The Middlesbrough players trudged off the field, their faces marked by disbelief and distress. They had expected an easy win, something routine against a lower-league team. Instead, they found themselves at the heart of one of the most humiliating results in recent memory. The scoreline, 5-0, was a stark blow to their pride—an almost unbelievable defeat.
It wasn't uncommon for Premier League teams to be knocked out of the League Cup by lower-tier sides, but such a crushing defeat, especially with a near full-strength lineup, was unthinkable. This was not just a defeat; it was a history-making embarrassment.
As the dust settled on the match, the shocking nature of the result began to take hold in the media. Notts County, a team from English League Two, had walked into Riverside Stadium and utterly dismantled a Premier League side. Fans were left asking, "Is the gap between the leagues really so narrow?" The performance of Notts County was unique, even among the League Cup's usual upsets. It was rare to see a lower-league team dominate in such an authoritative manner, and this made their victory feel even more monumental.
For the next round of the League Cup, some Premier League fans were starting to worry. The potential of facing Notts County, a team with a newfound reputation for ruthless performance, was a real concern. It was one thing to lose to a top-tier team like Manchester United or Liverpool, but a team like Middlesbrough being bloodied by a League Two side—let alone 5-0—was another matter entirely. Fans couldn't stomach the thought of such a humiliation happening to their own teams.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the game was equally dramatic. In the press conference following the defeat, Middlesbrough's manager, Steve McLaren, sat in stunned silence. Reporters, eager to understand the collapse, bombarded him with questions. McLaren's face remained dark, his answers sparse, his disappointment palpable. Even when prodded by the press, he simply shook his head in defeat, refusing to dignify the situation with a response.
In stark contrast, Loew stood at the podium with a relaxed demeanor, exuding the confidence of a victorious coach. He couldn't resist taking a jab at McLaren's woes, offering his thoughts on the situation. "I think this loss could actually help Middlesbrough," Loew said with a grin. "Now they can focus on the league, where they need to improve. This defeat might be just what they needed!"
His words, though spoken lightheartedly, struck a nerve with McLaren, who was not in the mood for any more jabs.
Back at Notts County, the celebrations were in full swing. David, the club chairman, was so pleased with the team's performance that he rewarded the players with a £500,000 prize. It was a generous sum, even by Premier League standards, and the players were ecstatic. With such a hefty reward, everyone felt the thrill of the victory, their excitement for a potential League Cup win growing by the minute.
As Notts County's reputation soared, so too did their commercial appeal. David, who had previously shown little interest in the club's commercial development, now saw an opportunity. The phone calls from potential sponsors flooded in, and many companies, eager to align with the rising star of English football, expressed their interest. David had never expected such a surge of interest, but now that the team was on the rise, it made sense to capitalize on it. He quickly reorganized the commercial division, laying the groundwork for future sponsorship deals. While the sums involved were not massive, it was a step in the right direction.
One particularly amusing moment came when Middlesbrough sent a fax to Notts County, inquiring about the possibility of transferring Villa. Villa had been the star of the match, scoring a hat-trick, and his stock was rapidly rising. Despite being the team's third striker behind Hubnell and Di Natale, Villa had proven his worth in the League Cup. Middlesbrough, clearly feeling the pressure of their loss, thought they could bolster their attack by snatching Villa from the upstart League Two side.
David, however, wasn't interested. He glanced at the fax and immediately discarded it. Middlesbrough might have been embarrassed by their crushing defeat, but that didn't mean they could get away with poaching Notts County's star player.
Two days later, Middlesbrough sent another fax, this time with a £2 million offer for Villa. David, now thoroughly amused, threw it straight into the trash again. "£2 million for Villa? Not a chance," he muttered.
The media and fans of Middlesbrough were still reeling from their team's humiliation, and McLaren, desperate to deflect attention, tried to spin the story. He publicly mentioned his intent to purchase Villa, thinking it would shift the focus away from the debacle of the previous days.
But David was unbothered. He knew that as long as Villa was happy at Notts County, there was no way he would leave for a team that had just been obliterated by his club. The thought of Middlesbrough attempting to sign Villa after such a defeat only made the situation more laughable.
Meanwhile, McLaren was left to stew in his frustration. The media continued to lambaste him for his team's performance, and every day seemed worse than the last. He had hoped that bringing Villa in would somehow save face, but it only added to the pressure. The idea of publicly pursuing a player who had just helped dismantle his team was becoming a source of ridicule.
For David and Notts County, however, the future seemed bright. The victory had given them not only a place in the next round of the League Cup but also newfound recognition in the football world. This was just the beginning for Notts County, and their rise, both on and off the pitch, had only just begun.