Dream Team (season 9)

Dream Team (season 9)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	31
Release
Original network	Sky1
Original release	October 16, 2005 – May 14, 2006

The ninth series of Dream Team was broadcast on Sky1 from October 2005 to May 2006, covering the 2005-06 English football season. It followed the story of Harchester United in their first back in the Premiership after winning promotion at the end of the previous season.

Season 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 season. 31 episodes were produced in this season, 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 season.

Cast

Only Danny Sullivan, Ryan Naysmith and Darren Tyson remained from the playing squad of season 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 seasons 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 season 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
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 immediantely 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.