177: The Children's Monologue

The night at Victoria Park stadium was exceptionally quiet, with sparse stands in stark contrast to the usual lively atmosphere.

But on the other side of the world, tens of thousands of fans were following this seemingly ordinary EFL Trophy match through their computer screens.

In the Northern Storm TV live broadcast room, bullet comments flew like snowflakes. Fans from different countries expressed their curiosity and anticipation in various languages.

“Welcome everyone to Northern Storm TV’s first live broadcast!” the commentator’s voice was full of passion. “Tonight, Hartlepool United will face Port Vale with an all-youth squad! This is a public review of their youth training achievements!”

Lin Feng sat in the private box, a laptop in front of him, displaying real-time viewing data. The numbers were steadily climbing, already surpassing fifty thousand.

“Boss, the technical team reports everything is normal,” Richard Arnold reported softly. “The server is running stably, and the picture quality has met the expected standards.”

Lin Feng nodded, his gaze turning to the pitch. On the green field, the two teams’ players were in their final warm-up. Hartlepool United’s young faces looked especially fresh under the lights, but in everyone’s eyes burned a flame of desire to prove themselves.

“Let’s look at the starting lineups,” the commentator continued to introduce.

“For the home team, Hartlepool United, playing a 4-3-3 formation, the goalkeeper is the 17-year-old John Walker, the defense is led by Smalling and Hartley, the midfield core is Bridcutt, and the front line features three talented teenagers: Ince, Jones, and Baker.”

John Walker stood in front of the goal, constantly adjusting his gloves. Last night’s conversation had clearly worked; though he was nervous, the previous panic was gone.

“The away team, Port Vale, has sent out most of their main players; they clearly don’t want to lose to a bunch of kids.”

Port Vale’s players looked confident on the field. For them, facing an all-youth team should be an easy victory.

The referee’s whistle blew, and the match officially began.

Hartlepool United’s youngsters showed no signs of timidity. After the kick-off, they quickly got into rhythm, skillfully executing the club’s signature 4-3-3 tactical system.

Bridcutt took the ball in midfield; his passes were concise and accurate, completely free of the common habit of young players holding onto the ball too long. The ball was quickly transferred to the right wing, where Ince, upon receiving it, chose not to blindly break through but instead passed back to the overlapping full-back.

“Beautiful teamwork!” the commentator couldn’t help but exclaim. “These youngsters’ tactical awareness is impressive!”

The bullet comments in the live broadcast room began to liven up:

“Is this really a youth team? The passing is too fluid!”

“Hartlepool United’s youth academy system is indeed powerful.”

“A 17-year-old goalkeeper, so brave.”

In the 8th minute, Port Vale launched their first threatening attack. Their forward received a pass at the edge of the box, turned, and shot.

John Walker reacted extremely quickly. He dived to his right, securely catching the ball with both hands. The save was technically sound, and his timing was perfect.

“Great save!” Smalling was the first to rush over, patting John’s shoulder forcefully. “That’s it, John!”

The young goalkeeper’s face showed a confident smile. Last night’s nervousness had completely vanished, replaced by an excitement to embrace the challenge.

The match continued, and Hartlepool United’s youngsters played with increasing composure. They controlled the passing rhythm well, neither rushing nor dragging. More importantly, they displayed tactical discipline beyond their age.

In the 15th minute, Liam Jones received a pass in the attacking third. He chose not to go solo but cleverly distributed the ball to Baker on the left wing. This selfless play made Lin Feng nod in approval.

“These kids have a high football IQ,” Pulis observed from the sidelines. “They know when to pass and when to shoot.”

Old John stood in the technical area, arms crossed, his face full of concentration. As interim head coach, he needed to constantly observe changes on the field, ready to make adjustments at any time.

In the 22nd minute, Port Vale earned a corner kick. Their tall center-forward charged towards the near post, preparing to contest the header.

John Walker decisively came out, leaping high amidst the crowd, and punched the ball out of the box with both fists. His timing for coming out was excellent, showcasing the courage and judgment a goalkeeper should possess.

“John’s performance is getting better and better,” Lin Feng commented softly from the private box. “Pressure has actually stimulated his potential.”

The pace of the first half was not fast; both teams were probing for their opponent’s weaknesses. But Hartlepool United’s youngsters were not at all disadvantaged on the field, even having a slight edge in ball possession.

In the 35th minute, Ince suddenly accelerated on the right wing; his speed caught Port Vale’s left-back off guard. After breaking to the byline, Ince chose to pass back, and the ball accurately found Jones inside the box.

Jones’s shot was tricky, but Port Vale’s goalkeeper reacted swiftly, pushing the ball out for a corner.

“Good chance!” the commentator’s voice rose an octave. “Hartlepool United’s youngsters have created the best chance of the first half!”

The audience in the live broadcast room was also ignited by this attack:

“This Ince is really fast!”

“Jones’s shot quality is very high.”

“These kids are playing really well!”

The half-time whistle blew, and the two teams were temporarily tied 0-0.

In the locker room, the young players were breathing heavily, but excitement sparkled in everyone’s eyes. Their first-half performance exceeded everyone’s expectations, including their own.

“Kids, you played very well,” Old John walked into the locker room, a satisfied smile on his face. “Keep up this form, and we’ll have more chances in the second half.”

Pulis drew simple diagrams on the tactics board: “Port Vale’s right-side defense is a bit lax; we can attack more from that side in the second half.”

Lin Feng did not go down to the locker room; he chose to completely let the coaching staff take charge. These youngsters needed to learn to independently face the pressure and challenges of the match.

