Chapter 24: Premiere

On August 11, the first season of Notts County's campaign in the English League Two began at home, facing the formidable Stoke City. This wasn't going to be an easy match. If David had his way, he would have preferred to face some of the league's stronger teams later on in the season, allowing more time for his team to gel. However, the schedule, set by the FA, left Notts County with no say in the matter.

Thanks to the significant investments made during the summer transfer period, Notts County's squad had been overhauled multiple times. The team's individual talent was undoubtedly among the best in League Two, and fans were eagerly anticipating their performance. Season tickets for home games were selling fast, with more than 8,000 sold—record sales for the club in the past decade.

In the first match of the season, Meadow Lane Stadium was packed to its 20,000-seat capacity. The excitement was palpable, with many fans outside the stadium unable to get tickets and bargaining with scalpers for a chance to see the match.

Despite the impressive crowd and the anticipation, David wasn't focused on ticket revenue. The stadium's size and the relatively low ticket prices meant the club wouldn't generate significant income from gates alone. Over the course of the season's 23 home games, ticket sales would contribute roughly £500,000, which wasn't much compared to the fees paid for some of the club's new signings. However, David knew that this income could be important in the future, especially if his plan to build a new stadium moved forward. The construction would take time, but by the time the team earned promotion to the Premier League, ticket sales could become a key source of revenue.

The weather was pleasant that day—clear skies and no fog, a welcome change from the frequent mist of London.

Löw sat beside David on the bench, a serious expression on his face. The coach, who had achieved success in the Bundesliga, appeared somewhat nervous. David understood why; this was Notts County's first official match in the league. While the results of friendly matches were inconsequential, the league was different. The primary goal for this season was clear: secure the League Two title and earn automatic promotion to League One.

Löw knew his players had exceptional individual talent—no one in League Two could match their skill. But talent alone wouldn't guarantee success. Without a solid tactical system and cohesive team play, individual brilliance could only get them so far. Notts County, though talented, was still a work in progress, having spent just over two months in training together, along with a few warm-up games. The team was still far from fully integrated.

Löw needed more time.

David had assured him that he would be patient, even if the team's early results weren't perfect. However, Löw wasn't willing to let the team remain in a constant struggle. Every player in the squad was incredibly talented—some would go on to star in Europe's top leagues, even becoming superstars. With such players at his disposal, he expected more than just battling for survival in League Two.

In this match, Löw chose his main starting lineup. The only notable change from the previous game against Juventus was that Iniesta had caught a cold and wasn't included in the matchday squad.

Ribéry, who had been pushed to the bench after Iniesta's excellent performances in previous games, was given the opportunity to start. Ribéry, despite his earlier struggles in amateur leagues, had shown significant improvement. His explosive runs down the left wing were difficult for defenders to handle, though his crosses often lacked precision, and his selfish streak was sometimes evident when he opted for solo runs rather than team play. Still, Löw believed he could make an impact, especially as a replacement for Iniesta.

David, usually quiet during training, had suggested giving Ribéry the chance to start, and it seemed like the right call, given Ribéry's strong performances in training.

As the match kicked off, Ribéry was lively on the left, frequently taking on defenders and trying to create chances. However, his crosses often went astray, and his individualistic style of play was evident. David couldn't help but frown. While Ribéry's dribbling was impressive, his inconsistency in crossing and tendency to play for himself rather than the team was a problem.

Notts County was on the back foot in the first half. The intensity of the league was far greater than that of the warm-up matches, and Stoke City, a seasoned team, used their physicality to dominate. The team struggled to cope with the pressure, particularly Alonso, whose distribution was solid, but his inability to escape tight situations led to several turnovers. This flaw was exposed by Stoke's pressing game, which forced Notts County into mistakes. Alonso needed better protection from his teammates, but the lack of cohesion in the team made that difficult.

In the second half, Stoke City came out stronger, using their wings effectively and exploiting their height advantage with crosses into the box. They scored twice, capitalizing on Notts County's defensive lapses. It was a wake-up call for the team, particularly for Westman and Lescott, who were both caught out of position on the goals. Löw couldn't blame the young defenders too much; after all, their experience in professional leagues was still limited, and mistakes were inevitable. At this point, encouragement and support were more important than criticism.

David watched the match unfold with a heavy heart. While he knew the team would improve, he also understood the road ahead wouldn't be easy. It was clear that Notts County was still in the process of becoming a well-oiled machine, and time would be required to bring out their full potential.