Part 206: Chapter the Eighth: Golden Ball.

Chapter the Eighth: Golden Ball
January 1, 2027-January 20, 2027

Our schedule is still fakakta, which means that we'll be taking the transfer window in two separate installments as we fight through what is likely to be four cup matches in the first three weeks of the new year.



Don't expect any additions to the club. We're £2.9m in the red at the moment.



The annual awards kick off with Isaac Parsons winning the US Young Player award, I'm very glad that he's now in a league where he'll be tested more.



Despite being an afterthought on his own club Sinan Ünsal remains the best Turkish player in the world.



Mujkic picks up his fourth AFC Player of the Year award.



He's also one of our four starters on the World XI, but Thiago is snubbed for the starting role in favor of Wolfburg's Roman Baumann despite scoring 68 goals in 70 matches to Baumann's comparatively puny 41 in 68. He won't be winning the Ballon d'Or, it seems.



Mujkic increases his award haul when he picks up the writers choice for world player of the year. He, Stringel, and Roman Baumann have all been invited to the award ceremony where the winner of the Ballon d'Or will be revealed...

vs Southampton, January 2, 2027
FA Cup, Third Round


Southampton are good now. Really. Once they fired Noel Tosh they went on a quickly upward trajectory, and so far this year they're sitting in fourth place, one point behind Chelsea and Manchester United and with a game in hand. They've only lost four matches all season, and with the exception of being upset by Reading all those losses came against megabastards. Our Cup defense could end before it begins if we're not cautious.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Quiboulaz, Loseille, Maloney, Shirra, Mercado, Allan, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Landgraf, Cirjak, Tounkara, Zouaghi, Damgaard, Parr, Stringel.

We take the lead on a Mujkic goal after Allan's shot is deflected in the thirtieth minute, and our defense is stifling a punchless Southampton through an hour of play. Then the wheels come off for the visiting squad, as Mercado scores on the rebound of a Mujkic shot, Allan scores not 10 minutes later, and Thiago makes it an out and out rout. Worse for Southampton's fans is how dominated their squad was, never even getting a shot away.

Man of the Match: Callum Allan




Wrexham 4-0 Southampton



I'd make a “we will Bury you!” joke, but I'm pretty sure I've already done that once way back when we were in the lower leagues. I'm tempted to play an entirely youth squad for this match just to give Bury a fighting chance.



Yes! Meteor is the best!

vs Sheffield United, January 6, 2027
League Cup, Semifinal Home Tie


The Blades were in the 2014-2015 League Cup semifinal as I wrote this, up against Tottenham. They weren't quite able to overcome the Spurs, falling 2-3 on aggregate. Sheffield United has had a lot of success recently against Premier League clubs despite being in League One themselves, lets hope their future dopplegangers don't take any inspiration from them.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting 11: Kocsis, Cirjak, Tounkara, Laux, Quiboulaz, Zouaghi, Bailey (c), Moctezuma, Stringel, Damgaard, Thiago.
Subs: Landgraf, Loseille, Hammat, Maloney, Allan, Mercado, Parr.

This Sheffield squad doesn't have the panache of their real-life counterparts. Stringel scores in the fifth minute, followed by Rodrigo Moctezuma earning his first goal in a Wrexham jersey. String adds a second before the break, and we're cruising. The three goals are plenty, and Sheffield will have to score at least thrice if they want to make it to Wembley.

Man of the Match: Isaac Stringel




Wrexham 3-0 Sheff Utd



Congrats. I hope that power isn't going to your head.



Uh, what's that about a £134m loan?!



Oh, ok. You just refinanced our existing ones and rolled the interest due into the new debt instrument.



The election also brings three new faces onto the board of directors.



As per usual they hail from outside of the UK.



Gomez is a very good young striker who was born in Kansas City but has both Mexican and American citizenship. I'm still hoping we can convince him to join Team USA, but the Mexicans have already put him on their U20 squad several times and he's not answering my damned phone calls.



