At the end of October, with the cold winds blowing and winter's footsteps drawing closer, the atmosphere in European football was filled with tension and conflict. The Millwall first team boarded a flight to Barcelona for the third round of the Champions League group stage.
As they settled in first class, Aldrich sat alone by the window, staring out at the scenery, his face as grim as the weather. He was feeling quite restless.
This month, after completing their national duties during the FIFA break, the returning players faced tough news: Trezeguet had suffered an injury while representing France, requiring him to recuperate for five weeks, while the others came back to their clubs thoroughly worn out.
With the World Cup approaching next summer, players called up to their national teams were giving it their all, eager to secure their spots for the tournament. Those who wouldn't be going to the World Cup still threw themselves into the fray for national pride or a glimmer of hope.
This was especially true for players like Shevchenko, Nedved, and Larsson, who had long and exhausting travels to their national teams, significantly affecting their performance.
Due to the so-called "FIFA virus," Millwall had dropped points in their last two league matches against weaker opponents. They had drawn against Coventry away and managed a win against fierce rivals Crystal Palace at home.
Meanwhile, Manchester United had been on a scoring spree, netting an impressive 13 goals while conceding only one in their last two matches against Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday. This not only brought them closer to Millwall in terms of goal difference but also widened the gap in points between the two teams by two.
Though only 13 rounds into the league, these setbacks seemed trivial. In the League Cup, however, Millwall continued their good fortune, drawing Nottingham Forest—who had been relegated last season—whom they easily defeated at home to reach the quarter-finals.
What troubled Aldrich most was the impact of the FIFA virus. Millwall had only about 1.5 solid lineups due to the youth of their players. While some were fighting for a spot in the 23-man World Cup squad, others were vying for starting positions, leading to a significant drain on their energy when competing for their national teams.
Before heading to Barcelona, Aldrich had been feeling a surge of anger since the day before. He felt disrespected and belittled, almost as though his dignity had been trampled upon.
This feeling stemmed from comments made by Barcelona's head coach, Van Gaal, in a preview published by Spanish media.
Van Gaal had stated that, given the lag of English football, Millwall's rise to Premier League champions was nothing to write home about. He acknowledged the efforts of their 21-year-old coach, stating that while he might be pleased now, after two matches, he would see the vast gap between Millwall and Barcelona.
In lengthy coverage, Van Gaal dismissed Millwall's achievements, belittling Aldrich and failing to consider him a real opponent. He viewed the encounter between Millwall and Barcelona as merely a learning opportunity for Millwall and Aldrich.
As for Millwall's triumph over Barcelona six months earlier in the Cup Winners' Cup, Van Gaal had glibly remarked that "the British beat the British," implying that Barcelona should have won but didn't, and even suggested that a real champion coach had finally arrived at Barcelona—himself.
What type of arrogance did it take for someone to make such brazen assertions?
There were plenty of arrogant figures in coaching, and the future renowned Mourinho was a quintessential example. Still, Aldrich felt that Van Gaal was a hundred times more arrogant!
When Mourinho joined Chelsea, it was like a championship-level coach "stooping" to manage a low-level team. Yes, he did have reasons for arrogance.
However, Van Gaal's declaration upon joining Barcelona—that he had won more honors in six years at Ajax than Barcelona had in its entire century—was something else entirely.
This self-proclaimed "football tyrant" from the Netherlands ignited a strong anger within Aldrich.
It was then that he finally focused his attention on Barcelona and Van Gaal.
Ten years later, fans who knew Van Gaal would understand that he held English football in contempt and was extraordinarily arrogant. Even with Ferguson winning the Champions League twice and building several generations of the Red Devils dynasty, Van Gaal still scoffed at Ferguson's achievements, arguing that no renowned coach could match his success, insinuating that Ferguson's wins were merely a product of the Premier League and held no real weight.
When the plane took off, looking out at the picturesque clouds, Aldrich gradually calmed down.
Was this some kind of psychological warfare?
Van Gaal despised him, provoking him to play attacking football even as the visitors.
Aldrich stroked his chin, thinking left and right, suddenly exclaiming, "I nearly fell for it! Even if what he said holds some truth, losing my cool would only play right into his hands!"
As he muttered to himself, someone suddenly approached him, extending a friendly hand. "Mr. Hall, would you mind if I sit beside you?"
Aldrich looked up and saw an empty seat next to him. It was fine for the person to sit there; any issues would fall upon the airline staff to resolve.
He shook hands with the newcomer, assuming he was just looking for a change of seat.
Being a figure of note, it wasn't entirely surprising to be recognized on a plane.
"This is my business card," the man introduced himself. "My name is Smith-Carter."
Aldrich took the card and glanced down, realizing the individual might have a purpose for seeking him out.
He was an executive from Standard Chartered Bank.
"Uh, what brings you here?" Aldrich asked.
"Well, I'm headed to Barcelona for the match—specifically to see Millwall play."
"You'd be better off waiting until tomorrow."
"Not a problem, I'm giving myself a day off to explore Barcelona."
"Mr. Carter, if you're here for a specific reason, please feel free to state it directly. I'm not one for small talk."
Carter looked every part the fit professional, dressed in a sharp suit, appearing to be a man of mature charm in his forties. He checked on Millwall's itinerary specially and boarded the same flight to Barcelona, hoping to express his sincerity in person, considering Millwall hadn't booked a private jet.
