don't know how hard it is to earn money, so they're very willing to spend it.

However, before spending the money, he expressed his gratitude to his three older brothers for comforting him before the season started—he had mentioned that he had lost his lottery ticket, and each of his three brothers recorded a heartwarming message for him.

So he will listen to the recording before buying gifts for his brothers.

As a result, the tape recorder played the three older brothers' crazy mockery.

The little guy burst into tears and severed ties with his three older brothers.

He took the huge sum of money and went to buy chocolates to eat.

White chocolate can make your skin whiter!

This huge sum of money is enough for him to buy chocolate for decades!
The three older brothers fainted from crying in the toilet.

Big Yang and Third Yang began to complain about Ashley Young because it was his idea.

Ashley Young was completely innocent.

This was Lu Kai's idea!
“Hey, Ashley Young, you’re not blaming me, are you?” Lu Kai pushed Ashley Young’s wheelchair forward a little from the roof of the car.

Ashley Young was so shocked he almost peed his pants: "How could that be? I'm so grateful to you. I read in a book that if a person's desires are satisfied, he loses his motivation."

"I'm still so young, I still have to fight for Green Gun, it's best to keep a bit of hunger."

"Um... can we go back to the car now?"

"It's very windy here, I'm a little scared... I'm afraid of the cold."

Lu Kai pushed Ashley Young into the car and casually asked, "Have any teams contacted you recently?"

Ashley Young slammed his wheelchair in anger: "Stop talking, not a single one, damn it... uh... I mean, I haven't checked a single email."

"After this incident, I finally know who is truly good to me."

"I want to be a gunman for life!"

Lu Kai looked at Ashley Young with a half-smile.

Xiao Yang, there's room for interpretation in what you're saying.

Ashley Young added helplessly, "Green Gunner."

Lu Kai then escorted Ashley Young back to the bus.

That evening, Ashley Young opened a new email address, as his old secondary account seemed no longer secure.

He's planning to apply again on Manchester United's official website, hoping to get a chance.

Although he has a broken leg, he is young and has unlimited potential.

Manchester United gave him a trust, and six months later he traded it for a superstar from Manchester United!
Then I saw a pop-up news item on Manchester United's official website: "Manchester United have officially made an offer for the Green Gunner's top scorer! The player transfer director highly praised Eastwood, believing him to be Cantona's successor!"

"He also refuted the claim that Manchester United abandoned Ashley Young after his injury, stating that Manchester United had been scouting Eastwood all along and had nothing to do with Ashley Young."

"That contract was originally intended for Eastwood, but it wasn't the rumored six million pounds; it was three million pounds."

"The reason I left midway through that game was because after witnessing Ashley Young's tragedy, it seemed too cruel to let him know that his teammate was about to go to a top club."

"The whole thing about Manchester United and Ashley Young was just a beautiful misunderstanding. In fact, the Red Devils already have players in France and Portugal scouting for wingers, and they're all much taller than Ashley Young!"

Ashley Young smashes his computer in anger!

The screams of a chicken being slaughtered echoed in the dead of night:
"You Red Devils, how dare you betray me!"

"If I join in the future, don't blame me for taking the money and not doing any work!"

"That's all compensation you should pay me for my emotional distress!"

……

In mid-May, the Champions League and other major leagues came to a close.

In La Liga, both giants fell from grace, with Valencia securing the league title.

Deportivo La Coruña defeated Real Madrid to win the Spanish Copa del Rey, causing a stir during Real Madrid's centenary celebrations.

Fortunately, Real Madrid won the Champions League trophy in the final thanks to Zidane's spectacular goal, securing the most prestigious trophy of all.

In Serie A, Juventus reclaimed the title after a three-year hiatus, and the Calciopoli scandal soon began to unfold. The once-dominant "Seven Sisters" of Serie A have rapidly declined, leaving only Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan in a three-way battle for supremacy.

Lyon won the French Ligue 1 title, beginning their journey to a seven-peat in the league.

