Football Crazy (Goodies episode)
Encyclopedia
Football Crazy is an episode of the British
comedy
television series The Goodies
— a BAFTA
-nominated series for Best Light Entertainment Programme.
This episode was made by LWT
for ITV
.
As always, the episode was written by members of The Goodies.
Tim is of the opinion that the players are also to blame for the violence by the length of their shorts, and by their provocative on-field behaviour after scoring goals.
To cut down on the violence, it is decided that the shorts should be longer, and that only one fan be allowed to watch each game as a spectactator in attendance — with a large number of police to keep the fan in check. Bill is the fan who is chosen to attend, and, being the only fan, he becomes increasingly violent and frustrated during the match because he has nobody to fight with.
Later, as a last resort against football violence, the sport is no longer played. However, although football no longer exists, the violence remains, and it finds a new outlet.
Tim decides to attend the ballet
at Covent Garden
. While walking to the theatre, he is worried about the number of violent-looking young men, dressed as sports fans, who are heading in the same direction. Tim is looking forward to seeing the ballet — but he is not impressed to discover that the violent-looking men are also members of the audience.
As the ballet starts, so, too, do the spectators, who are cheering or booing the dancers on the stage. Football spectator violence had become ballet spectator violence — and violent competition between football teams had now transferred to violent competition between the ballerinas and the male ballet dancers. The Goodies get caught up with what is happening on stage — Tim becomes a 'trainer', and both Graeme and Bill take part in the dance 'competition', where, dressed as ballerinas with football socks, they dance in opposition to the male ballet dancers. They dance against Aston Villa with their own team being Bill, Graeme, Kevin Keegan
, Pele
, Johan Cruyff
and Tim as manager.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series The Goodies
The Goodies (TV series)
The Goodies is a British television comedy series of the 1970s and early 1980s. The series, which combines surreal sketches and situation comedy, was broadcast by BBC 2 from 1970 until 1980 — and was then broadcast by the ITV company LWT for a year, between 1981 to 1982.The show was...
— a BAFTA
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a charity in the United Kingdom that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation.-Introduction:...
-nominated series for Best Light Entertainment Programme.
This episode was made by LWT
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
.
As always, the episode was written by members of The Goodies.
Plot
Football fans have become increasingly violent, and Bill, who is the worst offender, is arrested for disruptive behaviour by Tim (who has become a police officer). It is not Bill's first offence at the football and he proudly stands by during a listing of his previous misdemeanours as a spectactor.Tim is of the opinion that the players are also to blame for the violence by the length of their shorts, and by their provocative on-field behaviour after scoring goals.
To cut down on the violence, it is decided that the shorts should be longer, and that only one fan be allowed to watch each game as a spectactator in attendance — with a large number of police to keep the fan in check. Bill is the fan who is chosen to attend, and, being the only fan, he becomes increasingly violent and frustrated during the match because he has nobody to fight with.
Later, as a last resort against football violence, the sport is no longer played. However, although football no longer exists, the violence remains, and it finds a new outlet.
Tim decides to attend the ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
. While walking to the theatre, he is worried about the number of violent-looking young men, dressed as sports fans, who are heading in the same direction. Tim is looking forward to seeing the ballet — but he is not impressed to discover that the violent-looking men are also members of the audience.
As the ballet starts, so, too, do the spectators, who are cheering or booing the dancers on the stage. Football spectator violence had become ballet spectator violence — and violent competition between football teams had now transferred to violent competition between the ballerinas and the male ballet dancers. The Goodies get caught up with what is happening on stage — Tim becomes a 'trainer', and both Graeme and Bill take part in the dance 'competition', where, dressed as ballerinas with football socks, they dance in opposition to the male ballet dancers. They dance against Aston Villa with their own team being Bill, Graeme, Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
, Pele
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
, Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON , known as Johan Cruyff, is a retired Dutch footballer and is currently the manager of the Catalan national team as well as a member of the AFC Ajax board of directors. He won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, which is a record jointly held with...
and Tim as manager.