Chapter 18: The Showdown

Yang Cheng had always believed that European professional football was brutally pragmatic.

As long as you were winning, everything you did was right.

Since Bayswater Chinese reclaimed the top spot in the league, good news kept pouring in.

The number of home fans in attendance surpassed 3,000 for consecutive matches and even exceeded 4,000 during cup games with lower ticket prices.

For the Chinese community in Bayswater, this was a moment of pride.

Earning £100,000 from a single match was almost too good to be true.

While the club still had a long way to go before matching other teams financially, Yang Cheng was confident. If this momentum continued, filling all 5,000 seats at the stadium wouldn't be difficult.

That was on the management side.

On the pitch, the team's stellar performances had drawn attention. Yang Cheng received calls from England U21 head coach Peter Taylor and Ireland national team manager Brian Kerr.

Peter Taylor wanted to call up Bayswater Chinese's star striker, Jonathan Steed.

At just 20 years old, Steed had scored 11 goals in 14 rounds of League Two—an astonishing feat for the time.

It was 2003, after all.

Before Messi and Ronaldo redefined goal-scoring records, netting over 20 goals in a season was considered elite-level productivity. For a 20-year-old in League Two, reaching double digits so quickly was remarkable.

Even more impressive, Steed embodied the traits of a classic English center-forward.

England U21's current striking duo consisted of Carlton Cole, a Chelsea youngster on loan to Charlton Athletic, and Darren Bent, Ipswich Town's speedy forward.

But Carlton Cole was struggling—barely getting any minutes at Charlton. Months had passed, and he had only managed 30 minutes of play without scoring a single goal.

Darren Bent, Ipswich's main forward, had done better, scoring three goals in League One. But he suffered an injury against Sunderland, ruling him out for at least two months.

Peter Taylor had tried calling up other young forwards in early October, but none impressed. So, he turned to the red-hot Jonathan Steed.

Yang Cheng, intrigued by the U21 squad, took a closer look at their players—and that's when he noticed Leeds United's right-winger, Aaron Lennon.

This was a player worth watching.

Especially since Bayswater Chinese's current right-winger wasn't meeting expectations.

Unfortunately, Lennon was already at Leeds, making any move unrealistic.

Meanwhile, Ireland's head coach Brian Kerr had his eyes on another Bayswater talent—Martin Rowland.

Rowland, who held both Irish and English citizenship, had yet to receive a senior national team call-up.

But with eight goals in League Two this season, his performances had caught Kerr's attention.

Unlike England, where talent was abundant, Ireland had a smaller talent pool. Once Kerr identified Rowland's potential, he wasted no time—flying to London personally to extend an invitation.

Rowland, now 24, was well aware that he'd never break into England's national team. So, he accepted Kerr's offer without hesitation.

One England U21 call-up.

One new Irish international.

For Bayswater's Chinese fans, this was thrilling news.

Yang Cheng was pleased, but not surprised.

Bayswater Chinese had scored 38 goals in 14 rounds—more than any other League Two team. They had six goals more than Plymouth, the second-highest-scoring side.

The team's only real weakness was its defense, having conceded 13 goals.

By contrast, Queens Park Rangers had only let in nine, and Brighton just 11.

Yang Cheng knew where the problem lay. But for now, he wasn't interested in fixing it.

His philosophy was clear: keep attacking, push for promotion, and reach the Championship in dominant fashion.

Yet, with success came suitors.

Bayswater Chinese's performances had attracted interest from bigger clubs.

League One's Sunderland, known as the "Black Cats," were the first to make a move for Jonathan Steed.

Head coach Mick McCarthy even attended a Bayswater match in person.

Queens Park Rangers also expressed interest—this time in Martin Rowland.

Whether their approach was genuine or just a smokescreen to unsettle a rival, no one knew.

Yang Cheng, however, spoke with both Steed and Rowland, ensuring they remained committed to the club.

Right now, promotion was the priority.

Interestingly, while Steed and Rowland attracted attention, two of Yang Cheng's most important players—Ribéry and Modrić—remained under the radar.

The reason was simple.

With no TV broadcasts in League Two, their goal and assist statistics weren't grabbing headlines.

That suited Yang Cheng just fine.

But amidst all the good news, there was one unwelcome development.

---

"Chris Hunter invited me to dinner," Lin Zhongqiu reported as he entered Yang Cheng's office.

"He said his company found several buyers for our stadium and training ground. The highest bidder is willing to offer £10 million, matching our asking price. He wants us to seriously consider it."

Yang Cheng, focused on his paperwork, suddenly looked up in surprise.

Then, he smirked.

It made sense.

Financial capital was always profit-driven.

"And what did you tell him?"

"I said I'd discuss it with you first," Lin Zhongqiu replied.

He had grown to respect Yang Cheng deeply. Without realizing it, he had started deferring to him on all major decisions.

"Then reject the offer," Yang Cheng said firmly.

Lin Zhongqiu hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Times have changed," Yang Cheng explained. "We set that price months ago—back when we were in crisis. No players. No manager. We weren't even sure we'd compete in League Two."

"But now? We're top of the league. Promotion is within reach."

Promotion to League One would mean higher revenue.

The English Football League distributed funds every year, with League One clubs getting a significant share.

Moreover, League One had television coverage, unlocking even more financial opportunities.

Sponsorship deals were tough to negotiate, especially for Chinese-backed teams in England.

But Yang Cheng knew one thing: if they reached League One, Bayswater Chinese would be worth much more than £10 million.

"I understand," Lin Zhongqiu nodded. "I'll inform them."

As he turned to leave, Yang Cheng called him back.

"Uncle Lin."

"Yes?"

"Have someone review our contract with Elvino. Every single clause. If there's anything that puts us at a disadvantage, we need to prepare for it."

Lin Zhongqiu frowned. "You think…?"

"Just in case," Yang Cheng sighed. "We were desperate when we signed that deal. We had experts review it, but contracts have hidden pitfalls. I don't want any surprises."

"Got it. I'll handle it."

As Lin Zhongqiu left, Yang Cheng couldn't shake his unease.

Something felt off.

And he didn't like it.

---

One golden rule in football coaching:

When the team is in form, don't change the starting lineup.

Even one alteration could throw everything off balance.

The chemistry of a winning side was delicate—like a house of cards.

With that in mind, Yang Cheng kept faith in his lineup.

In the 15th round, Bayswater Chinese defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 away.

In the 16th round, back at home, they edged Blackpool 1-0 thanks to a Steed goal.

In the 17th round, they beat Oldham 2-1 with goals from Steed and Devaney.

A five-game winning streak cemented their lead at the top.

After 17 rounds:

11 wins, 5 draws, 1 loss.

38 points. League leaders.

Plymouth and QPR trailed with just 31 points each.

Once again, Yang Cheng's pre-season prediction proved correct.

In lower leagues, the gap between strong and weak teams was massive.

Bayswater Chinese had found their rhythm. And now, they were unstoppable.

Steed led the League Two scoring charts with 13 goals.

Rowland was fourth with nine.

Even Devaney had broken into the top ten with six goals.

As the league took a break for international duty, Yang Cheng focused on the FA Cup.

But before he could fully prepare, Chris Hunter from Elvino walked into his office.

This time, he wasn't negotiating with Lin Zhongqiu.

He came straight for Yang Cheng.

It was time for a showdown.