This is a film about Dover Athletic, a team that went 364 days without a win.
A team learning to win again.
Dover were almost ruined by Covid and their leagues decision to punish them for doing what was necessary to save their club.
This film highlights the financial chasm between the clubs at the bottom of the football pyramid and the giants of the Premier League and why an independent regulator is required urgently to deal with the disparity that exists in our national game.
The failed super league was the catalyst for me to explore these issues, and it took all of five minutes of searching the internet to discover who was suffering most.
If it’s your club with the multi-millionaire benefactor you might shrug your shoulders, you might turn a blind eye to where the moneys come from – we all want to win, but without proper oversight we can’t have a fair game.
Recently, clubs in our lower leagues have been bought by wealthy individuals, with millions subsequently ploughed into transfers and salaries – it’s good for the game if it’s your team, but there’s a knock-on effect, when these recently ‘flush’ clubs can afford to risk it all for promotion how do the other clubs compete, where’s the level playing field?
I approach each documentary project with an open mind – the story constantly takes you in different directions. I was initially pulled in by the plight of the club, and that never changed, but I was so drawn to the various characters and their passion for their beloved Dover, it became a passion of mine too.
I check their results every week.
Gray Hughes
Gray Hughes & Leo Williams
Matt Brown
Jack Fletcher
Ed Groves
Rob Michaels
Liam Roberts
Matt Wright
Matthew Gerrard
Getty Images
Juliette Wileman
Anthony Abbot
Sally Heath
Tika Hadjipateras
Luke Franey
Universal Music Publishing
Jim and Sally Parmenter
Andy Hessenthaler
The Staff & Players of Dover Athletic FC
Richard Harvey
George Wilkinson & Family
Alexis Andre JNR
Gill & Chris Neary
Matthew Gerrard
Ellis Cashmore
Alyson Rudd
Rob Macneice at Nikon UK
Sam Goldie
David Newman & George Waldrum