The Bundesliga and the Premier League are very similar; the reigning champions' three-peat was ended in both.

Bayern Munich were defeated by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

However, the team suffering even more than Bayern Munich was Bayer Leverkusen, who were relegated to the third consecutive runner-up finish. They lost to Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund, and Real Madrid in the German Cup, Bundesliga, and Champions League, respectively.

Manchester United, the Premier League champions, were just like Bayern Munich, failing to win any major trophies and watching Arsenal win the Premier League title!

Unlike the Bundesliga's diverse landscape, English football has entered a period of "gun dominance" this year!
To be precise, it's "China and France dominating Britain with their combined guns!"
This year's FA Cup champions are Arsenal!
Dartford won the EFL Cup and EFL Trophy!
Arsenal have swept all of England's professional-level cup competitions!

In addition, the two strikers won the championships of their respective leagues, the Premier League and the Third Division.

This dominance is no less than Manchester United's Champions League treble and Liverpool's five cup titles!

The media exclaimed in alarm, "The era of gunmen has arrived!"
Dartford and Arsenal are both in the Premier League, on equal footing, sharing the English football world!

Only League One and League Two escaped this fate due to their league status.

But Dartford has already launched a pursuit of League Two!

Next season, League Two is sure to be a bloodbath!
Thus, in the summer of 2002, the major landscape of European football clubs underwent a significant change.

Dongqiudi summarized it as follows:
"The top of the world is not very big, and all the big families can't squeeze in."

"The second division has many promising young talents, and Bayern Munich and Manchester United have lost their top spot."

"Barcelona vs. Liverpool: The three giants of Serie A clash with Real Madrid."

"Red Wolf, Blue Eagle and Magpie, Lyon, Autumn C Arsenal."

"Schark, the pharmaceutical company, and Liz La Coruña."

"Never forget that a golden boy emerged from the wilderness, and Lu Kai, the Green Spear, created a legend!"

"Creating a myth!"

However, this is only from the club's perspective.

There's been more talk about the national team this year.

Looking back at history, this year's competitions have generally ended earlier.

Because we need to make time for the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

From May 31st to June 30th, a full month, the World Cup was in full swing.

As a rising star in England, Lu Kai accepted an invitation from the BBC to become a World Cup commentator in order to make easy money and further expand the team's international influence.

But his opening remarks immediately sparked fierce controversy.

On May 24, the French team and the South Korean team played their last warm-up match before the start of the World Cup finals.

When the starting lineup was announced, commentator Lu Kai immediately cursed, "How could they possibly start Zidane?"

"He just finished playing in the Champions League final a few days ago and only joined the French team two days ago."

"What he needs now is rest, not to participate in these meaningless matches."

"Zidane is not a newcomer to the French team and does not need to integrate with the team. Moreover, the South Korean team plays a very dirty style of football. If Zidane gets injured, the French team will not even be able to get out of the group stage!"

Lu Kai's partner, Reinkel, laughed and said, "No, no, it's not that bad."

He secretly reminded Lu Kai not to speak so absolutely.

After all, Koreans seem polite, so they shouldn't be dirty.

Zidane said he's in good shape and shouldn't get injured.

As the World Cup champions four years ago and the European Championship champions two years ago, the French team should be able to qualify even without Zidane.

As expected, before the match even started, Lu Kai was attacked by fans of both the French and South Korean teams.

"Where did this guy come from? He's barely grown any hair yet and he's already acting as a commentator?"

"Has the BBC gone mad? They should have hired a Korean instead of a Chinese narrator!"

"After playing in the lower leagues of England for a few years, does he really think he's a star?"

"He's not a star athlete at all; he's just a variety show personality!"

"The British love this kind of negative publicity; this idiot doesn't understand football at all."

As a result, in the 35th minute of the match, Zidane suffered a left thigh strain and was unable to continue the game.

Post-match medical examination results indicate that he will miss the first two group stage matches.

At first, the French didn't take it seriously.

However, they lost their first group stage match 0-1 to Senegal.

