As an Oak Hall player did a neat back-heel, drawing applause from the crowd, Jamie’s frustration began to accelerate into anger. He should still be out there; he should be the one that people were clapping for.

If Kingfield ended up losing this Semi-Final and Jamie missed his chance to prove himself on the big stage, he would never forgive Hansard.

“All I said was that we should try and keep the ball instead of hoofing it the whole time!” Jamie said to Mike, half-explaining, half-apologizing for being substituted.

“Hmmm,” Mike responded, taking in Jamie’s words like a detective slowly putting together the clues of a crime. All the time, his eyes were flickering from side to side, tracking the action on the pitch.

“What?” Jamie snapped. “What’s wrong with that? You think he’s right to sub me? For that?! That’s a load of. . .”

“I haven’t said anything, JJ! You know I’ll never agree with anyone who subs you . . .”

Jamie smiled. He knew Mike would always be on his side.

“. . . but I also know from my own experience that no coach likes having his tactics questioned in front of the rest of the team. It sounds to me like he wanted to make an example of you so everyone knows who’s boss.”

“Yeah, but Mr Marsden never had to do that! And we still knew he was the boss.”

Jamie wished Mr Marsden was still coaching the team. He always encouraged Jamie; and when he called Jamie his “secret weapon” and his “pocket rocket”, it used to make Jamie play even better.

After one of Mr Marsden’s pep talks, Jamie felt he could terrorize any defence. Even if they put two men on him, he just took it as a compliment and tried to beat both of them!

It had been a disaster when it came out that Mr Marsden and Ollie Walsh’s mum had been having an affair. At first Marsden had tried to carry on as normal but when the other mums – who were probably just jealous – went to see the head teacher, Mr Patten, about it, the gossiping started to sweep through the school like a plague.

It was in his team-talk just before Kingfield’s first tie in this Interschool Cup run that Mr Marsden had told the boys that he was moving schools.

“It’s not that I want to,” he’d said. “It’s just that, with the way things are here, I don’t think I can do my job properly any more. I’m sorry, guys; you’re one of the best teams that I’ve ever worked with. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you go on and win this cup.”

The last thing he’d said to them in that team-talk was: “You don’t need tactics from me today – just go out there and enjoy yourselves.”

When he’d finished talking, all the boys started clapping.

That day, Kingfield won their match 5 – 2. It could have been ten. Jamie scored two goals. The second was a beautiful left-footed volley from just outside the area. It was the type of strike that the TV pundits would have called a contender for Goal of the Season.

When it went in, Jamie dashed straight over to celebrate with Mr Marsden.

“That one’s for you, sir,” he’d said.

Mr Marsden left the school the next day. The boys were told that a Mr Hansard – who had been the Kingfield football coach before Mr Marsden joined – would be returning to take over.

The day that Mr Hansard walked back into Kingfield School was the day that everything changed for Jamie. But not for the better.