From the 1970s through the 1990s, Queens Park Rangers were a strong mid-table side in England's top flight.
Although they were relegated to the second tier several times, they often returned quickly and emerged as surprise contenders after promotion.
For example, in the 1983-84 season, QPR entered the First Division, then England's top flight, after winning the Second Division title.
In their first season back, they produced a remarkable campaign and finished fifth in the league.
QPR had always maintained a traditional English style of football. However, as the game became more technical and the Premier League grew increasingly powerful, money began to play a greater role in determining success.
As a result, QPR gradually fell behind the Premier League's leading clubs.
The current QPR side still played a traditional English 4-4-2. They also used many of the rough tactics common in the lower divisions and frequently tried to provoke their opponents.
Among the clubs in and around London, teams such as QPR, Wimbledon's famous Crazy Gang, and Millwall all had extremely aggressive styles. At times, they were even more physical than teams from northern England, and their matches often featured a high number of fouls.
What Ethan remembered most clearly was a friendly match from his previous life between a QPR youth and reserve side and the Chinese Olympic team. The match descended into a mass brawl and attracted widespread coverage from several major newspapers.
For that reason, Ethan had specifically warned Mourinho before the match. Mourinho had also learned about QPR's tendencies from Villas-Boas's scouting report.
However, Mourinho believed that after everything his team had experienced the previous season, they were fully capable of defeating such opponents, even away from home.
New Manchester United were no longer a weak or timid side.
From the opening minute, the most anticipated fixture of League Two's first round was played in a highly charged atmosphere.
Both teams competed fiercely for possession, especially QPR.
New Manchester United's 4-3-3 could easily become a 4-5-1, allowing them to control midfield. It was one of Mourinho's most frequently used tactical approaches.
He believed that in modern football, losing control of midfield meant losing control of the match. That was why QPR's continued reliance on long balls appeared outdated.
QPR's preferred method was to play directly toward their tall centre-forward, either through long passes from the back or crosses from the wings.
However, New Manchester United's centre-back pairing of Terry and Curtis performed with great composure.
Mourinho had also instructed both full-backs to prioritise defending and avoid unnecessary forward runs. As a result, QPR struggled to create danger either from wide areas or through direct balls.
By contrast, New Manchester United controlled midfield through Juninho Pernambucano, Senna, and Essien, while Malouda and Hleb frequently dropped deeper to receive possession.
From there, they launched wave after wave of attacks against QPR's defence.
New Manchester United's attacking structure was clear.
Whether the opening came through Drogba or the two wingers, Malouda and Hleb, once they found a weakness, the team repeatedly attacked the same area and kept the opposition under pressure.
This was one of New Manchester United's most common methods.
They built momentum and overwhelmed their opponents with it.
QPR's attacks were being stopped, while their defence struggled under constant pressure. Their tackles gradually became more aggressive.
Before the match, Mourinho had told his players not to fear physical confrontation because New Manchester United were not physically inferior to their opponents.
With a powerful striker like Drogba occupying the centre-backs, Mourinho also demanded constant movement and quick combinations from the attacking players around him.
New Manchester United's approach was simple.
If QPR wanted to foul, then New Manchester United would keep taking the ball into dangerous areas.
Even if the referee allowed a physical match, every free kick near the penalty area could become decisive.
Mourinho had devoted two full days before the match to practising set pieces in the attacking third, specifically to maximise Juninho Pernambucano's influence.
His free-kick ability was extraordinary. Even Mourinho, who had worked around many outstanding players at Barcelona, could not help admiring it.
QPR's manager had probably warned his players about Juninho before kickoff and instructed them to avoid committing fouls near their own penalty area.
But once New Manchester United took control of the match, QPR could no longer decide where those fouls occurred.
Wave after wave of attacks placed them under enormous pressure.
After all, QPR had been relegated from League One the previous season, yet they were now being pinned back by a newly promoted League Two side.
It was humiliating and infuriating.
Once players with poor self-control became angry, the manager's influence from the touchline naturally weakened.
In the 30th minute, after attacking continuously without scoring, New Manchester United launched another move.
Hleb, who had been extremely active on the right, cut inside and was brought down by the opposing full-back.
The referee awarded New Manchester United a direct free kick.
It was around 32 metres from goal, slightly to the right, with an excellent angle.
Juninho Pernambucano walked to the ball alone.
He did not even need a teammate beside him to provide a decoy.
