The final match of the English League One season at the Den was a full house. From before the kickoff, the atmosphere in the stands was electric. Fans were clearly in good spirits today; although the outcome of the match didn't matter much, this was the team's last home game of the season, and their presence was seen as a recognition of the team's efforts.
Milwall's starting lineup had most players seated in the stands behind the bench. Dressed in sharp suits, the likes of Larsson, Nedved, Southgate, and Pires enjoyed a lighthearted conversation, clearly relaxed.
After the game, Aldrich had no interest in a trophy celebration. Winning the League One title wasn't an occasion to let the players lose their heads in pride. Instead, he planned to gather the team for a season review post-game, followed by giving the players some well-deserved time off.
As Aldrich walked out of the players' tunnel, the entire crowd stood up, clapping and cheering, their applause echoing throughout the Den.
With the Hall family now owning Milwall, the young manager Aldrich's debut season in League One had won the hearts of all the fans.
The league points total was set to break records, and with 119 goals scored—averaging over 2.6 goals per match—the players he had signed quickly became heroes in the eyes of the supporters.
Next season in the Premier League, Milwall's fans were brimming with anticipation.
Aldrich raised his arms above his head, clapping back at the stands. As he reached the coaching area, he noticed a massive banner held up by the "Lion Roar" fan group in the South Stand.
"To our beloved Aldrich: Keep Larsson!"
The "Lion Roar" supporters were not Aldrich's personal project; he merely provided them with certain privileges related to tickets. Aside from that, he had little reason to meddle, but this group had soul.
Just before the match began, when English media reported that Manchester United was interested in signing Larsson, the "Lion Roar" group had sent an open letter to the club, urging it to retain Larsson and avoid a repeat of departures like Sheringham and Cascarino.
Cascarino had only played three seasons for Milwall, yet forged an unbeatable strike partnership with Sheringham. Even now, he still served as the star striker for Marseille.
As for Sheringham, he was a painful memory for Milwall fans.
Joining the youth team at just 16, Sheringham served the club for eight years before transferring to Nottingham Forest and then moving back to London, landing at White Hart Lane.
Milwall fans wanted to forget Sheringham, yet they often reminisced about the joy he had brought. But now, Sheringham was the star striker for a North London team, while Milwall fans could do little but watch sadly from the sidelines.
Would Larsson be leaving the team?
Aldrich had not made any public announcements, but he had already prepared the players internally.
Take Larsson for example; Aldrich had talked to him. If Larsson wanted to leave, Aldrich wouldn't try to stop him, especially if it meant joining a prestigious club like Manchester United. There's really no way to compare the appeal of Milwall with that of Manchester United.
However, Aldrich presented the situation to Larsson from his perspective.
Just six months ago, Manchester United had spent £6 million on Andy Cole as a record transfer to replace Welsh star Mark Hughes. With Cantona returning from suspension, would Larsson really secure a starting position at United?
Meanwhile, here at Milwall, without injury or attitude issues, Aldrich could certainly guarantee him a starting role and status within the team.
As for other English clubs, transfer fees and wages posed significant hurdles, along with competitiveness, which is why Aldrich was able to persuade Larsson to stay.
By the end of the season, announcements regarding player contract renewals would be collectively released, and with Aldrich's cold handling of media inquiries, Milwall was set to avoid turmoil this summer.
On the pitch, both teams had taken to the field, and Aldrich had settled onto the bench, chatting amicably with Jansen.
The atmosphere within the team had been pleasant this past season; perhaps it all stemmed from the youthful energy and enthusiasm among the players. The coaching staff's dedication had yielded rewards, witnessing the team dominate League One had filled everyone's heart with pride.
Swindon was determined to secure a win as their survival depended on it, leading to a desperate, do-or-die mentality.
In the substitute lineup for Milwall, Aldrich set up a 4-3-3 formation, with Phillips at the center of the forward line, and Glen Johnson and Solskjaer on the wings. The midfield featured Gattuso and Vieira as a double pivot, with Ballack playing in an central midfielder . In the defense, Lucas Neil continued at left back, paired with Materazzi and Richards in central defense, while Zambrotta increasingly solidified his position as the right back.
