The footsteps echoed in the Commissioner's hallway as coach BigF hurried towards his meeting.

The hour was late, the Commissioner would have only summoned him at
this time for one reason, this was it...

A brand new expansion franchise would be his! Finally a chance to
take and mould a franchise and lead them to glory.

His heart skipped a beat as he knocked nervously on the ornate wooden
door to the Commissioner's office.

He entered. The room was opulent and stunk of power.

The commissioner looked up. He was sat at his desk surrounded by a
pile of papers, but seemed somewhat distracted. 

Was that a woman's giggle he heard from under the table? He paid it
no mind, the expansion franchise would be his.

"Good evening Coach, I'm sure you know about our plans for
expansion"

His lips involuntarily licked in anticipation. 

"I do Sir, and I'm honoured to take this opportunity for the
league".

He saw the commissioner's face twitch, was that a laugh he was
stifling?

The noise boomed around the room as the commissioner could hold his
laughter no longer.

"Ah BigF that's why I like you, your sense of humour!" "My god man, you
don't give the keys to the new Nuln Steam Tank to a man who can barely ride
a donkey and that's being charitable, I've seen you riding!"

"You thought....”

Coach BigF did not hear the rest as his head swam and thoughts of
glory were washed away like blood from the pitch.

He tried to focus, the commissioner was still talking.

"… So you understand this is the best course of action?"

"Yes, Yes" he said, anything to get this oaf to stop talking.

"Excellent" the commissioner said, holding his arm out to shake
hands.

“Oh and don’t pay any attention to the nonsense, as the new owner of the Middenheim Classics, you’ll be fine….”

What! The cursed franchise! With each shake of a hand, the feeling of dread spread throughout him, the Commissioner had offered him the cursed franchise and he had accepted!

“Congratulations again, I’m sure you can see yourself out, I have erm, “paperwork” to finish up here”.

Dazed, BigF found himself standing in the empty corridor. It was all a blur, he accepted it though, as a man does, when he knows that he will wake soon and his nightmare will be over. Morning would come and he would be ok again.

Bigf woke with a start, thank Sigmar, the dream was over. It was morning, but despite the light of the sun, he could feel the cold seeping into his bones again,

The carriage rocked again, he drew back the curtains, the Faustschlag dominated his vista, he was home, glory or insanity awaited him in Middenheim.