Striker Ian Walmsley is thrilled when he gets offered a place on the Earls Park first team. Meanwhile his young wife Donna starts a search for the son she and Ian gave up for adoption nine years ago. Donna's wild-child sister, Marie, arrives from Bolton to stay and immediately scores with the player she's had a crush on for years - the Sparks' charismatic captain, Jason Turner.

Famous glamour model Chardonnay Lane and Earls Park FC's resident heart-throb Kyle Pascoe are looking forward to their wedding, despite the interference of Kyle's doting mother Jackie.

Jason and his wife Tanya worry about their future when Earls Park announce a new signing - Italian midfielder, Salvatore Biagi, who is a serious threat to Jason's first team place. At the start-of-season party, a violent row breaks out between the Turners and the club chairman, Frank Laslett, and the consequences could be terrible!

The day of Kyle and Chardonnay's wedding arrives, complete with a glossy magazine deal, and despite the burns Chardonnay received. Her happiness is spoiled, however, as she learns that the men who caused her injuries will not be charged! The adoptive mother of Ian and Donna Walmsley's son Daniel arrives distraught at the reception to tell them he is missing. Ian panics when the news about his secret son hits the headlines, but the Sparks' manager Stefan Hauser arranges for the club to assign a lawyer to start a custody battle on Ian and Donna's behalf. Tanya Turner starts to have nightmares about Frank Laslett , who still lies in a coma, and gets little support from Jason who is more interested in his affair with Donna's teenage sister Marie. And Donna is horrified when the Walmsleys' private lives make the papers yet again - this time, it's Ian's exploits with a couple of lap-dancers at Kyle's stag night

Tanya's turns to cocaine to keep her nightmares, is her cocaine habit getting increasingly out of hand? Donna vows to fight for custody of Daniel alone, then throws Ian out of the family home... But soon finds out it's going to be virtually impossible without his lawyers on her side. Ian finds that he is staying at the same hotel as his Italian team-mate Sal Biagi, and the two start to become friends. Newly-wed Chardonnay takes a pair of scissors to her long hair when she gets depressed about her burns - Kyle is concerned but his mother Jackie is less sympathetic. Jason tells Tanya that their marriage is over, but Tanya has other ideas and blackmails him into staying. Tanya befriends Frank's intensive care nurse, Janette Dunkley, so that she can keep tabs on his condition, explaining her interest by claiming that they had an affair. Nurse Dunkley, however, has very dubious motives of her own...and Tanya knows it!...

Ian is back at home and is with Sal Biagi, at the request of the Stefan - much to Donna's annoyance. Tanya promises not to tell anyone of Nurse Dunkley's exploits, on condition that Nurse Dunkley persuades Frank's ex-wife and son to switch off Frank's life support...just as they're about to pull the plug, they get a nasty surprise! Jason is stopped by the police after he tries to force Sal's car off the road. Stefan makes it clear to Jason that he's on his last warning but persuades Sal to cover for his captain. Chardonnay sells the story of her ordeal to a newspaper in the hope of shaming her attackers, but the article does not turn out as she expected. Kyle spends an evening out flirting, as he is furious to see their private life all over the tabloids.

Jason demands to be put on the transfer list when Stefan decides to put him on the bench in favour of Sal...bored and lonely after being dropped from the team, he finds comfort in the arms of Kyle's mother Jackie. Chardonnay arranges a romantic break for herself and Ktle to aid their relationship. Sheena hangs around the training ground, hoping to meet Kyle again. Marie attempts to seduce Sal but is convinced that he's gay when he rejects her advances. Frank is slowly recovering, but has short-term memory loss and can't remember the night of the attack. Nurse Dunkley 'reminds' Frank of the affair that Tanya invented, but can Tanya keep lying?

When Chardonnay faints at the gym, blood tests reveal that she is pregnant! After announcing their news to the press, Kyle is horrified to discover that he is not about to become proud dad, but in fact, a brother as the test results are those of Jackie! Jackie suggests to Kyle and Chardonay that they bring up the child as their own. Ian is made vice-captain but humiliates himself in his first match by getting sent off. Donna finds herself having a passionate encounter with Sal when she becomes irritated by Ian's obsession with his career! Kyle tell's Sheena, an obsessed fan, where his loyalties lie. Jason's hooks up with a new top agent, Hazel Bailey. Frank, persuaded by Tanya, has Jason reinstated in the team. Tanya has sex with Frank and he starts to have flashbacks about Nurse Dunkley!

Chardonnay and Jackie persuade Kyle that the best thing for everyone would be for the young couple to adopt Jackie's baby. Kyle, however, has other things on his mind as Sheena won't take no for an answer. Annoyed at Tanya for flirting with Frank, Jason finds himself back in bed with Marie and promises to leave Tanya to be with her. Sal tells Donna he loves her. Holly is kidnapped when Marie is late picking her up from school - Sal uses his transfer fee to pay the ransom but Donna's distraught when Holly never appears at the arranged meeting point! Jason's new agent, Hazel, cooks up a plan to get Tanya out of her 'affair' with Frank, whilst protecting Jason's position with the team. She arranges for Jason to 'catch' Tanya and Frank together, but Jason loses his temper… which for Frank, brings back chilling memories of the night of his 'accident'...!