Plot
It tells the story of the British betting scandal of 1964, following which a number of British professional footballers were jailed and banned from football for life for conspiring to fix the results of matches. Prominent among those gaoled and banned were the Sheffield Wednesday F.C. stars Peter Swan, Tony Kay and David Layne.
The part of Mike Gabbert – the Sunday People journalist who led the investigation into the scandal – was played by Steve Coogan. Jason Isaacs played the part of Tony Kay, through whose eyes the story is largely told, while the part of Jimmy Gauld – the ex-footballer who masterminded the betting ring – was played by Christopher Fulford.
The story centres on Gabbert building his exclusive during the latter stages of the 1962/63 season, a time when Kay is becoming known as one of the best players in the game, having joined Everton, with whom he wins the League title.
Although the film is based on fact, some details and characters were fictionalised.
Stephen John Coogan is an English-Irish comedian, actor and screenwriter. He is most known for creating original characters such as Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, which he developed while working with Armando Iannucci on On the Hour and The Day Today. Partridge has featured in several television series and the 2013 film Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa. In 1999, he co-founded the production company Baby Cow Productions with Henry Normal. For his work he has garnered numerous accolades including four BAFTA Awards and three British Comedy Awards as well as nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award.
The Black Sox Scandal was a Major League Baseball game-fixing scandal in which eight members of the Chicago White Sox were accused of losing the 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds on purpose in exchange for money from a gambling syndicate led by organized crime figure Arnold Rothstein. In response, the National Baseball Commission was dissolved and Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was appointed to be the first Commissioner of Baseball, given absolute control over the sport to restore its integrity.
Jason Isaacs is an English actor perhaps best known for his portrayal of Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter film series (2002–2011). His other film roles include Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot (2000), Michael D. Steele in Black Hawk Down (2001), and Captain Hook in Peter Pan (2003).
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Anthony Herbert Kay is an English former footballer who became notorious after being banned from the professional game for life following the British betting scandal of 1964.
James Gauld was a Scottish footballer, who played as an inside forward. He began his career with Aberdeen but failed to make a first team appearance before being released. Gauld went on to play in the Highland League for Huntly and Elgin City, and then played in the League of Ireland for Waterford. In his one season with the club, he finished as top goalscorer in the League of Ireland with 30 goals. His form led to a move to England in 1955, where he joined Charlton Athletic. Gauld was transferred to Everton the following year, and then joined Plymouth Argyle in 1957. Two seasons later, he was on the move again, joining Swindon Town for a club record fee.
The British betting scandal of 1964 was a scandal in English association football in which ten professional players were jailed for offences arising from match fixing.
David "Bronco" Layne is an English former footballer most famous for playing for Sheffield Wednesday and his involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964.
Peter Swan was an English professional footballer whose career lasted from 1952 until 1974. Swan made 299 appearances for Sheffield Wednesday plus two as substitute, he was a regular in the England national side for two years between May 1960 and May 1962 winning 19 full caps, he also represented England at Under 19 and Under 23 level.
The 1915 British football betting scandal occurred when a Football League First Division match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford on 2 April 1915 was fixed in United's favour, with players from both sides benefiting from bets placed upon the result. In all, seven players were found to have participated in the scandal and all were subsequently banned for life, although most later had their bans overturned.
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Spot-fixing is illegal activity in a sport in which a specific aspect of a game, unrelated to the final result but upon which a betting market exists, is fixed in an attempt to ensure a certain result in a proposition bet. Examples include something as minor as timing a no ball or wide delivery in cricket or timing the first throw-in or corner in association football.
Richard Scott Beattie was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper in both the Scottish and English football leagues. A Scotland under-23 international, who appeared in three major finals with Celtic in his early career, he was later imprisoned after being found guilty of involvement in the British betting scandal of 1964, and banned from football for life, aged 27.
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Over the course of the game's history, several incidents relating to match-fixing in English football have taken place.
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