Free T.J. and the Winning Goal by Theo Walcott Page A

not,’ he said. ‘It’s really too late to arrange for anyone to take his place. I’ll get the office to call home and see if we can find out what’s happened. I’m sure he’ll be here by break time.’
    But at morning break there was still no sign of Danny. It wasn’t until the minibus was actually pulling out of the school gate that TJ saw him running down the road towards them with two bags bouncing awkwardly against his side. ‘Stop!’ called TJ to Mr Wood. ‘Wait!’
    ‘I’m really sorry,’ Danny gasped, as Miss Berry opened the side door and let him into the bus.
    ‘OK, Danny,’ laughed Miss Berry. ‘You made it. That’s the main thing. Right, everyone. We’re on our way at last.’
    ‘Are you OK?’ TJ asked, as Danny sat quietly in the seat in front of him, but Danny shook his head and didn’t reply and TJ was soon busy talking to the rest of his excited team-mates.
    There were five other teams staying at the Youth Centre that night. By the time the Parkview minibus arrived after a long hold-up on the motorway all the other teams were already eating in the canteen. TJ and Rob collected a big plateful of sausage and mash and sat at a table where a noisy conversation was going on.
    ‘You should have seen it,’ a tall boy with curly black hair was saying. ‘We were playing the Manchester United Academy and Bazza was just too good for them. Well, we all were, but Bazza got the goals.’
    He patted the boy next to him on the head. The boy grinned behind his glasses.
    ‘I’m glad I’m not the only one who wears them,’ Rob muttered to TJ.
    ‘They all play for Academies at big clubs as well as their school teams,’ whispered TJ. ‘They must all be brilliant.’
    ‘Who are you lot?’ asked the curly-haired boy. ‘Where are you from?’
    ‘Parkview School,’ said TJ.
    ‘Never heard of them. Are any of you playing for an Academy?’
    TJ shook his head. ‘I’d like to, though,’ he said awkwardly, trying to be friendly. ‘Me and Jamie go to the Wanderers Player Development Centre. We . . .’
    But the other boy wasn’t listening any more. As soon as they could, Rob and TJ slipped away to join the rest of the boys in their room. The girls were in a separate dorm in a different part of the building. ‘There was a kid on our table who plays for Aston Villa,’ Jamie said. ‘And another one who –’
    ‘They were probably just making it up,’ said Rafi. But he didn’t seem too sure. ‘And anyway,’ he continued after a moment’s thought , ‘it’s school teams we’re playing against. Even if a team has one or two kids in it who play for an Academy, the rest of them are just like us, aren’t they?’
    ‘Maybe,’ replied Jamie. ‘But they made it sound like all of them were brilliant.’
    The door opened and Mr Wood’s head appeared. ‘Bed,’ he said. ‘Lights out in five minutes, and don’t stay awake all night talking. You’ve got a big day tomorrow.’
    ‘As if we didn’t know that already,’ said TJ, as he climbed into his bunk.

C HAPTER 18
    THE NEXT MORNING the boys sat together at breakfast. TJ didn’t feel hungry, and he could see that no one else did either. They were looking around the room at the other teams, who all seemed to be having a great time.
    ‘Hey,’ said Miss Berry, arriving with the girls, ‘why all the long faces? We’re here. We’re in the Regional Tournament. Cheer up!’
    ‘Miss Berry’s right,’ said Mr Wood. ‘And you have to eat. You’ve got a long day ahead of you. A very long day if you make it all the way to the final.’
    ‘There’s no chance of that,’ said TJ. ‘There are lots of kids here who play for Academies. They play for big clubs. None of them are nervous like we are.’
    ‘Oh no?’ said Mr Wood. ‘I can tell you, TJ, that plenty of people make a lot of noise when they’re feeling nervous. You lot are as good as any of them and I don’t even have to see them play to know that. After all, you’ve been