Dream Team series 9

Dream Team
Season 9
No. of episodes	31
Release
Original network	Sky One
Original release	October 16, 2005 (2005-10-16) – May 14, 2006 (2006-05-14)
Series chronology

The ninth series of Dream Team was broadcast on Sky1 from October 2005 to May 2006. It followed the story of the fictional Harchester United in their first season back in the Premiership after winning promotion at the end of the previous season.

Series nine of Dream Team saw the programme undergo a major revamp in an attempt to stem the continuing decline of ratings in previous years. Various new characters were introduced, a new title sequence and remixed theme music were introduced, and more often dealt with storylines of a more grittier nature, that had first been explored towards the conclusion of the previous series. 31 episodes were produced in this series, one fewer than previous. This included a 90-minute feature-length special midway during the run as well as two episodes being shown back to back towards the conclusion of the series.

Cast

Only Danny Sullivan, Ryan Naysmith and Darren Tyson remained from the playing squad of series 8, the latter of three becoming a main cast member for the first time. New characters included enigmatic brothers Casper and Eugene Rose, Liam Mackay, physio Ashleigh King, secretary Amy Kerrigan and football agent Chloe Tyler. Lynda Block also returned to the series after a three-year absence, though had made guest appearances in series 6 and 7 beforehand.

Main cast

• Jamie Lomas as Alex Dempsey
• Lucinda Kennard as Amy Kerrigan
• Naomi Ryan as Ashleigh King
• Robert Kazinsky as Casper Rose
• Julie Healy as Chloe Tyler
• Danny Husbands as Danny Sullivan
• Darren White as Darren Tyson
• Junior Nunoo as Eugene Rose
• Joachim Raaf as Felix Hahn
• Jonathan Howard as Gavin Moody
• Pedro Cunha as Hector Briganza
• Duncan Pow as Liam Mackay
• Alison King as Lynda Block
• Ricky Whittle as Ryan Naysmith
• Lauren Gold as Scarlett Rose

Supporting cast

• Jessica Jane as Cindi Marshall
• Natasha Symms as Kim Sullivan

In addition there were cameo appearances throughout the series by various Sky Sports News anchors as themselves. Kevin Keatings remained as match commentator for the fourth consecutive season.

