Season 9 Episode 23 Episode 379 Sky One Transmission Date: Sunday 26th March 2006 Directed By Marcus D F White

Cindi Lynda, Lenny, Alex What's the worst that Gavin can do? ...Oh yeah Amy

GS: Mario Ruoppolo/Lenny Clarke (Michael J. Jackson) Buckman (Michael Buckman) An envelope in the owner's handwriting arrives, and Lynda thinks she will be fired over the cancelled matches. Lynda learns the owner wants to meet her in the stands that evening, but alone, so she won’t be telling Alex. The lads are setting off on Gavin's stag-trip surrounding camping and hunting, and Ryan has brought Jaws along. They arrive to find a frozen, bare stretch of land awaits them, where they must get stuck in putting up tents. In the darkened stands, a male voice calls to Lynda that she has some explaining to do. The man introduces himself as Mario Ruoppolo, and tells Lynda he bought the club because he had a dream, and instead he's been left with this mess. Mario tells Lynda he wants rid of the club by Saturday, and has already found new owners - 25,000 of them, referring to the fans. The boys sit round the camp fire, and Ryan tells Gavin the surprise he organised has arrived, and from a car pop out Dragonflies Bex and Suzi. Gavin is appalled, and yells at Ryan that he isn't going to cheat on Cindi, before storming off. Mario explains his proposition to Lynda, how each fan will pay £100 for a share in the club. Lynda responds that Mario will only get back £2.5M, which he backs off rather calmly at. At the camp, the lads discuss their feelings on marriage and when Eugene asks whether Cindi is as faithful as Gavin, Ryan admits he feels Gavin is making a big mistake. The lads realise what he has done and Liam lets Ryan know that he will have to tell Gavin. Mario takes Lynda to the club in his chauffeur driven limoscene, but after she gets out, he changes into normal daywear before heading to the post room to be called "Lenny” by his boss. Cindi arrives at the camp, accusing Gavin of fooling around with two of the Dragonflies. She is shut up however when Ryan, surprisingly, says Gavin wouldn't cheat on her. Buckman orders Lenny to take the post to the executive floor, which he is clearly hesitant to do. He gets a golden opportunity to see off the real owner who demands answers from Lynda, and sends a message saying it's all a misunderstanding by the press, before disconnecting further use of the internet from the office computers. Lenny has a close shave though, as Amy knows who he is. Lenny has to duck when Lynda is stopped by an irate Alex, who realises who she was having dinner with last night, and Lenny manages to shuffle into the lift without being seen. Casper has a quiet word with Gavin over making the biggest decision of his life at only eighteen years old, but is told he is sure and loves Cindi. When Danny says Ryan is just going to have to tell him, Gavin overhears, and Ryan has to take Gavin to a quiet spot where he breaks the news on what he and Cindi did. Gavin just storms off in silence. At the club, Lenny-in-Mario-form is with Lynda when Alex catches them. He pins Mario to the desk and demands he tell him why he has controlled his life. Thinking fast, Mario says it was a bet with his friend on who could get their selected player into the England team first, only Mario's friend selected Alex's opposing number - Beckham. Believing his life has been a bet, a broken Alex storms out. As the boys pack up to head home, they notice they are a gun short - and Gavin is absent. A shot rings out from the woods and the lads rush to the scene, fearing the worst. To his horror, Ryan finds Gavin standing over a dead Jaws, and realises Gavin has killed his dog! As he sobs over Jaws's body, Gavin can only say the gun went off by accident. Harchester face Charlton in the FA Cup Quarter Final at the Lair. As the gates open, the fans begin depositing their money. In the dressing room, Ryan and Gavin nearly come to blows but are broken apart by Alex. As Amy is helping to place the sacks of money into the lift like Mario requested, Lynda stops Amy from going up to see the owner. As the first half progresses, Lenny loads all of the cash into his hold-alls. Amy sneaks up to the offices and catches Lenny as he is making his getaway. Lenny explains he was asked to collect the bags and to leave them at reception. Amy is more interested in whether or not the owner is still in the boardroom. She goes in, expecting Mr. Ruoppolo and finds Lenny's discarded suit and dozens of opened envelopes scattered across the room. The shocking truth dawns on Amy. Out on the pitch, tempers boil over between Ryan and Gavin, and soon they are having a full-on fight on the pitch! The team pull them apart, but it's to their cost as both Ryan and Gavin are red-carded, leaving Harchester with only nine men. Lenny makes it to reception where Hannah stops him to wish him “Good luck from Harchester”, to which he replies "Harchester United. Thank you every much!" before absconding with £2.5M pounds! Notes: Jessica-Jane Clement returns to the regular cast having been away filming the first series of “The Real Hustle”, and last appearing in 9.10 Tis The Season To Be Jolly. Goodbye To: Jaws. A shocking end for a pet on what was constantly referred to as a “family show”. Best Known For: Michael J. Jackson has had regular and guest roles across many shows including “Wish Me Luck” (1988-90), “Brookside” (1996-98), “Doctors” (2004) and “Emmerdale” (2010-11) The Best: Franco “Lonyo” Rossi with his guitar in one hand, running with the team after Gavin’s gunshot rings out. Quotes: Ryan (to Gavin) on Cindi: "He meant to shoot a dog, he just shot the wrong one!". As Lynda and Amy take their seats in the Executive stand, Lynda remarks she'll remember this day for a long, long time! Additional Info: DT writer Michael Buckman appears as the grumpy postroom supervisor Buckman. Gavin got Cindi her job back with the Dragonflies after Lynda fired her in 9.9 He Was Robbed. Liam's UEFA hearing has been set for 15th May, the day after the last league game of the season. Cass Clues #8: To quote Rob Kazinsky: “I couldn't stop the money being stolen, I was at a stag do in a forest if you remember”. Cass then gets asked by Roger Clarke what his feelings on the club sale are: “Well I certainly didn’t see it coming!”. So what about the owner’s e-mails waiting for Lynda that Lenny vetoes? That must have been the soon to be seen Duval, acting as Casper’s second-in-command. Soundtrack: Girls Aloud: “Wake Me Up”, The White Stripes: "Hello Operator" and "Little Ghost" <<SE09 EP22 |  Season 9 Main Page | SE09 EP24>>