Chapter 92: New Beginnings
As i said, that was only the beginning for Leeds and for me as a couple of weeks later on another lazy morning the phone rang,
RD- Hello?
LUFC- Good Morning, may i speak to a Mr. Reece Daniels please?
RD- Speaking...
LUFC- Hello, i'm Jane, i'm calling from Leeds United Football Club, i have Jackson Wheeler wishing to speak to you.
RD- Who?
LUFC- Let me just put you through, please hold...
JW- Hello Mr. Daniels, Jackson Wheeler here, how are you?
RD- Confused, how can i help you?
JW- I've just looked over your application form concerning the coaches positions we have available and i'm calling to offer you an interview, this afternoon say 1pm?
RD- Yes that would be great.
JW- Ok, i'll see you at 1.
The phone went dead and i ran up the stairs to get ready. By 1pm i was at the club and walking into the lobby before being greeted by a youngish gentleman in a suit jacket and jeans. He reached his hand out and i shook it before he escorted me upto his office.
JW- Please take a seat and we'll get right down to business. Would you like a drink?
RD- No, but thanks for the offer.
JW- Ok, lets get down to it, my name is Jackson Wheeler, i'm the new owner and chairman of Leeds United Football Club. I've looked over your application and although you applied for a entry level coaching job, i have a more interesting offer for you if you're willing to listen to it.
RD- Of course.... what is it?
JW- First team coach. Due to Sam Ellis retiring we've promoted from within the current staff and now have an opening for a first team coach. You have the relevent qualifications for the post and while a little inexperienced i believe you could become a valuable part of our coaching staff.
RD- Are you serious? This isn't a wind up or something is it?
JW- *Laughs* No, not a wind up. We want someone who is close to the club, has a soft spot for the team and what it stands for. You have been a fan since you were born and attended nearly every game for the last 20 years. You and Batty have the same loyalty i'm looking for in my staff. So what do you say?
RD- Errmm, yes yes yes and...yes.
JW- *laughs* Well then, welcome to Leeds United.
We shook hands and by the end of the afternoon i had signed a 3 year coaches contract worth £400 a week. I'd be coaching the likes of Warner, Walton and Coloccini. After i signed i rushed home and rang... everybody really. While i wouldn't start until the beginning of July i was already nervous. The missus assured me i'd do fine and i should stop worrying. I finished my current office job, had a big party to celebrate and soon i'd be coaching the team i've loved since i was brought into this world. Jackson Wheeler announced his take over and through news reports i gained a bit more information on my new boss. At the age of just 25 he inherted the family company and in the space of a decade turned the quite small family building firm into company worth nearly £890m with an annual turnover of nearly £160m. His firm built Coventry City's Ricoh Arena and various stadiums in the states. His father was English but his mother was American and after spending most of his life in America he decided to expand the business' overseas links and when he gained the Coventry City deal he fell in love with the game all over again after a long absence from taking any real notice in the game. His father told him of the great clubs of his time with the likes of Forest, Liverpool and Leeds United being mentioned in many a bedtime story and when the chance to own one of the former greats came up he didn't hesitate in snapping it up. With his business thriving he decided to expand his empire in other ways and independently bought the club and sought to take it to new highs by pumping £75m into the team with the idea that the money would help the team sustain itself without any need for further investment. Wheeler has given Batty £25m of that to spend on transfers in order to break the team into the Champions League within the next 2 seasons.
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