CHAPTER 172: THE LONG JOURNEY HOME

Chapter 172: The Long Journey Home

November 13th, 2010

The final whistle had barely finished echoing when the celebrations exploded.

The Crawley players let out a roar, part joy, part sheer relief.

They didn’t just cheer, they crumbled into each other, a tangled heap of exhausted, overjoyed bodies on the cold turf of a faraway stadium.

Liam McCulloch, the usually calm and serious center-back, found himself locked in a huge bear hug from Thiago, whose face was lit up with a wild, beaming smile.

The two couldn’t stop laughing Liam, steady and quiet as always, and Thiago, all heart and energy, caught up in the moment.

It hadn’t just been a game.

It was a test of grit, of heart, of everything they had.

And they had come out on top.

In the locker room, the air was heavy with the smell of sweat, mud, and something more the raw, electric feeling of victory.

No one was bragging about goals or flashy plays.

Instead, they were lost in the moments that only they had felt deep in the fight, the little things that didn’t make headlines but meant everything.

They talked about how Korey stood his ground and won a free-kick when they were under pressure.

How Dev, in just the right instant, spotted the run and delivered a perfect pass.

How Reece threw himself into a tackle that turned the tide when they needed it most.

These weren’t just plays.

They were proof of the grit, the trust, the unspoken connection that had carried them through.

It wasn’t one player’s win it was all of theirs, built on the moments they fought for each other.

Niels stepped into the room, his face calm, but his eyes said everything quiet pride, deep satisfaction.

He didn’t need to say much.

The room was already buzzing with the voices of players reliving every hard-fought moment.

They were speaking the speech he would’ve given full of heart, grit, and belief.

He just stood there for a second, taking it all in, then let a small, knowing smile tug at his lips.

"Get on your phones," he said, his voice steady and soft. "You’re gonna want to see this."

The players pulled out their phones, and a wave of quiet amazement swept through the room.

The headlines were already lighting up the screen match reports, highlight clips, and reactions from fans and pundits across Europe.

"Crawley’s Europa Dream Rolls On."

"Seven Points from Three games, Knockouts in Sight."

"From the M23 to Europe’s Bright Lights."

They looked at each other, wide-eyed and grinning.

It wasn’t just a good start, it was better than anyone had dared to imagine.

Three games down, three still to come with two of them at home, one more travelling.

The dream wasn’t finished.

It was just getting started.

The bus ride to the airport felt like a completely different world compared to the tense, silent journey they’d made to the stadium just hours before.

Now, it was alive with laughter, chatter, and the buzz of something unforgettable.

Thiago, grinning from ear to ear, leaned over to show Korey a video on his phone, a replay of his own cheeky chip goal. His eyes sparkled with pride.

"See? I told you I could do it!" he laughed, his accent thick and joyful, the kind of voice that could lift a room.

Around them, the team was riding high tired legs, sore bodies, but hearts full.

The night had given them something special, and none of them wanted it to end just yet.

Korey just laughed. "I still think I should have taken the shot."

"Nah, my brother," Thiago replied, "This was for the highlight reel."

Dev sat by the window, watching the city lights streak past in a blur.

The cold pressed against the glass, but inside, there was a quiet warmth growing in his chest the kind that didn’t come from the win alone.

He wasn’t thinking about the goal he scored, or the pass he missed.

What stayed with him were the moments in between the way Nate had roared with joy after scoring, the way Max had gently squeezed his shoulder after he fluffed his first chance, no judgment, just belief.

It wasn’t just about football anymore.

It was about them this team, this bond, this feeling of being part of something bigger than himself.

And for the first time in a long time, that felt like enough.

He felt the seat beside him dip. It was Niels.

The coach didn’t say anything, just sat there for a moment, the quiet hum of the bus filling the silence.

"That pass to Thiago," Niels said at last, his voice low and steady, like a calm after the storm. "It was perfect. You knew where he was going before he even got there. That’s what I’m talking about."

Dev looked down for a moment, then nodded, a quiet pride rising in his chest not loud, not boastful, just warm and real. "I just... knew he’d be there."

"Exactly," Niels said, and for a second, the hard edges of his face softened into a rare smile. "You didn’t have to see him. You just knew. That’s trust. That’s a team."

The flight back to England carried a quiet celebration in the air.

It wasn’t loud or wild, but there was a steady, deep happiness that filled the cabin.

Some players dozed off, others laughed softly or got lost in movies.

The tense silence from their trip to Norway had given way to a calm, contented buzz.

Even the veterans Adam Fletcher and Liam McCulloch who had been through it all before, looked peaceful and satisfied.

They weren’t just a mix of journeymen and young hopefuls anymore.

They had become something stronger a true team, bound together by a shared dream and a united purpose.

As the plane touched down, a wave of familiar relief rolled over everyone.

The air outside was still cold, but it was a different kind of cold the kind that felt like home.

West Sussex.

The bus ride from the airport was quiet.

The players were too tired to speak, but their faces told the story, a mix of deep satisfaction and sleepy contentment.

They had fought hard, traveled far, and now they were back where it all began.

The bus finally rolled into the quiet, familiar streets of their town.

Soft streetlights glowed over the empty roads, and the old buildings of Crawley seemed to reach out, welcoming them home.

They had traveled thousands of miles, faced countless challenges and now, they had made it back.

They had won.

They had earned seven points and were right on the edge of the knockout rounds.

They weren’t just underdogs anymore.

They were becoming a force to be reckoned with.

The bus rolled slowly through the sleeping town, every familiar corner reminding them of where they’d started and how far they’d come.

Tomorrow would bring training, tactics, and the hard work ahead. But for now, they let themselves soak in this moment.

Because this was more than a game.

It was a promise.

A new Chapter was waiting to be written, and they were ready to write it together.