After Wimbledon FC relocated away from London and completed its transformation into Milton Keynes Dons, the supporters who had rejected the move continued building AFC Wimbledon in the club's traditional home.
With Ethan's help, AFC Wimbledon worked through the necessary FA procedures and strengthened its claim to the old Wimbledon identity.
To the supporters, there was no confusion.
This was their Wimbledon.
And many of them had already begun calling the reborn side the New Crazy Gang.
For New Manchester United's preseason friendly against them, Wimbledon's rented ground was packed with around 5,000 supporters.
Their attendances throughout the previous season had already been impressive for a club operating so far down the pyramid.
During conversations with Kris Stewart, Marc Jones, and the other directors, Ethan had encouraged them to begin planning a permanent home.
The proposed stadium would cost around £4 million.
Initial capacity would be approximately 10,000, with room for future expansion.
Ethan personally contributed £2 million towards the project.
He also provided another £1 million to support the club's wider development.
The remaining £1 million would be raised through AFC Wimbledon's members and supporters.
Construction was expected to take around two years.
A training ground was also being developed, along with plans to improve the academy.
With his current wealth, Ethan could easily have paid for everything himself.
He deliberately chose not to.
That would have defeated the point.
AFC Wimbledon existed because its supporters wanted control over their own club.
If Ethan simply funded everything, outsiders could easily assume he was trying to turn Wimbledon into another club under his influence.
So his involvement remained financial and advisory.
He did not interfere with sporting or administrative decisions.
That remained true even though he held an honorary vice-chairman's role and the two clubs maintained a close development partnership.
Droylsden had benefited in a similar way.
The expansion of the Butcher's Arms had already been completed, and the club's academy was developing well with assistance from Newton Heath.
Ethan genuinely hoped that one day both Droylsden and AFC Wimbledon might reach the Premier League.
Three clubs with strong personal and developmental ties would naturally help one another where regulations allowed.
Not through anything improper.
Simply through cooperation, loans, scouting relationships, shared expertise, and mutual support.
...
As with most preseason matches, Mourinho treated the Wimbledon friendly as an experiment rather than a result.
New Manchester United led 1-0 at half-time.
Mourinho then replaced most of his starting lineup so he could assess the squad players.
The Red Rebels eventually won 2-0.
That did little to silence the criticism.
Several newspapers argued that against a lower-league opponent, New Manchester United should have looked far more dominant.
They also focused heavily on Beckham.
The superstar signing still did not appear fully comfortable in his new role.
Several misplaced passes were presented as evidence that he had failed to adapt to the team.
Mourinho had concerns of his own.
Not about Beckham's ability.
About timing.
Understanding.
Chemistry.
So as soon as the squad returned to Manchester, Newton Heath was closed completely to the media.
No reporters.
No photographers.
No access to training.
Even Scarlett Eland, whose relationship with the club was better than almost any other journalist's, could obtain virtually nothing.
Mourinho wanted silence.
And work.
The closed sessions were devoted heavily to integrating Beckham into the system.
Gradually, the difference began to show.
...
The next major test came in the Newton Heath Cup.
Droylsden were at home and played extremely well.
Their aggressive pressing caused New Manchester United problems throughout the match.
Mourinho started with what many observers expected to become his preferred lineup for the new season.
Drogba led the attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo started on the left.
Palacio played from the right.
Kaká operated behind Drogba.
Beckham and Essien formed the midfield partnership.
The defence, from left to right, consisted of Evra, Terry, Curtis, and Kolo Touré.
Čech was in goal.
The only real uncertainty concerned Robben.
The young Dutch winger had performed reasonably well during preseason, but a minor foot problem kept him out of the starting eleven.
As the season progressed, however, Mourinho was expected to give him plenty of opportunities to reclaim a place.
Beckham looked noticeably better than he had in Ireland.
His understanding with the players around him was improving.
Twice, he produced precise long passes that almost created goals.
His combinations with Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo were also becoming smoother.
One move in the first half stood out.
Beckham found Kaká.
Kaká returned it first time.
Beckham moved the ball again.
Cristiano joined the sequence.
Three quick exchanges tore through Droylsden's midfield and left several defenders completely wrong-footed.
Only the finish was missing.
That became the story of the match.
New Manchester United controlled most of the possession.
They created chances.
They hit dangerous areas repeatedly.
But the goal never came.
0-0.
It was the first draw in the Newton Heath Cup for several years.
...
Elsewhere in Manchester, Manchester United had returned from their American preseason tour and welcomed Sporting Lisbon to Old Trafford.
In another version of events, that match might have become famous for convincing Ferguson to sign Cristiano Ronaldo.
But Cristiano already belonged to New Manchester United.
This time, Ferguson's attention was expected to fall on Ricardo Quaresma.
The Sporting winger, however, produced an ordinary performance.
There were no spectacular moments.
No irresistible display.
Manchester United had been linked with him for weeks, but after the match Ferguson showed no obvious urgency to bring him to Old Trafford.
His priorities lay elsewhere.
United were making an aggressive attempt to sign Barcelona defender Carles Puyol.
Their reported offer had reached £14 million.
