Football Dynasty-Chapter 209: Points Deduction

In a country where even the Prime Minister and the Queen pay close attention to football, the sport is more than just a pastime—it’s a cornerstone of national identity.

From posh drawing rooms in the countryside to crowded pubs in the inner cities, football is the great equalizer. For generations, football has run through the veins of the English people. It has carried the nation through triumphs and heartbreaks alike.

When Sir Bobby Charlton stood in silent grief for the fallen heroes of the Munich air disaster, the world wept with him. Later, the tragedy of Heysel left scars not just on Liverpool, but on the soul of English football. Paul Gascoigne’s tearful breakdown at Italia ’90 wasn’t just a moment of vulnerability—it was a mirror for an entire nation’s raw emotional connection to the game.

And now, in what should have been just another fixture in a long and storied league campaign, the events unfolding between Millwall and Manchester City have erupted into chaos.

The country watches in disbelief. Pundits debate it in television studios, newspapers plaster it across front pages, and fans across all clubs weigh in with outrage or weary familiarity. Once again, the beautiful game finds itself entangled in the darkest corners of society — and England, football’s proud cradle, is forced to confront its reflection.

Richard, who was in the Netherlands at the time, was stunned when the news reached him. He sat in disbelief, struggling to process what had happened.

The only small comfort he could cling to was this: it had all taken place at The Den—Millwall’s ground—and not at Maine Road.

Richard and his entourage didn’t wait any longer—they departed that very night and headed straight back to Manchester.

The very next day, the Football Association swiftly took action against both Millwall and Manchester City.

Millwall, identified as the primary source of the trouble, was heavily sanctioned to set an example for others. They were immediately docked 50 points as a direct consequence of their fans’ violent behavior and failure to maintain order—effectively sealing their relegation for the season.

The harsh punishment sent a clear message across the league: such conduct would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Meanwhile, Manchester City also faced severe consequences. Despite not being the main instigators, they were docked 25 points in the league standings as punishment!

That day, Richard immediately called Johanssen from UEFA’s legal and disciplinary committee asking for help. After the call, he turned to Robertson and the other coaching staff and asked, "What happened?"

They then briefed him about the incident where Materazzi slapped Millwall striker Richard Cadette down to the ground. After that, the referee immediately brandished a red card at Materazzi, and chaos erupted.

"Did you ask Marco about it?"

All the staff shook their heads.

As Materazzi trudged off the pitch with a dark expression, they tried to speak to him calmly. But Materazzi, looking grim, approached the sideline, opened his mouth as if to say something, then merely shook his head and walked straight into the tunnel.

The staff felt helpless—clearly, Materazzi was unwilling to discuss what had happened.

As a result of the incident, the match was abandoned. Manchester City also faced disciplinary action, sharing in the penalties handed down for the chaos that had erupted.

"What about Martin? Is he okay?"

Martin O’Neill was currently at Wythenshawe Hospital, having been caught in the chaos and unfortunately pushed during the Millwall fans’ pitch invasion.

The incident left him with injuries serious enough to require medical attention, which meant that for the rest of the match, there was a possibility that Robertson, his assistant would take over, as O’Neill was expected to remain in the hospital.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

While the coaching staff and management were deep in an emergency meeting, the sudden knocking on the door made everyone look up.

The room fell silent as the door creaked open, revealing Frank Shepherd and Gordon Barry, the City legal team

Both men stepped in briskly, their expressions serious but composed.

Shepherd cleared his throat and spoke first, "We’ve been following the situation closely. There are urgent legal matters to discuss, but first, let’s address what happened between Materazzi and Cadette."

Richard frowned, frustration evident on his face. "What exactly happened? This is so frustrating if Marco keeps us in the dark."

The Den didn’t have a large screen to watch replays; otherwise, they could have seen the incident clearly.

Shepherd grimaced. "I’ve already requested the CCTV footage from The Den. We should receive it tomorrow, which the FA will provide to both sides to aid in the appeal. Meanwhile, we’ve interviewed some eyewitnesses. Apparently, after Materazzi headed the ball clear, Cadette approached him and fouled him."

Richard’s brow furrowed deeper. "Fouled? What kind of foul?"

If Materazzi was fouled, Cadette should’ve been the one punished. So why was Materazzi the one shown the red card?

Shepherd hesitated, then continued with a sheepish grin, "Well, when Materazzi confronted Cadette... several witnesses claim Cadette poked Materazzi right on his backside—with his finger."

"..."

A heavy silence fell over the room. You’ve got to be kidding me!

The coaching staff and management exchanged stunned looks as they tried to process this.

It turned out Materazzi had just been humiliated.

