Season 8 Episode 22 Episode 346 Sky One Transmission Date: Sunday 20th March 2005 Directed by Marcus D F White

Fletch Viv, Nathan Marlon, Nathan Eli Fletch is off

GS: Eli Knox (Shane Lynch) Nathan Woods (Ike Hamilton) Naomi Wyatt (Rebecca Loos) Mrs Woods (Jacqueline Kington) Marlon Baldon (David Gyasi) As Fletch laps up his new managerial status, Don watches from his hotel bar in Spain. When asked on the expected return of Don, Fletch says until Barker’s health improves he will be in charge. Don realises he has to get back to Harchester fast in order to stop Fletch from ousting his position. When his escort asks why he is leaving he says he trusted somebody to screw up and they didn't. When Don arrives home Jodie tells him of what went on with Frank before adding there's something she hasn't told him - and shows Don the scan of the baby. On Fletch, Jodie reminds Don that he gave him the gig to fail so he just needs to wait it out until he does. As the lads celebrate their win Dean discharges himself from hospital. He tells Fletch he is hoping to persuade Eli of Don's resignation on the grounds of ill health, and recommend Fletch takes over permanently. Viv maneuvers things so he ends up driving Nathan home. Viv tells Nathan he is to hand in a transfer request in to Dean, as he has every right to defend his place in the team. Viv uses Nathan defending his home or his mom from being attacked as the same as the situation he's in. Nathan takes this to be Viv threatening his family. Don plants the seed in Curtis’s mind on how Fletch is conspiring to take over, and how the team will be made to focus on Tuesday's game to make Fletch look good, and it will be “sod the Champions League”. Don's manipulation works and at training Curtis voices to the lads that Fletch is after Barker's job. Nathan is troubled when Viv trains with the squad and whilst Jaws seems to be back to his old self, Nathan's game suffers. Viv then announces he isn't on the pills anymore and that Naomi has OK'd it. The lads are surprised and Viv asks the team to be happy for him. Naomi questions Viv about not taking his pills and Viv reminds her he has been doing better in the sessions. Nathan gets into a car with his old gang, where he tells Marlon of Viv’s transfer letter. Marlon tears up the letter and tells Nathan if Viv tries anything again he is to come to him. The lads are annoyed at Fletch bringing them back for extra training. When Lee goes down with a sprained ankle Fletch accuses him of faking it to get out of playing. When Don tells Curtis Dean wouldn't have him back without a fight, Curtis says he will call a team meeting. Nathan returns home to find his mother flicking through the photo album and eating cake with Viv. Viv discreetly taunts Nathan by cutting the cake with a sharp knife. Nathan tells Viv he isn't after his place, as there's room for both of them at Harchester. Viv tells him that's the wrong answer, anymore of which and Nathan will be out of the game. Nathan phones Marlon and that night he and the gang pull up outside Studs. Marlon tells Nathan to stay in the car as they go inside. Viv squares up to Marlon but the others get hold of him. Outside the team arrive for the meeting, and Nathan tries desperately to stop them from going inside so the lads realise something is up. The gang flee and drive away without Nathan, as he tells the team Viv was trying to force him out of the club. Viv says it doesn't matter as they've already made up their minds. Viv goes to Fletch and hands in a transfer request. Viv announces he is off to Leeds as his health is more important than somebody crying wolf. The team blame Nathan for Viv wanting to leave. Before the game, Fletch brings up that he has seen Barker and learning he has been back for a few days, is hurt no-one in the team bothered to tell him. During the game Fletch receives both a yellow and red card in the ultimate humiliation. At half time Don enters the dressing room where he informs Fletch he is to call him gaffer now. Don tells Nathan he has done well but he's going to put Viv on for the second half. Fletch watches from the manager’s office and tells Gina that he is going to stay there and polish off Don's booze. Harchester win the game and afterwards Viv corners Nathan. Viv then suddenly begins hitting himself in the face until his mouth bleeds and asks Nathan who's going to go further? Viv reminds Nathan that Leeds need a goalkeeper and Nathan is forced to accept the position. Dean goes to Fletch in Don's office where Karl tells him how Don is putting him in the reserves after his ban. He tells Dean they were wrong to play fair and it's either Don or them, adding that this is war. Notes The Best: Seeing Ryan defend Viv from Nathan is nice, considering what Ryan was doing with Viv’s wife earlier in the season. Best Known For: David Gyasi's highlights include the TV series of "Mike Bassett: England Manager" (2005), periodic drama "White Heat" (2012), "Containment" (2016), Achilles in "Troy: Fall of a City" (2018), voice of Mtambo in "Chuggington" (2018-20), blockbuster "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" (2019), "The A Word" (2020) and Agreus Astrayon in "Carnival Row" (2019-23) Quotes: Jodie to Don (on Fletch): "One win don't make him Alex Ferguson". Fletch (Upon Sky Sports News reporting on the "deep-seated tension" within the club, coming from ‘inside information’): "Inside information? Curtis Alexander!". Don on Viv’s transfer request to Leeds: "Over my dead body!" Foreshadowing: Marlon returns, in a separate connection from Nathan, from 9.1 Phoenix From The Flames. What Was The Score?: Harchester beat their promotion rivals (said to be Sunderland in previous episode) with a goal from Lee, taking them to 4th in the Championship. Harchester hit back twice from being 1-0 down to Sheffield United with goals from Ammo and Sully. Soundtrack: Craig Armstrong: "Niente", Groove Armada: "Edge Hill", Massive Attack: "Antistar", The Killers: "Smile Like You Mean It” <<SE08 EP21 | Season 8 Main Page | SE08 EP23>>