The second group stage match ended in a 0-0 draw against Uruguay.

It's really possible they won't qualify.

The third match became a do-or-die battle. Zidane returned from injury, but unfortunately, they still lost 0-2 to Denmark.

France goes home after the group stage.

France Football immediately criticized: "This is the punishment for arrogance! Lu Kai had already warned the French Football Federation not to let Zidane participate in the South Korean warm-up match! He had already warned that without Zidane, the French team needed to find another way!"

"But all we saw in his remarks was mockery; we saw not a single trace of professional discussion or respect regarding the issues!"

"Facts have already proven that Lu understands football! But we're going to prove it again with our own tragedy, which is utterly foolish!"

Lu Kai's reputation improved rapidly.

On the other hand, Chinese fans also hoped that Lu Kai would say some nice things before the World Cup started.

Lu Kai stated on the one hand that "this is the peak of the national football team's strength, they have the strength of a World Cup champion," but on the other hand, he also said that "it is difficult for the national football team to qualify, and the goal should be to score goals rather than defeat Brazil."

Such remarks are unpopular both domestically and internationally.

Many people have expressed that it was the right decision for the Chinese national football team not to call up Lu Kai, because he is clearly mentally unstable.

But when the Chinese team was eliminated in the group stage, people found that what Lu Kai said had actually come true! The national football team failed to score a single goal, which meant that they had set their goals too high.

However, the French team also failed to score a single goal and was eliminated in the group stage, making them kind of like-minded people to the Chinese team.

Just tell me, does the French team have the strength of a World Cup champion?

After several waves of controversy, Lu Kai became one of the most watched commentators during the World Cup.

People who know how to create fun will become the center of attention wherever they go.

Therefore, Lu Kai received a contract extension from the BBC to continue commentating on the round of 16 match between South Korea and Italy.

Before the match began, Lu Kai stated that the South Korean team's performance in this tournament was not quite right, and the referee's calls were always biased towards them.

This was met with strong opposition from South Koreans.

They pressured the Football Association to demand a public apology from Lu Kai.

However, the English Football Association stated that it did not feel any pressure from South Korea.

During the match, Italian winger Zambrotta was injured by a South Korean player and had to leave the field. Lu Kai bluntly stated, "This was a terrible match!"

"Koreans remind me of Blackpool!"

"Fans who watched our Dartford EFL Trophy final should know what I'm talking about. Zambrotta is just like Ashley Young."

"This isn't playing football, this is atrocity on the pitch!"

"The South Korean players should be sent to jail!"

South Korean fans were immediately taken aback.

But European fans applauded.

With Totti being sent off with a red card and Italy's goal being disallowed, dissatisfaction with this World Cup reached its peak.

Lu Kai's statement, "Li Tianxiu deliberately tried to blow Maldini's head off; he's a bad guy," spread throughout Europe.

AC Milan fans have expressed their belief that the team will become a friendly club with Dartford.

Italian Serie A fans have even expressed their hope that Lu Kai will be brought to Italy to play football.

Of course, the South Koreans hated Lu Kai to death.

But this had no impact on Lu Kai.

After all, just a few days ago when they became four-time champions, the South Korean media were still debating the point that Lu Kai had Korean ancestry.

In the World Cup final, Brazil defeated Germany to lift the World Cup trophy once again.

Ronaldo's eight goals helped Brazil reach the top of the world for the fifth time.

1958 Gods Conferred!

Ronaldo's phenomenal performance for the national team made up for his relatively lackluster performance at the club level, and he once again rivaled Zidane in terms of ability to surpass him.

Subsequently, the transfer windows of major leagues entered an active period.

For the past month, almost everyone has stopped doing anything and is waiting for the World Cup results to be finalized.

But for some smaller clubs, they've actually been busy for quite a while now.

They may have even accomplished some remarkable things!
……

Sky Sports: "The Green Guns have found a new home! Dartford buy Wellington United's Riverside Stadium for £3 million!"

BBC: "Betting agreement exposed! Wellington United's attempt to acquire Dartford falls through, and they end up losing everything!"

