A Longshot

World-renowned manager Marcus Shrewd shocks the football world by taking over newly promoted Eastridge FC, determined to silence critics who call him a “big team merchant.” Meanwhile in Ipswich, 26-year-old pub worker David Longshot scrambles to training with semi-pro Docklands FC on the eve of their season opener, only to be easily beaten in a 1v1 drill, a humiliating reminder that he needs to improve his individual skills. The next day, Shrewd faces a squad crisis with no centre back and his striker likely to leave. Walking home from a grocery run, he hears a whistle from a nearby match and stops to watch.