He stood calmly over the ball and waited for QPR to organise their wall.
"Juninho, punish them!" Hleb said angrily as he walked past.
He had been highly influential throughout the match, but that also made him a major target for QPR's defenders.
He had been fouled more often than any other New Manchester United player, which left him furious.
The referee had allowed a great deal of physical contact, and several obvious fouls had gone unpunished.
Had Mourinho not repeatedly signalled from the touchline for him to stay calm, Hleb might already have lost his temper.
Mourinho had also applied constant pressure on the referee, insisting that his players deserved better protection from opponents who were clearly trying to intimidate and provoke them.
His protests appeared to have some effect.
This time, New Manchester United had been awarded a direct free kick in a dangerous position.
"Don't worry, Alexander. I feel good today!" Juninho replied with a smile.
Hleb smiled as well.
He looked at the QPR players organising the wall and almost wanted to tell them not to waste their time.
It would make no difference.
Anyone who had watched Juninho practise free kicks understood how dangerous he was.
Once the wall was set, Juninho took several steps backward.
The movement immediately increased the pressure on the QPR goalkeeper.
He knew Juninho was New Manchester United's main set-piece specialist, so he did not dare relax for a moment.
Juninho struck the ball cleanly.
It rose over the heads of the jumping QPR players.
The goalkeeper saw it clearly.
It was not spinning violently, which gave him some confidence, and it was not travelling at exceptional speed.
He took several quick steps and dived toward the ball, already imagining himself making the save.
At that moment, however, the ball suddenly dipped.
It dropped beneath his outstretched hands and flew into the net.
0-1!
After scoring, Juninho clenched both fists and shouted repeatedly as he ran toward the section containing New Manchester United's travelling supporters.
The moment the ball entered the net, the Red Rebels supporters rose together and erupted in celebration.
As Juninho ran toward them, they began singing the song written especially for him, just as they had once created the Curtis Song.
Mourinho, who had contained his emotions for the opening half hour, leapt into the air when the goal went in.
He punched his right fist upward, muttered something excitedly, then returned to the technical area and embraced each of his assistants and substitutes.
"He certainly is an expressive manager!" Martin Tyler said with a laugh during the broadcast.
"But a very capable one, wouldn't you agree?" Scarlett Erland replied with a smile.
Many outsiders had once doubted the Portuguese newcomer, especially during the early part of the previous season.
They believed his New Manchester United side had abandoned the style of the Bruce era and chosen an entirely different path.
However, after the club won the title, those doubts gradually faded.
Some supporters had even begun calling him New Manchester United's own Sir Alex Ferguson, a comparison reportedly first made by Ethan.
New Manchester United's playing style was strong and aggressive, but also technically accomplished.
The players moved constantly, combined smoothly, and controlled the tempo with increasing maturity.
Their ability to shift between fast and slow phases of play frequently left opponents struggling to adjust.
"What has impressed me most in this match is New Manchester United's defence and their centre-forward," Martin Tyler continued.
"Kolo Touré, the right-back, cost them less than £100,000, while Didier Drogba also arrived for only around £100,000.
"Judging from this match, both players are excellent and ideally suited to what the club requires."
Martin Tyler had followed New Manchester United throughout the previous season.
Having accepted Granada Television's invitation again, he would continue covering the club's League Two campaign.
"Kolo Touré is quick, agile, and a very good defender. He is also completely comfortable with physical confrontation.
"Perhaps he doesn't offer as much going forward as Bosingwa, but New Manchester United already have plenty of attacking strength.
"Then there is Drogba.
"It's difficult to understand how a striker with his strength, pace, technique, passing ability, and link-up play could be available for only £100,000."
Martin Tyler shook his head repeatedly.
"I don't know whether the club that sold him made a terrible mistake or whether New Manchester United simply completed an extraordinary deal.
"I've also noticed that almost every player New Manchester United sign possesses real talent. They have barely made a poor signing."
At that moment, Martin Tyler looked toward the New Manchester United bench, where Čech happened to lean forward and look out at the pitch.
"Perhaps there is only one decision I still don't understand.
"Why did New Manchester United use this season's Special Talent Clause on a goalkeeper, especially when they reportedly invested so much effort in signing him?"
"But if Ethan made that decision, he must have had his reasons," Scarlett replied. She clearly had great faith in both Ethan and New Manchester United.
(To be continued.)