Godfather Of Champions

Chapter 158: The Curse of the South Changing Room

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

When Nottingham Forest was in the midst of training hard for their first EFL Cup championship title in twelve years, an absolutely disadvantageous piece of news was heard from the EFL Cup committee. The committee had announced the allocation results of the two teamsʼ changing rooms.

According to the rule, ”Northern teams will use the North changing room, while Southern teams will use the South changing room”. Middlesbrough, which was located even more to the North than Nottingham Forest, obtained the right to use the North changing room. Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, could only helplessly accept what fate had arranged for them — to use the ”cursed” South changing room at Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

Once this news was announced, Nottinghamʼs local press erupted with complaints. The majority of them lamented about fate not being fair, and placed much emphasis on fatalism.

There were also a minority of them, who felt that this new rule of changing rooms was not logical. And that, instead, it should be abolished, and the allocation of rooms should be decided the ”old-fashioned” way, via balloting.

Of contrary opinion, Middlesbroughʼs side was overjoyed. Aside from the local mediaʼs advocating strongly that fate had treated its team well, they also did not forget to seize the opportunity to strike at their opponentʼs confidence.

They were opposed to the idea of changing this rule, because Middlesbrough City was one of the most northern cities in England. The only two teams, which were located even more to the North than Middlesbrough, and that also had the abilities to advance into this kind of Cup final, were probably only Newcastle and Sunderland.

The evidence, which they had provided to refute Nottinghamʼs press, appeared to be extremely convincing. Before the 2002 FA Cup finals match, Chelsea and Arsenal had both advanced into the finals. Although both teams were based in London City, which was located in the south of England, Arsenal was based in North London, while Chelsea was based in West London. Hence, with Chelsea being located closer to the south, they had to use that south changing room.

It was noteworthy to know that, in the eighteen months prior to this, Cardiff Millennium Stadium, which replaced the under-construction Wembley Stadium, had hosted finals of various competitions (including FA Cup, FA Community Shield, EFL Cup, League One and below playoffs and elimination matches). Among these, all of the teams that used the south changing room had, without exception, lost in each of their respective matches. Cardiff Millennium Stadiumʼs south changing room was, therefore, deemed to be a cursed changing room.

Chelsea was naturally dissatisfied with losing such an important match, as a result of what was dubbed the ”North-South fate”, and therefore, protested against the Football Association. The Football Association decided to use a coin toss to determine the allocation of the changing room, and in the end, Chelsea was still allocated the South changing room.

In order to counteract the ”curse of the south changing room”, all of the Chelsea players had worn their ”lucky white socks” during the match. But, in the end, they had lost to Arsenal in the finals, with a score of 0:2, and the players scoring for Arsenal were Parlour and Ljungberg.

By using Chelsea as an example, Middlesbroughʼs press was trying to tell Nottingham Forestʼs press that, in the face of the almighty fate, you should just stop struggling on your deathbed! Hence, even if they determined the room allocation by coin toss, you will still get the south changing room, and you will still lose to us, the mighty Middlesbrough!

In their minds, this was a result that was predetermined!

As soon as the changing room allocation was announced, Tang En felt that they still stood a chance — one that he could make good use of. As for how to use it, that would have to depend on the specific situation.

Tang En had heard tales about Cardiff Millennium Stadium long ago, when he was still a football fan. It was truly quite a severe spot. Out of the seventeen matches held there, fourteen of them were won by teams which had used the north changing room, and only three were won by those which used the south changing room.