Chapter Four: Champions of the Mud

Three days later, defenders built stalls and the reserve goalkeeper painted blue-and-white walls. Danny borrowed lights from the dock union. Mara recruited traders. Lin leased the warehouse for four weekends, selling pitches, food rights and five-a-side time under the name Greyport Winter Nights. Players signed autographs on Fridays. Oscar played Father Christmas with the expression of a man expelling children from training. The first night drew 3,400 people. Lucy, the girl in the yellow raincoat, placed twenty-seven pounds of savings into the roof fund. Lin knelt and returned it. “Wasn't entry free?” “This buys the roof. I want to sit beneath it when I'm grown.” He accepted one pound and wrote her a receipt: FUTURE SEAT HOLDER.