From ninth tier to coaching in Champions League against Manchester United

London Tigers FC, a Middlesex County League Division Two team, found themselves in an unusual position when they faced the prospect of playing Manchester United in a UEFA Champions League match. Despite their status as ninth-tier players, the club's allegiance to United was strong due to the legendary status of players like Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, and Giggs.

However, this allegiance was put to the test when the team had to choose between supporting their own club or their coach, Valdas Dambrauskas, who now managed Azerbaijan's Sabah FK in the Champions League.

Dambrauskas' rise from the ninth division to managing a Champions League team was a surreal journey, as shared by the team's manager, Ridhwan Ahmed. This journey began with Dambrauskas working in Lithuania, studying philosophy and social sciences, and voraciously reading voraciously. He then auditioned for a Lithuanian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won 4,000 litas, which helped him move to London and enroll in a sports science and coaching course at London Metropolitan University.

During his time at London Tigers, Dambrauskas not only coached the team but also volunteered in their charity work, demonstrating his commitment to the community. His dedication led to the club's achievement of the UK Asian Community Cup trophy. Eventually, Dambrauskas left England to return to Lithuania, where he was not able to pursue a professional coaching career due to his Lithuanian passport and name.

However, he returned to England and is now managing Sabah FK in the Champions League. His former players, Justinas Gasiūnas and Eddie Cardoso, have followed in his footsteps, now coaching Sabah as well.