Season 8 Episode 24 Episode 348 Sky One Transmission Date: Sunday 3rd April 2005 Directed by Kate Robinson

Don, Dean HUFC do Show The Don Respect "Fletcher! Get him off me!" No way back for Don Barker

GS: Eli Knox (Shane Lynch) Dean makes Don sit and watch the recording of him propositioning Nicole. He then tells Don he is to take the easy way out and resign, which a defeated Don seemingly agrees. Dean holds a press conference to announce Don's departure due to ill health. Outside however, Don turns up and when the press surround him he states he most certainly has not resigned. The team demand answers over why Don has suddenly left. As Fletch steps in and says he could continue as manager, Don walks in to he and Dean's shock. Don calls their bluff by daring them to release the tape before turning to Dean and telling him to make sure he gets someone's resignation in writing before he goes blabbing to the press. Dean promises he will get Don out if it's the last thing he does. Dean comes to the training ground with security guards and tells Don he will now leave the premises. Don is forced to co-operate and tells the lads he will have to go. Curtis accuses Dean of doing this because he backs Fletch as manager. Dean is desperate to tell Curtis the whole truth but knows he can’t. Curtis organises a press photo call where the lads wear t-shirts emblazoned with 'Show The Don Respect'. Fletch tries to persuade Caskey not to take part, but he sides with Don as he believes he gave him a chance. Dean shows Eli the tape, but to his shock, Eli paints Don as the man who has kept the club going and warns Dean that Don is going nowhere. A gutted Dean goes back to Fletch and says Don isn't going, but he is and they lost. In front of the waiting press Eli publicly welcomes Don back. Dean brushes past and when asked if he is still Chief Executive, Dean says to ask Mr. Knox, and Eli announces Dean no longer works for the club. Don pays Nicole a visit where he makes it clear their little arrangement is still very much on, saying she will be busy for the foreseeable Friday nights. Dean is leaving his house to go back to Liverpool but Curtis insists on him staying at his, at least until after the Arsenal game. Inside Dean breaks down, saying last year he and Curtis changed the club for the better and this year it's just been for worse. Gina goes to Don and hands him her resignation letter, telling him she can't work for him after what he did. Don tells her she was the best team co-ordinator he ever had. Dean watches a tape titled 'The Glory Days' featuring the team coming together when the club went bust. This gives him the needed boost to continue fighting and he phones Fletch. Fletch says he is going to tell Carl himself as it will be the easiest option for everyone. Fletch arrives at the Caskey's just as the house is being repossessed, and is unable to tell Carl. Fletch takes him for a drink, and they get back to the Grange late where Don is not impressed. Don reminds Nicole if she doesn't show he will drop Caskey from tomorrow's game and they’ll lose two grand. Caskey decides he has to go and apologise to Don and heads to his room. Barker opens the door expecting room service and Caskey gets an eyeful of a horrified Nicole topless in his manager's room! Lee goes and fetches Fletch and they find Caskey kicking Don's door in. Fletch watches with glee as Carl repeatedly whacks Don in the face. The next day Harchester face Ipswich at the Lair, and Fletch goes to meet Carl out of jail and shows him the footage of Barker’s proposition. He tells Nicole he never wants to see her again. Dean is about to leave when Fletch tells him he has to be the one to end it and hands him the camera. They go into the dressing room and play the recording for the boys who are all repulsed by what they hear. Curtis is furious with Don, reminding him that as his manager he gave him everything. He speaks for the team and tells Don to leave and if he doesn’t they will call a press conference and play the tape. Don watches from the tunnel as Curtis leads the boys out as Fletch and Dean are stunned that they have finally got Don out. Don turns to the Harchester club crest and plants a kiss goodbye before walking out of the Lair, as several passing fans yell "Show the Don respect". Notes: The Best: The team turning against Don and his slow walk out of the club to Coldplay’s “Trouble”. Foreshadowing: When Fletch says they'll have to get Caskey out of the way before telling the team about Don and Nicole, Gina asks how long will it be before one of a squad of twenty players lets it slip? And then not only would Carl know his wife cheated on him with his manager but his team knew about it as well. Gina completely describes the situation with Ryan, Chelsea and Viv and how the team are currently keeping this secret, although she and Fletch are unaware of this having occurred shortly before their return. Continuity: Fletch says he's never wanted to kill anyone before, forgetting Prash amongst others. Dean watches footage from where Harchester played Charlton at The Valley last season, featuring shots of Sandra, Grace and Chelsea, and fast-forwards to the news coverage of his speech outside the F.A on what a football club truly is [7.22 (#314) 11 Angry Men]. Soundtrack: Babyshambles: "Killamangiro", Bloc Party: "Helicopter", Coldplay: "Trouble", Republica: "Ready To Go", St. Germain: "Montego Bay Spleen", The Music: "Freedom Fighters", Vines: "Ride" <<SE08 EP23 | Season 8 Main Page | SE08 EP25>>