Football Card System

These days, discussions among the players at the training base mostly revolved around Ajax.

However, for veteran team members like John and Mel, their preferred topic of conversation was the derby match against Watford.

Watford was currently in the Championship. When Luton was also in the Championship, the two teams would meet at least twice every season. But ever since Luton was relegated, they hadn't faced each other again.

"Watford?" Gao Bo was quite interested in the team's arch-rival. He knew that this team would establish a firm foothold in the Premier League in the future.

"Is it like the relationship between Manchester United and Liverpool?"

"It's even more intense than that!" John said seriously.

"Alright, alright! John." Gao Bo consoled him, "We can beat them!"

"This is a derby! A derby, you know, Gao!" Mel chimed in.

"Of course I know. I've been in England for seven or eight years," Gao Bo said, waving his hand.

"We can't lose this match, right?!"

"Absolutely not!!" Both men nodded.

For the people of Luton, winning against Watford might be more important than any other match this season.

This match was a battle for Luton! A battle they absolutely could not lose.

Derby matches are very important in football culture. The clash between two teams has nothing to do with strength or league format; the only goal for both sides is to win, to defeat their arch-rival!

However, before the match against Watford, the team still had three league games to play.

Before Christmas, on December 21st, in the 21st round of the league, the team won 2-0 at home against Stockport. Then, in the Christmas fixture, the team hosted Brentford at home, ultimately winning 2-1 thanks to Jamie Vardy's brace. Following that, on December 28th, in the 24th round of the league, the team was held to a 1-1 draw away by Exeter City. Fortunately, in this round, Charlton lost and Leeds United also drew, so Luton managed to catch up in points with this draw, and then took the top spot based on goal difference.....

....

The New Year of 2010 quietly passed. Luton is a small city, with no New Year's Eve celebrations or wild parties.

The team didn't even have a day off on January 1st, because they were scheduled to face Watford on January 2nd. However, on the afternoon of January 1st, Gao Bo still ended training two hours early, allowing the players to go home and reunite with their families for the New Year.

As for Gao Bo, he had a hotpot meal at his apartment with Lin Sen, Haruko, and Li Yuanshan, who had been picked up from the youth academy.

"Happy New Year!"

The four expatriates from the East raised their glasses—of course, Li Yuanshan's glass contained orange juice...

"Happy New Year!!!"

A simple meal marked the New Year celebration.

By 2010, Gao Bo had already been coaching Luton for a year and a half.

....

On January 2nd, at 5 PM, Vicarage Road Stadium was packed.

Compared to usual, the Luton fans had a more fervent energy. As soon as Gao Bo entered the stadium, he felt an atmosphere different from the norm.

Was this... murderous intent?!

Gao Bo wasn't entirely sure, but he was certain that today's opponent was truly special to the Luton fans.

This was a derby match...

The derby between Luton and Watford is called the M1 Derby, named after the M1 motorway that connects the two places.

If Milton Keynes was at most a noisy neighbor that annoyed Luton fans, then Watford, for Luton fans, was an irreconcilable arch-rival.

Gao Bo could tell from Luton's team anthem the hatred Luton had for Watford.

In this song, which was only about two and a half minutes long, approximately forty seconds were specifically dedicated to insulting Watford.

When both teams' players entered the field, the Watford players heard this sound.

However, it wasn't just Luton; it was the same for Watford—their team anthem also had a section specifically dedicated to cursing Luton...

These were truly arch-rival teams.

...

A derby would have a derby atmosphere.

Fierce physical confrontations, frequent falls, and fragmented play.

Amidst the frantic shouts of the live audience, the players' adrenaline began to surge!

The match had only just begun for a little over ten minutes, and the players from both sides had already accumulated five yellow cards!

Three of them went to Watford, and two to Luton!

The pace of the game began to spiral out of control.

Gao Bo frowned as he watched from the sidelines.

Griezmann was once again tackled to the ground. The tackler was Watford's forward, Rasiak, who received a yellow card for the challenge, but he seemed completely unfazed, getting up and walking away immediately.

Gao Bo immediately stood on the sidelines and yelled at the referee, Mike Dean: "That was a tackle from behind!! You should give that guy a red card!!!"

Mike Dean glanced at Gao Bo on the sidelines. As long as Gao Bo didn't use abusive language, he had no intention of responding to his complaints.

The referee didn't respond to Gao Bo's shouts, and the tension on the field grew thicker.

In the twentieth minute of the match, Kevin Keane made a fierce tackle in midfield, bringing down Watford midfielder Smith!

Such a fierce tackle was rarely seen in Kevin Keane's past matches!

The game seemed to be changing, with players from both sides frequently falling to the ground in midfield.

Sliding tackles, arguments, clashes, yellow cards!

These things had appeared repeatedly on the field in just over twenty minutes.

To be honest, such a match was not pleasant to watch.

However, the entire stadium was incredibly fervent. Every tackle by a Luton player would trigger thunderous cheers, and encouraged by the fans, the players' adrenaline began to surge.

The same was true for Watford; their players also played with no mercy on the field!!

Gao Bo frowned, concerned that if the game's pace continued this way, there might not be enough players left on the field for both sides by the end of the match...

In just thirty minutes, seven yellow cards had already been issued.

"This number of yellow cards must be a record, right?" Gao Bo turned to John and complained.

In this match, Gao Bo felt he had completely lost control; the game was almost uncontrollably sliding towards the expected derby chaos.

"No way," John shook his head. "It's still early. I remember one year in a derby, two players from each side were sent off in the first half..."

"This is a derby, after all..."

Gao Bo had thought he understood England's derby culture well, but it wasn't until he experienced it firsthand that he realized how crazy it was.