The Climb #2: Jenner Park
Kat arrived in Barry before she’d fully processed what she was doing.
She stepped onto the platform, tasted sea salt in the air, and tried not to look like someone questioning her entire life choices.
Barry Town United.
Phase One.
No turning back now.
The taxi driver didn’t speak until she said where she was heading.
Barry Town United? So you’re the new manager. Brave.
Kat stared out the window and sighed.
Everyone keeps saying that.
By the time he dropped her off, the nerves had started to creep in again, enough that she considered asking him to drive back to the station.
Kat stood outside the stadium for a moment, letting it all sink in.
This wasn’t a club trying to impress anyone.
It didn’t need to, it had history.
She pulled her jacket tighter.
Well, I guess this is happening.
Inside the gate, the stadium unfolded around her: small stands, a red running track, a bright green pitch. Someone clearly cared about this place.
A voice spoke behind her.
Welcome to Barry.
Veruca.
Of course she was already here.
Same cream suit, same clipboard, same calm expression she had in London.
They walked the touchline together.
Up close, Jenner Park looked older than it did in pictures.
The player tunnel creaked in the wind.
The dressing rooms smelled like disinfectant.
Nothing flashy – just what was needed.
Kat scribbled into her notebook:
Pitch good.
Wind aggressive.
Stadium older than expected.
We can work with this.
VERUCA: Still writing lists?
KAT: It’s how I cope.
Inside the clubhouse, the warmth hit immediately.
Framed shirts lined the walls. A kettle hissed somewhere in the distance.
Someone down the corridor swore at a door that wouldn’t shut properly.
It felt lived in.
Kat found her office easily.
It was the only room with a massive welcome banner hanging above the doorway.
On the desk sat a thick folder stamped in bold letters: THE CLIMB.
She pulled out the chair and sat down to read it.
THE CLIMB – PHASE ONE
Barry Town United
📄 Club Summary
Local roots. Limited budget. Hard-working team.
💷 Finances
- Balance: Modest
- Wage Budget: Thin
- Projections: Cautious
👥 Staff & Structure
- Chairperson: One
- Assistant Manager: One
- Coaches: Two
- Director of Football: One
- Scouting Team: None
- Physio: One
Several key roles vacant, with responsibilities stretched thin.
🎯 Objectives — Issued by The Association
-
Reach the semi-finals of the Welsh Cup.
Progress needs proof. -
Give three U19 players at least 10 senior appearances.
Growth needs people.
Advancement to Phase Two requires full completion.
Kat closed the folder slowly.
Two objectives.
A tight budget.
A staff list so short she thought a page was missing.
KAT: …Veruca?
VERUCA: Yes?
KAT: I just checked the scouting section. The only scouting report in there is handwritten by the chairman.
VERUCA: Correct.
KAT: Where is the actual scouting team?
VERUCA: That is the scouting team.
KAT: Veruca… he runs the whole club.
VERUCA: And he scouts. Multitasking keeps him youthful, apparently.
KAT: So we have no scouts.
VERUCA: You have one. He just happens to also be the chairman.
KAT: That feels like a structural problem.
VERUCA: It’s a budget problem. A structure appears once you can afford it.
Kat scribbled into her notebook:
Club modest.
Finances thin.
Staff stretched.
Chairman also scouts (??).
Objectives clear.
Manageable… probably.
VERUCA: What would you do if I took your notebook away?
KAT: Probably cry.
They walked through the training areas next.
A gym with equipment that worked but complained about it.
A pitch with cones laid out carefully.
It wasn’t impressive, but it wasn’t hopeless either.
Veruca checked her watch.
VERUCA: You’ll meet the squad tomorrow, get a good night of sleep while you still can.
KAT: That’s… reassuring.
VERUCA: I’m not here to reassure, I’m here to make sure you don’t run away.
By the time they reached the gate, the tour had settled into a quiet rhythm.
VERUCA: That’s enough for today, you start properly in the morning.
KAT: I’ll be here.
VERUCA: Good. Don’t try to fix everything at once, just take the first step.
With that, Veruca turned and walked away.
Kat looked back towards the ground and let the enormity of the challenge sink in.
Jenner Park.
Small club, big heart.
Bit seaside, bit stubborn.
She tightened her grip on the folder.
Alright, let’s begin.
Tomorrow she’d meet the players.
Tonight was just the start of the climb.
