659 His Majesty the King

When Nottingham Forest landed at the Birmingham Airport with the championship trophy, the people that welcomed them stretched from Birmingham to Nottingham. The motorway turned into a red ribbon, passing on the message that Nottingham Forest had returned home with honor all the way to Nottingham. London's Heathrow Airport was not chosen because the police did not want the Chelsea fans there to meet the Chelsea team to clash with the Nottingham Forest fans who would come to meet Nottingham Forest.

The BBC television station did a live broadcast. It was the first time since the restructuring of the Champions League that a defending champion had successfully been crowned champion. The English team was the pride of all England. They were naturally going to publicize it.

BBC also planned to produce a two-hour long DVD called Red Europe, detailing Nottingham Forest's glorious course this season. The DVD had the famous BBC football commentator, John Motson, responsible for the commentary. After production was completed, the earnings would be split with the Nottingham Forest Football Club.

It was a small sum of money, which Allan Adams had fought for. In addition, the live broadcast of their return, as well as the celebration party held at the City Ground stadium were also sold. For today's Nottingham Forest Football Club, even a penny that could be earned would be made.

Tony Twain led the team to win the Champions League and Premier League titles. The broadcasting fees and winning bonuses this season were quite a lot. However, the money was still a drop in the bucket for the massive new stadium construction plan. Allan Adams had to continue to look for opportunities to make money.

Everyone was happy on the flight back to Birmingham. Allan Adams did not talk to Twain about the commercial games in the summer. He knew Twain was resistant to the commercialization and did not want to ruin his mood.

On the way back to Nottingham, everyone was happy, but their vacation time for the summer was almost zero. That was the price that had to be paid to win the championship.

On May 23rd, the team was dismissed for the season and the players with duties to report for national teams would travel to their national training camps to take on the UEFA European Championship, which would begin in June. By the end of the European Championship at the end of June, they only had a one-week break and would assemble again to travel as far as China to start the commercial tour. From China, they would travel to Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Malaysia. By the time they returned to England, the FA Community Shield would not be far off. Following that, the new season of the Premier League and the UEFA Super Cup would begin. The players who had to compete in the Olympics also had to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

Looking at the competition schedule, the Nottingham Forest players would not have any breaks.

Twain had been very happy and excited on the way home, but whenever he had a chance to calm down, he would start to think about what Nottingham Forest would do next season.

He did not quite agree with the commercial tour. If he had a choice, he would have preferred it to be the previous summer, so that at least the team's schedule would not be so tight, and the players would have plenty of time to rest.

However, Allan told him it was impossible. If it had been last summer, there was the AFC Asian Cup, and East Asia would have been focused on the Asian Cup. It would not have been effective to make their fortune in Asia when there was a lack of attention. And as for next summer? By then, Beckham would end his two-year contract with Nottingham Forest, and they would lose their cash cow. Allan would not mobilize the team to go to Asia for little profit. Even if he wanted to, he would not have made much. As a result, after much consideration, only this summer was appropriate.

Consequently, Twain asked him if with the UEFA European Championship and the Olympics this summer, would it not be more distracting? Allan said the Olympics were wide-ranging sports games that had little to do with football, and there would be no direct conflict. The timing of the UEFA European Championship was even better. The Asians, whose passion for football was stirred by the UEFA European Championship, would increase their desire for football. For Nottingham Forest to go to Asia as the Double Winner, it would be "sending help in the hour of need" as the Chinese saying went.

Therefore, there was no more appropriate time.

Twain was convinced by Allan. What could he do even if he was not persuaded? He was not the owner of the club. The owner had agreed to the matter, so he could only to follow the instructions, but he made a request to Allan that since they would not get a break and would face multiple tournaments next season, the team's First Team had to be strengthened. Several players of sufficient strength needed to be brought in. He was in charge of the candidates.

Allan agreed right away. He said that he could observe the UEFA European Championship on his own, and he could make his move when he saw good players.

※※※

Twain and Dunn were equally busy this summer. After the team was dismissed, they would have a little break before Twain went to Austria and Switzerland with the BBC television station to be a guest pundit for the BBC's live broadcast. Since the World Cup, many spectators liked Tony Twain's style of commentary for the games. He was as sharp as nails and quick to draw blood but did not lack a sense of humor. BBC was in line with the public opinion and once again invited Twain to be a guest commentator. There was no England team, so he could speak freely and not be afraid of hurting national pride. People wanted to hear how he was going to bury the European powerhouses. Dunn would be active in multiple arenas to observe players with potential worth buying. Similarly, the Forest team's ten full-time football scouts would also be present in the stadium stands for each game.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

Having won the Champions League twice in a row and become the Double Winner, Twain's pursuit of honor and victory did not stop. His goal was to create a new dynasty and era in European football like the five-time UEFA Champions League champion, Real Madrid, the golden era of Inter Milan, the Dutch Trio of AC Milan...

