The news spread through the club like wildfire. JJ had turned down a professional contract. Fifty thousand pounds. A chance to play in the Football League. He had turned it all down. To stay with us. To stay at Moss Side Athletic. To stay in the Manchester County League.
The players heard about it on Monday morning. I had not planned to make an announcement. I had not planned to turn JJ's decision into a motivational speech, into a rallying cry, into some kind of grand, theatrical, statement.
But I did not need to. The players found out anyway. They always did. The football grapevine was faster, and more efficient, than any official communication channel.
I was in my office when I heard the commotion in the changing room. Raised voices. Disbelief. And then, silence. A long, heavy, pregnant silence. I walked out to find the entire squad standing in a circle, staring at JJ, who was sitting on the bench, his head down, his face red.
