Date: Saturday, 25 October 2025
Venue: Valley Parade
Formation: 4–2–3–1
Pre-Match Build-Up: Return to Routine
Friday Morning — Training Ground
The sun sat low over the misted edge of the pitch, throwing long shadows across cones and bibs. A quiet rhythm to everything. No music. No banter. Just feet tapping against grass and clipped calls from the coaching staff.
Jake stood with arms folded near the centre circle, eyes following each sequence with that detached precision of someone measuring not performance—but readiness.
No drills beyond 70%. No late tackles.
The players knew what this was.
Not recovery.
Recalibration.
The trip to Greece hadn't left anyone drained. If anything, it had sharpened them.
Jake's only words that morning came just before they broke the final rondo drill.
"This isn't after the high. This is the high. League points mean promotion. No drifting."
No smile. But the players nodded.
