*
Season opener: Chelsea v Man City.
They don't come much bigger than this, especially since Chelsea won the title last season but it's a nice sunny day in London and hopefully we can get some much needed revenge on Chelsea for the past few games.
Macie is feeling a lot better after the cold she had, but still isn't with me because she's at a cousins wedding.
Even though there is a lot of pressure riding on this game for many reasons, Steph looks calm and collected and I think she sets the tone for pre-match as the team pick up on how she is and channel her calmness.
My phone bleeps and I take it out to check it.
Email from Manchester City
'Dear Miss Charlotte Williams,
I am writing to inform you that your application for the role of Performance Analyst for Man City Women has been successful.
You will be required to report to the Main Entrance of the City Football Academy on Monday 10th September at 10am, where Mercedes Antrobus, MCFWC Communications Manager and your predecessor Roya Arabshahi, will take you through all the necessary measures.
Congratulations on your appointment as Performance Analyst to the Women's team and welcome to the City family.
Your sincerely,
Gavin Makel
Head of Women's Football for Manchester City Football Club'.
*
At half time, the game is still 0-0 and I take the time to ring my parents while the noise is a little less.
Dad answers immediately, which means he must be in his office and seems to know why I'm ringing because his first words are 'congratulations', before stating the bleeding obvious with the fact he saw my application.
He sounds thrilled, probably more excited that he'll now be able to ambush me at work, so I quickly finish up with him so I can ring mum, but someone appears beside me.
"So, you stole my job".
I smile.
"Hello to you too and Roya, I didn't steal your job as such, you decided to leave" I turn my eyes to the analyst, see that she's smiling and is just trying to mess with me, "congratulations, I know you'll do a brilliant job" she says.
"Do the girls know?" I ask and Roya shakes her head, "they don't know who their new analyst is, but they know they're getting a new one tomorrow" she replies.
"So, how is your last day?".
"It's ok. Weird in some ways because this is all I've really wanted to do and I've not really been in the role long, but my family needs me" Roya smiles, "plus I know, the club knows and Nick knows those girls are in very safe and capable hands".
*
All in all, the end result of a draw is a good and a bad one, but neither manager will be raving about it and are more likely to criticise it to be honest.
Looking at it one way, the champions dropped early points and we played alright, but look at it from another angle and we lost points, could have nearly lost altogether and it's exactly that exciting.
Pitting the current champions against the former on the first day of the season wasn't a particularly smart idea by the FA for many reasons and a game between a top team and one mid-table last season would have been more interesting.
The stadium is nearly empty, apart from a few Chelsea players cooling down, the City fans and some of the home team signing things, so I head out to where the bus has pulled up and watch the staff popping in and out with equipment, food and other stuff.
Nick comes out pretty early but spots me and comes over.
"Hello. How are you?" he asks, shaking my hands, "I'm great thanks" I smile.
"Not the greatest of games you've ever seen" he huffs, "not really, though I'm sure you'll take lots of positives from it for the Atlético game. Focus on that now, right?".
Nick nods.
"Definitely. A bit of down time on the bus and then it's all focus on the Champions League" he explains, "congratulations on your new job by the way" he adds quietly, "Thank you. Roya said no one know yet?" I say and Nick shakes his head, "no, but if they catch me talking to you, then we'll be here for ages".
"I'll see you tomorrow then. Welcome to the team" Nick smiles, shaking my hand once again before getting on the bus as I slip away from the barrier.
*
YOU ARE READING
Connections
FanfictionCharlotte Williams always wanted to be a football coach or referee. Becoming a coach was almost a no brained where as being a referee; well there's more to that than meets the eye. You see the standard of referring, especially in the women's game i...
