The evening air was cool, with faint mist drifting over the training ground. Floodlights buzzed above the players as they wrapped up their training session for the day, laughter and shouts echoing across the pitch.
Ten days had gone by since their win over Walsall in the FA Youth Cup third round. The team had celebrated their win with much gusto, after all, this was the first time qualifying for the fourth round in the history of Salford's youth team.
Frank clapped his hands once. "Alright, bring it in!"
Boots thudded on the turf as the lads jogged over, sweat still shining on their faces. Harry and Noah were among the last, both still catching their breath after a quick one-v-one at the end of training.
Frank waited for everyone to settle. "Good work today, boys. But before you all run off to your lodgings, I've got something to show you."
He held up a printed sheet that was folded twice. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "The FA Youth Cup Fourth Round Proper draw came out this evening."
The lads instantly perked up. Murmurs ran through the group.
"Who we got, boss?" Danny asked, wiping his forehead with his sleeve.
Frank unfolded the paper slowly, letting the suspense hang for a few seconds. "First—listen up. Here's the full draw."
He cleared his throat and began reading:
"Burnley U18 vs Gillingham U18.
Liverpool U18 vs Newcastle United U18.
Nottingham Forest U18 vs Sheffield United U18.
Wolves U18 vs West Ham U18.
Luton Town U18 vs Tranmere Rovers U18.
Telford United U18 vs Fulham U18.
Scarborough U18 vs Chelsea U18.
Ipswich Town U18 vs Sunderland U18.
Man City U18 vs Tottenham Hotspur U18.
Northampton Town U18 vs Man United U18.
Coventry City U18 vs Colchester United U18.
Portsmouth U18 vs Scunthorpe U18.
Arsenal U18 vs Middlesbrough U18.
Birmingham City U18 vs Wimbledon U18.
Everton U18 vs Salford U18.
Swansea City U18 vs Preston North End U18."
Frank looked up. The lads froze.
For a second, no one said a word. Then Jayden blinked. "Wait... Everton?"
"Yep," Frank said, forcing a smile. "Everton. Away. We'll be heading to Merseyside."
A whistle of disbelief went around.
"Premier League academy..." Nathan muttered under his breath.
"Proper test that," Danny added, nodding slowly.
Noah's eyes lit up. "Good. About time we faced a real challenge."
Harry stayed quiet, staring at the ground for a moment. Everton U18. That was no small name. Their academy had produced stars for years, big ones. This was another level.
The recent names to hit the radar of top English teams were more than a few. The likes of Wayne Rooney, James Vaughan, Victor Anichebe, Daniel Fox, Scott Brown, Andrew Fowler, and Sean Wright. There were many others.
This wasn't going to be an easy fixture. But nonetheless, he felt his blood boil in anticipation. The stronger the competition he faced, the more he could prove himself.
Frank noticed his look and clapped his shoulder. "Don't let the badge scare you. You guys have earned this. They also bleed like anyone else."
The lads chuckled, but the nerves were still there, mixed with excitement.
Kai asked, "When's the match, coach?"
"End of the month, on 24th. Gives us just under two weeks to prep." Frank's voice grew firm. "We'll need to be sharper, quicker, and stronger. They won't hand us anything."
Riley grinned excitedly. "Guess we're going to Goodison Park, eh?"
"Not quite," Frank replied. "Their academy ground. But if you lot win... maybe the fifth round gets interesting."
That fired them up. Noah smirked, tossing his water bottle into his bag. "Then let's make sure we're still in it."
The boys broke into laughter and chatter as they headed off toward the locker room, the buzz of the upcoming clash filling the air.
Harry lingered a moment longer, staring at the night sky.
The Walsall game had given him a taste of confidence, but this—this was different. Everton wasn't just another youth team. This was a shot at proving he belonged on a bigger stage.
He clenched his fists lightly. "Bring it on."
---
[DING!]
[New Objective: Defeat Everton U18 in the FA Youth Cup Fourth Round Proper]
[Rewards: +500 XP, 1000 System Points, 10 Attribute Points]
[Do you Accept: Yes / No]
---
Harry blinked as the glowing blue text popped up before his eyes, cutting through the night like a flare.
His heart gave a small jolt. "Five hundred XP…?" he muttered under his breath, eyes widening. That was more than any reward he'd ever seen. The system wasn't playing around this time.
The screen hovered in front of him, pulsing faintly, almost like it was daring him to accept the challenge.
He exhaled slowly, breath misting in the cold air. "So, that's how it is, huh?"
His pulse quickened. This wasn't just another objective, it was an opportunity to make a statement. The system wanted him to prove he could rise against the best.
Everton's youth setup wasn't some random bunch of teenagers. They were the type that trained under top-level coaches, had diet plans, and already got scouts watching them every weekend.
But that only made the fire in his chest burn hotter.
Harry straightened, the faint hum of the floodlights filling the silence around him. The noise from the locker room echoed in the distance, laughter and chatter fading out as his focus narrowed on the words still hovering before him.
"500 XP, 1000 System Points, 10 Attribute Points…" he whispered again, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Guess the system's testing how far I've come."
He reached out instinctively to tap "yes", but his hand passed through and the blue text dissolved into tiny motes of light, vanishing into the air.
He quickly realised himself and replied yes in his mind. "Silly me."
For a moment, he just stood there, staring up at the misty night sky. The cold air bit at his cheeks, but he didn't care.
Every part of him buzzed with determination.
He could already see it—the roar of the crowd, the Everton players in blue, the feeling of the ball at his feet.
This was his stage now.
He whispered to himself, voice low but steady. "I'm not just showing up to play... I'm showing up to win."