Some might expect that the team wouldn't be too disheartened at conceeding their 1st place spot. Many saw them to be performing above themselves anyway. A season where relegation had been comfortably avoided would be seen as a huge success.
Alan knew better. His team didn't see it like that. They had been growing more confident in their own abilities as the season progressed and were bitterly disappointed about their narrow defeat to Sun Hei.
On arrival at the clubs ground for their routine training session, Alan saw the team weren't as up beat as they had been previous weeks. He screeched out something in broken Cantonese. Alan was trying his best to pick up what he could. The squad gathered round and after a quick few stretches he got them playing 5 a-sides in groups. Before long there were raised spirits and Reid went on to explain the importance of getting back to winning ways over the next few games. The squad of course knew this all too well.
The next match was in the Senior Shield against Workable a team which HKFC had struggled to get a draw against in their last match. However an inspired performance from defender Liu Quankun led the way for HKFC to record a comfortable victory.
Captain Lam Ka Wai led by example, opening the scoring in 9minutes before a period of constant pressure by HKFC resulted in a host of corners from which Quankun converted 3, scoring the first hat trick of his career. Workable managed to get a consolation but some excellent build up play saw Destiny Ugo finish the move with a powerful header to make it
5-1. What a way to bounce back!
Next game was more important still, this was in the Hong Kong First division. They needed to win this league game to keep the pressure on Sun Hei. A few extra training sessions squeezed in that week seemed to work, and Hong Kong duely delivered another victory. Running out
3-2 winners. The sore point of the match was defender Festus Baise got sent off. This caused Reid a selection headache for the next match! With only a small squad he had no real cover. To make matters worse the next game was the quarter final of the Senior Shield.
The month was December and there was just enough time for Alan to do some frantic last minute Christmas shopping before the next match. It hadn't seemed like the run up to Christmas. Humid weather and virtually no mention of it, except for the odd lost christmas tree in one of the malls and a few fairy lights. Reid headed off into the busling Mong Kok market. He picked up a few things ready to post off home, they were going to be belated as it was already almost Christmas.
Just as he was leaving the famous tourist spot a Chinese man came running over, "Alan Reid!" he shouted. His voice wasn't as Alan had expected at all, he had a broad American accent. It wasn't until he got closer Reid noticed the Hong Kong Football Club shirt he was wearing. The man went on to explain he was a English/Cantonese teacher at a college in America and he used his Christmas break to visit family in Hong Kong as well as take in a few matches by his beloved HKFC. Alan was flattered, he shaked the man's hand and mentioned he'd hopefully see him at a match soon. Alan smiled to himself, he thought he was something of a minor celebrity, with that he was on his way home.
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