The victory at The Den, that impossible, heart-stopping 3-2 comeback, had changed everything.
The next few weeks were a glorious, heady blur of success. Michael, sitting in his office at Oakwell, had made a new habit. He no longer watched the 24-hour sports news with dread. He watched it for validation, a smug, satisfied smile on his face.
The league table, displayed on the massive screen, told the whole story.
After five games, the top three looked like this:
1- Derby County
2- Bolton Wanderers
3- Barnsley FC
He just stared at it. Third place. His team. His kids. His "philosophy."
The pundits, the same cynical, sharp-faced men who had called him a "lucky punk" and his team a "circus," were now eating their words, and it was the most delicious meal Michael had ever tasted.