Rouissi was our only player out on a six month loan, it's nice that he's playing well enough to stick in Swansea's first team.

vs Huddersfield, January 8, 2027
Premier League


Our match against Everton was rescheduled because they drew in the FA Cup and need another go-round with Sheffield Wednesday, so if we get past Huddersfield we can claim a 365 day period of not having lost in the league.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Laux, Loseille, Maloney, Shirra, Parr, Allan, Mujkic (c), Thiago.
Subs: Landgraf, Cirjak, Tounkara, Bailey, Pickee, Damgaard, Stringel.

Our dragons put Huddersfield under seige from the opening whistle, and it pays off with a leaping Mujkic goal fifteen minutes later. Then Meteor, feeling invincible after having been feted as the finest player in the world, earns a straight red card in the 57th minute for a two footed tackle! Huddersfield make use of their man advantage to equalize five minutes later. We're unable to score, and the ref denies Thiago a penalty shout at the end of the match to send us to our third draw of the season. We remain undefeated, but drop points.




Wrexham 1-1 Huddersfield



Damnit Mujkic. And you're going to be suspended for our match against Manchester United, too.



Who do you think you are, Cristiano Ronaldo? It wasn't any better when he got a red card a few weeks after he won the Ballon d'Or in real life!




As punishment you'll have to spend more time with a Scotsman.



The record is actually a whopping 49 games by the Arsenal “Invincibles” of 2003-2004 spread across three different seasons. I don't think we're going to be able to manage that.

vs Manchester United, January 16, 2027
Premier League


Winning this match will end Manchester United's title aspirations. They've been much better since their tough start, after losing four of their first seven games they've won eleven of fourteen. Still, they have to beat us in Wales, and that's no easy feat.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Reed, Hammatt, Quiboulaz, Loseille, Laux, Shirra, Parr, Stringel, Damgaard, Thiago.
Subs: Landgraf, Cirjak, Tounkara, Maloney, Allan, Mercado, Pickee.

The ref decides to give United a gift penalty on a Reed challenge in the first ten minutes, and we're behind. We equalize not twenty minutes later when Laux fires a surprisingly deft shot for a defender past a surprised Kovacevic. Then Reed makes up for his penalty with a slick cross to the Golden Boy and we take the lead after an hour of play. Stringel gives us the comfort of a two goal lead not long thereafter, and draws the curtains on United's title hopes. Too bad, so sad.

Man of the Match: Isaac Stringel




Wrexham 3-1 Man United



We're lucky that our next two matches are in the League Cup and the FA Cup, both of which will see us play lower division squads. Mujkic will be eligible for our next Premier League match, against Arsenal.

At Sheffield United, January 19, 2027
League Cup, Semifinal Away Tie


Anything short of the biggest upset in a decade will consign Sheffield United to the dustbin of history.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kocsis, Cirjak, Tounkara, Laux, Loseille, Zouaghi, Damgaard, Pickee, Allan, Mercado, Thiago.
Subs: Landgrad, Reed, Hammat, Bailey, Shirra, Parr, Stringel.

We perform poorly against a lower division side, and it aggravates me to no end. It takes 50 minutes for our first goal, from Mitchell Pickee, and that turns out to be our only one of the day. Tonci Cirjak has to come off the field with twenty minutes left, and it only adds to my vexation over our lackluster performance that nevertheless sees us on to the final.

Man of the Match: Mitchell Pickee




Sheff Utd (0) 0-1 (4) Wrexham



We played poorly and still won. We won't get away with that against Arsenal. The only thing I can be happy about is that Cirjak wasn't badly injured, he's not my first choice anymore but he's played in 15 of our 34 matches and keeps Reed and Loseille from getting worn out.



I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever relinquish our spot atop the table despite having four games in hand over Chelsea and three on the rest of the clubs. Still, we didn't play exceptionally well over this stretch, and we could find ourselves dealing with a late title challenge if we keep dropping points against the likes of Huddersfield.