Wednesday morning brought a strange energy to the Sterling Era Training Complex.
Michael stood in the large meeting room.
The players sat in rows of chairs. They looked tired.
Isaiah King was slumped in his chair wearing a grey hoodie. Even his pink shoes looked sad today.
Kai Sora was awake but he was staring at the ceiling counting the tiles.
"Wake up everyone," Michael said his voice cutting through the gloom. "Tuesday hurt. I know it hurt. But we do not have time to bleed."
He pressed a button on a remote control.
Spotlights turned on at the front of the room.
They illuminated three mannequins.
The players sat up.
The mannequins were wearing a new kit.
It was not the Barnsley red. It was not the away white.
It was black.
Pure deep midnight black. The club crest was embroidered in gold. The sponsor logo was gold. The numbers were gold.
It was the "Blackout" Third Kit.
