Chapter 83: Press Conference

City’s recruitment efforts were far from over. In fact, after meeting with the main coaching staff, Richard became even more proactive.

Alan Ball’s resignation, along with his team, meant an easing of the financial burden for City. Richard was now planning to find another backup striker to prepare for rotation alongside the young Emile Heskey.

In the tough, physically demanding world of the English lower leagues, having extra strikers is always a smart move. With that in mind, he took a trip to Kristiansund, Norway, and returned with a bargain—Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

The young forward was signed for just NOK 150,000, which translated to a mere £14,000!

What an absolute bargain!

The next step was to find fresh talent for City. As everyone knows, it’s better to be well-prepared than to scramble later.

First, Richard flew to West Ham United to negotiate with 13-year-old John Terry and his family. At the time, Terry was playing for West Ham, attending school, and training at the Boleyn Ground. Richard intercepted Terry and his family, hoping to persuade them.

The current system for youth development was straightforward—the Youth Training Scheme (YTS) in the United Kingdom, which was an on-the-job training program for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission.

Since John Terry was only 13 years old, Richard could not offer him a full professional contract yet, but he promised Terry a spot training with the first team once he turned eligible, providing a clear path to professional football. This is his promise as City chairman.

Second, Richard turned his attention to Rio Ferdinand, who was also in the West Ham United YTS program. Richard already had a connection with Ferdinand’s family, thanks to Les Ferdinand, making the negotiation much easier. The discussions were smooth and straightforward.

Third was William Gallas. Richard leveraged his connections at AS Cannes to secure a player from Caen named William Gallas. Through his relationship with the club, which had developed due to previous transfers like those of Zinedine Zidane and Patrick Vieira, they agreed to the deal. Of course, Richard covered the costs.

Lastly, Richard set his sights on Paul Robinson, the 14-year-old goalkeeper who had not yet made his professional debut but was playing for the Leeds United youth academy. Richard’s plan was to bring him on board for City’s future, further strengthening the squad with young talent.

The fourth marked the end of City’s transfer activity.

Since the League One season began on August 12, the team was scheduled to start their official training in late July. However, before that, the focus was on the World Cup, followed by the preseason preparations.

Richard also decided to reopen Manchester City and allowed all the departments he had temporarily shut down to resume their operations.

Employees returned to work after their paid vacation, and the city gates were once again open to the public, giving fans a chance to see what was happening inside. Slowly, supporters began gathering around the stadium, eager to witness the team’s next Chapter.

The reasoning behind this move was simple: Richard wanted to divert media attention, especially after the extensive clean-up he had just carried out within the club. With the World Cup taking center stage, it provided the perfect distraction, allowing the media to focus on the tournament instead of Manchester City.

As expected, only the die-hard fans—those subscribed to the official City magazine—kept a close eye on the club during this period.

City’s marketing and public relations team first reached out to

City Official Magazine

, and soon, an important piece of news began to spread among die-hard City fans—Alan Ball had finally resigned!

Finally!

In reality, he had already stepped down a few days earlier, but his official statement was only released after City resumed operations.

Addressing the fans and media, he declared:

"The pressure of this job has become overwhelming, not only due to the expectations I’ve placed on myself but also those from the fans and the club. For the sake of my well-being, I have already submitted my resignation and made the decision to step down from managing Manchester City."

His resignation sent shockwaves through many Manchester City supporters. For some, however, it was a long-awaited moment of relief.

A number of fans even openly celebrated his departure. But the surprises didn’t stop there. Shortly after the announcement of Alan Ball and his team’s exit, another bombshell dropped that stunned the fanbase.

Richard had managed to save the club £2 million—and wasted no time reinvesting £100,000 into firing the entire scouting department, sparking a massive uproar!

Before the dust could settle, another shockwave hit: City announced a transfer list that included 12 players—Lee Crooks, Gerard Wiekens, Michael Brown, Terry Cooke, Neil Heaney, Kevin Horlock, Gary Mason, Lee Bradbury, Michael Branch, Chris Greenacre, Mark Robins, and Craig Russell.

Twelve players in total!

Peter Pettigrew, furious at the changes, stormed off to find Richard, ranting about how unfair and outrageous the decisions were. But what did Richard do? He simply let the "mouse" vent at the gates while security stood watch. Left with no other option, Pettigrew was left outside, stewing in frustration.

Then came yet another announcement: the new manager for the upcoming season in the second division would be Martin O’Neill.

City fans were livid. Several former Manchester City players publicly criticized Richard’s decision, claiming that O’Neill was a poor choice and that the job should have gone to a club legend like Tony Book or Glyn Pardoe.

Richard, initially stunned, couldn’t help but burst into laughter. "I thought, where have they been all this time? Turns out, they were just waiting for my invitation!"

There was a demonstration at the City gates, but not many fans showed up. The climax came when Richard was about to head back to the Holiday Inn, where he was staying. A fan managed to stop his car and began criticizing him.

"Nobody is quite sure what’s happened at the club this time, but Tony is our own man. Why didn’t you choose him? You’re just like Swales and Lee, chasing instant success!"

The security team moved in, but Richard raised his hand, signaling them to stop, and simply smiled at the fan. "It seems people have short memories," he said, shaking his head. What he wanted to remind the fan of was Tony Book’s performance for City in 1980, but he decided against mentioning it.

Turning back to the fan, Richard said, "Now, at Maine Road, we have to start all over again—bringing in a new manager, new staff, and new players. The whole process starts fresh. Thank you." He nodded toward the security before walking away.

