While there is no shortage of quality TV shows around at the minute, we are sorely lacking in the football department. We are not talking about live football (although that is few and far between right now too), but instead a scripted show based around the beautiful game.
The heyday of this genre came via Dream Team and Renford Rejects, two quality shows that we still love. Those two will be difficult to top, but the BBC are producing their own offering tonight.
The First Team premieres tonight on BBC Two at 9.30pm and will also be available on the iPlayer. The new offering from creators Iain Morris and Damon Beesley, the creator of the iconic Channel 4 series The Inbetweeners.
It follows the fortunes of Mattie, Jack and Benji, three young professional footballers who get into no shortage of scrapes both on and off the pitch, all of the type of issues you would associate with modern football.
Also starring Arrested Development's Will Arnett, you can watch the trailer for the show below:
Speaking about the show, creator Damon Beesley said:
First and foremost, it’s a comedy. So there are jokes. I promise you. They may be funny. Hopefully the viewers will find characters they can relate to living in a completely un-relatable situation.
It’s a chance to peek behind the curtain and see how privileged life can be inside the bubble of elite professional football. And there are brilliant, hilarious performances from the cast, some familiar faces and some breakthrough new talent...
Even the bubble of professional football isn’t immune to societal changes and young footballers breaking into the game today have generally got very different attitudes to previous generations," he said.
Also, the vast sums of money at stake for the elite players has shepherded in a more mature, professional ethic across the sport.
The spotlight has never been as intense with social media and a planet full of budding iPhone paparazzi desperate to retweet your every misstep.
We will definitely be tuning into this one!