To make Nottingham Forest a representative and symbol of European football during this period.

The goal was quite ambitious, so efforts had to continue. They had to invite the best players to join and continuously achieve victories, make people feel the desperate oppressive force, maintain ten thousand years of constant stability, and show dominance and arrogance in vying for supremacy. He wanted to engrave this period of Nottingham Forest in history.

With only a few championships titles under his belt, it was too little to want to stop and live it up.

Because the team was in good shape at the moment, and the results were stable and excellent, there was no need for a big infusion of players to adjust the team, nor did he have to deal with his players at low prices to get rid of excess baggage. Twain insisted that since they were members of the European champion team, their prices could not be too low. He had to be satisfied before he would agree.

If Chimbonda could be sold at a good price, then Twain would sell him. On one hand, he was older and did not quite fit with the team's demands, and on the other hand, he and Bendtner made a very bad impression on Twain with the internal brawl.

As for Nicklas Bendtner, the other party involved in the brawl, Twain showed a high degree of tolerance. Did it look a little unfair to Chimbonda? Bendtner was younger than him and had more potential for development. After van Nistelrooy became too old, the position of the team's main center forward would belong to Bendtner.

As for Sidwell... Twain did not want him to go, but if he had to go, Twain was not in any position to force him to stay. After all, he came to Nottingham Forest for a season, and did not get a chance to play other than to play in some of the insignificant games. To a player who was only 26 years old, reality was too brutal.

As for Ribéry? He had just been elected the best player in the Champions League final and was likely to win the UEFA's Player of the Year. He was already red-hot, but Twain was definitely not going to let him go. No matter what sky-high transfer fees the big clubs offered for Ribéry, he was unmoved. Franck Ribéry was his own man, the core of the team, and the main framework. To move him would be equivalent to demolishing the team. Twain was not going to let it happen in front of his eyes.

There was also Grosso. Twain intended to sell the "great Italian left back." The season was over, and Twain had to admit that he had made the wrong call. The man's most brilliant moment was at the World Cup in Germany. Following that, his career progressively declined. With his traits and style, he was not fated to be the left back that Twain needed. He might as well use Leighton Baines.

Grosso did not like British food or weather. He made slow progress in his English and had some problems communicating with his teammates. He was a loner who was outside the team's system. While Twain was still a fan, he was misled by Huang Jianxiang, whose proclamation of his ability made him famous overseas.

Now was a good time to correct this mistake. Donadoni actually recruited Grosso, who did not have more than twenty appearances in Nottingham Forest, to the national team. If he had a chance to play in the UEFA European Championship — Twain believed he would be better suited to play in the national team — maybe he could find a buyer for him.

As for the others, thanks to the success of Twain's rotation system, most players had been given plenty of appearances. There were no incidents of anyone wanting to leave the team due to conflicts arising from the lack of opportunity. Twain could lead a complete Nottingham Forest team and continue his campaign for next season.

※※※

When the convoy arrived in Nottingham, Twain saw the spectacular sight of "the turn out of the whole town." They received everyone's cheers in the city square and the glittering Champions League trophy was placed in front of the crowd. A variety of banners unfurled, and everyone was cheering. It was as exciting as winning the Champions League for the first time.

A reporter exclaimed, "if Brian Clough were alive and see this scene, I wonder how he would feel."

At the City Ground stadium, in front of thousands of spectators, the players filled the Champions League trophy with champagne and each took a gulp.

After they completed their public appearance in the city square, the team had dinner with the mayor at the mayor's residence before going to the City Ground stadium for a final grand celebration.

At the dinner party, Mr. Mayor, who was a Nottingham Forest fan, tightly clasped Tony Twain's hand, beside himself with excitement.

"This is a remarkable achievement, Tony! A defending champion had not been born since the restructuring of the Champions League! And now this honor belongs to Nottingham and Nottingham Forest! You did a fantastic job! Now that the whole world knows the city of Nottingham again, I have to consider whether to confer you an honorary citizen, Tony."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor, but I already am a city resident of Nottingham." Twain was more sober, as the most exciting period had passed for him.

"Then I'll erect a statue for you, haha!"

Twain smiled and did not answer. In his view, the mayor was thoroughly drunk. A statue? He did not want it. To erect it only for the birds to poop on it? Seeing Dunn already gives me a feeling of looking in the mirror. Don't tell me I need another mirror? Wait until I'm dead, Mr. Mayor.

"Cheers, Mr. Mayor!" He changed the subject and raised his glass of champagne.

"Cheers, Tony! Are there any plans for next season that you can reveal to me?" Mr. Mayor looked more like a regular Nottingham Forest fan.

"Of course it will be more championship titles. Unless you're bored of them, Mr. Mayor." Twain winked.

"That's very good! But I'm not going to get bored! There can never be too many titles! Haha!"

※※※

That night, the City Ground stadium once again became the focus of attention for all Nottingham Forest fans.