The explanation did not satisfy the City fans. What did he mean by "start all over again"?

So far, all he had done was fire and sell players!

For the fans, what Richard had done recently was nothing short of bold. His actions had taken them on a rollercoaster ride, full of unexpected twists and turns.

On the same day, however, Richard released news of new signings, arriving one after another.

While City fans were familiar with stars like Sol Campbell among the new arrivals, it was enough to lift their spirits.

A Premier League player? He managed to poach him?

But when they saw the next signings, they were taken aback.

Ronaldo?

Roberto Carlos?

Cafu?

Mike Phelan?

Ole Gunnar Solskjær?

Who are they?

In 1994, the Brazilian league was not widely known or closely followed in England. It did not receive much media coverage, and most local fans, other than those following the English league, primarily focused on Serie A and La Liga, which were considered the top leagues at the time.

The club’s statement continued: "The total transfer amount reached £15 million..."

And when they heard the amount of money Richard spent, they gasped.

Just a year ago, Manchester United set the British transfer record by signing Roy Keane for £3.75 million. It’s worth noting that last summer, the total spending from all 22 Premier League clubs in the transfer market was just over £60 million.

Now, a club in the second division is about to spend 25% of that amount on transfers!

It’s clear that such arithmetic cannot be reduced to simple sums. When Richard said, "

We have to start all over again—bringing in a new manager, new staff, and new players,"

he truly meant it.

But £15 million for six players? And most of them are still young and underdeveloped? Is the new chairman crazy?

Many fans wondered.

TAP TAP TAP.

The sound of footsteps echoed, and Richard looked up.

The press conference, which was to be presented by the new chairman himself, was about to begin.

Soon, the door was knocked, and after Richard gave a nod, Mr. Heysen opened the door and said, "Mr. Richard, everyone is ready."

Richard stood up instantly. The press conference was officially announced, and it was going to take place at the Maine Road Training Ground.

The news of Manchester City undergoing a major overhaul, from the coaching staff down to the first team, should have been big. However, thanks to City being in the second division and the press coinciding with the World Cup opening, there weren’t many journalists from the bigger media agencies; it was more of a local affair.

The wider media coverage was usually reserved for Premier League teams, so there weren’t many journalists from the bigger agencies, which Richard was happy to see.

Richard gathered himself and took his seat. He then knocked on the microphone to get everyone’s attention.

"I just want to say this before you start asking questions," he said in a lighthearted manner, prompting a few chuckles from the crowd.

"As the new chairman of Manchester City, I understand the weight of this role and the expectations that come with it. This is a club with a rich history, and we have a passionate fanbase. My goal is to restore pride to this club and ensure that we not only compete but excel in all areas, both on and off the pitch."

"..."

"I know the road ahead won’t be easy, but I’m confident that with the right strategy, vision, and, most importantly, the support of our fans and staff, we will achieve success. We will build a team that can contend at the highest level, and we will work relentlessly to bring Manchester City back to where it belongs."

He paused for a moment, letting his words settle before continuing.

"Premier League."

A few local reporters scribbled down notes, while others exchanged curious glances.

"Thanks. I won’t bore you with too many details today. There’s no need for introductions, as you all know me and I’m not a new figure here. Now, you can begin asking questions."

The reporters raised their hands, and Richard picked a young lady with black-rimmed glasses and blonde hair. He knew beforehand that she was the reporter from City Official Magazine, which is why he chose her.

"First of all, congratulations on becoming the new chairman," she teased, and Richard simply smiled at her. "I’m Mary from City Official Magazine. Sir, what’s been happening at the club recently? Why did you close down the entire stadium and only just reopen it externally?"

"I’m rebuilding the entire club," Richard replied.

English teams generally make summer signings to supplement their existing squads, but a major overhaul of the lineup is rare. Only Blackburn’s big-spending efforts could be considered truly significant in recent years, as they spent money on big names, marking a real overhaul.

She nodded, expecting an answer, and continued her question, "We’d like to know about your plans for the club moving forward."

Richard smiled, "Well, right now, the goal is promotion. Next season, the goal is still promotion. That’s the only objective. Only once we’re in the Premier League can I give you a different answer."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Sir, according to the information I received, you’ve fired all the staff and still haven’t brought in any new ones. How do you expect to compete with other clubs if you don’t even have the proper staff in place?"

Richard seemed momentarily confused by the question. "Well, I’ll hire capable people, right? Haven’t there already been announcements about O’Neill and his team becoming the new managers?"

"Why O’Neill, sir? Why not Tony Book? He’s the fans’ choice right now."

’Ah, so this is her real question,’

Richard mused to himself, but he countered it with a question of his own. "And let City repeat the results from 1980?" he said, his tone irked.

He knew it probably wasn’t the best way to respond, but damn, it felt good.

He continued, "The current City is still haunted by the past, clinging to players who belong in the Hall of Fame. We can’t keep relying on them. I respect Tony Book and Glyn Pardoe, but for now, the decision is final. They’re simply not the right fit to manage Manchester City at this point."

Another reporter took the opportunity to stand up and ask, "Mr. Maddox, you said you plan to rebuild the club. Does that mean we can expect more transfer news from Manchester City?"

"No, City’s transfer activity is over. Now, we focus on the preseason." Richard stated firmly before standing up. He looked around the room, nodded at the reporters, and with a polite smile, added, "Thank you all for attending today’s press conference."

"Mr. Maddox! A quick word!"

"Mr. Maddox!"

But Richard, already heading toward the exit, didn’t slow his pace.