Episodes

No.	Title	Writers (s)	Original air date
9.01	"Phoenix From The Flames"	Ben Harris, Rachel Flowerday & Jane Hewland	October 16, 2005 (2005-10-16)
News of the Harchester coach disaster quickly spreads and it is speculated that it was bomb that caused the explosion. That same day, former owner Lynda Block is paroled on early release from prison after just over two years for Prashant Dettani's murder in 2001 and heads to Cardiff upon hearing what has happened. The day's events are also explained by footballers Casper Rose, Eugene Rose and Liam Mackay - Casper is attending a house party and falls for a mysterious blonde girl, Eugene botches a robbery attempt and later turns up unannounced to a meeting between Liam, his agent and fiancée Chloe Tyler and QPR manager Ian Holloway over a potential transfer move for the following season. That night, Lynda arrives at the hospital to discover no one has survived the explosion and that only Danny Sullivan, Darren Tyson and Ryan Naysmith - all of whom weren't on the coach at the time - are still alive. Two months later, Lynda is introduced to new manager Felix Hahn after being invited to discuss the role of being reappointed as chief executive of the club. Felix begins rebuilding the club by purchasing Casper before Chelsea are able to make their move - though he insists on new club physio Ashleigh King delivering the contract in person. Eugene also signs with Liam being used as stopgap to allow Eugene's transfer to go through. All three new signings take their places at the memorial service to remember the victims of the coach disaster, but when Eugene finds Casper there, tempers immediately flare and Eugene heads over to confront his estranged brother, smashing a picture of the late Curtis Alexander in the process. First appearances of: Amy Kerrigan, Ashleigh King, Casper Rose, Chloe Tyler, Eugene Rose, Felix Hahn, Liam Mackay and Scarlett Rose.
9.02	"Brotherly Love"	Jesse O'Mahoney	October 23, 2005 (2005-10-23)
Eugene's actions bring the memorial service to an abrupt end and as Lynda reprimands him for his behaviour, the police show up to arrest him for burglary. Eugene's silence during the questioning lands his agent Chloe in trouble under suspicion of perverting the court of justice. The rest of the team, led by Casper, break into Studs bar, much to Ashleigh's disapproval and entire team is nowhere to be seen on the day of their opening Premier League fixture against Liverpool. It soon emerges that after leaving Studs, the team ended up on deserted beach in France. Ashleigh helps get them back home by giving directions to a nearby airfield and they make it back to the Dragons Lair in time. With the match still goalless, Eugene wins Harchester a penalty before arguing with his brother Casper over who should take it. Casper scores the penalty to give Harchester an emotional 1-0 win and the brothers appear together in the post-match press conference where Eugene vows to score more goals over the season than Casper. First appearance of: Gavin Moody
9.03	"Women Trouble"	Jane Hewland, Ben Harris & Huw Kennair-Jones	October 30, 2005 (2005-10-30)
After their opening day win, Harchester lose their next three games to put early pressure on Felix. Following an argument with Felix, Ashleigh runs into Alex Dempsey, who informs he's been appointed as the first team coach. Ashleigh accuses the club of sacking her but Lynda reveals that she never signed the letter despite it having her signature. On the day of the Manchester City game, Liam, who has been left out of the matchday squad again, arranges an impromptu wedding ceremony for him and Chloe in their garden. That night, Casper attempts to get the bottom of the truth about Ashleigh's presence at the house party months ago, and it leads to Felix accusing Ashleigh of sleeping with Casper. Afterwards, Liam confronts Felix as to why he is being ignored, leading Felix to confess that he never wanted him at the club and he was only signed to bring Eugene in. First appearance of: Alex Dempsey
9.04	"It's A Man's World"	Jane Hewland & Jesse O'Mahoney	November 6, 2005 (2005-11-06)
Determined to bring their losing streak to an end, Felix arranges a training match between the first team squad, coached by Ashleigh, and the reserves, coached by Alex. Meanwhile, left furious by Felix's revelation, Liam looks at getting a move away from the club. The training match starts badly for the first team as Gavin Moody scores for the reserves, and Ashleigh responds by bringing Ryan off before re-emerging in the same party dress that Casper had seen her in previously for the team talk, berating them that they can't trust her because she's a woman. This wins the side over, and they go on to fightback in the second half to win, whilst in the players lounge, Ashleigh demands that Ryan admits he is out of form and that she can help him overcome his problems.
9.05	"Marathon Man"	Ben Harris & Huw Kennair-Jones	November 13, 2005 (2005-11-13)
Charlton Athletic are the visitors to the Dragons Lair and Gavin is delighted when his performance in the training match earns him a place on the substitutes bench but Liam is annoyed to have again been left out. Determined to prove Felix wrong, Liam proceeds to run laps around the stadium for several hours, eventually collapsing through exhaustion, but gaining Felix's respect in the process. Meanwhile, Scarlett's worst nightmare becomes reality when she ends being trapped in a lift with Casper. Forced to strip off to cope with the intense heat, the pair are rescued by Eugene, who angrily storms off having got the wrong end of the situation.
9.06	"Dreaming Of England"	Jane Hewland & Jesse O'Mahoney	November 20, 2005 (2005-11-20)
Lynda informs Ryan that England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson will be in the stands for Harchester's next match at home to Arsenal. This prompts Ryan to have recurring dreams that tell him he's not good enough. On his birthday, he tries a fake an injury to get out of playing, and at Ashleigh's suggestion, Casper arranges a surprise in which he and the rest of the team have purchased Studs bar for his birthday. Ryan then wins a game of poker for dares in which he dares Casper to break into Eugene's house and get into bed with him and Scarlett. Casper injures himself whilst completing the dare, resulting in Ryan being selected for the match after Felix realises he wasn't injured after all. Ryan goes on the win to match for Harchester 1-0 and spends the night in Studs on his own, finally overcoming his nightmares.
9.07	"What's Bugging Her?"	Rebecca Hobbs & Rachel Flowerday	November 27, 2005 (2005-11-27)
