‘I see that. I’ve seen it before with players when they get to the end of their playing time. They can’t see beyond, they feel a bit lost. Your home life too … It’s been a bit … topsy turvy. But I think all your issues have the same solution. Get yourself sorted, get yourself clean and back to the Danny Evans who could boss a game of football without leaving the centre circle, and everything else will fall back into place.’

Danny suddenly flashed angry, he couldn’t hold it back: ‘“Back into place”! How can everything be back in place while … I had a life, Marty, a family, or are you forgetting all that? That’s not just going to fall back into place, is it? It could get worse from here. Far worse.’

Marty made that face he always did when he was about to be patronising. He wasn’t good at sympathy. The effort required was always obvious. ‘You don’t know what’s going to happen. Callie’s in a coma today but she might not be tomorrow. The doctors have said there could be a big change any time, right? And then you can start getting back to where you were. Look at you, Danny, you’re something, even smelling like you spent last night trying to drink until that something went away. I know you are.’

‘There’s no guarantee Callie’s coma ends with her waking up; no one’s promising us that. She might never …’ Danny couldn’t complete his sentence, he’d never been able to say it out loud. He didn’t need to.

‘You gotta have hope though, am I right?’

‘So is that what this meeting was about today? A little pep talk?’

‘No. This was just about me making sure I can sit you down in front of the people at Dover Athletic and they will take us seriously. There’s a good job here for you. The meeting will be this week. There will be a contract for you to sign that will make you a coach. It can run alongside another playing contract if they offer you another year. But you need to take this opportunity, Danny, OK. This is it for you – after this we’re all out of options.’

‘I get that.’ Danny sighed. ‘Look, I do appreciate what you’ve done. I know you’re doing your best for me.’

Marty smiled. ‘Of course. You’re my favourite client and looking after you is my job.’

‘Spoken like a true agent.’ Danny sniffed.

‘I can’t speak any other way.’ Marty made that face again, the one where he was about to patronise him. ‘Are you going to the hospital today?’

‘I go every day, Marty, you know that.’

‘Sharon said she was too.’

‘She goes every day too. So what?’

Marty smacked his lips. ‘Have a shower, will you? Before you head out, I mean.’