QPR
Liam Carter had been training harder than ever, focused on integrating his talent cards, and was finally making progress.
The fusion rate of his Full Moon Scimitar card had reached 30%, and in just 3 more percentage points, he would unlock his next talent card.
The first talent card he activated was Flank Speedster, now at 42% integration.
However, as expected, the higher the fusion rate, the slower his progress became.
As for his attributes, his technical ability had improved to 69 points, his physical attributes to 65 points, while his mental attributes remained unchanged at 74 points.
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On November 20, in the 14th round of the Scottish Premiership, Dundee United traveled to Glasgow for an away match against Celtic, one of Scotland's dominant football clubs.
Celtic is one of Scotland's two most successful football teams. Their most legendary moment came in 1967, when they defeated the mighty Inter Milan 2-1 in Lisbon, Portugal, to win the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League).
That final remains one of the most iconic matches in football history.
The entire Celtic squad at the time was made up of players born within 50 kilometers of Glasgow, making them a true grassroots team with no major European superstars.
In contrast, Inter Milan was in its golden era, stacked with world-class players.
Despite Inter taking an early lead through a penalty in the 6th minute, they managed only 5 shots throughout the game—including that penalty.
Meanwhile, Celtic completely dominated, firing 42 shots in total. If not for Inter's goalkeeper Giuliano Sarti, who made countless saves, and the crossbar coming to their rescue, the Italian giants would have been completely humiliated.
Even today, Celtic fans still talk about that night, while some neutral fans suspect Inter Milan didn't play at full strength in that match.
To put it in modern terms, it would be like Real Madrid reaching the Champions League final, only to be completely crushed by an unknown team from outside the top five European leagues.
Celtic's victory made them the first club in European football history to win the Treble (League, Domestic Cup, and European Cup).
They actually won four trophies that year, also securing the Scottish League Cup, which isn't always counted in treble discussions.
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At Celtic Park, Scotland's largest football stadium, the match between Celtic and Dundee United kicked off.
As the season progressed, both Celtic and Rangers seemed to be struggling with fatigue, leading to inconsistent performances.
Despite that, Celtic started the match aggressively, taking control of possession.
In the 24th minute, Gary Hooper broke through Dundee United's defense after a series of quick passes and slotted the ball home to put Celtic 1-0 up.
Dundee United expected Celtic to press even harder after scoring, but instead, the home side seemed to ease off and failed to create clear-cut chances.
Sensing an opportunity, Dundee United hit back in the 39th minute.
Liam Carter picked up the ball on the right wing, driving forward at speed. He cut inside, effortlessly sidestepping Celtic's South Korean midfielder, before delivering a pinpoint cross to the far post.
Left-back Dillon arrived at the right moment, calmly slotting the ball into the net to make it 1-1.
Interestingly, this was Dillon's third goal of the season, but the first two were own goals.
Both teams failed to find a winner in the second half, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Dundee United saw the result as a fair outcome—after all, they were playing away against Celtic, one of the league's powerhouses.
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After the game, Liam was surprised when two people approached him separately.
The first was Ji Sung-yong, the South Korean midfielder from Celtic, who asked to swap shirts with him.
"Liam, that was a fantastic assist," Ji praised, handing over his jersey.
Liam had noticed that as his talent card integration increased, his ball control and decision-making had noticeably improved. The flick he used to shake off Ji just before the assist? He wasn't sure he could've done that a few months ago.
The second person was Celtic's head coach, Tony Mowbray.
"Liam, would you be interested in playing for Celtic?"
That offer caught him off guard.
"I heard you have some Scottish ancestry," Mowbray continued. "Last season, I personally pushed for the signing of a Scottish international, and he did well here before returning home. I think you could fit in similarly."
Liam didn't respond immediately.
He wasn't ruling anything out, but he also wasn't committing to anything.
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After the Celtic match, Liam didn't return to Dundee immediately.
With Dundee United's next league fixture postponed, the team was given a two-day break.
During this time, Old John, a longtime mentor, invited him to visit Hampden Park, Scotland's national stadium.
"This place might not be as big as Celtic Park," Old John explained, "but it's a UEFA five-star stadium. Celtic Park isn't."
Hampden Park serves as the home of the Scottish national team and also hosts domestic cup semifinals and finals.
Liam was intrigued but even more surprised when he saw a team training on the pitch.
"Is that the Scotland youth team?" he asked.
"No, that's Queen's Park FC—a club with real history."
Liam had never heard of them before. The name reminded him of Queens Park Rangers in England.
"Are they connected to QPR?"
"Of course not!" Old John scoffed. "That English club is nothing compared to Queen's Park!"
At first, Liam was unimpressed. After all, Queen's Park was an amateur club.
But as Old John shared their history, Liam couldn't help but feel a deep respect for them.
This was a club that, despite its limitations, had contributed immensely to Scottish football.
And perhaps, there were still lessons to be learned from teams like Queen's Park.
The Rise and Fall of Queen's Park: Scotland's Football Pioneers
As the birthplace of football, Britain was naturally the first country in the world to establish a large number of football clubs.
