Harbinger Of Glory

What followed in the days after was Wigan, beginning to finish their preparations towards the West Ham games with Dawson taking his time to convey all that he wanted of his players in a couple of video sessions.

It wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but like always, he tested his players after each session with a little exam to make sure that they were all in tune with what they were going to do, though not all of them.

”I thought I’d left school,” Jake said as they made their way out of the video room the day before the game.

Walking beside him, Reyes nodded in agreement.

”I say we protest,” Jake said the next moment, to which Reyes also agreed before the duo scampered away when Dawson appeared behind them a second later.

And like all things, the preparations came to an end as the West Ham team travelled to Greater Manchester the following day for their 4th game of the new Premier League season.

The DW Stadium had been waiting for this.

Its first home Premier League game in ten years was a fact that had been mentioned in every preview, every podcast, every conversation in the town of Wigan that had touched on football since the fixture list came out, and on the morning of the first of September the supporters who had bought their tickets months ago began making their way toward it, the excitement and energy surrounding the trut being all bubbly and of genuine joy.

The streets around the ground filled earlier than usual.

Inside pubs within walking distance, the screens showed the pre-match coverage and the tables were taken by people who had arrived early enough to feel the build-up properly.

In living rooms across the town, those who hadn’t been able to get tickets settled in with the resigned acceptance of people who had tried, while others, too, who preferred watching from the comfort of their couches, thanked heavens for their televisions.

And soon, the commentary settled on the broadcast that had just been taking shots of the stadium.

”Hello everyone far and near and welcome to the DW Stadium in Wigan, where history of a particular kind is about to be made.

This is the first home Premier League fixture for this club in a decade, and the opposition today is West Ham United, who come into this one sitting previously in the 2nd position on the table with seven points from three games.”

”Well, that isn’t too far off for their opponents, Wigan, who are on six,” the co-commentator continued.

”Though the home side have a game in hand as their fixture against Burnley is still yet to be rescheduled. So the table is slightly flattering to West Ham and slightly unflattering to Wigan, who are in 6th with just two games played.”

”What isn’t flattering to anyone,” the main commentator said, ”is what Wigan have produced in their opening three games. A win at Brighton on the opening day and then a four-one battering of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, results that have forced this league to sit up and pay attention to what Dawson is building here.”

”And today,” the co-commentator said, ”in front of their own supporters for the first time in the Premier League era of this squad, the question is whether they can do it at home the way they’ve been doing it away.

Because if they can, this is a team that the rest of the division is genuinely going to have to think about.”

”It’s a big afternoon for this football club,” the main commentator said.

”And you can feel it, even from up here.”

On the broadcast, the camera swept across the DW, showing the slowly filling stands as the noise built from the sections that had been there since the gates opened.

....

Half an hour later, the Wigan players returned to the tunnel and behind them, followed a resounding roar into the tunnel.

A few of the players glanced back instinctively at the DW Stadium, which had filled properly while they were out warming up, and now it was beginning to sound like it.

Carlo adjusted the tape around one wrist as they walked.

”They’ve really turned up today.”

Ahead of him, Whatmough let out a short laugh.

”I know, right!”

”First Premier League home game in ten years. Half the town’s probably in there.”

”Or trying to get in,” Reyes added.

”Now the pressure’s actually on us to perform,” Leo suddenly said.

Before anyone could respond, Nolan appeared at the far end of the corridor, moving with the urgency of a man trying to herd livestock.

”Come on, come on, come on,” he said as he waved both arms.

”Get changed.”

At that, the players immediately began filtering toward the dressing room.

”And if you’re on the bench,” Nolan continued, pointing toward several players, ”don’t spend twenty minutes admiring yourselves. Get what you need and get out there.”

A moment later, the dressing room swallowed most of the squad as players took their shirts and began pulling them on.

Leo finished pulling his shirt on and turned to find Jake sitting beside him, fidgeting a bit, and for the first time since Leo had met him, the striker wasn’t talking or acting childish.

”What?” Jake said after noticing Leo’s stares.

”First start,” Leo said with a smile as Jake looked away.

”Heard your dad’s here,” Leo continued before breaking into a fit of laughter as Jake dropped his head into his hands.

A few nearby teammates immediately looked over.

”What?” Reyes asked as Leo pointed.

”His dad’s here,” and the reaction after that was instant.

Several players burst out laughing while Jake looked at Leo, feeling personally betrayed.

”It is not funny. And how did you even know?”

”I have my ways,” Leo said as he took off the warm-up boots and got a fresh pair for the game.

Jake looked around the room as if searching for allies and finding absolutely none.

”My entire career,” he said, ”I could score a hat-trick, and the first thing he’d ask is why I missed the other two chances.”

”Well, I’d be asking too if those other two chances were clear-cut ones,” Reyes said before tossing a towel at Jake.

Before the latter could speak, Dawson entered the room, abruptly cutting the conversation short.

Before he could speak, Jake felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to find Leo giving him a thumbs-up.

”You’ll be alright,” Leo said, not knowing it would be one of the very few sentences that Jake would resonate with in his life.