FC United film on Monday
Just wanted to flag up our half-hour special on Monday night on Inside
Out at 7.30pm on BBC 1 in the North West. It's also being shown on digital
channel 101 in the North West and BBC Digital channel 948 nationally.
You know it's based around the formation of FC United.
As well as interviews with Ryan Giggs, Lee Sharpe, Sammy McIlroy and
Peter Hook from New Order, it includes exclusive behind the scenes
access with the players, manager and fans. There's some great stuff.
Including Joz Mitten, the centre forward, who is a plumber, and his
pre-match routine can involve being up at 08.30am on Saturdays fixing
leaky toilets, and Karl, the manager who is up at 3am every day working
as a delivery driver.
We have followed fans who have switched with heavy hearts from Man
United to FC United and those who have stayed at Old Trafford. We got
exclusive access to the first game at Leek, which had to be delayed for
15 minutes to get all 2,500 fans in. There's a classic moment when the
harrassed, middle-aged secretary of Leek predicts a catering crisis by
saying, 'We only normally order 24 pies , we've ordered 650 and it won't
be enough!'
We have contrasted FC United's start to the season with that of Man
United. We also have contributions from the award-winning sports writer
and author David Conn, and Henry Winter from the Daily Telgraph.
The film addresses the feeling in football that the commercialism,
six-figure salaries, and TV rights have taken the soul out of the game.
Spread the word and thanks for your help with the many stories we've
worked on over the past few months!
Cheers,
Andy Johnson
Presenter/Reporter,
BBC Inside Out- North West
