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GS: Eli Knox (Shane Lynch) Naomi Wyatt (Rebecca Loos) Nicolai Kulikov (Robert Cambrinus)
During a post-match press conference, Viv gives a scathing view on how the game was just played and how he’s predicting future results, which don’t make for good reading. Eli sees this and lets Viv know he thinks his predictions are “just bollocks”. Viv takes Eli back to the wall where he shows him how they will lose 2-0 against Leeds. Eli refuses to believe and asks Viv for one night to prove him wrong. Across a game of Blackjack, Eli introduces Viv to Nicolai Kulikov, the owner of Spartak Moscow, and makes a bet with the highest card winning either Alejandro Ramírez for Harchester whilst Spartak would get Tommy, and the other ending up with nothing. Nicolai gets the Ace of Diamonds - thus winning Tommy to everyone’s shock.
Viv is sent into overdrive and begins obsessing over the Leeds game. He hears someone come in, assuming it’s Lee but finds Chelsea back. Viv yells at her for sleeping with one of his team mates and then orders her out. Lee carefully questions Viv as to whether Chelsea confirmed she was seeing Clyde, and Viv says she did. When Ryan hears about Chelsea the boys warn him to stay away or else. Sofia realises that Chelsea (the team) are not aware of Eli’s bet and Peter Kenyan ups the price for Tommy to £20M. Nicolai speaks with him and offers £13M which Kenyan accepts. Dean pleads with Eli to let the bet go and Eli reminds him that his word has always been his fortune. After a meeting with Eli and Nicolai, Tommy tells Sofia he has signed the contract and she is shocked as she didn't think it was about the money and Tommy wanted to stay.
Viv meets Chelsea at the canal where he asks her why Clyde. Chelsea looks shocked before saying she didn't love Clyde, and Viv reminds her that she left him for someone she didn't even love and because of it he killed himself. Chelsea says he needs to talk to someone professionally, and Viv meets with Naomi Wyatt, his ex-team psychologist from Middlesbrough. Naomi tells Viv as a friend that he needs to stop trying to control everything as life isn't predictable. Tommy and Sofia get drunk to his new contract, and they spend the night together. Naomi visits Dean at the club, and Dean has no idea Chelsea is supposedly back or that Viv has stopped seeing Dr. Newton. Sofia realises how much her relationship with Tommy has changed when he makes it clear he only wants her to come out to Russia for a bit.
Ryan leaves Chelsea a message asking her to get in touch. Sofia tells Tommy she always thought she was too special for him to sleep with, and sees he already trying to get rid of her like the others. Sofia says goodbye to Tommy and he walks away out of Harchester. After the game Eli takes the moment to gloat at how Viv got it wrong. Viv gets back to Studs where Chelsea appears and tells him he was wrong about the result and is wrong about turning his back on their marriage. Viv watches as Chelsea tears a piece off his wall, and then together they pull the whole thing down as Lee arrives back and hears Viv laughing hysterically. Ryan meanwhile hears from Chelsea who informs him she isn't even in the country and left town to get away from this sort of thing. Lee walks into the wall room and finds Viv alone, saying he and Chelsea have decided to give it another go. Lee is horrified as he realises Chelsea never returned and Viv is imagining her.
Notes:
Last appearance of Tommy Valentine (Chris Brazier)
Return of Chelsea Wright (Karen Ferrari) since 8.7 The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Best Known For: Rebecca Loos shot to fame in April 2004 after an alleged affair with England captain David Beckham whilst she was employed as his P.A.
The Best: At the point where Chelsea tells Viv “I’m nothing without you” is where it should click that it’s something she would never say. A cracking twist.
Quotes: Viv refusing to see Tommy as a member of the team and idly ignoring his shot during shooting practice, to Don’s “What the hell was that Wright?!”. Naomi putting Eli in his place, as “gambling is entirely predictable, and if you play long enough you lose everything” i.e gambler's ruin. Then asking Eli whether he got rich making the bets or taking them which leaves all but Eli smug all round.
Continuity: Naomi reminds Viv that she was his team psychologist until he bit someone's nose off and hasn't worked in football since. This happened three months before 7.15 (#307) Baptism Of Fire.
Additional Info: Without Tommy Don gives 16-year-old David Morrissey (seen playing in the reserves with Fletch in 8.13 The Man Who Knew Too Much) his debut.
Logic: Eli might be on the ball when Dean reminds him they can't sell Tommy as they don't own him, but it takes Sofia to inform him that he cannot buy and sell a player in the same season as it's against FA rules. Eli's response is to tell Nicolai he will provide the money for he to buy Tommy from Chelsea. The only saving grace of this story is that Chelsea do not learn this is all down to Eli's bets being honoured, and are made to go along with the whole sorry saga. If the show wanted rid of Valentine as badly as they seem to, why didn't they just kill him when Shay Maguire stabbed him and save us this?
What Was The Score?: Harchester play Cambridge in the 4th Round FA Cup tie. Lee's second goal (a header) wins the match 2-1 to Harchester. Harchester draw 1-1 with Leeds after a goal from Curtis.
Soundtrack: Femi Kuti: "Sorry Sorry (Old Skool Afro Dub/Francois K Mix)”, Groove Armada: "Edge Hil", Husky Rescue: "New Light Of Tomorrow", Organic Audio: "Always The Sun"
Behind The Scenes: It was later revealed that British based American supermodel Caprice and actress/TV presenter Donna Air had also auditioned for the role of Naomi.
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