Swindon opted for a traditional 4-4-2 and initiated play with long passes to create threats from the start.
Milwall's substitutes were unfazed by this approach.
As the English legend Brian Clough once said, "If football had to fly around in the air, why not build the pitch in the sky?"
The more Swindon adopted this long-ball tactic, the more Milwall thrived in executing ground counter-attacks.
The entire coaching staff maintained a relaxed demeanor, sharing laughs and chatter. Aldrich only occasionally glanced at the game's condition; the young players valued each match as experience and didn't need him on the sidelines to supervise their efforts.
However, just two minutes into the game, an astonishing scene unfolded on the pitch.
Swindon delivered a long ball into Milwall's penalty area. The ball was easily cleared by Materazzi's header and fell to Vieira, who sparked a counter-attack.
But as the ball reached Ballack's feet, the referee suddenly blew the whistle and turned toward Milwall's defense.
Everyone's eyes darted toward the backline of Milwall.
They saw Materazzi angrily shouting at a Swindon forward who was rolling on the ground!
Meanwhile, the Swindon forward held his face, screaming in agony.
"What happened?"
Aldrich furrowed his brow and turned to ask, as he had not witnessed the incident.
From the coaching staff, Barb leaned in and said, "It seems that Marco slapped Robbie Gates down to the ground!"
Aldrich stood up, and a chorus of boos erupted from the stands as the referee brandished a red card directly at Materazzi!
Was Materazzi sent off for violence in a non-competitive situation?
Aldrich thought to himself that it was something he could indeed do.
But for what reason?
A verbal spat? Provocation?
Materazzi certainly couldn't claim it was due to racial discrimination.
"Marco, what exactly happened?"
As Materazzi trudged off the pitch with a dark expression, Aldrich asked calmly. Materazzi looked grim as he approached the sideline, opened his mouth to say something, but merely shook his head and proceeded into the tunnel.
Aldrich felt helpless; clearly, Materazzi was unwilling to talk.
Having been sent off within the first two minutes, Swindon immediately gained a numerical advantage. Robbie Gates, who had been rolling on the ground, finally got up to receive treatment from the team doctor. Aside from some swelling on his face, he seemed to be alright.
Aldrich glanced at the Swindon manager beside him, who was exuberant and gesturing for his players to seize the moment and attack, and let out a sigh. He gestured toward the field, pointing at the double defensive midfielders, then indicating the penalty area.
Milwall players awaited Aldrich's instructions; after making the gesture, Gattuso and Vieira quickly understood: when defending, they needed to drop deeper into the box to combat the numerical disadvantage.
Since Swindon typically relied on long passes and bypassed the midfield, the opponents likely wouldn't capitalize on their numbers advantage. Besides, with Gattuso and Vieira offering mutual cover, one could patrol the area in front of the penalty box, while Ballack would naturally hang back a bit.
After making the adjustments, Aldrich returned to the bench, frowning in frustration and said, "What exactly just happened? Damn, this awful court."
The Den lacked a large screen for broadcasts, otherwise, they could have watched a replay.
Craig grinned and took out a radio to listen to the match commentary, just like many fans in the stands.
Before long, the crowd erupted in thunderous boos whenever Swindon had possession of the ball.
Meanwhile, Craig, chuckling, explained to Aldrich, "The radio commentary filled in the details: it seems after Materazzi headed the ball clear, he walked forward and Robbie Gates came up beside him and fouled Materazzi."
"Foul? What kind of foul?"
Aldrich's brows knitted tightly; he was puzzled. If Materazzi had been the one fouled, given his cunning on the field, it should have been Gates getting a red card.
Craig hesitantly added, "The footage seems to show... well, Robbie Gates, uh, looked like he poked Materazzi in the backside with his finger."
Including Aldrich, the entire coaching staff was left dumbfounded.
The substitutes behind them heard and a few couldn't hold back their laughter.
Materazzi had just been... humiliated!
Aldrich bit his lip, struggling not to laugh, and with a quirky expression, said to Jansen, "Go on, give him some comfort and keep him from smashing up our locker room…"
Jansen promptly stood up, but couldn't resist laughing as he entered the players' tunnel.