A TV crew, commissioned by the club's mysterious owner Dragons Corp, is making a documentary on the club's rebuild. Under pressure to film an interview for the programme, Lynda believes the mystery owner is her ex-husband Jerry. She meets his son Jonathan, who informs him Jerry died years ago and Lynda is upset that she was never told about it. Meanwhile, Eugene is unable to shake off the thought of Scarlett having an affair with Casper, and Scarlett is later involved in a car accident that is overheard by Eugene using a listening device he secretly fitted inside her car. After the documentary is premiered, Lynda is inundated with offers for TV interviews, but the mystery of the club's owner remains unsolved when he does not show up to dinner that evening with her.
9.08	"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"	Tom Chaplin & Bill Paris	December 4, 2005 (2005-12-04)
Dragons Corp announce that if a Harchester player scores a winning goal in their upcoming Carling Cup tie against Leeds United, a £1 million prize will be awarded. Eugene is annoyed when Felix chooses to have Gavin make his debut the match and offers to pay him to fake an injury. When Gavin's girlfriend, Cindi, is unable to take part in a photoshoot with Casper for the club's Christmas catalogue, Scarlett volunteers to take her place. On the day of the cup tie, the prize is doubled £2 million and Lynda announces that the extra million will be donated to the families of the coach disaster. Casper limps out of the match early with a hamstring injury and heads back to The Grange with Scarlett. On the pitch, Harchester come from 2-1 down to win 3-2 with Eugene scoring the winning goal and the £1 million payout, much the annoyance of Lynda and the supporters. First appearance of: Cindi Marshall
9.09	"He Was Robbed"	Rachel Flowerday	December 11, 2005 (2005-12-11)
Paul Hankin writes an article on how Gavin was cheated out of winning the £1 million bonus by Eugene. Gavin is later offered a professional contract by Harchester, but Cindi mistakes this has having been fired by club and tells Hankin about how Eugene bribed him to take his place in the starting line-up. With the FA threatening to impose match bans on both players, Eugene agrees to give up the £1 million to charity, and as Gavin signs his pro contract, Eugene discovers Scarlett and Casper's photoshoot for the Christmas catalogue. With Scarlett deciding to leave Eugene over his behaviour, Eugene contacts Marlon, who suggests he can find people that would relieve him of the money.
9.10	"'Tis The Season To Be Jolly"	Rebecca Hobbs	December 18, 2005 (2005-12-18)
Eugene and Marlon plot a stage a fake raid to take away the £1 million and use Casper as a witness. On the night of the club's Christmas party, Marlon and his associate Lewis burst into Eugene's house and take Casper, Felix and Ashleigh hostage, but Eugene attempts to double-cross Marlon by only giving him £50,000. Casper calls Ryan to get help, whilst at the party, Gavin proposes to Cindi, unaware that she has made out with Ryan in the changing rooms. As the police arrive at the scene of the robbery, Lewis threatens to shoot Ashleigh only for Casper to take the bullet. Felix helps to end the siege by telling Eugene to pretend that he, Marlon and Lewis were all taken hostage by someone else.
9.11	"War Of The Roses"	Jane Hewland & Jesse O'Mahoney	January 1, 2006 (2006-01-01)
Casper is rushed to hospital following the siege and Eugene begs for him not to die. In a special flashback episode, the scene then goes back to 1994 when the brothers first met as 10-year olds at the Charlton Athletic academy. Related through estranged parents Terry Rose and Diane Christie, the pair quickly form a close bond with Casper being a Harchester supporter whilst Eugene idolises Liverpool, the club of his idol John Barnes. When Harchester are promoted to the Premiership for the first time during the 1994-95 season, Casper steals Terry's credit card and runs off with Eugene to see Harchester play Liverpool on New Year's Day 1995. After they are found by police and returned home, Eugene's mother Diane is run over and killed. Eugene goes on a downward spiral following Diane's death and becomes a troubled offender. After being caught in the act in an attempted robbery, Terry convinces his wife Julie to let Eugene stay with them and Casper, rekindling their relationship and the pair are later signed to Charlton as professional players. In 2000, Terry is diagnosed with leukaemia and is forced to confess all to Julie about being Eugene's biological father when he's a positive match for a bone marrow transplant. With Eugene closing in on a potential move to his boyhood club Liverpool, Casper confides in Eugene's girlfriend Jessica, who tells him she is pregnant with Eugene's baby. Casper takes revenge by convincing Jessica to have an abortion and on the day of Eugene's final match with Charlton before leaving the club, Casper stops the car on the way to the match and reveals to Eugene about Jessica's abortion, saying he either stops her or plays the match to get the Liverpool deal. Jessica goes through with the abortion and Eugene performs poorly in his farewell game for Charlton against Harchester, leading to him being substituted in favour of Casper. Enraged, Eugene physically assaults Casper as he walks off the pitch, and the brothers do not speak to each other again for the next four years. Back in the present day, Eugene is told by Julie that Casper is out of intensive care and will make a full recovery. Handing him a souvenir bag she found containing memories from when they went to see Harchester play Liverpool in 1995, Eugene goes into Casper's room at the hospital. Guest starring: John Barnes and Alan Curbishley as themselves Note: This was a special feature length episode running for 90 minutes.
9.12	"Go!"	Ben Harris & Huw Kennair-Jones	January 8, 2006 (2006-01-08)
Felix receives a letter written with the similar handwriting of previous letters sent by the mystery owner, instructing him to resign. Amy briefs journalists that Felix will leave the club citing family issues in Germany but he states he won't leave unless he receives the compensation payment as written in his contract. Whilst Harchester play Manchester United in the first leg of their Carling Cup semi-final, Ashleigh discovers Felix's resignation letter on Lynda's desk and admits her true feelings for him. Felix reappears in the dugout for the second half, leaving Amy to reassure Dragons Corp that the situation will be dealt with. After the game, which Harchester win 2-1, Felix invites Ashleigh to move in with him, only to find the locks on his house changed, before his credit card is rejected when trying to check back into The Grange and his car is then repossessed. Believing that Amy is behind these events, Felix goes back to the club to confront her, and as a commotion breaks out, Amy rips her own dress and claims to Lynda that Felix is sexually attacking her.