In addition to some theatrical performances, the most anticipated highlight was the appearance of the championship team players carrying the two Champions League trophies and Premier League trophy, as well as the EFL Cup trophy.

After the careful planning of the celebration party, they chose to have the trophies appear together. It clearly stated an attitude — a full affirmation and commendation of Tony Twain's results, as well as publicizing the results. They wanted to portray him as the second "Brian Clough."

The lights of the stadium dimmed, with only a few spotlights shining on one spot. The Forest players were all enveloped in the beams of light as they ran out of the tunnel, individually receiving cheers from the fans.

One by one they ran out, and the cheers at the stadium went on and on.

When it was Wes Morgan's turn as the team's third captain, he stepped onto the field, taking the EFL Cup, the first trophy won by Twain's Forest team, from the staff's hands.

The cheers of the fans went up to the next level when they saw the first trophy.

Then it was Eastwood and Beckham. They carried the Premier League title trophy and emerged in everyone's view.

"Thirty years later, we won the topflight championship title again! The English Premier League championship trophy appears at the City Ground for the first time!" John Motson, who was invited to host the celebration party, shouted excitedly.

"And what's next?" he asked.

Nearly 30,000 fans responded in unison, "UEFA Champions League!!"

Indeed, Franck Ribéry came out with a replica of the Champions League trophy they won last season and waved to the stands. As a player who helped the team win the UEFA Champions League title two seasons, he was awarded the honor of appearing alone with the championship trophy even though he was not the captain.

After Ribéry, it was George Wood's turn. As the team's current captain, he made a grand appearance with the other Champions League trophy.

The cheers were deafening. Twain stood in the tunnel, waiting for his call.

Kerslake and Dunn ran up from behind, holding a pile of red stuff in their hands.

"Take off your suit," he shouted as he ran up to Twain.

"Why?" Twain thought it odd.

"Never mind that, just take it off!" If Kerslake was not holding the things in both hands, he would do it himself.

Twain did as he was told and took off his suit. To be honest, he felt very warm...

But then something that made him feel even warmer came up.

Kerslake shook out the pile of red stuff — it was a red cloak to be draped over his shoulders!

Twain was dumbfounded when he saw it in Kerslake hands.

Kerslake did not wait for him to react, and put the cloak over Twain's shoulder. It was red, edged with white fur and gold patterning. Twain did not know if it was the real deal, but it had a nice feel.

"How does it feel?" Kerslake asked with a grin. Before Twain could answer, he tapped his forehead and turned around to take a crown from Dunn.

Under the white light of the tunnel, the jewel in the crown shone brightly.

"This isn't real, is it?" Twain whistled.

"Imitation." Dunn replied.

Kerslake put the crown on Twain's head before he stepped back in satisfaction and appraised him with a tilt of his head as if to admire a piece of art. "Good, it's got the feel." He smiled.

"This..." Twain was still puzzled.

"How can a king who goes out to receive adoration from the people be dressed so shabbily? Kerslake clapped his hands and laughed. "Now you look the part!"

Twain laughed along. "This is a good idea, I like it." He accepted the address "king" without any reservations.

"The people in the stands don't know yet." Kerslake pointed outside, with mysterious excitement on his face.

The hem of the long cloak dragged behind him and Twain pulled up the two sides in front of his chest to prevent the heavy cloak from slipping. And then he walked out of the tunnel in this way.

John Motson was still stoking the fans' moods as he announced, "next, the final person..."

Before he could finish, eager fans loudly disclosed the answer, "Tony Twain!"

"YES! Let's welcome..."

Dressed up like a king, Tony Twain slowly walked out, and the entire stadium exploded with excitement when they saw his getup.

All the men, women, and children screamed like crazy and one of the players whistled. "The boss is so cool!"

Twain stood on the sidelines once he walked out of the tunnel. He gripped the collar of the cloak in one hand, grabbed the crown with the other hand, and raised them toward the night sky.

The fans in the stands and the players standing in the middle of the field all bowed down and raised their arms like they were kowtowing, whoops of excitement coming from their mouths.

"Welcome, Your Majesty!" Morton finally shouted out his prepared lines.

Twain calmly accepted the special treatment with his head held high. He was not embarrassed at all. He fully deserved the honor, and thought he was the king of the team.

The four trophies were like the four bright gems in the crown, dazzling and eye-catching, revealing the king's brilliant feats to the world.

"He really looks like a king!" Kerslake exclaimed as he stood in the tunnel.

"No." Dunn shook his head. "He is a king."

Twain stood on the field and held the crown high, surrounded by darkness, as if the light beam pierced through the night sky and shone from above to envelope him. Under the light, the crown in his hand emitted dazzling rays, making it hard for people to look at him. He stood in the light, his head proudly held high, and chest puffed out. He looked dazzling and indomitable.

I have brought glory to my subjects, and I am your king.