David had planned to kick off his first day at the club by announcing Notts County's new signings for the upcoming season. But before he could even sit down to plan his lineup, his beautiful and alluring secretary walked into his office, bringing urgent news that demanded his attention.
As much as he wanted to play it cool, David couldn't quite shake the awkwardness from his previous "nerdy younger brother" self in his past life. He was hardly the type to openly admire beautiful women—more suited to stealing furtive glances and pretending to look away when caught.
And now, with this stunning figure standing just feet away in his office, David fumbled to pick up his coffee, seemingly attempting to hide behind the mug's ceramic shield.
"An insanely attractive secretary—this is something I could've only dreamed of in my last life," he thought amusedly.
But those thoughts quickly vanished the moment the secretary started speaking.
"Several of the team's main players are demanding a raise," she informed him crisply. "And some are even threatening to request transfers if their demands
David blinked, momentarily surprised by the boldness of the players' demands, but his initial shock turned into something else entirely—amusement.
"Wait," he muttered, a sly grin forming on his face. "They're really asking for raises?"
While his secretary looked at him, unsure what to expect, David couldn't help but feel oddly relieved by the news.
To him, the demands from these players weren't a problem—they were a gift.
Last season, Notts County's first team was filled with unknowns—players with little pedigree and no place in David's grandiose vision for the club's future. While they were serviceable enough to maintain the club's position in the lower leagues, they weren't a foundation for taking the team higher.
David had mulled over their futures in recent weeks. Cutting them all at once seemed harsh and cold, considering they had contributed to the team's efforts. But here they were, handing him the perfect excuse to act decisively.
Players who couldn't see their place in the larger vision of the club—and who dared to create friction—had no place here.
"All right," David said with quiet authority. "If they want to leave, let them leave. A salary increase? Not a chance."
The secretary looked borderline flabbergasted. She had assumed David would scramble to retain the players—beg them to stay even, given their status as first-team regulars. Instead, her young boss seemed entirely unbothered.
"Inform all the players from last season's first team that they are free to find new clubs," David instructed calmly. "We'll be lenient on the transfers, so long as the fees are reasonable.
And for the ones demanding raises or threatening transfers—tell them this: Their value will determine their exit. If no one meets that price, they will sit in the reserves for the season. The senior team has no room for blackmail."
Her jaw nearly dropped. David, who looked barely older than a college student, had just issued an ultimatum sharper than any she'd heard from veteran executives.
The players, however, had no idea of the storm brewing over their immediate futures.
When the squad received the notice from the club, shock rippled through the players like a thunderclap. Last season's core group, the very players who had ensured Notts County's mid-table standing, couldn't fathom why the club would suddenly clear house.
Most players quickly accepted the reality. They had no deep loyalty to Notts County and saw this as an opportunity to negotiate higher wages elsewhere.
However, for those who thought themselves indispensable—the players who threatened the club with ultimatums—the response left them scrambling.
True to David's orders, the club was unwavering. Transfers for these players were only possible if another club matched their market valuation. No one did.
Stuck without a transfer and banished to the reserve squad, realization sank in. Years spent languishing in the reserves would destroy their careers.
Some players, desperate to save themselves, devised a plan. If they could rally fan sentiment against David and his decision-making, perhaps they could force him to reverse the cleanout or lower their asking prices.
They leaked news of the team's mass overhaul to reporters at the Nottingham Post, a local outlet notably sympathetic to city rivals Nottingham Forest. Within hours, the whispers became headlines.
"NOTTS COUNTY CLEANING OUT FIRST TEAM: CHAOS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS"
The story spread like wildfire. Pundits outside the club ridiculed the decision while Forest fans reveled in their rival's apparent madness.
"Who's going to play for them next season? Youth players and waterboys?" mocked one online commenter.
Notts County's fans, on the other hand, were blindsided. Few could comprehend why a squad capable of maintaining a steady mid-table position was being so dramatically dismantled.
What the media didn't understand was that David wasn't betting on miracles—he was building for ascension.
The outgoing players, while serviceable, weren't capable of elevating the club to the next level. And the incoming signings? They were young, hungry, and brimming with potential—a squad designed to grow and compete at the highest levels.
David knew the fans wouldn't recognize the brilliance of his strategy immediately. But the results would speak for themselves—and time would prove the decision right.
As news of the overhaul spread, Nottingham Forest fans rejoiced.
"Notts County is finished!" declared one particularly smug Forest supporter. "They're clearing house without any thought of who's replacing them. Relegation is inevitable, mark my words."
For David, paying attention to Forest fans would've been a waste of energy. The focus was on the future, and as far as he was concerned, the future belonged to Notts County.
The initial backlash didn't faze him in the slightest. He had no interest in explaining himself to the media or justifying the plan to fans still blinded by the past.
All that mattered was building—not just a team, but a club philosophy that would eventually dwarf the likes of Forest and other doubters.
As David finalized the departures of last season's players and began integrating his new signings, one thing became abundantly clear: Notts County's evolution was underway.
And for those watching from the outside, only time would reveal just how far David's vision would take them.