Soccer: I’m Building a Giant in the Premier League

Chapter 22 – Digging Up a Gem in League Three

In the southern district of Blackburn, at Ewood Park Stadium, head coach Graeme Souness strode briskly across the parking lot from the northern office wing straight into the main building.

Everyone recognized this fiery-tempered local football legend. No one dared stop him.

He didn't even bother knocking—just pushed straight into the CEO John Williams' office, startling the man behind the desk.

Seeing it was Souness, Williams bit back the curse that was about to escape his lips and forced a smile instead.

"What brings you here, Graeme?"

He stood up, walked over to greet Souness, and motioned for his assistant outside to get coffee.

Then returned to his desk.

"You could've just called. No need to come all the way."

It sounded polite, but deep down, Williams was fuming.

Souness was a difficult man, fiery and direct—but at Blackburn, Liverpool legends held enormous sway.

Blackburn sat in England's northwest, forming a sort of triangle with Liverpool and Manchester. Naturally, football culture from both red cities had left a heavy imprint.

The late Jack Walker, a steel tycoon and diehard Blackburn fan, had poured his fortune into the club. Starting in 1986, he even funded the famous "Steel Walker Stand" at Ewood Park.

When Walker took full control in 1991, he made headlines by hiring Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish as manager.

In just three years, massive investment paid off: Blackburn won the Premier League in 1995.

To this day, it remains their only league title, and the only one not won by United or Arsenal during that era.

Dalglish stepped down afterward, and investment slowed. Blackburn's form dropped—and in 1998/99, they were relegated.

The manager at the time? Brian Kidd, recruited from Manchester United.

He didn't even last the season.

Walker passed away in 2000, leaving the club in a trust. John Williams remained CEO.

Walker's final decision before stepping back? Hiring Graeme Souness.

Another Liverpool legend—former captain and later manager.

The fans believed Souness could lead Blackburn back to glory.

He did.

In his first season, he led the team back to the Premier League.

In 2001/02, Blackburn finished 10th.

In 2002/03, they went even further—6th, nearly qualifying for the Champions League.

Souness' status at the club was rock solid.

So this season's struggles? No one blamed him.

After all, Blackburn had sold Damien Duff and David Dunn for a combined £20 million, and spent little in return.

Now, Souness was demanding the club sign Jonathan Stead.

Simple reason: the current strikers were toothless.

Veteran duo Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke had only 5 and 2 goals respectively after 16 matches.

Worse, Yorke's wild off-field lifestyle was a media disaster.

Souness believed it was time to change the system, bring in a powerful young No. 9, and abandon the outdated 4-4-2.

Adapt or die.

"I want to know—what's going on with the Stead deal?"

His words were as sharp as a blade.

Williams forced a smile. "It's progressing. Still negotiating."

"Then why did I hear Chelsea made a bid?"

"Well… maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Just rumors. Nothing confirmed."

"How much did they offer?"

"£7 million."

Souness frowned. "Did Bayswater accept it?"

"They're… hesitating."

More vagueness. That was exactly why Souness hated the transfer market.

A fog of whispers and half-truths.

But he didn't have time.

"John, we're in a dangerous spot. With the squad we've got, I can't guarantee survival."

This wasn't a warning—it was a fact.

Relegation would be a disaster.

Back in the '90s, Walker was there to save them.

But now? He was a statue outside the stadium.

There would be no rescue.

"You know as well as I do—Yorke's chasing women, not goals. Grabbi and Jansen? One's scoreless, the other has two."

"I've got four strikers, and they've scored fewer goals combined than Stead."

"Tell me—how the hell are we supposed to compete?"

Souness had ranted before.

Williams knew. And this time, he wasn't wrong.

The board hadn't backed him nearly enough.

Their plan was to ride out the season with Cole and Yorke.

Now that plan looked suicidal.

"Graeme, if we want to outbid Chelsea, it'll cost us."

Souness fired back instantly.

"Was Alan Shearer cheap?"

Walker had once shocked the world, paying a record fee to sign Shearer from Southampton.

Then another fortune for Chris Sutton from Norwich.

Together, the duo led Blackburn to their historic title in 1995.

"You really want to forget that history?"

Williams couldn't argue. That legacy was why he had joined the club in the first place.

"You're that confident in Stead?"

"I don't know if he'll be great. But do you have a better option?"

…

Just before Round 22 of League Two—the final match before Christmas—Bayswater Chinese FC received four offers.

Yang Cheng and Lin Zhongqiu were surprised.

Brian Kidd? Not so much.

"In the Premier League, clubs just follow each other's lead."

The offers:

Fulham raised theirs to £6 million. Confident Chelsea hadn't really bid.Charlton had just sold Scott Parker to Chelsea for a high fee—they offered £7 million.Newcastle also bid £7 million.Blackburn topped them all with £7.5 million.

Clearly, Blackburn were desperate.

"What do we do?" Lin asked Yang Cheng, as he now always did with big decisions.

"Tell Blackburn the price is £8 million."

…

When Blackburn received the counteroffer, they hesitated.

Standard haggling.

Then came Round 22.

At home, Bayswater thrashed Notts County 3–0.

In the 28th minute, Stead scored with a stunning long-range strike.

Yang Cheng subbed him off in the 75th minute.

His replacement? Rickie Lambert, who scored twice in the 82nd and 86th.

Yang saw it clearly—Lambert was hungry. He knew his chance was coming.

But outsiders saw only this: Stead had now scored in 8 straight games.

The next day, with the media once again fawning over Stead, Blackburn accepted the £8 million asking price.

John Williams, accompanied by the club's trustees, flew to London to negotiate.

Yang Cheng didn't attend. He let Lin Zhongqiu handle everything.

But disagreements arose—Blackburn wanted installments, Bayswater demanded full payment upfront.

Three days of tense negotiation later, just before Christmas, a deal was struck.

Blackburn agreed to pay £8 million in full, and the transfer was officially announced.

The media went wild.

Just like Shearer had once joined Blackburn and blossomed under Dalglish, now Stead would follow in his footsteps, under Dalglish's "disciple" Graeme Souness.

A footballing circle complete.

While England obsessed over Stead's move to Blackburn, no one noticed that Bayswater had quietly signed a 24-year-old target man from League Three side Cambridge United for £150,000.

His name?

Dave Kitson.

And even fewer knew that over in Reading, in an office west of London, their new manager Steve Coppell was furious.

"Those bastards!"

"Just got £8 million, and now they're competing with us for signings in League Three?"

"Football's supposed to be transparent now—how the hell am I supposed to find hidden gems like this?!"

"Bayswater Chinese FC… you better hope I don't see you on the pitch!"

"Because I swear—I'll destroy you!"

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