No wonder he refused to speak. Given his fiery temperament, it was no surprise he lost control. For him, slapping Cadette was the only reaction he could think of after being provoked like that.

Richard frowned deeply and said, "So all the problems started because of Millwall, not Manchester City—why are we being punished with a 25-point deduction? That’s incredibly harsh."

Losing 20 points basically means City’s chance of promotion is gone completely.

Richard’s frown deepened as Shepherd continued, "This is exactly what I wanted to discuss next. After the match, eyewitnesses and CCTV footage showed that City’s Guvnors firm ambushed the Bushwackers at London Bridge."

Shepherd paused, watching Richard’s expression darken further.

"They effectively dismantled parts of the Millwall hooligan groups. Two Millwall fans were injured and are currently hospitalized because of the incident," he added cautiously.

Richard’s voice turned grim. "So, you’re basically saying that City’s point deduction wasn’t because of what happened at The Den, but because of the violent aftermath after the match?"

Shepherd nodded solemnly. "Yes."

Richard took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the news settle heavily on his shoulders. He turned toward Shepherd and Barry. "Is there any way to get this punishment reduced? At least lessen the points deduction," he asked urgently. "Twenty five points... that’s crippling. It basically ruins our chances of promotion."

Barry exchanged a glance with Shepherd before replying, "We can certainly appeal. There’s room to argue mitigating circumstances—like how the original incident wasn’t City’s fault. First, they made racist chants toward our black players, which should already count as additional points in our favor. And on top of that, only Materazzi got a red card, which we can argue shows clear referee bias."

"Is that so? Then can you handle this from here?" Richard asked.

"Leave it to us," Shepherd and Barry answered in unison, their confidence unwavering.

"Thank you," Richard nodded, turning to Miss Heysen and Marina. "What’s your take on all this?"

"Richard, you need to make a public statement," Miss Heysen said firmly, sliding a newspaper across the table. "Many of our players are from abroad—they’re likely still shaken by what happened. You need to step forward, reassure them, and make it clear that the club stands firmly behind them. They need to know they’re protected."

Richard scanned the headline, his expression darkening.

Theo Paphitis, Millwall’s chairman, was already on the defensive, declaring, "These accusations are unfair and exaggerated. Millwall fans have been unfairly targeted and painted as villains."

Richard let out a bitter chuckle before suddenly crushing the newspaper in his hand. "Enough of this nonsense. We’ll make our statement tomorrow."

The next day, Richard’s response came swiftly and firmly:

"The facts speak for themselves. Millwall’s behavior that day was unacceptable—from the racist abuse to the violence both on and off the pitch. Manchester City were the victims here. The truth is, there was violence. There was racist abuse directed at our Black players. And for Millwall to downplay or excuse that is, in my view, completely wrong. Even our coach is currently hospitalized because of the actions of Millwall fans."

Paphitis fired back once again, saying, "If a handful of youngsters going onto the pitch intimidates Manchester City’s players, maybe they should go back to kindergarten!"

The media quickly caught wind of the heated exchange, dubbing it a "war of words" between the two club owners. Each defended their side passionately, but their public clash only escalated tensions. The verbal sparring spilled into headlines, interviews, and press conferences.

Still, the more attention the incident received, the better it was for Manchester City. After all, in this case, Millwall was clearly in the wrong.

For the next three days, Manchester City were fully occupied with their appeal against the FA’s harsh sanctions.

With Martin O’Neill hospitalized for a hip replacement following the chaos at The Den, Jon Roberson stepped in as the acting head coach, taking full charge of the team during this critical period.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

While Richard was busy working, Marina entered his office. "The FA has already announced the result of our appeal. The 25-point deduction has been reduced to 10 points."

Richard’s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out the current First Division league table.

1️⃣ Derby County – 94 pts - (Promotion)

2️⃣ Crystal Palace – 93 pts - (Promotion)

3️⃣ Stoke City – 85 pts - (Qualification for play-offs)

4️⃣ Manchester City – 82 pts - (Qualification for play-offs)

5️⃣ Ipswich Town – 77 pts - (Qualification for play-offs)

5️⃣ Charlton Athletic – 71 pts- (Qualification for play-offs)

6️⃣ Stoke City – 70 pts fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

8️⃣ Leicester City – 63 pts

9️⃣ West Brom – 61 pts

🔟 Norwich City – 61 pts

It looked like the only hope for City to secure promotion now was through the playoffs.

Richard sighed with relief and renewed hope, but deep down, he knew there was something even more important to consider.

’It seems there’s no need for the Guvnors to exist anymore if all they do is harm the club,’ he muttered thoughtfully, his focus shifting from points and penalties to the bigger picture ahead.