Before David could fully absorb the reality of his time travel, an unexpected challenge emerged.
First, he needed to confirm whether history had diverged from his previous life or if events were unfolding similarly. Fortunately, the champions in various leagues remained the same: Manchester United in the Premier League, Roma in Serie A, Real Madrid in La Liga, and the Champions League finalists Bayern Munich and Valencia—the "Bat Army."
With history intact, David finally breathed a sigh of relief; he could move forward without the weight of altered timelines.
However, managing Notts County was no simple matter. Ambitions alone wouldn't suffice without finances.
Surprisingly, early in his tenure, David found himself forced to mortgage Notts County to Barclays Bank's Nottingham branch for £2 million—this despite leveraging old family relationships. Without such connections, even with ownership of the Meadow Lane Stadium, the club wouldn't have qualified for an equivalent loan.
David kept this financial move under wraps, confiding only in two trusted members of the club's finance department. He knew few would understand his reasoning until later.
Unfortunately, the Barclays employee handling the loan was a die-hard Nottingham Forest fan—a fierce rival. The news of their enemy club's mortgage quickly leaked to local media.
Despite Forest now playing in the higher First Division and Notts County languishing in the Second Division, Forest fans delighted in the misfortune of their city rival. Seeing Notts County's chairman "playing the club like a toy" was satisfaction enough for them.
For Notts County fans, the revelation was a crushing blow. The young chairman, David Parvis, had earned widespread support for his ambitious investments—but mortgaging their historic club was unthinkable.
Supporters gathered outside the club headquarters, raising banners demanding David end this reckless move and save their beloved club from disaster.
More impassioned fans gathered outside David's home, shouting vehemently. Should he appear, bricks and empty bottles might rain down.
But David was far from deterred. At that moment, he was traversing bookmakers across England—foreign and domestic—betting on upcoming football spectacles.
His attention was firmly fixed on the UEFA Champions League final—the first opportunity for David to capitalize on his knowledge and rebuild his fortune.
In his previous life, David had admired and marveled at this pinnacle of European football.
Last season, Valencia had reached the final only to fall to Real Madrid in a fierce all-Spanish civil war. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich held firm against the "Bat Army" in Germany's top league.
In the final, the two teams battled fiercely to a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes and still remained deadlocked after extra time. The clutch moment came down to penalties.
The "Bat Army" ultimately lost out in the cruel shootout, severing their dreams of silverware. They looked on helplessly as their opponents erupted in jubilation.
Knowing the result beforehand, David saw an opportunity for capital accumulation through betting.
Though hesitant and selective in his wagers, he bought into bets focusing on a 1-1 final scoreline—odds sometimes exceeding 9.0 from certain bookmakers.
Though he wanted to bet big, bookmakers limited stakes given the magnitude of the event, leaving David with some regret.
At the San Siro in Milan, watching surrounded by fervent fans from both sides, David vowed silently to himself: One day, Notts County would compete on such grand stages too—basking in glory and acclaim.
Early in the match, Valencia's captain Mendieta converted a penalty within the first three minutes. The second half saw Tiger Effenberg equalize with a penalty of his own.
David's nerves melted into excitement, hands trembling despite knowing the outcome. When the regular time whistle blew, he nearly collapsed from the overwhelming thrill.
The shootout outcome no longer mattered to David. Ready to leave the stadium behind, he also looked forward to reclaiming his earnings at the bookmaker.
For a fan of ashes and embers, standing amid the brutal penalty shootout was an unforgettable experience.
At the moment Pellegrino stepped up for his decisive penalty, David's thoughts leapt ahead, imagining the Argentine-led Bat Army facing Bayern Munich years later—and again losing.
Watching players on both sides, David couldn't help but feel insatiable greed for such talent.
If only Notts County possessed such a cast of stars, the world could be theirs.