Roy of the Rovers A New Beginning Week 10 Trevor Brinsden sat on the end of his bed, holding the

e folder containing details of all his past mistakes. There were even actions in the report that he had forgotten all about. He stood up and walked to the window, the Tynecaster Grand Hotel overlooked the river and the famous iron bridge. The north-eastern city looked spectacular at night, with bright lights shining and dancing as they reflected on the water. Large groups of youngsters staggered around, bouncing from wall to wall, it was only eleven oclock. They were on their way to a night club; the streets would be glistening with vomit the next day. Trevor had been into clubbing in the eighties, but he was fifty-one now. The outfits the girls were wearing were all that interested him and in Tynecaster they did not wear much. Trevor needed another beer but the mini-bar only had two and he had already polished those off. So the only option was to join David Roth and the other directors in the bar downstairs. He put on his loafers and stepped into the corridor. As he shut the door, he noticed a tall figure leaving the room next to his, Evening Trev! It was Roy Race, smartly dressed in official Melchester Rovers club suit, Are you heading to the bar? Weve got something to celebrate, no? Another great win! Lets hope we can continue our fine form against Redstoke next week, they lost again and are bottom of the league, with just one point and one goal! The two men, with a rocky history, stood waiting for the lift. It was the first time Trevor could remember being alone with Roy Race, he did not feel comfortable. Roy had banned Trevor from Mel Park more than once, now in effect, Trevor had the power to ban Roy from the club. But Roy Race was too powerful, too respected, Trevor still hated him though, but he knew now he would just have to live with that. The red folder, locked in the safe in his room, showed how many attempts the old Trevor Brinsden had made at wrecking Roy Race. All had failed before they even started and in comparison to some of his other schemes, those that had worked out, were pathetic. Youre quiet tonight Trev! David Roth said. The Melchester party had been drinking for half-anhour and Trevor had said maybe three or four words, Got things on my mind. We need to go somewhere, where no-one can listen in. That detective you recommended, hes given me the reports. Theyre not good, Dave, not good at all. The two men slipped away unnoticed as Roy Race began a tale of past glory. Back in Trevors room Roth read the report in the red folder, Blimey! Some of your activities are really quite ingenious. Forget about the Race stuff, they are crimes of passion. But, the money laundering, the long firms, fixing darts matches. I always wondered where your money came from. One doesnt just stumble across enough money to form the biggest laundry service in the Midlands, does he? The problem I have is that theres enough information here to sink the whole club! *** Not many people knew it, but Geoff Miles was the best private investigator in the country. He stood outside the offices of Inter-News with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, holding his smart phone, recording the conversations of those around him. Even five years ago he would not have been able to do such an activity so easily, but now it was effortless and anonymous, every office block in the country had at least three people doing the same, even in the rain. John Lucas was only a couple of

yards to his left, leaning on the opposite side of a concrete pillar. He was talking loudly about Melchester Rovers, his colleagues laughing as he insulted David Roth and Trevor Brinsden. Those men dont know who theyre messing with. Roths a pervert! He must have paid off the girl and her family. And Brinsden, well, hell be an easy target. The mans a hooligan and hes thick, Im going to work on him now. The boss says I can have whatever I need, moneys no object. Ive got an insider at his firm already. A young lad, on poor wages says hell snoop around. Theres no way that someone like Trevor Brinsden could start up such a successful company legitimately. I do say, this investigative journalism is a lot more fun than writing match reports! Miles was careful to remain anonymous. Now that Lucas was going to be investigating Brinsden, he would have to follow him more and more. He could not risk the journalist remembering his face. So the detective joined a crowd of workers on their way towards a sandwich shop and effortlessly filed into the group. He needed to call Trevor as soon as possible. Mr Brinsden, its me. We need to meet. Until then stay low profile, no public appearances. You know why, I dont need to say it. So, the usual place, eleven oclock tomorrow morning. Trevor was nervous, he said nothing in reply except to confirm the meeting. He sighed and looked around his luxurious inner-city apartment. The walls were decorated with valuable Melchester Rovers memorabilia. He had bought most of it in the last five years from small collectors, there was a green goalkeepers jersey signed by The Cat Charlie Carter, hung immediately to the left of the doorway. Going clockwise around the room, the framed shirts had once belonged to the 1976/77 First Division title winners, Noel Baxter, Duncan McKay, Geoff Giles, Jimmy Slade, Lofty Peak, Mervyn Wallace, Blackie Gray, Geoff Holloway and Vernon Eliot. That was the season a young Trevor remembered most fondly, the greatest Rovers side ever. However, there was an anomaly, where the number nine shirt of The King Roy Race should be hanging, was a white T-shirt, bearing a slogan. Trevor had never bought a Race 9 shirt, in its place hung one of his own T-shirts. One he was wearing when Roy Race had him thrown out of Mel Park and banned from the stadium. Roy Races Biggest Fan! Huh! That went well, didnt it? Roy Race, the man who at an auction for Melchester Childrens Hospice outbid me for his own signed shirt. Trevor prowled around his living room, examining some of the other pieces of his collection. A shirt Johnny Dexter had worn at the 1982 World Cup, one that Karl Bruckner had worn at Italia 90, his favourite, however did bear the name Race. Trevor had become quite close friends with Rocky Race and was delighted when Race Junior presented him with one of his shirts from the 2002 World Cup. Rocky and Trevor had become acquaintances at the Trocadero Casino in central Melchester, they were both considered high-rollers so were often placed on the same table. Melchester did not have many millionaires so the casino treated them both like Sultans. After one particularly big win Rocky invited Trevor to join him in his suite at the Melchester Hilton and they soon became regular drinking, as well as gambling, partners. To say they went through a lot together would be an understatement. But somehow none of their activities were made public, which was just as well for Rockys England career and Trevors businesses. Trevor thought to call Rocky and warn him that John Lucas was trying to expose him and that some of their shared past might make the Daily Gazette. But Rocky was coaching in the United States now, it was only 6am in Baltimore, so it could wait. Anyway it was probably best to wait and see what Geoff Miles had to say.

Storky Knight NEXT WEEK: Rovers hit the training ground hard to make up for the defeat