David sat beside Low in the club office, the weight of upcoming decisions bearing heavily on both men. The schedule's brutality and the overall condition of the team made it clear: Notts County couldn't fight on all fronts.
Low, ever the tactician, outlined potential priorities. He highlighted the league, stressing its paramount importance. "Promotion is everything," he said, his voice firm. "No matter how well we do in the cups, it all means little if we remain stuck in League Two."
David nodded in agreement. Together, they both dismissed the Football League Trophy, a secondary competition with little prestige or reward. The real dilemma lay between the League Cup and FA Cup.
"The depth of our squad isn't enough for third-line combat," David admitted. "But abandoning either of these cups outright feels wrong. Advancing in one of them could set us up to become a household name—especially if we shock a Premier League team."
The room fell into silence as both men considered the impossible balancing act ahead of them.
Finally, David spoke with determination, as though gambling everything. "You know what? We go for it. Everything. League, League Cup, FA Cup—we give it all we've got. If we fall short in the end, at least we'll do it fighting," he said, his eyes gleaming with conviction.
Low smiled, his belief in David unwavering. "Let's create a miracle, then," he proclaimed. "One that belongs to Notts County."
Any optimism or excitement about their recent League Cup victory quickly vanished as Notts County turned their attention to their next league opponent: Reading.
Known for their uncompromising style, Reading were far from the genteel "Cookie Man" moniker they carried. Instead, they were more famous for their hard, physical football—a team that had once famously injured two Chelsea goalkeepers in a single game.
David, recalling Reading's reputation from his previous life, grew uncharacteristically nervous. While Low and the players maintained focus, David found himself pestering everyone—warning Low about Reading's rough tactics and advising players to "protect themselves at all costs."
His concerns were met with amusement by the squad, who chalked up his behavior to post-League Cup nerves.
By matchday, Low had fully rotated back to his starting XI, all of whom were fresh after being rested midweek.
Notts County began the game assertively, finally demonstrating glimpses of the tactical systems Low had been working on since the summer. Alonso, the team's midfield maestro, dictated play effortlessly while receiving defensive cover from Meireles.
Reading, true to form, didn't care about Notts County's dominance. They relied on their physicality and willingness to disrupt play. Where subtle fouls and tactical nudges didn't work, elbows and knees did.
The game devolved rapidly, and by the 20th minute, the referee had already issued four yellow cards. Players from both sides were constantly on the ground, either clutching their legs or fuming with indignation.
Despite Reading's brutish tactics, Notts County seized the initiative in the 35th minute, when Alonso struck a thunderous long-range effort that smashed into the back of the net.
The home crowd erupted, their celebrations momentarily drowning out the heated chaos on the pitch.
Reading's players, visibly incensed by the goal, saw it as a betrayal of their "agreement" to play a physical game. Their response was to double down on their aggressive tactics.
Every 50-50 challenge became a bone-crunching battle. Elbows flew openly now, with Reading players finding creative ways to "accidentally" step on feet or rake their studs down calves.
Low was furious. He stalked the touchline, shouting protests at the fourth official. Meanwhile, David, seated just behind the technical area, grew increasingly agitated watching his players get bullied.
In the 40th minute, disaster struck. Di Natale, receiving the ball on the flank, prepared to make a run when a Reading midfielder lunged in recklessly, scything his legs from beneath him.
Di Natale collapsed to the ground with a gut-wrenching scream, clutching his ankle in agony. His teammates immediately surrounded him, waving frantically for medical attention.
The offending Reading player shrugged innocently and walked away, all while Low exploded in fury. He raced to the sidelines, yelling accusations at the fourth official, who tried desperately to calm him down.
But the situation was far from calm. Meireles, who had witnessed Di Natale's tackle up close, snapped. He stormed toward the Reading player, landed a right hook to the face, and knocked him to the ground.
Within seconds, players from both teams were pushing, shoving, and screaming. While some tried to mediate, tempers spilled over as punches were thrown and shirts were grabbed.
Even the benches emptied, with substitutes and staff rushing onto the field. The crowd, caught up in the chaos, roared with a mix of approval and outrage.
David, ignoring protocol entirely, sprinted onto the field. Spotting Reading's assistant coach barking insults from the sidelines, he zeroed in. Before the assistant could react, David clocked him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling backward.
At some point during the scuffle, the referee was caught in the melee and inadvertently kicked by a stray foot. His autumn trousers, dark and professional, bore a clear shoe print—a stamp, perhaps, of the madness he desperately tried to control.
When order was finally restored, the referee had no choice but to start issuing punishments. Cards were shown in rapid succession:
- Meireles received a straight red card for violent conduct.
- Several yellow cards were handed out to both sides for their roles in the scuffle.
For Notts County, the damage was significant. Di Natale required a stretcher to leave the pitch and looked set to miss several weeks of action. The team had also lost Meireles to suspension.
As David walked off the pitch after the match ended in a 1–0 victory, he couldn't help feeling utterly exhausted by the insanity of the game. Winning hardly felt like a victory when your squad left battered and bruised.
But one thing was clear: Reading's dirty tactics wouldn't break Notts County.
His knuckles still sore from his spontaneous punch, David grinned despite himself. He turned to Low.
"Next time," David said, "remind me to leave the fighting to the players."
Low shook his head, laughing. "If the chairman fights like that every week, we might as well sell tickets for it!"
Despite the chaos, Notts County had weathered the storm. With a renewed sense of resolve, they looked forward to their next fixture, determined to show they were more than just scrappy survivors.