I turned my phone on as soon as the plane docked back in London. A voicemail was waiting for me from my wife. It wasn't that clear what she was saying as there seemed to be some background noise. It was late Friday night so maybe some of the pubs nearby were spilling out onto the streets near our house. I then caught a few words of what she was shouting:

"There are men with cameras here...are you in some kind of trouble? What's happened?"

I called her and she answered before the first ring, she sounded quiet and a little shaken.

"Jon, what's happening, why are there cameramen and TV people on our front lawn?"

"Listen Luce, it's ok, we're not in trouble"

In the background I could hear our landline ringing and the doorbell going off every few seconds.

"well, why are they here then? Sky have got a van out there for goodness sake and I tried to call Mark but he's turned his phone off"

I took a deep breath and did my best to explain. Interrupted several times I think I eventually got most of the details across before she hung up on me.

I got my car and headed back to the South Coast. My mobile rang relentlessly on the seat beside me, not from my wife but from all kinds of people...old colleagues from my days at AFC Bournemouth, then my mother...old friends who hadn't called me for a year or more.

2 hours later I steered the car into the cul-de-sac where Lucy and I had made our home. It was obvious that nothing would ever be the same again. As I slowed on approach to our house a pack of journalists ran towards my car. I was dazzled by flash bulbs and heard a faint thud which I can only presume was an over keen photographer.

I opened my car door to the cacophony of thier questions. I pushed my way to my front door, trying to block out the whole nightmare.

"is it true? Are you the new Villareal manager?" shouted one....

"Why would they pick you mate?" added another.

As I turned the key the last question I remeber was "what does Mrs Mills think about this then?"

If they quietened down just a little for the next hour they would hear exactly what she thought.