The Times: "Datford acquires one of the few stadiums along the Thames for a bargain price! Almost half price!"

The Echo: "Riverside Stadium is only a few kilometers from Dartford and is located in Greater London; land there is incredibly valuable!"

Dartford made a killing!

In fact, if you only look at the venue, the Riverside Stadium would be hard-pressed to even reach one million pounds, let alone three million pounds.

Leicester City's Falbert Street Stadium, with a maximum capacity of 22,000, was sold for only £3.7 million two years ago.

What's actually valuable is the land in London!
Both are located in Greater London, but Brighton's Goldstone Stadium in South London has a capacity of only 10,000, not much larger than Riverside Stadium.

The transaction price was as high as £7.4 million, and it has now exceeded £8 million.

The Riverside Stadium should be worth at least six million pounds.

Wellington United's owners have suffered a huge loss this time.

Conversely, if he wins the gamble, it would mean using a space of around three million pounds to acquire a host of resources, including one million pounds of real estate, a League Two spot, Dartford's traffic, and Dartford's players.

They will also earn enviable amounts of money.

It's even more than Dartford is making now.

It's a big gamble.

Dartford only won by sheer luck.

This made the merchants who wanted to eat Dartford meat think twice.

Many businessmen specialize in acquiring clubs and cashing out through deception, and this is still common even ten or twenty years later.

Moreover, these didn't happen in lower-level leagues, but rather at the level of the Premier League.

For example, the acquisitions of Notts County and Portsmouth.

Even Manchester United's exploitation by the Glazer family after they got something for nothing is exactly the same.

In the brutal world of capital, there are no rules and no bottom line in the game.

One wrong move and you lose everything.

Either you're dirtier than everyone else.

Either you are stronger than others.

And Lu Kai... is both dirty and strong!
Dartford subsequently repaid all the loans due for the year, totaling £550,000. With the addition of a £1 million investment in office buildings next to the Riverside Stadium, they still have nearly £5 million in debt and investments remaining.

The team has 4.8 million in cash on its books.

Dartford would not be in debt if they hadn't bought the Riverside Stadium.

But for a club with assets of nearly ten million pounds, and liabilities totaling several hundred thousand pounds, its operating condition couldn't be better.

If you don't have tens of millions of pounds in debt, then your operations are simply inadequate!
Sure enough, Lu Kai, who had just acquired the riverside golf course, immediately proposed the idea of ​​"expanding the course".

Upon hearing Lu Kai's request, Jiang Mengyun felt like dying.

"To meet the requirements for promotion to the Premier League, I hope to expand the stands at Riverside Stadium to at least 25,000 seats. 30,000 would be even better." Lu Kai's bold statement caused a sensation in English football.

Of course, many people were mocking Lu Kai.

They saw a gambler who was on a roll, getting closer and closer to losing everything.

One day, Lu Kai will even lose his savings for his wife, and that won't be enough.

With his arrogant personality and audacious, extreme methods, he will surely jump off a building within three years!
From being in debt to earning 100,000 in the first year, 700,000 in the second year, and nearly 10 million in the third year.

Dartford’s profitability has been expanding at a rate of almost tenfold every year.

Even if they maintain their profit level this year, they will still earn ten million every year thereafter.

In three to five years, Lu Kai's vision can be fully realized.

But has Lu Kai considered what the prerequisites are?
Four titles in the Third Division, can you win four titles in the Second Division?

If you win the EFL Cup this year, can you win it again next year?

Yes, Dartford might play in European competitions next year, which could earn them a lot of money, but how many games can they play?
At that time, the UEFA Cup format was the same as the English League Cup, played round by round, with more matches resulting in more points, and the first few rounds were not worth much.

Instead of the group stage format of the future, entering the main tournament will involve at least six matches, guaranteeing at least a minimum income.

How many rounds can Dartford play?
What if you get eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers?
They can't even get into the main competition!
What are you so arrogant about?