After the second half began, the pace of the match clearly quickened. Port Vale clearly didn’t want to be held to a draw by a bunch of kids, so they intensified their attack.

But Hartlepool United’s youngsters were not intimidated by their opponent’s offensive. They continued to stick to their playing style, patiently looking for opportunities.

In the 58th minute, Bridcutt successfully won the ball in midfield and immediately passed it to Ince on the right wing.

Ince, upon receiving the ball, did not rush to break through but observed the situation on the field. He noticed Jones making a run into the box, while Baker was also on the left wing, ready to receive a pass.

This was an excellent counter-attacking opportunity.

Ince began to accelerate; his first step caught the defending player off guard. Continuous changes of direction completely unbalanced the opposing left-back.

After breaking to the edge of the box, Ince chose not to shoot but observed a better passing lane. He delicately passed the ball to the far post with the outside of his foot.

Jones leaped high; his header was well-angled, but Port Vale’s goalkeeper reacted quickly, pushing the ball away.

Just then, a figure flashed towards the rebound.

Oliver Baker!

The young forward displayed keen instincts, appearing at the most crucial position at the first moment. Facing the deflected ball, Baker did not hesitate, pushing it in with his right foot!

The net rippled!

“Goal!” the commentator’s voice almost broke through the roof. “Oliver Baker! This 19-year-old youngster has broken the deadlock for Hartlepool United!”

Victoria Park instantly erupted. Although there weren’t many spectators, everyone was cheering wildly for this spectacular goal.

More importantly, the entire process of this goal perfectly showcased the success of Hartlepool United’s youth academy system. From Ince’s breakthrough to Jones’s header, and then to Baker’s tap-in, three youth players specifically nurtured by Lin Feng completed a textbook-perfect combination.

“Beautiful!” Lin Feng couldn’t help but applaud in the private box. “This is the football I want to see!”

The bullet comments in the live broadcast room completely exploded:

“So exciting! This combination was perfect!”

“The teamwork of these three youngsters is better than many professional players!”

“Hartlepool United’s youth academy is truly amazing!”

“The future of these kids is limitless!”

The young players on the field hugged each other tightly, their faces filled with pure joy. This heartfelt happiness is the most beautiful aspect of football.

Baker was surrounded by his teammates, tears of excitement sparkling in his eyes. This was his first official goal in his professional career, a moment of immense significance.

“This goal will be etched in the club’s history,” Richard Arnold remarked in the private box. “Not just because of its brilliance, but because it represents the success of the club’s youth academy system.”

After taking the lead, Hartlepool United’s youngsters played with even more confidence. They began to display more individual skill, and the match became more entertaining.

Port Vale tried to equalize, increasing their attacking efforts. But Hartlepool United’s defense held firm, with the center-back pairing of Smalling and Hartley displaying maturity beyond their years.

In the 78th minute, Port Vale had a golden opportunity. Their forward received a pass inside the box, turned, and shot.

John Walker once again showed excellent reaction ability, diving to his left and tipping the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

“A miracle save!” the commentator shouted excitedly. “John Walker preserved the team’s lead with a world-class save!”

This save was extremely difficult, requiring excellent reaction speed and physical coordination. John Walker’s performance impressed everyone.

“This kid has the potential to become a top goalkeeper,” Lin Feng thought to himself.

As the match entered its final stages, Port Vale went all out. They pushed more players forward, trying to equalize in the last moments.

But Hartlepool United’s youngsters showed composure beyond their age. They chose not to sit back and defend but continued to stick to their playing style, consuming time through ball possession.

In the 89th minute, Ince had a counter-attacking opportunity in the attacking third. He could have shot, but seeing a teammate in a better position, he chose to pass.

This selfless play greatly pleased Lin Feng. Truly excellent players always know when to make sacrifices for the team.

The final whistle blew, and Hartlepool United defeated Port Vale 1-0, successfully advancing to the EFL Trophy semi-finals!

The young players celebrated wildly on the field; they proved their strength with a perfect performance. More importantly, they showcased the success of Hartlepool United’s youth academy system to the world.

“This is a victory for the youngsters!” the commentator concluded. “Hartlepool United’s ‘kid soldiers’ have proven with their actions that age is never an excuse to limit talent!”

Lin Feng walked out of the private box, preparing to go down and congratulate these young heroes. But his phone suddenly rang, showing a new message.

Opening the Northern Storm TV backend data, Lin Feng saw a shocking number: the number of online viewers had surpassed one hundred thousand!

This number far exceeded expectations. An EFL Trophy match attracting one hundred thousand online viewers was a rather astonishing achievement at the time.

What caught Lin Feng’s attention even more was a message in the platform’s comment section. This comment was pinned to the top, and the sender’s verified badge showed “K. K.”.

“Well done, kids. Tell your boss, next match, I want to see a real ‘war’.”

Lin Feng stared at the message, a slight smile playing on his lips. Keira Knightley, that woman, always managed to appear at the most opportune moment, expressing her presence in the most subtle way.

The so-called “war” obviously referred to the upcoming FA Cup. That was England’s oldest and most prestigious competition, and also the stage that truly tested a team’s strength.

Lin Feng put away his phone and walked towards the pitch. Tonight belonged to these youngsters; they concluded Northern Storm TV’s debut with a spectacular victory.

More importantly, they proved a fact to the world: Hartlepool United not only had an excellent first team but also a continuous supply of reserve strength.

This team’s future was brighter than anyone could imagine.