Page 23 of Playing the Field
‘Sure,’ Ben says affably. ‘I’ll just wait over there with the kids.’
The three of us huddle together and Dad asks what we thought of the session.
‘I thought the players looked quite uplifted,’ I tell them. ‘There was just something a bit extra from them today.’
Dad nods. ‘I agree. And most of them seem pretty keen to have Pryce back again. So what do we tell him?’
We both turn to face Cassie, who sighs then admits she did find it easier having two coaches on the pitch. ‘It didn’t feel like he was trying to take over,’ she concedes.
‘Do we know how long he’ll be around for?’ Dad asks me.
‘At least the next few weeks, I guess. I imagine he’ll be called back to Millford at some point, but we could ask him to stick around until then.’
‘All those in agreement?’ Dad says.
I look over to where he’s kicking a ball back and forth with Barbour’s boys, all three of them grinning their heads off. It overrides any last doubts. I raise my hand.
‘I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but it’s a yes from me too,’ Cassie says.
Dad nods again. ‘That’s three yeses then. Let’s go over and break it to him.’
Ben turns his grin our way as we approach, like he already knows what we’re going to say.
‘As long as you know we can’t pay you,’ Dad starts.
‘I just want to help,’ Ben assures him.
‘And it won’t cause any problems with Millford?’ Dad checks.
‘They won’t even know I’m here.’
‘With twenty-two excitable young players and an occasional fan dropping by to watch? It’ll be on social media in no time,’ Dad says.
‘It’ll be fine,’ Ben insists. ‘My lot are always on at me to try and create a bit of positive publicity, so I can’t see them complaining. Not that that’s why I’m here, of course.’
‘Nevertheless, perhaps you and I should put our heads together and come up with a press release that we can run by your PR team,’ I suggest. ‘To make sure we’re the ones in control of the narrative.’
‘Now?’ he asks, with a playful look in his eyes.
Did I intend to hint at that? Even if I didn’t, I’m not against the idea now he’s suggested it. It’ll give me another chance to try and suss him out.
‘We just need to get everyone out of here so the academy can lock up but yes, after that, let’s hang back and have a quick chat about it,’ I tell him.
This time, Ben suggests going to a little family-run Italian restaurant, another ten-minute drive from the academy.
‘How come you know all these great local places?’ I ask him as we’re shown to our table.
‘I’m always down here in the summer, visiting Bailey and our parents. I’ve actually got a place over by Redmarsh, for when I’m not up north with Millford. I don’t get to spend a lot of time in it, but I assume I’ll live in it properly one day.’
‘You’re not a secret Rovers fan, are you?’ I ask.
‘Fulham. My dad bought me their strip when I was about seven and that was that. My manager at Millford would lose his mind if he knew. They beat us at our last meeting. I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.’
‘Does your brother support them too?’
‘He does, but my parents follow Millford City now. I’ve told them they don’t need to feel obliged to, but they always get tickets when we’re down here playing the London teams. I guess they’ll be following Crawford now too– to keep things fair with Bailey. How about your mum– will she come to the matches or is she not into it?’
I swallow back the discomfort I always feel when I first tell someone about my family set-up. ‘She lives too far away. She moved to Cornwall when I was little.’
