Ethan's cot in the office now belongs to Lin Sen. The young Chinese scout is rarely at the club, as his job requires him to travel across England, attending matches and analyzing players. Sometimes, he records footage himself for further review.
With his office space repurposed, Ethan now returns to his apartment to sleep. Fortunately, it's not far from the club's training ground, connected by a tree-lined path. Compared to London, Luton's public security situation is relatively stable, and as the manager of the town's only professional football club, Ethan has become a well-known local figure.
As usual, he grabbed the morning newspaper from his apartment mailbox. It was 2008, and traditional English football culture still embraced print media. Just like how veteran midfielder Roy would always return from his morning jog at the same time, some habits never changed. The sun was shining brightly, a rare sight in England, and Ethan stretched with satisfaction—perfect weather for football.
The local newspapers were full of praise for Luton Town. The team was in excellent form, having just secured a crucial victory over Bournemouth in a rescheduled fixture. That win took Luton to 20 points, pushing them up to 13th in the League One table. Brentford, sitting seventh, had 33 points, meaning Luton was 13 points off the playoff spots. Unfortunately, the teams at the top of the table were also in fine form. League leaders Wycombe Wanderers had already amassed 40 points, making the gap to the summit even steeper.
Despite the challenge, the local media had begun speculating about Luton's chances of reaching the promotion playoffs. The season hadn't even reached its halfway point, and with their current momentum, a top-six finish was within reach. Ambitions had grown—at the start of the season, Ethan's goal was merely a playoff spot, but now, with the team firing on all cylinders, he had bigger dreams. He wanted to skip the uncertainty of the playoffs altogether and push for an automatic promotion spot. Maybe even challenge for the League One title.
With December's packed fixture schedule, Ethan decided to give his players a well-earned day off. The next match, a home game against Benfleet, was three days away. Rest was just as important as training—players weren't machines, and a break would help them recharge mentally and physically.
Ethan's idea of a day off was simple. After breakfast, he strolled around town, had lunch outside, and took a two-hour nap. In the afternoon, he spent time analyzing classic football matches, always looking for tactical inspiration. Dinner was also eaten out, but there was one thing about Luton he couldn't quite accept—there wasn't a single good Chinese restaurant in town. That meant he had to endure England's notoriously bland cuisine daily.
Later that evening, Ethan visited a small bar near his apartment. It was an unassuming place, mostly frequented by locals, and had no flashy signs or advertisements. His arrival was met with cheers—he had become a familiar face here. Many of these same fans had jeered him at the start of the season, but after leading Luton on a winning run, he had won them over.
"You should open earlier, Arthur!" Ethan joked as he walked in.
Arthur, the bar owner, was a stocky man with a receding hairline—far from the image of a heroic King Arthur.
"Have you ever seen a bar open in the morning, Ethan?" Arthur replied with a smirk.
Ethan shrugged. If the bar had been open, he wouldn't have had to wander around town all day.
"Whiskey," he ordered, having developed a fondness for strong spirits. Whether it was whiskey, Moutai, or Erguotou, he enjoyed them all.
The bar was livelier than usual tonight because the FA Cup third-round draw was about to take place.
"Hey… it's Lineker!" someone exclaimed.
Gary Lineker, England's legendary striker and 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner, was hosting the draw. His popularity in England remained high, not just for his footballing achievements but also for his work as a pundit.
"I love this guy! I watch his show all the time."
"I grew up watching him play!"
"Shh! Keep it down—I can't hear what he's saying!"
The bar quieted as Luton fans waited eagerly to see which team their club would draw in the third round. Historically, Luton's FA Cup performances had been underwhelming—their best-ever run only took them to the fourth round. If luck was on their side, they might finally break that barrier.
"I can't wait for the draw to start!" someone muttered impatiently.
Lineker was still talking, likely analyzing the Premier League's top teams and their FA Cup chances, but Ethan wasn't paying attention. His focus was on Luton's fate.
"Who do you think we'll get?" a fan asked.
"I hope we draw Manchester United!"
"Why not Manchester City? We might actually have a chance against them!"
"Manchester United? Are you dreaming?!"
The bar buzzed with excitement. The FA Cup was full of surprises, and for a lower-league club like Luton, the chance to face a Premier League giant was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
"Man City is also very strong. Ever since Sheikh Mansour took over, they've had immense financial backing. I heard that next season, the Abu Dhabi owners will invest around £200 million in new signings."
"Oh... damn..."
"I hope we draw a lower-league team so we can make it to the fourth round."
"Let's get Chelsea. They're loaded; they won't even care about the ticket revenue."
"Now, Manchester City is the richest club. They practically have an endless supply of cash thanks to their oil money..."
The bar was buzzing with conversation as fans discussed the upcoming FA Cup draw.
On TV, after a brief monologue from Gary Lineker and a few minutes of commercials, the main event finally began.
"Now, we start the draw..." Ethan heard the familiar voice loud and clear.
The first Premier League team drawn was Arsenal. Their opponent? Leeds United.
A sigh swept through the bar. Many had hoped for a big-name opponent to generate excitement in the third round. With Arsenal, one of England's traditional top clubs, already drawn, the chances of landing a marquee matchup diminished.
Next, Manchester United was drawn against Southampton.
Liverpool's name came up shortly after—they would be facing Preston North End away from home.
By now, the fans in the bar had adjusted their expectations. Instead of hoping for a glamour tie against a Premier League powerhouse, they were now eager for their team to draw a lower-league opponent—someone from the Championship or League One—to boost their chances of reaching the FA Cup fourth round.
The draw continued on TV, with the home teams announced first.
"Chelsea..."
The room went quiet for a moment. Chelsea, having won multiple Premier League titles, were now one of England's elite clubs.
"Luton..."
Before the fans could react, Chelsea's opponent was revealed—Luton Town.
Silence fell over the bar, and all eyes turned to Ethan.
They all knew his history with Chelsea.
Ethan remained composed, lifted his glass, and gave a slight nod to the crowd.
This was going to be an interesting draw..