After Joan Laporta's election and the club's subsequent transfer activity, Barcelona's debt had climbed to approximately £164 million.
The financial pressure meant almost every significant offer had to be considered.
Puyol, however, was different.
He was a homegrown leader.
He could play at right-back or centre-back.
And he occupied an important place in Frank Rijkaard's plans.
Manchester United were also interested in Ajax midfielder Rafael van der Vaart and right-back Hatem Trabelsi.
A combined deal was being discussed at around £20 million.
Gary Neville's injury increased the urgency because he was expected to miss the opening matches of the Premier League season.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the squad, Manchester United's preseason form had been excellent.
They beat Celtic.
Then Juventus.
Then Barcelona.
Three matches.
Eleven goals scored.
Only two conceded.
They looked every bit like reigning Premier League champions.
The partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Mikaël Silvestre in central defence had been particularly encouraging.
New Manchester United's preseason could hardly have looked more different.
Their opponents had generally been weaker.
Their performances had been uneven.
Their results had been ordinary.
For supporters who had watched them win the First Division, FA Cup, and UEFA Cup only months earlier, it felt like a sudden drop.
Some newspapers even began predicting that Manchester United could take control of the title race within the first two months.
Beckham and Verón might have left, but Ferguson's team still looked formidable.
Their preseason victories over major European opposition seemed to prove it.
Then Mourinho was asked about that prediction before the Community Shield.
He laughed.
"Maybe you're right.
"Maybe Manchester United will win the league in two months.
"But that's the league.
"I don't think they're winning anything in the Community Shield."
Hands immediately went up.
"Are you saying New Manchester United will beat them?"
Mourinho looked at the reporter as though the answer should have been obvious.
"Of course.
"Why else would we turn up?"
A few journalists laughed.
Another reporter challenged him.
"José, your preseason results have been dreadful.
"And everyone knows Beckham's natural position is on the right.
"That's where he played for England.
"That's where he played for Manchester United.
"Now he's twenty-eight and you're trying to turn him into a central midfielder."
Mourinho smiled.
"First, preseason matches don't give you league points.
"They're for preparation.
"Second, David is perfectly capable of playing centrally.
"He's improving every day."
Then Mourinho leaned back.
"Ferguson moved Silvestre into central defence.
"People questioned that too.
"Now he's playing very well."
The comparison immediately stirred the room.
Mourinho had effectively placed his own tactical judgment alongside Ferguson's.
One reporter could not resist.
"Ferguson's preseason opponents were Juventus and Barcelona.
"Who exactly have you been playing?"
Mourinho stood.
Still smiling.
He pointed towards the reporter.
"My next opponent is Manchester United.
"That's the one that matters.
"And I'll prove something in Cardiff."
He paused.
"Manchester United are not unbeatable."
Then he walked out before the press conference had formally ended.
...
Across the city, Ferguson faced his own media session.
At first, he answered patiently.
Then the questions turned towards Beckham.
The split between the clubs.
The history behind New Manchester United.
Ferguson's expression changed immediately.
Within minutes, he ended the session and left.
Both clubs had deliberately tried to avoid turning the Community Shield into a grudge match.
Neither wanted players distracted by history.
The supporters had no such restraint.
For them, the story had been building for five years.
New Manchester United had been founded after a group of supporters broke away from Manchester United.
Since then, the Red Rebels had climbed relentlessly through the divisions.
One promotion after another.
One trophy after another.
Now, only five years after their creation, they had reached the Premier League.
Few clubs in English professional football had ever risen so quickly.
Their relationship with Manchester United had never been simple.
There had been public clashes with Martin Edwards.
There had been years of arguments over identity and loyalty.
And now Beckham, one of Manchester United's most famous academy products, had crossed the city to join the Red Rebels.
The rivalry was complicated further by the supporters themselves.
Plenty of early New Manchester United fans had grown up supporting Manchester United.
Even now, some still followed both clubs.
For years, they had managed to avoid the uncomfortable question of what would happen when the teams finally met.
New Manchester United had faced plenty of Premier League opposition in cup competitions.
Arsenal had already become a genuine rival.
But Manchester United?
Never.
Until now.
The Community Shield at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium would be their first meeting.
Officially, it was still the traditional curtain-raiser to the English season.
The competition had once been called the Charity Shield and was often treated as little more than a prestigious friendly.
This year, nobody saw it that way.
Not the supporters.
Not the media.
Not the broadcasters.
Sky Sports would show the match live.
So would the BBC.
International networks across Europe, Asia, and beyond had also purchased broadcast rights.
The FA and Premier League understood exactly what they had.
The reigning Premier League champions.
Against the reigning FA Cup holders.
Manchester United against New Manchester United.
Ferguson against Mourinho.
Beckham against the club that had sold him.
The Red Devils against the Red Rebels.
The European leagues had not even started yet, but one of England's usually understated preseason trophies had suddenly become one of the most anticipated matches of the summer.
Millions of people wanted to see the same thing.
What happened when the club Beckham had left finally met the club he had chosen?
And after five years of waiting, which side of Manchester would win their first battle?
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)