Last season, Dartford's terrifying revenue was largely due to their numerous big wins in the EFL Cup and FA Cup.

Arsenal gave nearly three million pounds of their ticket revenue share to Dartford, making them undoubtedly Dartford's biggest benefactor.

Add Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham to the mix.

Without these, Dartford's revenue would be halved.

Under normal circumstances, let alone English League Three or League Two, even if you are a League One or Premier League team, it is normal not to receive this income if you are eliminated early in the cup competition.

Dartford’s so-called “normal revenue” is actually a miracle in itself.

Let alone expanding revenue capacity, even maintaining it is a pipe dream.

But young people simply don't understand this principle.

They assumed their salaries would keep increasing, so they overspended.

Little do people know that in most cases, their salaries will not increase much in the next twenty or thirty years. Even if you are a programmer, a salary decrease is highly likely.

Being laid off at the age of thirty-five is the darkest moment in one's life.

At that point, not to mention the tens of millions of pounds in debt from expanding the stadium, the millions of pounds in player salaries will likely overwhelm Dartford.

This is not because people underestimate Lu Kai, but because it is the norm for many clubs that shine like shooting stars but eventually disappear without a trace.

Green Gun has found a way to die!

However, before Green Gun died, the British businessman didn't mind sucking a few tubes of blood.

Many manufacturers have brought their designers and accountants to Dartford to discuss expanding the stadium.

But in the end, they parted on bad terms and fled Dartford.

Because Lu Kai's budget was simply too small.

Moreover, the requirements for the construction period are also high.

The pay is low, the workload is heavy, and the impact is significant. I'd rather waste my own time making money than take your job!
Soon, the British community blacklisted Lu Kai.

Lu Kai then found Joyce.

Two efforts, two thanks.

First, we need to secure policy support from the city council and the FA. This has been a priority before, and with considerable effort, but as Dartford continues to perform well, the effort could be even greater.

Second, seek financial assistance from the city council and the Football Association.

Third, we thank Commissioner Joyce for his strong support of Dartford; details will be provided in the form of a consultation fee.

Fourth, we thank all parties for their care and concern for Dartford, and the funds will be deposited into the relevant corporate accounts in the form of legitimate expenses.

Joyce exclaimed with deep emotion, "Lu Kai, I knew I hadn't misjudged you! Your Green Guns are truly humane! No wonder you're a century-old club! That's what you call heritage! That's what you call magnanimity!"

But Joyce was shocked when she learned that Lu Kai was willing to return 70% of the official financial aid.

Joyce even started to panic: "Lu, what exactly do you want to do?"

Lu Kai smiled and said, "That's right. We've talked to many British real estate developers, many companies. The concept is gradually being improved. For example, expansion can no longer meet the team's planning and development needs."

"We want to rebuild the stadium right now! A direct, fundamental solution!"

“However, our project was rated as the highest level of risk in various places, and no one was willing to take it on. So… coincidentally, in mainland China, China Health Industry Group was interested.”

Joyce's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets: "Lu, are you crazy? The stuff the Chinese repairman built is usable? Aren't you afraid the stadium will collapse and cause an accident?"

Without a doubt, in 2002, "Made in China" was the most derogatory term.

Even before Trump shuts down USAid in 2025, China's reputation across the board remains extremely low. Even with the internet so developed, most foreigners still believe that China lives in the 1950s or 60s.

That's why they were so shocked when the country was "opened up," and they were shocked time and time again in various fields.

Lu Kai said: "The quality and specifications will definitely meet the relevant regulations of the UK and the Football Association."

When Jiang Mengyun last visited China, Lu Kai arranged for her to conduct a related interview.

People need to know how to leverage external forces.

At the end of last year, my country joined the WTO.

Still clinging to illusions about foreign environments, we naively believed that hard work and high-quality products would earn us recognition.

Even if it means losing money, we still want to make a name for ourselves.

If the Dartford Stadium project is approved, it will be a splendid debut for China in Europe.

Therefore, it is highly valued in all aspects.

