"The Curse" was an alleged supernatural event in which it was widely believed by the players and partisans of AFC Richmond that the Dogtrack was somehow plagued by spirits which negatively affected the club's performance.
Curse origins[]
Lasso and Coach Beard first became aware of The Curse when Dani Rojas got injured on the pitch, falling down when no one else appeared to be there. As he explained the event, "I did not trip over something. Something tripped over me. Something not there."
Nate took some responsibility for the fall, because he had failed to alert others that Rojas had been in the treatment room immediately prior to going onto the pitch. Higgins, Sam and Roy then had to inform their coaches that the room was cursed.
According to both Mae and Higgins, the origins of the curse extended back to November 1914, when posters went up around Richmond upon Thames, soliciting men to try out for the team.
Lasso's "reverse the curse" ceremony[]
After he became aware of the curse, Ted — a self-professed "believer" in things of this ilk — backed Sam's efforts to undertake a kind of cleansing ritual.
As part of this ceremony, AFC Richmond staff and players had to put objects that had great meaning to them into a container. This was to symbolize all that was lost when soldiers who were drafted to fight in World War 1 in the treatment room.
Examples of what players and staff added to the container included:
- Roy Kent - a blanket given to him by his grandad designed to keep him warm during his trip to AFC Sunderland
- Sam Obisanya - a picture of the 1994 Nigerian World Cup team which he swore he would not take down until he made the team himself which he still intended to do
- Richard Montlaur - sand from a beach where he first slept with a supermodel
- Nathan - sunglasses he wore where a girl commented he looked like Clive Owen
- Rebecca - a recent newspaper article calling her the "Old" Rebecca
- Higgins - a collar owned by his cat, Cindy Clawford, who had passed away
- Isaac - the only pen he could use to write his name with when he was younger
- Thierry Zoreaux - a Deadpool figure
- Colin - the keys to his Lamborghini
- Jamie Tartt - boots his mum gave to him that got him into football
Once the objects were put in, the container was taken outside and set on fire to lift the curse. Afterwards, Dani arrived with a bottle of alcohol he was going to throw into the fire but Jamie and Roy decided it would be best to have a drink and unite the team.
With the curse apparently lifted Ted, alongside Higgins, revealed to Rebecca that Dani had recovered before the curse was lifted but this was not announced before in order to allow the players to think curse has been lifted off the club and keep the team United.