CHAPTER 341: ASKING FOR HELP

The month-end Premier League table shows Manchester City on a hot run of form, topping the league with 14 goals scored and none conceded!

They lead the league on goal difference ahead of defending champions Manchester United, while West Ham United, Chelsea, and Arsenal provide the nearest competition.

Wimbledon, Aston Villa, and Southampton currently occupy the relegation zone, while newly promoted Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley (playing top division football for the first time), and Crystal Palace have all had a decent first month of the season.

In the First Division, Nottingham Forest lead the race for a Premier League place, with Bradford City surprisingly occupying second place in a division where they had been expected to struggle. West Bromwich Albion, Swindon Town, Sheffield United, and Portsmouth complete the top six.

On 1 September 1997, there were no major football matches as the entire Football League programme was moved to the previous Friday or the following Sunday out of respect for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. No Premier League fixtures were scheduled that day due to international breaks.

However, a few newsworthy events still occurred:

Bolton Wanderers moved into their new 27,500-seat Reebok Stadium after 102 years at Burnden Park, and drew 0–0 with Everton in their first league game at the new ground.

Kevin Keegan returned to football as Fulham FC’s Chief Operating Officer, working alongside the newly appointed Head Coach Ray Wilkins.

Ten days later, as the Premier League resumed, Manchester City continued their winning streak by defeating Sheffield Wednesday 3–0 at Hillsborough Stadium.

Richard definitely didn’t want to miss the chance to reconnect with his former teammates—players like Guy Whittingham, Andy Booth, and Mark Pembridge—men he had trained with, fought beside on the pitch, and shared countless locker room moments with before his early retirement from the game he loved.

Just outside the tunnel before the match, with the energy of the stadium buzzing all around, Richard spotted a familiar figure among the players warming up.

"Boothy!" he called out.

Andy Booth turned around immediately, his face lighting up with recognition. "Richard! You old bastard!" he laughed.

Without hesitation, the two embraced—tight and brotherly—the kind of hug shared by men who had gone through years of battles together, but hadn’t seen each other in ages.

Guy Whittingham and Mark Pembridge weren’t far behind. They came over quickly, smiles wide, clapping him on the back and gripping his hand like long-lost friends.

"No matter how I see you, Richie... it’s still unbelievable what you’ve accomplished. Seriously." Pembridge said with a shake of the head, slapping Richard’s shoulder warmly.

Richard laughed, especially at hearing his old nickname again—"Richie", something he hadn’t heard since their shared days at Sheffield Wednesday.

At the end of the day, a footballer’s career is fragile—their future hangs entirely on a piece of paper: a contract.

Out of all the players Richard had known during his time at the club, only three remained—Booth, Whittingham, and Pembridge. The rest had either retired, moved on to other clubs, or faded into the quiet shadows that swallowed up most ex-professionals.

They were the only ones left from that late-1980s era of Sheffield Wednesday that Richard truly remembered—the only ones still holding on. One minute, you were the crowd’s hero; the next, just a forgotten name in the matchday program.

After the Sheffield Wednesday game and a string of consecutive victories, Manchester City’s momentum became unstoppable.

Manchester City 4:1 Wimbledon

Tottenham Hotspur 2:4 Manchester City

Manchester City 2:0 Newcastle United

Southampton 1:3 Manchester City

Manchester City 5:0 Coventry City

Manchester City 4:1 Leicester City

While Manchester City was still basking in the joy of their perfect winning streak in the Premier League, the world remained in deep mourning over the tragic death of Princess Diana.

She Was the "People’s Princess"

She was widely loved for her warmth, compassion, and relatability. Unlike many royals, she broke with tradition and connected emotionally with ordinary people—hugging AIDS patients, visiting landmine survivors, and comforting the sick and poor. She made the monarchy feel human.

The world had watched her grow from a shy 19-year-old bride into a confident global figure. Her struggles—marital problems, battles with mental health, and heartbreak—played out in front of the media, and many felt personally invested in her story.