The world's earliest recognized football club is Sheffield FC, founded in 1857, which remains an amateur club to this day. However, many people mistakenly believe it to be Sheffield United, the professional club currently competing in the English Championship.
In football's early days, clubs were entirely amateur. There were no standardized rules, and each club played under its own set of regulations. There was no professional league, and players did not earn wages.
An amateur club, in simple terms, was a group of people who loved football and arranged matches for fun. There were no player salaries, no performance-based contracts, and no consequences for losing.
It was a game played for the love of the sport.
For most amateur players, football was just a hobby—they had regular jobs to support their families, and playing matches was something they did in their free time.
Before football became professional, all clubs worldwide were amateur.
Among them, Queen's Park FC, founded in 1867, was Scotland's first football club and is widely regarded as the forefather of Scottish football.
Unlike many of its peers, Queen's Park wasn't just another club—it was the driving force behind the growth of football in Scotland.
Even today, many elements of Scottish football bear the influence of Queen's Park.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) was founded by Queen's Park.
The first Scottish national team was almost entirely made up of Queen's Park players.
Scotland's first-ever national team jersey was modeled after the club's dark blue colors.
The Scottish Cup, the second-oldest football competition in the world, was established under Queen's Park's leadership.
Queen's Park was not just influential in Scotland—it shaped the development of football worldwide.
For example, some of the game's modern rules originated from the club:
1. Free Kick Rule – Queen's Park introduced the concept that a foul should result in the opposing team retaking the kick from the spot of the infringement, evolving into today's free kick rule.
2. Half-Time Break – Queen's Park was the first to introduce a scheduled break in the middle of the match to allow players to rest and rehydrate.
3. Crossbar Addition – In early football, goals consisted of just two vertical posts. Queen's Park was the first to introduce a horizontal crossbar, defining the modern goal structure.
In the early years of Scottish football, Queen's Park was the undisputed powerhouse.
In the first 20 years of the Scottish Cup, the club reached the final 12 times, winning 10 championships—a record surpassed only by Celtic and Rangers today.
Their dominance extended beyond Scotland. Queen's Park was so strong that they were invited to compete in England's FA Cup, the world's oldest football competition.
Twice, they reached the FA Cup final, but both times, they lost to Blackburn Rovers.
At their peak, Queen's Park was not just the best team in Scotland—they were one of the strongest clubs in Britain.
As football evolved, professionalism became inevitable.
Some clubs supported professionalism, believing it would bring more financial investment and expand the sport's influence. Others opposed it, fearing it would disadvantage smaller clubs that couldn't afford to pay players.
At the time, Queen's Park was Scotland's biggest and most influential club. Located in Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, they had financial stability and a strong fan base.
If they had embraced professionalism, they would have remained at the top. The Scottish league might have looked very different today—perhaps Queen's Park, not Celtic or Rangers, would have dominated.
At the very least, Scotland could have had a three-team powerhouse league, similar to Portugal's "Big Three" (Benfica, Porto, and Sporting CP).
However, Queen's Park chose a different path.
As the leader of Scottish football, the club felt a duty to protect smaller teams that opposed professionalism. Queen's Park saw itself as a guardian of football's amateur spirit, and in 1893, it made a shocking declaration:
"We will never become a professional club."
This decision sealed their fate.
As professional leagues grew in popularity, the best amateur players moved to professional teams for wages. Queen's Park, which refused to pay salaries, gradually lost its top talent.
With each passing year, Queen's Park fell further behind.
The club that once led Scottish football became a relic of the past, stranded like a shipwreck on an isolated island, unable to advance or retreat.
Even die-hard Queen's Park supporters struggled to remain loyal. As older fans passed away, younger generations were drawn to the professional clubs, leaving Queen's Park to fade into obscurity.
Despite its decline, Queen's Park refused to abandon its amateur status.
The club's motto was simple:
"Ludere Causa Ludendi" – Play for the love of the game.
While other clubs adapted, Queen's Park remained stubbornly attached to its ideals.
The club continued playing in lower divisions, refusing to pay wages to its players. Ticket prices remained low, just enough to keep the club running.
Queen's Park's home ground, Hampden Park, is Scotland's national stadium.
Although the stadium has undergone multiple renovations, Queen's Park still owns it.
Unlike most clubs, Queen's Park doesn't have the money to maintain the stadium. Instead, the Scottish FA pays for renovations, allowing the Scottish national team to use it for free—just as it did when the team was first formed.
Despite financial struggles, Queen's Park has repeatedly refused to sell the stadium.
Whenever the club ran into financial difficulties, the Scottish FA would offer to buy Hampden Park, but Queen's Park always declined.
This was their final act of defiance—their last stand against the tide of professionalism.
Today, Queen's Park competes in Scotland's lower divisions, far from its former glory.
Though the club has reluctantly joined low-level professional leagues, it remains true to its amateur roots.
They do not pay player wages. They do not chase profits.
They play for the love of the game.
In an era dominated by big-money football, Queen's Park stands as a reminder of football's humble beginnings—a club that once ruled Scottish football but chose principle over power.
Their decision may have cost them a place among football's elite, but their legacy as pioneers of the sport will never be forgotten.