Lu Kai had already communicated the stadium design plan with China Construction. He had no intention of talking to European real estate developers at all; he was focused on drawing up plans with them.

The mainland has no shortage of talent. After gathering a group of technical experts, and combining Lu Kai's vision, they created the rendering of the "Green Gun Stadium".

Split-type basketball court!
Thanks to the city council's policy support, Green Guns own much more development land in Dartford and will build a semi-circular main building in the shape of an inverted C around the east and north sides of the Riverside Stadium.

The total capacity can reach 35,000 people.

It also features a locker room, a team museum, a team merchandise store, a food and beverage center, a stunning riverside viewing platform overlooking the Thames, luxury private rooms, and many other indoor facilities.

The construction period is three years.

It would be faster in mainland China, but other costs and restrictions need to be considered here.

After the three-year term expires, the east, south, and north sides of the old stadium can begin to be demolished, while the main structure of the riverside stadium was originally on the west side.

Then the west side was renovated and expanded to create a grandstand with 10,000 seats, shaped like a small C, but with a smaller curvature.

It looks a lot like the character "明".

The construction period is one year.

Meanwhile, Dartford's previously constructed office and training buildings, as well as training grounds, are also located next to the character "明" (Ming), which roughly translates to "tomorrow."

This will create a unified football complex.

Moreover, this renovation does not affect the use of the stadium.

Because while this side was being renovated, the main structure on the other side was already ready for use.

The turf only needs to be expanded and relocated a small portion, which will be sufficient for one summer.

Lu Kai had wanted to replace this rotten lawn for a long time!

The project took four years to complete, but the stadium remained usable throughout the project.

For the first three years, the riverside golf course had a capacity of 6,000.

In the fourth year, the capacity was 35,000.

Four years later, the capacity will be 45,000, and it will be a modern new stadium with room for expansion, which could be expanded to more than 60,000 people in the future.

This is one of the best-equipped stadiums in London, and its overall capacity ranks among the top five.

In the Premier League, it is of average but extremely good quality.

It's incomparable to many centuries-old water curtain caves.

Arsenal's planned new stadium has a larger capacity, but it is not as aesthetically pleasing or versatile as the Green Gun Stadium.

Arsenal's stadium cost a total of £470 million to build.

Dartford, by British developers' standards, would cost at least £300 million.

But China Construction directly stated that they were all family and wouldn't make money off them!
A flat price of forty million pounds!

And this really doesn't make money, because the Tianjin TEDA Football Stadium, which started construction in China this year, has a capacity of 37,000 people and a total cost of 530 million RMB, which is about 40 to 50 million pounds.

It was definitely treated as a friendship project.

One particularly outrageous company charged Dartford £40 million just to expand the Riverside Stadium from 6,000 to 15,000 seats.

Everything is difficult, everything is difficult.

Is it difficult now?
Upon hearing Lu Kai's idea, Joyce immediately shook her head: "That's impossible. This project has requirements for the employment of local Dartford residents, the improvement of local economic development, and so on."

"The city council will not agree to handing the project over to foreigners."

Lu Kai nodded: "What if all the subsidies were used to support friends like you who support us?"

The Dartford project looks like a failed project; they simply don't have the ability to repay it. Any reasonably reputable company wouldn't get involved in this kind of project, let alone try to sabotage it.

Joyce managed to secure a subsidy of around a million dollars, along with some low-interest loans. Even if all of that was distributed among the "Smith Commissioners," Dartford would still make a killing.

Because if Europeans were to build this stadium, it would cost at least two or three hundred million pounds.

Now, at most, there will be an additional expenditure of several million pounds on top of the 40 million.

Isn't this making money?
Joyce then said he would think of a way, and that projects that could bring long-term benefits to the local area should not only focus on the short term.

What's a few less temporary jobs?
If Dartford were to rise, wouldn't that provide many job opportunities for everyone?

Such a big stadium must require a lot of security.

Do you think people in Dartford would rather be construction workers or salespeople and white-collar workers?
It's definitely the latter.

