"Rebirth of the Football Tycoon".

It was an unfortunate moment for the fans of Notts County when they realized that their club's decisions had led them into a situation they never expected. Just days earlier, they had been celebrating the acquisition of a La Liga captain for a record transfer fee. In their minds, with the departure of key players from last season and a few fresh signings, their hopes of promotion in the new season had greatly increased. If everything went well, they might even be competing in the same league as their city rivals in the near future.

Beating their local enemies on the field—something they had never thought possible—now seemed within reach. But no one could have predicted that, quietly, the club had dismantled its first team. Well, except for one notable exception: the new transfer, Harvey Alonso.

How much difference could a single La Liga player make?

Was it true, as the media speculated, that Notts County would field a team of young players in the upcoming season? If that was the case, many fans felt they would have preferred the club had spent the money on retaining the previous squad instead of buying Alonso.

In response, countless fans took to protesting. They gathered outside the club's training ground and offices, waving banners in support of the players who had worked tirelessly for the team but were now discarded.

David, observing the protests from his office window, didn't feel particularly moved. While he understood the fans' passion, he saw their actions as a sign that the team still mattered to them. After all, if no one had cared, the team would have been forgotten. Although the protests were peaceful, David instructed the staff to provide parasols and ice drinks to ensure the fans weren't suffering in the heat.

David considered going downstairs to address the fans, but he knew that this situation was far more complicated than a simple explanation could resolve. No matter how much the club tried to clarify things, this was not a problem that could be easily solved.

David had been in contact with White, a reporter for the Nottingham Evening News, who was a loyal fan of Notts County. The two had a lengthy discussion in David's office.

The next day, the Nottingham Post published an article criticizing Notts County's actions, predicting that, after selling off its entire first team, the club would be relegated as early as September.

Meanwhile, the Nottingham Evening News reported several transfer updates regarding Notts County's new signings:

A €12 million transfer to acquire young striker Kuyt from a Dutch team. A €300,000 move for forward Di Natale from a Serie B club. A €500,000 signing of striker Villa from a lower-tier English club.

These updates directly contradicted the mocking tone of the Nottingham Post, and Notts County fans began to feel a sense of relief. It seemed the club was not going to field a team of youth players after all. Three new strikers had been brought in, each with a significant transfer fee, signaling that the club had a plan in place.

The Nottingham Evening News's timely coverage left the Nottingham Post frustrated. Their own critical article had been directly countered, and they were left fuming. Feeling outraged, the Nottingham Post responded the following day with another article, deriding Notts County's focus on strikers, arguing that acquiring forwards alone wouldn't solve the team's problems if they didn't also have a strong midfield.

The Nottingham Post contended that simply stacking forwards without a solid midfield would be a futile effort, and that relegation was an inevitable fate for Notts County. While it sounded like a reasonable argument, many fans began to worry. After all, wasn't Inter Milan a perfect example of how hoarding top strikers without building a complete team could lead to failure?

However, just one day later, Notts County and the Nottingham Evening News struck back. The club announced the signing of several midfielders:

Iniesta Sneijder Merelles Ribery Misimovic Margio

Although the transfer fees for each player were relatively modest, together they totaled over €2.5 million—more than most English clubs would spend in an entire season. With the previous acquisition of Alonso, the team's midfield now looked robust. This left the Nottingham Post's predictions looking entirely misguided.

Notts County fans were ecstatic. While they couldn't yet judge the abilities of the new players, they were excited about their potential. With an average age of under 20, this group of young players represented the future of the club. Even if promotion wasn't achieved this season, fans were willing to support the team through its rebuilding phase.

As for the Nottingham Post, they were once again left without an argument. After being proven wrong twice in a row, they had no choice but to continue their attacks. The newspaper published another critical article, determined to find some way to undermine Notts County's efforts.