Gareth Speed

Gareth Speed

July 10th, Sheffield United's reporting day finally arrived.

The Training Base was already bustling from the morning on, lively and packed with voices.

Plenty of fans who had come from the city had been waiting at the gate early with signs held up, hoping to get autographs and photos with their favorite stars.

Maël arrived in sportswear, in a good mood. He had long yearned for Sheffield United, and today he finally had the chance to officially fit in.

"Let's go. We'll head in first."

Joelson followed behind him and Gilbert, introducing things as they walked. "The team mainly has three procedures today: the medical, the photo shoot, and the intrasquad match this afternoon."

"We're playing a match this afternoon?"

Maël was a little surprised. Not many teams played a match on the first day back.

"Maybe you and Gilbert haven't realized yet how hard things are for the club."

Joelson shook his head and said with pursed lips, "Including you two, Sheffield United Team has six loan players this season, and four free signings. That's almost half the First Team.

"With a mercenary squad like this, if the coaching staff doesn't get familiar with them early, wouldn't even preseason training be impossible to carry out?"

Maël really had not expected that the famous Sheffield United, the "Blades," would be in such straits this season.

Logically speaking, a club with such a long history, no financial crisis, and decent results in recent years should have been very attractive to players. How had one failed promotion push last season directly led to a personnel crisis? "Is there some internal conflict?"

He looked at Joelson, wanting to judge from his expression whether his guess was correct.

Unexpectedly, the latter did not hide it. After a bitter smile, he said, "Yes. The conflict between Head Coach Kevin and the players is almost impossible to reconcile. Management is preparing to replace him; I just don't know the exact timing."

"You can say that?" Gilbert beside them widened his eyes. This news really was explosive.

"That doesn't count as a secret. Even who his successor is doesn't count as a secret."

When Joelson said this, his tone changed again. This time, it carried admiration. "Gareth Speed. You should be very familiar with him."

"Him."

Maël's expression shifted. Never mind someone like Gilbert, who had grown up in the United Kingdom—even he had heard the name.

A living fossil of British football, the first person to reach 500 appearances in the top flight of British football, a man who had scored in 18 consecutive top-flight seasons, and also the young manager who had mysteriously taken his own life while in charge of the Wales National Team.

"He came to Sheffield United?"

Gilbert's expression turned excited, as if he were a fan of Speed's. "I thought he was still playing."

"He is."

Joelson glanced at them and introduced him proudly. "Mr. Gareth Speed is a registered player for the club, while also serving as the team's first assistant coach.

"When the Sporting Director position is vacant, he can also be called half a Sporting Director."

There was no need for him to go on. Maël had already seen that Joelson should belong to Gareth Speed's direct faction, and that his relationship with the current manager was ordinary.

"You'll meet him in a while. He was also the one who made the decision to sign you."

After Joelson said this, he quickened his pace toward the medical room, where there were already quite a few people.

More than an hour later, the three who had completed their medicals walked toward an Administration Building.

"Next is the photo shoot?"

Gilbert was full of anticipation. "The photos they use during match broadcasts when they introduce the Starting Lineup?"

He even imitated the stars he had seen on broadcasts, crossing his arms in front of his chest and tilting his head back with a toothy laugh. It was very funny.

"Not just those. They'll also be used for prematch posters and player posters."

Joelson patiently explained to the two newcomers to the professional team. These past few days, he had been acting as their guide the whole time, doing his utmost.

Maël and Gilbert, connecting this with what he had said in the car, had actually understood long ago.

He wanted to use what he gave in this regard to exchange for the two of them giving their all for Sheffield United Team this season.

The three of them never brought that matter up again, but they kept the tacit understanding in their hearts.

Maël felt that Joelson's handling of this matter was not rational. Two newcomers, from the current perspective, really found it hard to shoulder the heavy responsibility of saving the team.

Besides, they were not big-name stars, nor had they come down to offer technical aid, so there was no way they would show up without putting in any effort. However, when people extremely loved or extremely hated something, they really did do irrational things.

Arsenal had a very good example: Mr. Wenger.

He had staked his own future and held firm through the team's most difficult period.

"However, we'll first go through a brief signing ceremony."

Joelson brought the two of them to the base's Administration Building and walked toward the Media Room. "Mr. Gareth Speed has been waiting there for you for a long time."

Maël felt some anticipation. After exchanging a glance with Gilbert, he hurried to keep up. They both wanted to meet this senior figure in football.

"Creak." Joelson soon pushed open the door to a room and made an inviting gesture.

A Media Room of about a hundred square meters appeared before them. It was deserted, with only a sparse few cameras set up, and they seemed to belong to the club itself.

For young players who had just come out of the youth team and had no data to speak of in the professional arena, it really was difficult to get the attention of the media and newspapers.

But this wonderful first time still made Maël feel novel and excited.

He swept his gaze around, then fixed it on the front of the Media Room.

Standing there was a middle-aged man in a navy suit, a blue-and-white striped tie, and a white shirt underneath. His figure was very well-proportioned, giving off a sharp, capable impression, though there was weariness in his eyes.

"Welcome, both of you."

Gareth Speed forced out a smile, walked over slowly, and held out his hand. "I should have met you earlier, but a trip a few days ago delayed things."

"Hello, sir."

Maël went up, shook his hand, gave him a light shoulder-to-shoulder hug, then stepped to one side.

After Gilbert had finished the greetings as well, the two of them sat down at the table at the front of the Media Room under Gareth Speed's guidance.

"The club is very happy to welcome you both."

Gareth Speed smiled as he placed two contracts in front of them and said politely, "You are the team's final two signings this season, and the last reinforcements to the squad. I hope you enjoy your time here."

Then he picked up a pen and opened the contract in front of him. "I believe you already went through the details at Arsenal. Once the signing is complete, you'll be official members of Sheffield United."

Maël gave a slight nod, picked up the pen beside him, and began writing his name in several places on the contract.

"Click, click!" The club staff standing behind them quickly pressed the camera shutter, recording the moment.

After the contracts were signed, Gareth Speed stood up, took two brand-new jerseys from beneath the table, and handed them to the pair. "Let's take a photo to remember this."

Maël took his Number 31 jersey. It was the number he had chosen before coming here. July 31 was his birthday, and now that he thought about it, it was coming up soon.

For a Winger, the best shirt numbers were, of course, 7 and 11.

But numbers like those had long since been taken by the club's more senior players. As a rookie just starting out, he definitely had no chance at them.

Holding up the jersey, Maël stood to Gareth Speed's left and showed a sincere smile.

Gilbert stood to Gareth Speed's right, his smile just as bright.

"Click! Click!" The shutter snapped rapidly, flashes flickering nonstop, capturing that instant.

In the camera frame, the two young men looked delighted, their eyes dazzling, filled with expectation and longing for their futures.

As for the middle-aged man in the center, he squeezed a hopeful smile out of his exhaustion and gave a thumbs-up.

Every first time was worth remembering, and this day was no different.