Programme aims

To raise awareness:

• that having an education will give you more options in life
• that with greater responsibilities come tougher choices to be made
• that most professional footballers retire young, with a second career to think about
• that a change in career will often require sacrifices to be made

Curriculum Relevance

This programme can be used and discussed in conjunction with courses in sports education, sociology, psychology, law enforcement and issues of racial and religious discrimination.

Programme outline

The programme follows Lex as an eager and ambitious young man pursuing a career as a footballer at the age of sixteen. Living in the shadow of his father, also a professional footballer in his day, Lex quickly turns professional. Motivated by his mother, he fulfills her wish to achieve a higher education in the event his football careers ends prematurely. After several years as a pro, he is dropped from the club but continues playing with smaller clubs. With a family to support, Lex makes the tough decision to end his football career and begin a new profession, in the field of law enforcement.

Credits

Produced by Juniper Communications for Channel 4

Researcher Lucy Cuthbertson
Editor Steven Prince
Executive Producer Samir Shah
Produced and Directed by James Bluemel