The Beautiful Game: Survival

Chapter 1Who's Who BARRY BENNETT Age: 18 Football player Born and brought up in Sandford along with his twin brother Billy, Barry is the calmer of the two brothers and fi ercely protective of his older sister, Claire. He hates bullies and has a long-standing rivalry with Russell ‘Crab’ Craven. Their rivalry goes back to primary school when Crab broke Barry’s nose in a fi ght.BILLY BENNETT Age: 18 Football player Billy Bennett is the more volatile of the Bennett twins. Exceedingly talented on the pitch, his spontaneous nature often gets him into trouble. He has been playing for the Sandford Town youth team for three seasons now and, along with his brother, seems certain to make it as a professional footballer.CLAIRE BENNETT Age: 20 Hairdresser Claire Bennett is big sister to Billy and Barry. She has been working at Scissorz Booty Bootique as a hairdresser, ever since leaving school at eighteen. Claire has a mind of her own, and a quick temper like her brother Billy.HARRY BENNETT Age: 55 He is the father of Billy, Barry and Claire. Harry Bennett has worked hard to make sure that his kids have a good life. He was an amateur footballer during his schooldays, and along with his best mate Andy Shelldrake, he was a force to reckon with on the fi eld.BOB EVANS Age: 65 Retired football player A Sandford Town prodigy, Bob Evans started playing at the age of seventeen. He went on to make several appearances for Town before his playing career was cut short in 1983 by the Swiss coach disaster. A believer in team spirit, Bob has no time for people who give anything less than a 110 percent.STEVEN HUNTER Age: 33 Football player Captain of Sandford Town, Steve Hunter has been their star player, up until now. He is no longer as fast as he used to be, but is still passionate about the game. He loves the club, but his wife Sharon wants him to leave Sandford for a bigger setup. Arrogant and hot-headed, Steve’s discipline issues have made him a target for referees.CRAB CRAVEN Age: 20 Unemployed Happiest when fi ghting, Crab loves to lead his gang—the Sandford Soldiers, a local crew of football hooligans—into battles against fans of rival teams. Crab is passionate about Sandford Town and Claire Bennett, on whom he has had a crush all his life. The two of them have been an item, on and off, for some years now.STAN LYDON Age: 60 Chairman, Sandford Town FC A thorough professional with good business acumen, Stan Lydon is always thinking of the bigger picture. He doesn’t hesitate to take tough decisions, as long as it benefi ts the club’s future.GUY TALK Music group A London based boy band that has become a worldwide sensation. With fi ve hit numbers, members Larry Holmes, Vijay Nagar, Kieron O’Hagan and Ken Lee are ruling the charts at the moment. Vijay and Larry love football as much as they love driving their manager, Justin Taylor, up the wall.HALTON MOOR Football club A football club as old as Sandford Town and one of the founding members of the Football League formed in 1888. Moor’s defenders are top-notch; especially Juan Perez who can slither his way in and out of the tightest corner. An old rival of Town, there is bad blood between the two clubs and things often tend to go out of hand during a match between the two. These are dark days for Sandford Town FC as they are anchored to the foot of the table and look set for relegation come the end of the season. SANDFORD EVENING POST For the chop? Kurt Olaffsen feeling the pressure. ARE SANDFORD TOWN GOING DOWN? Brought in just nine months ago, Kurt Olaffsen, the Sandford coach, has been unable to repeat the success he had at Cartagonova in Spain, when he led them to the Champions League semi-fi nals just two seasons ago, and reports of dressing room unrest are only adding to his problems. Taking the manager’s position at Sandford Town is sure to be seen by many as a poisoned chalice rather than a challenge, and we have to ask—who are the main contenders for the job? Martin O’Neill has already expressed a distinct lack of interest in the position, which leaves two main candidates—former Sandford Town hero Bob Evans or his ex-teammate, T.V. pundit Kenny Gilchrist. Evans has supposedly retired from the game, but it is well known that he has always held Sandford Town close to his heart. He would certainly be a fi rm fan favorite. We ask the question, is it time for the board to cut their losses and let Olaffsen go before it is too late? Saving the club from relegation will certainly be a Herculean task, but if something is not done soon then a diffi cult situation is sure to become impossible. Booed by his own supporters at every match, Olaffsen is proving an unpopular fi gure in Sandford. Although, we are sure that rival team Sandford Rovers hope he will remain in charge of the club and complete the dismantling of this once great team.