fingers x'd
writer/director's statement
By
Sep 16, 2003, 18:00

Bill Shankly, the late great manager of Liverpool F.C, once said, "Football is not just a matter of life and death, it's more important than that". I couldn't agree with him more. Life without football is unimaginable. For me, like millions of others across the globe, it would certainly be intolerable. The very thought makes me shudder. The gift of life is a truly wonderful thing, but a life without football is a life not worth living.

The feeling of ecstasy when the team you support scores a vital goal or wins a crucial game is like nothing else on earth. At such moments, I have often felt I'm going to take off and fly or possibly explode and shatter into a million pieces. The feeling of deep depression however when they lose is like falling head first into the abyss. The next game and the possible chance of redemption can never come quickly enough.

Huddled together with your fellow supporters, in the corner of an away ground on a cold wet Wednesday night, the feeling of tribal togetherness as you sing and chant your love and support for the team you follow and your disdain for the team you are facing is a heart warming feeling beyond measure.

The game itself is not only beautiful to watch but like the very best theatre is ever unpredictable. From the first minute to the last nothing is ever certain in a game of football. It only takes a second to score a goal, for someone to be sent off, for a terrible injury to occur.

I have spent a lifetime following Fulham F.C, a 35 year roller coaster ride if ever there was one, as well as also playing the game, reading about it, discussing it, lapping up every statistic and now running, coaching and managing a football club of my own.

To have the chance to combine my two passions, football and film making is, for me, the ideal scenario. But believe me, be in no doubt, I'd drop the film making like a shot to swop places with Ronaldo or Zinedine Zidane and score two goals in a World Cup final. In fact I'd happily swop places with any professional footballer to run out of the tunnel, onto the field of dreams, to the sound the crowd chanting my name, ready and willing to give my all and play the greatest game known to man: the game of life - for football is life and life is football.

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