Carter got straight to the point, expressing his interest in working with Millwall.
Next summer, two significant sponsorship contracts for Millwall would expire.
One was for kit sponsorship; the club was already in discussions to renew its deal with Puma. The most well-known brands around for this type of sponsorship were Adidas and Nike.
The other was for the shirtfront advertisement, where Barclays had yet to respond about renewing their contract.
Carter represented Standard Chartered, aiming to secure a new advertising sponsorship for Millwall's shirtfront, establishing a partnership with them.
"From what we know, Barclays has no intention of renewing with Millwall, as they want a more impactful promotional platform, like the naming rights for the Premier League."
Aldrich listened more than he spoke. Such matters were usually under Adam's purview; he had made that clear to Adam already. Still, when someone was making the effort to approach him, he couldn't just dismiss them.
If he suggested Carter speak with Adam instead, it might seem he was shutting him out.
"Can I see Standard Chartered's introduction?"
Aldrich thought that since he had nothing else to do on the plane, it would be a good idea to chat.
Carter, well-prepared, started explaining the details of his company to Aldrich.
Although Standard Chartered's headquarters were in London and considered a UK bank, its operations were global, and it had relatively few domestic clients.
Thus, they deemed Millwall a suitable choice, primarily because of their promotional impact outside of the UK.
"I think you should be talking to Manchester United instead."
Aldrich flipped through Standard Chartered's introduction documents, speaking casually.
"To be honest, Edwards has set his price too high. We prefer to have a long-term partnership. Besides, we're uncertain about United's future."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Carter looked slightly surprised, then chuckled, "Did you not know? It shouldn't be a secret in the English football circle. Martin Edwards is keen on selling Manchester United, but the FA is getting in the way. Despite their powerlessness, they are already contacting government officials to intervene."
Aldrich paused, shaking his head after a couple of seconds. "I haven't heard anything about this. I don't concern myself with club politics or ownership changes."
"Of course, with your status, you can afford to ignore such matters."
Standard Chartered's doubt about Manchester United's prospects was not unfounded.
If Aldrich remembered correctly, this was around the time media mogul Murdoch was brewing a takeover deal for Manchester United, planning to make his move the following year with a purchase price exceeding £600 million!
However, the British government intervened and blocked the acquisition, causing the Edwards family to miss the chance to sell United for the highest possible price.
In fact, foreign fans find such transactions a bit ridiculous. A club changes owners, and the government thinks it has a say?
It's just a simple buy and sell, fair and square—why should they interfere? But Manchester United is a symbol of British football, and people's mindset hasn't changed. They still view football as it was before, not yet with the kind of "capitalism" that would emerge ten years later.
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that if the Hall family were not London locals—indeed, if they were simply British but not from London—acquiring Millwall would be met with fierce opposition from fans, potentially even sparking significant protests.
This sentiment had little to do with whether outsiders could revitalize the club; it was a matter of ownership.
Clubs were seen as belonging to the community and the fans, an ingrained belief that ran deep rather than belonging to club owners!
Fans loathed the commercial aspect of Manchester United's operation, viewing it as blatantly turning a football club into a profit-generating machine. Edwards became known as the first executive in football history to draw a salary from ownership, degenerating a charity role into that of a hireling. Moreover, the FA stipulated that clubs had non-profit statuses, yet United brazenly conducted annual profit distributions.
In the evolution of commercial football, United led the pack as one of the earliest to capitalize, but also drew the most ire.
However, once the clubs transitioned to shareholder enterprises, the FA and government found their influence evaporating.
After the failed Murdoch takeover, the Edwards family learned their lesson, waiting several years before secretly completing equity transactions to sell United. By the time the FA and government figured out what had transpired, the deals had been successfully closed, and it was too late to make amends.
Aldrich closed the documents in hand and stated calmly, "Could you outline the reasons for a partnership with Standard Chartered? You're interested in sponsoring Millwall, but I assume competitors will arise. I don't mean to drive up your price; I just want to know how you intend to outpace your rivals?"
Carter spoke confidently, carrying himself with poise, "I believe in a forward-looking vision. I am genuinely eager to foster this partnership because we want to be a long-term ally with Millwall, and I am confident Millwall will deliver significant market impact for us."
"And the basis of that confidence?"
"First, Millwall has solid financial backing. The Hall family is currently thriving across Southeast Asia. The result of this financial warfare is irreversible, and the Hall family conservatively possesses over £1 billion in assets. While you may not be involved, I trust that as Millwall's owner, you won't lack financial support. Given your commitment to this team, you wouldn't let it decline. You may not ensure championships every year, but since you've put Millwall on the European stage, I believe it will remain there for a long time to come. Second, Millwall is a potential investment; the earlier you step in, the greater the benefits. And third, Millwall's marketing efforts have been impressive. In my research, I've noticed how actively you use innovative digital platforms for promotion. Almost every football-related website features your advertisements. In other words, becoming Millwall's chest-front advertiser also provides inherent promotional value through our own digital channels."
Aldrich turned to stare at Carter and suddenly chuckled, saying something that left Carter utterly perplexed.
"It seems you think you are a gold digger and Millwall are a treasure."