Chapter 29

London rarely has a clear night sky, and Audrey gazed up at the star-studded heavens, his mind filled with myriad thoughts.

Brady and the others had bought more drinks and snacks, and everyone sat on the ground, continuing their lively gathering.

Audrey had long since forgotten about people like Pok, and he didn't think his threats were despicable or low. It seemed like he was acting like a spoiled second-generation rich kid, but he didn't care. Arguing about principles and righteousness with a thug was pointless unless one's brain had been kicked by a donkey.

As they chatted, Audrey suddenly turned to Brady and asked, "Do you like Millwall?"

Everyone else fell silent, staring at Audrey with strange expressions. Brady looked uncomfortable. They were young and passionate, the age when they pursued the latest trends, and it seemed somewhat pretentious to openly declare their likes and dislikes.

"What's wrong? Are you mute? Does this question require a lot of thought?"

Audrey frowned slightly. At least he thought he could have a heartfelt conversation with these childhood friends without putting on a fake facade.

Brady rolled his eyes and said, "I like it, my whole family likes it."

They used to live in the same neighborhood, and most of the residents in that area were Millwall fans.

Audrey asked again, "Will you always like it in the future?"

Huh?

Yvonne's skin crawled, and the others shivered.

Audrey's question sounded sappy.

Brady shook his head and said helplessly, "What do you really want to say?"

"Come help me."

Audrey looked at Brady calmly, who had a puzzled expression, indicating he didn't understand.

"I want to establish an officially recognized Millwall fan club, a positive and influential fan group to improve the club's image."

Brady was stunned, and the others were also surprised by Audrey's idea.

To be honest, if Audrey personally established such a fan club, the question of whether he had the energy aside, it would be difficult to gain the fans' recognition if it was officially organized by the club. After all, there are conflicts and friction between football clubs and fans, the most direct being ticket prices.

When it comes to money, there is never a balance.

The club will always think the ticket prices are low, while the fans will always think they are high.

There's no point in discussing whether it's worth it.

Due to such conflicts of interest, Audrey couldn't be the one to step forward, but he needed a well-developed fan club for Millwall.

Yvonne patted her forehead, a beautiful smile on her lips, as if talking to herself, "You're always like this, what's in your head? Of course, we'll help you."

After a moment of hesitation, Brady nodded firmly, "If this can help you, no problem, leave it to me."

Audrey stood up, smiled, and picked up his suit, preparing to go home. He looked at Brady with a cunning eye and asked, "Don't you think about your future? That's an unpaid job, you know."

The enthusiastic Brady was stunned again, scratching his head, unable to continue.

Audrey put his arm around Brady's shoulder and walked back, no longer teasing him, and asked softly, "How much savings do you have?"

Brady awkwardly rubbed his hands, shaking his head without a word.

Except for Audrey, the others were still in college. Savings? What a joke, it was already good if they could save a little from the living expenses their parents gave them.

Audrey said naturally, "I'll lend you 20,000 pounds. My older brother is recruiting funds, you can invest it. After each investment cycle, don't withdraw the dividends, continue to invest. I think by the time you graduate, even without working, your life should be secure."

Brady, Fred, Yvonne, and the others were all surprised, their mouths wide open.

The Hall family was a new aristocrat in British finance, and their investment returns were simply unmatched by their peers. Not to mention ordinary stockbrokers wanting to connect with the Hall family, even many traditional business tycoons had a strong interest in the Hall family.

"Hey? Do I get a share too?"

Fred leaned in close to Audrey's ear and asked, licking his lips. Audrey smiled and nodded, then turned to everyone and said, "You all get a share, I'll lend you the capital."

Originally, Barnett's fund was not publicly recruiting investors, but raising funds within the industry. It would be better to let his friends share in the profits.

Although Audrey didn't know much about finance, he knew about stocks, especially the famous listed companies of the next twenty years, which were the best investment choices, guaranteed to make a profit.

Yvonne was a bit hesitant, wanting to decline Audrey's generosity, but the words died on her lips.

If she refused, it would seem too distant and formal.

"Brady, I think I can answer the question you asked me in the bar. Why be a head coach? Because it's something I like and want to do, and too many people live their whole lives without knowing what they want to do. Remember Lennon?"

Audrey asked lightly.

"Remember, he bullied us when we were kids, and later we cornered him in the toilet and beat him up."