She was more than just a royal—she was a fashion icon, a humanitarian, and a symbol of modern femininity and independence. Her image and message resonated across cultures and borders.

Millions of people left flowers outside Kensington Palace. Her funeral was watched by 2.5 billion people worldwide, making it one of the most-watched televised events in history.

Not long after her death, Queen Elizabeth II delivered a rare and emotional nationwide broadcast, paying tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.

The speech came in response to mounting public criticism over the Royal Family’s initially reserved reaction to the tragedy.

The Queen acknowledged the nation’s grief and spoke of Diana’s warmth, compassion, and enduring legacy.

Around the same time, French investigators revealed that Diana’s driver, Henri Paul, had been significantly over the legal drink-driving limit and was driving at speeds exceeding 100 mph at the time of the crash. Meanwhile, lawyers for Mohamed Al-Fayed—father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who also died in the crash—placed blame on the paparazzi who had been relentlessly pursuing the vehicle through the Paris streets.

Maine Road, Manchester.

"A bad news and a good news— which one do you want to hear first?"

Miss Heysen entered Richard’s office and spoke with her usual directness.

"Let’s hear the bad news first," Richard said.

"The bad news is, you’ll need to postpone your trip to America for now."

Richard frowned. "Why?"

"Because of the good news. You’ve received an invitation from Viscount Bute to attend an auction at his estate tonight. Will you go? I suggest you accept it—this is your chance to meet him directly and discuss the gas tank project you’ve been eyeing."

Richard was initially confused—Viscount Bute?

Only when Miss Heysen reminded him did he recall the name.

"An auction, huh?" Richard sighed to himself.

Traditional nobles were always fond of hosting social gatherings, and each event was often extraordinarily sophisticated and grand in scale.

Of course, the foundation for such lavish and ritualistic events lay in the golden age of aristocracy, when land ownership dominated the economy. Nobles who held vast estates had the wealth to sustain such grandeur.

But as more advanced and efficient industries emerged, the focus of wealth shifted to new economic sectors. Moreover, the two world wars had dealt heavy blows to Britain’s aristocratic families. As a result, the aristocracy as a social class gradually declined. Only a few noble families could still afford to host gatherings reminiscent of that past splendor.

The ball that Richard was invited to this time—hosted by Viscount Bute—was not grand in scale, but it was certainly luxurious.

Events like this typically require months of preparation, yet the Viscount had managed to organize it with remarkable efficiency.

After all, the Bute family had long-standing wealth and influence. Their ancestors had acquired vast mineral resources in Wales and played a pivotal role in the development of Cardiff, the capital of Wales.

For instance, the Port of Cardiff was originally built by the second Marquess of Bute to facilitate the transport of coal from their mines. Later, the family generously donated properties such as Cardiff Castle and Bute Park to the local government.

The ball, held at Viscount Bute’s elegant residence in Chelsea, was attended by a blend of aristocrats, wealthy businessmen, and prominent London celebrities—a clear display of the Viscount’s powerful social network.

As a gesture of respect, Richard gave a polite nod.

Richard had little interest in the British royals or their fading traditions. To him, they were relics of a bygone era—figureheads desperately clinging to relevance in a world that had long since moved on. The pageantry, the titles, the formalities—none of it impressed him.

As far as he was concerned, they were in steady decline. And that trend would only accelerate in the years to come.

However, just as the auction was about to begin, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced down at the unfamiliar number—and answered.

"This is Richard Maddox. Who is this?"

A measured, almost hesitant voice replied, "Yes... it’s Charles Spencer."

"..."

Richard was stunned.He quickly composed himself.

"Mr. Spencer," Richard said, masking his surprise. "To what do I owe the honor?"

There was a pause on the other end."I understand you’re at Viscount Bute’s auction tonight. I have a proposition—one that concerns both Diana’s memory and the redevelopment you’re pursuing. And..."

He stopped briefly, as if weighing his words, then finally said what was on his mind.

"I need your help."