In recent years, Ryan Giggs had become one of the most famous left wingers in English and even European football. His lightning pace and dazzling, incisive dribbles had won him endless praise from fans.
But would Giggs really give up being a key player at one of the world's biggest clubs to join an amateur side like the new Manchester United?
Ethan found it unbelievable just thinking about it.
Following Walsh straight to the training ground, Ethan quickly spotted a familiar-looking figure among the group of players running laps.
"See? I wasn't lying to you. That's really Giggs. Look at his running stride!" Walsh said with a grin, pointing toward the runner in the distance.
Ethan had to admit, the running style did look similar. But he could never believe that his tiny club could attract a world-class left winger. Even if he really came, could such a small side possibly afford his wages?
Then suddenly, Ethan remembered something.
"Haha, Andy, don't try to fool me. His name might be Giggs, but that's Rhodri Giggs, Ryan's younger brother, right?" Ethan smirked, as if saying, "If you want to trick me, you need more practice."
"How did you know?" Walsh asked, smiling bitterly.
"I still remember a newspaper story from two years ago. It said Manchester United's Ryan Giggs was summoned to court for smashing his girlfriend's doors and windows with a hammer. Everyone was shocked at first, but later it was clarified that it wasn't Ryan, it was his brother."
Walsh shook his head. "I didn't think you'd remember that after so long. If I hadn't seen the details on his registration form, I wouldn't have recalled it myself."
Ethan chuckled, patted his old partner on the shoulder, and pointed toward Rhodri Giggs training on the pitch. "They say he was very talented when he was younger, not much worse than his brother. But after his car accident, his personality changed, became more irritable, and he could only play in the lower divisions."
"Yes," Walsh agreed. "According to his resume, he joined the youth team of a small Scottish club in 1993, but left after a year. In 1996 he signed with a Scottish Second Division side, but he never got the chance to play."
Ethan took the papers from Walsh and skimmed through them. In addition to being a natural right winger, Rhodri Giggs could also play as a striker, attacking midfielder, and even on the left wing. A true all-rounder.
"For a small team like ours, having versatile players who can fill multiple roles isn't bad at all. Of course, the condition is that he's still capable of playing competitively." Ethan handed the information back with a smile.
That sentence alone basically confirmed Rhodri Giggs' place in the squad.
Even though Ryan Giggs was at the peak of his career at Manchester United, that had nothing to do with his younger brother's trial. After all, Rhodri hadn't played in organized training or matches for two years. Whether he could perform for the new Manchester United was still an unknown.
The real reason Ethan was willing to take him on was because, in his previous life, he knew that when FC United of Manchester was founded in 2005, Rhodri Giggs was an important player for them, performing quite well. At amateur level, he could definitely contribute.
"Andy, how many players are we actually signing from this trial?" Ethan asked, feeling the weight of responsibility as he looked at the training ground filled with more than a hundred hopefuls. The youngest looked to be in their twenties.
Maybe it was because, in his previous life playing Football Manager, he always preferred signing young talents, but whenever Ethan saw players already in their twenties, he instinctively thought their potential was capped. By thirty, he thought they were already declining.
That mindset worked in games. But in reality, it would be a tragedy.
"Seventeen," Walsh answered. "Mr. Pace said that for a team competing in the amateur leagues, you need at least that many. Besides the starting eleven, you still need substitutes."
"And the contracts?" Ethan asked again.
"Mr. Pace had his lawyer draft part-time contracts for us. We'll sign one with each selected player. We're still a small club with limited funds, so we can't compete with professional sides."
At that, Walsh chuckled. "You know what? Droylsden are in the Northern Premier League this year. Mr. Pace once thought about giving some of their players full-time contracts to help push for promotion to the National League. But when he looked at the squad, it was full of veterans. It would've been ridiculous!"
Ethan laughed politely, though his sense of humor didn't quite match Walsh's. Still, those words reminded him of something.
England's professional football had four levels, from the Premier League down to League Two. The fifth tier, the National League, was a mix of professional and semi-professional teams. But getting into the National League wasn't just about results. Clubs had to meet requirements on infrastructure, finances, and professionalism.
That often led to strange situations. For example, clubs promoted from the Northern or Southern Leagues sometimes failed to meet the standards, while relegated National League clubs could not afford to stay at that level. This created vacancies in the division.
Those vacancies had to be filled.
It was too early for Ethan's new club to think about such opportunities, but he knew one thing well: chances were always reserved for those who were prepared.
"Andy, I think we need to sign some players with real potential on full-time contracts and build around them," Ethan said, watching the players train on the worn, patchy pitch at Butcher's Knife Ground. It looked more like a vegetable patch than a football field, clearly not well maintained.
"Full-time? That's expensive," Walsh frowned. "Why the sudden change of heart?"
Even a bottom-tier amateur club had significant costs. Beyond the part-time wages for players and staff, there were training costs, travel expenses, injury expenses, and day-to-day operations. Separately, they might not seem huge, but together they added up quickly.
That was why someone like David Pace, who earned several million pounds a year from his clothing business, still hesitated before pushing Droylsden from amateur to semi-professional.
A full-time contract meant the player's registration and rights belonged to the club. But it also meant far greater responsibilities: salaries, benefits, and long-term obligations.
"I'll figure out the finances," Ethan said firmly. "But gradual professionalization is necessary. Besides, we still need to secure a training ground."
Just mentioning it gave him a headache.
They would have to rent one, which meant another expense. And then there was their home ground. Although Pace had promised to let the new Manchester United play at Butcher's Knife Ground for free this season, the club would still need to cover maintenance costs.
Add everything together, and it all boiled down to one word: money.
"Take it easy, Ethan. We all believe in you, and the fans will support you," Walsh said, trying to ease the pressure. Then he smiled. "Actually, I have some good news."
"What is it?" Ethan asked, still staring at the pitch.
"Not about the players, about the fans!" Walsh nudged him to listen.
Ethan suppressed his worries and nodded for him to continue.
"According to our reception staff, nearly 1,500 fans signed up for membership on the first day alone. Many are already asking when the team's first friendly will be played. They can't wait to be there."
Hearing this, Ethan felt genuinely happy. With fan support, he could find the motivation to handle anything. And each fan who joined as a member paid a £10 annual fee. It wasn't a massive income, but for a club at the very bottom, it was significant.
But when it came to arranging a friendly, Ethan immediately thought of the biggest problem they had yet to solve.
"We don't even have a head coach yet," Ethan said bitterly.
Walsh froze, then realized the oversight. His face sank with the weight of the issue. They really had been too busy.
The trial process so far had been managed with help from Droylsden's head coach and staff, so they hadn't felt the urgency of hiring their own. But now it was already June. Less than two months remained before the league kicked off. The search for a head coach had suddenly become urgent.
"What should we do? Who can we even approach?" Walsh asked.
Yes, who indeed?
Ethan rubbed his temples. What kind of head coach could an amateur club in England's lowest league attract?
"It seems we can't solve this right away. I'll think it over later. For now, help me with the player selections. I'll take a walk outside," Ethan sighed, feeling like the weight of the entire world was pressing down on his shoulders.
Walsh, seeing the pressure Ethan was under, tried to reassure him. He told him not to take things too hard, then went back to work.
(To be continued.)