Sunday 11 May 2008 10:50pm - 11:50pm
A South Bank Show on the writings of the beautiful game on Sunday 11 May.
The film centres round the novel The Damned United by David Peace, one of the most compelling portraits in British sporting literature. The novel follows the revered and feared football manager Brian Clough and Melvyn Bragg interviews David Peace at Elland Road, Leeds United’s ground, where the novel’s action takes place.
As a work of fiction, The Damned United was hailed as the most authentic and honest football book when it was published in 2006. Peace’s Clough emerges as a charismatic leader – the problem was that he was leading the wrong team.
The Damned United cannot be judged outside the context of David’s previous work - The West Riding Quartet was prompted by the Yorkshire Ripper and GB 84 is David’s version of the Miners Strike. Melvyn Bragg discusses his canon of work and the difference between faction and fiction.
The South Bank Show looks at how The Damned United evolved and includes extracts read by the author.
The film also examines the issue of why in the UK, unlike America, it is so unusual to write seriously about sport in general and football in particular.
Contributors include: Michael Parkinson, the writer and broadcaster Eamon Dunphy, Alex Clark of Granta and Alan Plater.
Presented and edited by Melvyn Bragg
Produced and directed by John Mappleback.
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