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 0â0 with Everton in their first league game at the new ground.
Kevin Keegan returned to football as Fulham FCâs 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 3â0 at Hillsborough Stadium.
Richard definitely didnât want to miss the chance to reconnect with his former teammatesâplayers like Guy Whittingham, Andy Booth, and Mark Pembridgeâmen 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 embracedâtight and brotherlyâthe kind of hug shared by men who had gone through years of battles together, but hadnât seen each other in ages.
Guy Whittingham and Mark Pembridge werenât 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... itâs still unbelievable what youâve accomplished. Seriously." Pembridge said with a shake of the head, slapping Richardâs shoulder warmly.
Richard laughed, especially at hearing his old nickname againâ"Richie", something he hadnât heard since their shared days at Sheffield Wednesday.
At the end of the day, a footballerâs career is fragileâtheir 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 remainedâBooth, 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 rememberedâthe only ones still holding on. One minute, you were the crowdâs hero; the next, just a forgotten name in the matchday program.
After the Sheffield Wednesday game and a string of consecutive victories, Manchester Cityâs 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 "Peopleâs Princess"
She was widely loved for her warmth, compassion, and relatability. Unlike many royals, she broke with tradition and connected emotionally with ordinary peopleâhugging 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 strugglesâmarital problems, battles with mental health, and heartbreakâplayed out in front of the media, and many felt personally invested in her story.
She was more than just a royalâshe 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 Familyâs initially reserved reaction to the tragedy.
The Queen acknowledged the nationâs grief and spoke of Dianaâs warmth, compassion, and enduring legacy.
Around the same time, French investigators revealed that Dianaâs 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-Fayedâfather of Dodi Al-Fayed, who also died in the crashâplaced blame on the paparazzi who had been relentlessly pursuing the vehicle through the Paris streets.
Maine Road, Manchester.
"A bad news and a good newsâ which one do you want to hear first?"
Miss Heysen entered Richardâs office and spoke with her usual directness.
"Letâs hear the bad news first," Richard said.
"The bad news is, youâll need to postpone your trip to America for now."
Richard frowned. "Why?"
"Because of the good news. Youâve received an invitation from Viscount Bute to attend an auction at his estate tonight. Will you go? I suggest you accept itâthis is your chance to meet him directly and discuss the gas tank project youâve been eyeing."
Richard was initially confusedâ
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 Britainâs 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 timeâhosted by Viscount Buteâwas 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 Buteâs elegant residence in Chelsea, was attended by a blend of aristocrats, wealthy businessmen, and prominent London celebritiesâa clear display of the Viscountâs 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 eraâfigureheads desperately clinging to relevance in a world that had long since moved on. The pageantry, the titles, the formalitiesânone 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 numberâand answered.
"This is Richard Maddox. Who is this?"
A measured, almost hesitant voice replied, "Yes... itâs 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 youâre at Viscount Buteâs auction tonight. I have a propositionâone that concerns both Dianaâs memory and the redevelopment youâre pursuing. And..."
He stopped briefly, as if weighing his words, then finally said what was on his mind.
"I need your help."