Flixton Juniors have been invited to help with a BBC Film production, which is scheduled to air in February 2022 (subject to change).
This opportunity is open to our players from Under 8s to Under 15s, as well as parents as you will see below. There is a very limited time in which to get everything sorted, so please respond quickly if you wish to participate.
There is a lot of information below, and it is structured as follows:
The film is based on the story of Andy Woodward, an ex-professional footballer, who played for Sheffield United and Bury during his career, and who suffered abuse at the hands of Barry Bennell in the late eighties and early nineties.
This is an important story to tell and Flixton Juniors welcome the opportunity to help in its telling.
We have been asked to provide players and parents for two types of scene in the film. None of the scenes in which we provide players expose them to the main storyline.
There is a festival scene at the end of film, when Andy takes his young son to a football festival, and is a scene of hope in the future.
We have been asked to provide players, with parents, across a number of age groups. This may include players from our U8s to U12s teams, who will be wearing various different kits.
This scene will be filmed on Friday 29 October 2021 at Waterhead Academy Sports Ground, 171-175 Counthill Rd, Oldham, OL4 2PX. Filming will take place between 7am and 2pm.
Parents who attend with their children can also participate in the film as parent spectators at the festival.
There are potentially three scenes that will involve players at matches. These match scenes are limited to our U13s, U14s and U15s players, and involves them representing players in a Stockport v Manchester United youth match in 1989 and one or two other matches set at that time.
Players who wish to be involved in this project should let their hair grow to reflect a more late eighties kind of style. If possible, the player should provide black football boots as coloured boots where not a thing in the eighties. If this is not possible, then black electrical tape may be applied to the boots to make them look for that time period.
These scenes relate to the scouting of Andy by Barry. Some of the players may have a speaking line.
The scenes will be filmed as follows:
Please provide the following information to bbc@flixtonjuniors.org:
If you have more than one child then provide the information for each child separately.
The information provided will be shared with the film production crew. Choosing to participate does not guarantee that your child will be selected. The club has no involvement in that decision, and it is down to the film crew.
