Thirty-two thousand pounds. I was currently earning minimum wage at a convenience store, stacking shelves at 3 am. This was life-changing money.

"There's one more thing," Gary said. "If you take this role, you'd be leaving Moss Side. Leaving these players. Leaving this community. That's not a decision to take lightly. I can see what you've built here. It's special. But I can also see that you're ambitious. That you want to test yourself at a higher level. This is your chance."

He paused, letting that sink in.

"Crystal Palace isn't just offering you a job, Danny. We're offering you a pathway. Prove yourself with the U18s, and you could move up to U23s. Excel there, and you could become a first-team coach. We develop managers just like we develop players. But it starts here, with the U18s, with getting your badges, with learning the professional game properly."

I looked down at the card in my hand. Crystal Palace. Premier League academy. U18s head coach. A proper salary. A development pathway. Everything I'd ever dreamed of.

But also leaving Moss Side. Leaving Big Dave, Jamie, JJ, Baz, and Kev. Leaving Terry. Leaving Frankie. Leaving the club that had given me my chance.

"Can I ask you something?" I said.

"Of course."

"Why me? Really. There are hundreds of academy coaches out there with more experience, more qualifications, better CVs. Why take a risk on someone from the County League?"

Gary smiled. "Because you did something today that most professional coaches wouldn't dare try. You played a seventeen-year-old in a Libero role in a title-deciding match. That's not just tactics, that's belief in young players. That's what academy coaching is all about. We need people who'll take risks on talented kids, who'll put them in challenging positions and trust them to deliver. You proved today that you can do that."

He glanced at his watch. "I need to get going, long drive back to London. But Danny, think about it. Get your UEFA B sorted if you're interested. The course starts next week in Birmingham: I can send you the details. And if you want this, if you're ready to take the next step, then call me. We'll set up the interview."

"Thank you," I managed. "I'll... I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask." He shook my hand again. "Congratulations on the title, Danny. You've built something special here. Enjoy tonight. You've earned it."

And then he was gone, disappearing into the night, leaving me standing there with his business card and a decision that could change everything.

I stood there for a long moment, staring at the card in my hand. My first thought wasn't of myself, of my ambition, of my career. It was of them. My players. The men who'd trusted me, believed in me, followed me. The men I'd led to glory. The men I'd promised to build a future with.

I looked around the room one more time. At Baz still dancing on the table, shirt off, beer in hand, pure joy on his face. At Kev and Frankie laughing together, both of them happy, both of them part of this beautiful moment. At Big Dave with his wife, the trophy at his feet, a look of profound pride in his eyes. At everything we'd built together.

Loyalty versus ambition. The past versus the future. The heart versus the head.

I returned to Emma. She looked at the card in my hand, then at my face, and I saw understanding dawn in her eyes.

"What was that about?"

"He's the Academy Manager at Crystal Palace," I said quietly. "They're looking for a new U18s coach. He wants to interview me for it."

Her eyes widened. "Crystal Palace? Danny, that's..."

"Premier League academy. I know."

"What did you say?"

"I said I'd think about it. But there's a catch... I need to get my UEFA B licence within a month before the interview. It's a requirement."

"Can you do that?"

"The course is two weeks residential, then assessments. It starts next week in Birmingham. It's expensive probably a couple thousand pounds. And I'd have to take time off work." I laughed bitterly. "Time off from the convenience store to get a coaching badge so I can interview for a Premier League job. It sounds insane when I say it out loud."

Emma was quiet for a moment, studying my face. "But you want to do it, don't you?"

Did I? I looked around the room again. At the celebration. At the joy. At everything we'd achieved. "I don't know," I said honestly. "Part of me wants to stay. This is my home. These are my people. We just won the league together. How can I leave them?"

"And the other part?"

"The other part wants to see how far I can go. Crystal Palace, Emma. A Premier League academy. Working with the best young players in the country. Learning from top coaches. A proper salary. It's everything I've ever dreamed of."

She took my hand. "Come on. Let's go home. We need to talk about this properly."

We said our goodbyes: Frankie gave me a knowing look, Big Dave was too drunk to notice, Kev tried to get me to do a shot and I politely declined and left the party. The walk back to Emma's flat was quiet, both of us lost in thought.

When we got inside, Emma made tea and we sat on the couch. The euphoria of the title win was still there, but now it was mixed with something else. Uncertainty. Possibility. Fear.

"So," Emma said, curled up beside me with her mug. "Crystal Palace want you to coach their U18s."

"If I can get my UEFA B in time. If I make it through the interview. If I'm better than the other three candidates who actually have proper experience."

"You will be."

"You don't know that."

"I do. Danny, you just won a league title with tactics that professional managers wouldn't dare try. You developed a seventeen-year-old into a hero in the biggest game of the season. You turned down fifty grand for JJ because you knew it was wrong for him. That's not luck. That's talent. That's exactly what they're looking for."

I was quiet for a moment. "What about us?"

"What about us?" She took my hand. "London's not that far. Two hours by train. I can visit on weekends. You can come back when you have time off. We'll figure it out."

"You really think I should do it?"

"I think you've already decided. You're just scared to admit it."

She was right. I had decided. Somewhere between Gary Issott walking into the clubhouse and this moment, I'd made my choice.

"I need to book the UEFA B course," I said quietly. "It starts Monday. Two weeks in Birmingham. I'll have to quit the convenience store. Use my savings to pay for it. And then... then I'll interview. And if they offer me the job, I'll take it."

Emma smiled, leaned in, and kissed me. "Good. Now go to sleep. You've had a long day. You can sort out the course booking in the morning."

But I knew I wouldn't sleep. My mind was already racing. UEFA B licence. Two weeks intensive coaching. Interview at Crystal Palace. U18s head coach. Premier League academy.

The miracle of Moss Side was complete. But my journey was just beginning.

And I couldn't wait to see where it would take me.

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