Brady smiled vividly.

Lennon was three years older than them and a neighbor in the same community when they were young.

He didn't get along with Audrey and the others, but he was close to Audrey's older brother, Andrew.

Audrey shrugged and smiled, "Lennon always said he wanted to be a singer when he grew up. He even went to training, but he studied an MBA in college, and after graduating this year, he became a stockbroker, pestering Andrew to get a job at my older brother's company. Sometimes I want to ask him: What do you really want to do in this life? A singer, a manager, or an investor?"

Originally, Audrey said this in a joking tone, but unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, the surroundings fell silent. No one responded, and a long silence ensued.

It seemed that Audrey's words had a significant impact on his friends.

...

After the third round of the English Football League (EFL) matches, Millwall's three wins with 10 goals scored and 0 goals conceded left everyone speechless!

However, the mainstream media had no interest in focusing on the second-tier English league, as there was less than a week until the transfer deadline, and the transfer news of the Premier League was the focus of recent newspaper coverage.

But Millwall's strong performance had already caught the attention of their league rivals.

Three days later, in the fourth round of the EFL, Audrey led his team to Bolton for a midweek match.

Bolton had an impressive home record and aimed to promote to the Premier League this season, making them a direct competitor to Millwall.

Perhaps due to Millwall's strong momentum, Bolton played very conservatively at home, and Millwall continued Audrey's defensive strategy. The match ended in a 0-0 draw after 90 minutes.

After the fourth round, Audrey had no time to rest and traveled to Reading for an away match four days later.

When the fifth round of the EFL ended, the score at Reading's home ground was 0-0, and Millwall's third match in 8 days resulted in a second consecutive draw.

After the fifth round, Millwall slipped down the league table, overtaken by Middlesbrough, who had four wins and one loss.

With two consecutive draws, Millwall's strong start to the season seemed to have been checked, slightly losing its underdog luster.

But Audrey didn't see it that way. He was even happy to leave Berkshire after the match, as Millwall had not conceded a single goal in five league matches, and the team's defensive performance delighted him.

In defense, Southgate showed the demeanor of a leader, Stam and Thuram were fierce and brave, and even the under-18 Lucas had a fierce aura. Makelele had already adapted well to the defensive midfield position, performing steadily in several league matches.

After returning to London, Audrey still had no time to rest. Although there was no EFL match in the midweek, the second round of the League Cup was scheduled as planned.

He fielded a full reserve squad to face the opponent.

The opponent was no stranger, Birmingham, the pre-season friendly opponent!

In the pre-season friendly, Millwall couldn't beat Birmingham at home. The League Cup was a side event for both teams aiming for promotion, so at the Den, both sides put on a very open and exciting match for the fans!

Solskjaer, Phillips, and Ballack locked the score at 3-1 in the first half, and Dean Richards added another goal from a corner in the second half. Millwall won 4-2 at the Den, advancing to the third round of the League Cup.

A month later, Millwall would visit Newcastle United. When Audrey learned that their third-round opponent was the Premier League's Newcastle United, he knew Millwall's League Cup journey would end there. He didn't plan to use his main squad to face the third-place team from last season's Premier League, as it would disrupt his plans.

On the weekend, Millwall struggled to beat visiting West Brom at home. After two consecutive draws, Millwall found their winning touch again.

However, after the final whistle, Audrey clearly saw the players on the field looking somewhat dejected.

The match against West Brom had been exhausting and frustrating.

West Brom had finished 18th in the EFL last season, narrowly avoiding relegation, and showed no signs of revival this season. They came to the Den and played a defensive, negative tactic. If it weren't for Schneider scoring from a direct free-kick in the second half, West Brom might have taken a point.

The players' dejection was understandable. Their attack relied on a five-man group, and even Nedved rarely ventured into the penalty area. Relying on two wingers and two strikers, it was understandable that they struggled to score.

The players left the field in low spirits, and Audrey, after a quick handshake with the West Brom manager, quickly walked into the tunnel.

The next day, Audrey, flipping through the schedule in his office, seemed distracted. Three days later, his team would play another midweek match, and it was another away game. The intensity of the matches had been too high recently, what with the EFL's 46-match season.

As he hesitated about whether to make further changes to the team, the head of the medical department, Mr. Thompson, knocked on the door of Audrey's office.