June 1990 — System Activated
The calendar had flipped to June.
The transfer window was officially open. Clubs across England were already wheeling and dealing—agents whispering, faxes humming, and deals being struck over pints in smoke-filled pubs.
Luton Town, somehow, was still a First Division club.
Not by merit—but by miracle.
The Football League had announced a surprise expansion of the top tier, pushing the relegation line just enough for Luton to stay afloat.
"I already knew it was coming," Duke thought, sitting in his modest office, tapping a pen against a transfer report. "Still... seeing it confirmed? That's a breath of life we didn't deserve—but I'll take it."
His mind was already racing—rebuilding plans, scouting sheets, stadium renovations—but then...
[DING!!!]
A sound, mechanical and crisp, echoed in his ears. But not in the room.
It was inside him—somehow.
"What the bloody hell was that?"
[FC SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
[WELCOME, DUKE REWARK]
[STARTER PACKAGE AVAILABLE – OPEN NOW?]
He froze.
His body, his office, the very air around him—suddenly muted. His hands stopped fidgeting. His mind went blank. All he could do was stare at the invisible prompt hovering in his awareness like a dream.
"System? Football Club system? This real? Am I hallucinating?"
"What..."
His voice was barely a whisper, a mix of awe and disbelief.
His heart thudded in his chest like he was walking out at Wembley.
But he didn't hesitate.
Duke (out loud):
"Yes."
[DING!!! STARTER REWARD UNLOCKED]
+5 DEFENSIVE STAT BOOST
(All registered defensive players will permanently gain +5 DEF rating.)
Silence.
Then the information hit him like a header from six yards out.
His eyes widened.
"+5 defensive stat? All defensive players? That... that's huge."
He rushed to the filing cabinet, grabbing his current squad sheet.
Left-backs. Centre-backs. Defensive mids.
Guys who were scraping by—barely good enough for this level.
Now? They'd be punching above their weight.
Even someone like young Marvin Johnson—solid but forgettable—might suddenly feel like a damn wall at the back.
"This could turn an average defender into a Premier League-caliber stopper overnight... Bloody hell. We could actually survive next season with this back line."
He leaned over his desk, heart racing.
But he wasn't done yet.
There had to be more.
Some kind of menu. Settings. Tactics optimizer. Maybe even transfer insights?
"Let's see what else this thing's hiding..."
He focused, willing the system to expand.
[SYSTEM FEATURES LOCKED]
This is a base-tier FC System.
Functions will unlock over time.
Random rewards will be granted upon:
Winning domestic cup tournaments
Securing a top 3 league finish
Achieving promotions or historic milestones
No shop. No upgrades. No shortcuts. Win to grow.
He stared.
That was it.
"No modules? No scouting tool? No damn training buff?"
Just a baseline stat boost… and a promise.
Win, and the system gives more. Lose, and you're stuck with what you've got.
Duke (exhaling hard, smirking):
"Well... I was hoping for a magic wand. Got a scratch card instead."
He chuckled to himself, dryly.
"But hey—five stat points on defense? That ain't nothing. That's structure. That's stability."
He sat back in his chair, looking at the squad sheet again.
"At least now I know we won't get bullied off the pitch every weekend."
He lit a cigarette, leaning back, thinking.
The FC System—whatever it was—was real.
Real enough to change the game, if only a little at a time.
"Fine. You want me to earn it? I'll earn it. Cups, promotions, whatever it takes—I'll crack this system open piece by piece."
He tapped the ashtray and muttered with a grin:
"Defense wins leagues, they say. Let's start there."