David wanted nothing more than to give the two giant clubs a piece of his mind, but he knew that venting anger in his office was the only option. Taking on Manchester United or Arsenal directly was simply impossible—for now.
Though frustrated, he swallowed his rage, believing firmly that Notts County's glorious day was just around the corner. When his club eventually rose to the top, the very giants who scorned them now would be the ones paying respect—revenge sweetest when served cold.
Turning his attention away from the giants, David reached out to other Premier League clubs for warm-up matches. Every one rejected Notts County's requests—except Championship outfit Derby County, who agreed only on the condition of a £500,000 entry fee.
David nearly exploded. Is this how you treat us? he seethed, promptly refusing the offer.
In recent days, this sting of rejection had weighed heavily on David's mind. It wasn't the money that bothered him—he could afford the fee—but the humiliation of begging bigger teams for a favor was intolerable.
Could a club like Notts County really have fallen so low, reduced to paying for the privilege of a friendly against a lower Championship side?
Suddenly, an idea struck him. Slapping his thigh, a broad grin spreading across his face, David felt a renewed sense of hope.
Why look anywhere else when the perfect warm-up opponent was an Italian powerhouse?
David's mind was set on Juventus—the legendary 'Old Lady' of Italian football.
Notts County and Juventus shared a historic, if unlikely, connection. Had it not been for Juventus inviting their friends during the opening match of their new stadium in David's previous life, he might never have known of the bond between these historic clubs.
The iconic black-and-white stripes of Juventus famously drew inspiration from Notts County—England's oldest professional football club. Their century-long histories intertwined in subtle ways, forging a long-lasting friendship.
It seemed the ideal club for Notts County's warm-up.
But David's optimism was tempered by one harsh truth: Juventus's chairman, Luciano Moggi, was infamous—a man whose legacy was stained by the infamous 'Calciopoli' scandal, which saw Juventus relegated and tarnished.
David harbored little personal respect for Moggi, dreading any direct dealings with the man.
Still, a warm-up match was a warm-up match. Moggi's past scandals were irrelevant to the present.
David asked his beautiful secretary to send a formal invitation to Juventus.
As expected, Juventus accepted—but logistical issues prevented the 'Old Lady' from traveling to England. Instead, Notts County were invited to Turin for the friendly.
Playing to reputation, Juventus initially planned to test themselves against weaker teams ahead of their season. The arrival of Notts County was seen as an opportunity to polish their own image—a courtesy to friends, no more.
The warm-up fixtures were finalized:
- At Meadow Lane: Notts County vs. Northampton Town—a fellow League Two side.
- In London: Two consecutive matches against Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace. QPR had just been relegated and, like Notts County, were gearing up for League Two football.
- In Turin: The prestigious Juventus friendly.
- Home Again: A final pre-season test against Championship contenders Manchester City.
Of these five, only Northampton shared Notts County's level. The remainder were undeniably higher-tier teams—including European giants.
The opening warm-up match was certain to attract attention, no matter what else got pushed aside that day.
Though nominally an assistant coach, David had yet to fully involve himself in training.
For a club with ambitions rooted as deep as Notts County's, focusing solely on the first team was insufficient. The youth setup was even more vital—it was the source of the club's future.
David invested heavily in building a world-class youth academy. Over £70 million remained in club funds, earmarked for establishing the best youth development center in European football.
He commissioned renowned British architects to design a state-of-the-art facility, aiming at top-tier standards in training infrastructure and player welfare.
Without hesitation, David planned to prioritize the construction of the youth facility. He believed one full season would suffice to complete it.
The sooner these talented young players were nurtured in-house, the faster they could fuel the first team in years to come.
Meanwhile, the club's current training grounds remained functional, adequate for daily sessions; they did not require immediate replacement.
However, the club's home stadium, Meadow Lane, was a bottleneck.
With just 20,000 capacity, it sufficed for League Two attendance but was woefully insufficient for the club's growth ambitions.
David envisioned a modern, larger stadium, capable of matching the club's rising profile.
Construction would take approximately two seasons, but if all went well—if promotion was achieved—the new stadium could be ready just as Notts County entered the Premier League.
Building such a stadium was monumental and immensely costly—estimated at no less than £150 million.
Currently, Notts County lacked the financial muscle for such an endeavor.
But David remained unfazed. The arrival of a US ownership consortium—a potential "American Emperor" for the club—loomed on the horizon.
With their backing, David was confident the dream stadium, and much more, would become a reality.