Yesterday’s press conference in the Alan Vaughan Suite was eventful.
The Sky Sports cameras glared as the Manchester press pack assembled. Photographers perched down in front of a hastily assembled trestle table with a table cloth slung over it. Two empty seats stood behind it.
Abbey had lost the opening five matches of the season and the world wanted answers. Even the club’s money-spinning northern European pre season tour to pacify Scottish sponsors Irn Bru had proved a fruitless event. The knives were out.
A car pulled up on gravel outside and the room held its breath. It was time. Footsteps up the stairs followed and in walked club secretary Tony Mac and under-fire Manx manager Luke Gibson with a towel round his neck from yet another ice bucket challenge.
The day before the Evening News had led on a story speculating Gibbo’s future. Over night Twitter had gone into overdrive and the word on the street was that he was a dead man walking.
Nevertheless he looked cool and composed as he sipped his mineral water (tap water, Ed) and awaited his grilling.
The first few questions were fairly standard. “Do you feel like you’ve lost the dressing room?” “Are the players out of control?” “Do you feel you still have the support of the board?”
Gibson smiled and replied with concise answers. You almost felt he knew something they didn’t.
Oliver Holt from the Mirror delved a bit deeper: “So Luke, are you thinking of bringing in some reinforcements before the transfer window closes?”
Gibson leaned back in his chair and replied: “Well... there is one we’ve been looking at...”
At that moment there was an almighty bang as the double doors of the bar crashed open and in walked last season’s club captain and midfield rock Des Flanagan.
“But....but....we thought you’d gone to Northwich?” stuttered a bumbling Holt as a flurry of lenses snapped away eager for their shot to make the back pages.
“Give yer head a wobble,” replied Des before adding quickly: “I’m back.”
Gibson smiled and posed for a picture with his returning captain, the internet went mental, Gordon opened the bar and the club looked forward to today’s game in earnest knowing we’d got one of our prize jewels back.
Game on.
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