Once the construction and manufacturing industries shift towards the service sector, labor automatically flows to the latter.

The American people will never go back to screwing in screws.

Of course, this was only Lu Kai and Joyce's first meeting.

They will continue to consult on this matter frequently in the future.

There are many relationships that need to be smoothed out.

But if Joyce is willing to push, and with the support of the Dartford community, it can be done.

Honestly, the kind of stadium Lu Kai wants could be built in no time.

It won't take a week.

Three days!

Easy to fix, so easy to fix!
……

While the business machine was running smoothly, Dartford's transfers were also proceeding in an orderly manner.

First, Dartford's official website bids farewell to Mark Bellingham and Victor.

Mark returned home in triumph with a rock-bottom price of £150,000, joining the fifth-tier Remington Football Club.

Regardless of his level, it's impossible for any player in Dartford's squad to be worth less than £300,000.

Both of the rich second-generation heirs have more than 300,000 yuan.

But the Remington boss helped Mark resolve his job issue and used his connections to reinstate his status as a West Midlands County Sheriff.

With such power, there was no way to retain it, so Lu Kai decided to take the opportunity to be a good person.

Meanwhile, Victor was also invited by Remington to become the team's new head coach.

The two men are going to bring the miracle factor of Green Gun to Remington and help them get into the professional league within two years!
When they left, Lu Kai said that Dartford would always be their home, and that if they had children in the future, they would send them directly to the youth team to play football, without trials, without fees, and even with scholarships!

Mark was deeply moved!

I'll go back and build it right away!
Pond Ballpark convenience store.

Lu Kai was just about to help Jiang Mengyun pack up her stall when a bald man suddenly grabbed him.

"Kid, do you know where Alfred is? Take me to him." The bald man in his thirties exuded a sense of contempt.

Just like Musk when he was young.

You can tell at a glance that their family is quite wealthy.

"I don't know, get lost!" Lu Kai shoved the other person away.

"You know him?" The bald man was quick-witted and immediately changed his tone. "Can you take me to him? To tell you the truth, you're a Dartford player, right?"

"I'm about to become the team's chief assistant coach, and I'll promote you to play for the first team then."

Lu Kai was quite surprised: "Oh? Really? May I ask when I hired you?"

The bald man took at least five seconds to react.

"Lu! Oh! It's you! I was wondering why this kid working at the convenience store was so extraordinary!" The bald man spoke too quickly.

Why does this intense sense of despicableness feel so familiar?

"Who are you?" Lu Kai asked.

The bald man cleared his throat: "Hello, I am thirty-two years old this year, and I have been training for twelve and a half years. I am the main center-back of Twente."

“I originally planned to retire, but after seeing Dartford’s recruitment, I decided to come for an interview, play for another year, and learn how to coach from top manager Alfred.”

"My dream is to become the manager of a big club like Manchester United."

Lu Kai looked at the other person more and more and felt that he was somewhat familiar: "Then why don't you go to Ferguson? His assistant was poached by Real Madrid, which is your chance to shine."

The bald man shrugged: "He went, but got kicked out. In the coaching world, the only one who can rival Ferguson is clearly Green Gun Ferguson!"

Lu Kai: "Wenger?"

The bald man shook his head: "His coaching isn't sharp enough, I won't learn from him!"

"I want to learn how to manage the best players!"

"Cantona and Keane restrained themselves in front of Ferguson, and Barton and Duff served Alfred. This is the way of football I want to learn!"

In Lu Kai's mind, an image infinitely overlapped with this person.

He finally knew who the visitor was.

Baldy: "Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Eric Ten Hach!"

Lu Kai nodded, "It really is you: Hello, Teng Hai!"

He then turned around and said in Sichuan dialect, "Aunt Jiang, give me a cup of the hottest milk tea ever!"

As the saying goes, "When a friend comes from afar, isn't that a great bonus?"

Despite the general enthusiasm, there was actually a place for Teng Zi in Lu Kai's formation.

It was just in time.

(End of this chapter)