Season 1 Episode 52 Episode 52 Sky One Transmission Date: Wednesday 8th April 1998 Written By Paul Hodson Directed By Nigel Miller

Fletch, Georgina Stephanie, Ian Des, Zoe, Sean, Natalie Dean Sturridge Doug, Conor Natalie, Sean

GS: Doug Hastings (David Kennedy) Dean Sturridge (as himself)  John Hollins (as himself) A TV crew follows Coates as the team prepare to face Spurs. He's convinced with Dean back from Europe and Dean Sturridge making his debut that the two will form a great partnership and get the club out of the relegation zone. Sean asks Zoe whether she'll take one of his tickets for the game today, but Zoe reminds him how he invited her to Natalie's party only to ignore her. She gives in and Des makes sure he snaps up a ticket too. Stephanie drags Ian away from the crew to inform him of the rumour that Fletch might be back on the drugs. She tells him they need to keep this quiet, but then notice that Ian is still wearing his microphone and the crew have probably heard everything! Georgina is disgusted with Fletch as he throws her out of his bed, and room, and she leaves before her mother comes knocking. Upon hearing her coke question Fletch suggests this is all because he dumped Stephanie. Warren and Conor have set up their burger van in the park, and Warren moans they would have cleaned up had they taken it to White Hart Lane. Conor adds they needed to avoid the boys after the out-of-date burger debacle, but Warren adds it was Natalie's "poncy-food" that gave them the runs. Natalie joins Sean, Zoe and Des in their seats, and says they wouldn't allow her into the dressing room to wish Dean luck! She adds she's never seen Dean play, not even in Italy as she was always working. In the burger van, Conor tries to talk to Warren about Zoe, but he is more interested in cat-calling the passing women. Warren can't understand how Conor had Trudi and still wants to be with Zoe, before heading off to catch the "bird" he just saw. The crew films Ian as he gives the lads his team talk, and during the first half, Dean plays well, and just misses an opportunity to score. Conor gets a surprise when a menacing figure joins him inside the burger van, and says he's here to see Warren. Doug informs Conor about an 'agreement' in Harchester that he can go wherever he wants, while Conor has to move his van along. Doug picks up a glass container of tomato ketchup and smashes it on the floor as a warning to Conor that things are about to get messy! A depressed Fletch sits in the empty dressing room alone, until Frank comes in wondering why he isn't watching the match. Fletch tells him he hates it, having to watch Dean Sturridge score goals that should be his. Frank gives him the harsh truth that he chose to take those drugs so he only has himself to blame, but Fletch should remember that he is at the game today to be a part of this team, and that should give him the willpower to fight for his comeback. Warren returns to the van to find Conor lying in a heap of tomato sauce following Doug's visit. The final whistle goes and Harchester and Tottenham have drawn 1-1. Ian makes out to the TV crew that he is happy about the point they have picked up today, but is frustrated with the players in the dressing room and tells them they will be going on a 'holiday' of some sort next week. Conor tells Warren he doesn't want to encounter Doug again, and they'll have to give up the van. Warren says Doug is no problem and to just leave it to him, besides - they are making far too much money to give it up now! Outside the away dressing room, Dean tells Sean the lads have asked him to go out with them, so would he look after Natalie tonight before handing him some notes. Des and Zoe arrive home and Lynette notices Zoe is even depressed about the result. Des says tonight he will be cooking Lynette a special meal to make up for spending the day away from her. In Studs, Natalie is disappointed Dean went out with the lads, and suggests to Sean she won't be marrying him if he carries on like this, before telling Sean he looks just like his brother sometimes. Conor and Zoe arrive, and Conor is at pains for Zoe not to think he was asking her out on a date. Des and Lynette plan a romantic trip to Paris that summer, and Lynette reminds him it would be their third honeymoon after a previous one in Eastbourne. Zoe watches Sean dance with Natalie, and asks Conor up onto the floor with her. Before long, Zoe and Conor are kissing, and Sean is left put out at what he sees. Lynette wonders why Des is taking so long with the pudding, and looks up to see Des dressed only in his apron with a rose on his chest, and teasing her with a can of squirty cream. At some point that night - let's hope the parentals are out of the way and covered up somewhere! - Zoe arrives home, and thanks Conor before kissing him goodnight. Sean walks Natalie home to the flat, where Dean is already back and Natalie informs him how Sean looked after her tonight. They close the door and Sean feels awkward about Natalie being with his brother. Notes: · The Best: Fletch’s cheeky request for Stephanie to search the dressing gown he's at that moment wearing for the cocaine she’s looking for. His further humour on how she won't find any drugs because he's taken them all. Warren, again with his attitude of “It’s no big deal” to everything even when it involves his major enemy Doug. Logic: There's a bit of bizarre dialogue where Lynette asks Des whether the football season will be finished by the time of their planned Paris trip in late June, in which he tells her the English season finishes in May. Surely she, having been a part of a professional football club's youth team digs for the best part of a decade would know this? One can only assume Lynette is referring to the upcoming World Cup, also about to take place in France. · Quotes: Dean has other things on his mind when Coates comes to his hotel room to ask about yesterday’s injury: Coates: "No aches, strains?" Dean: "No" Coates: "No stiffness?" Dean [shocked]: "Sorry?!" Coates: "Stiffness - no stiffness this morning [referring to Dean's leg]" Dean: "No, absolutely not, no!". What Was The Score?: A pass from Greaves to Stiles and onto Sturridge sees the former Derby County striker score on his debut. Ginola, with crosses from Armstrong and Vega, equalises with Harchester. The final score after 2 minutes of stoppage time is 1-1. · Soundtrack: Clock: “You Sexy Thing”, Nat King Cole: "When I Fall In Love". Season 1 Main Page