Released in 2020, The English Game is a drama based in 19th-century England starring Edward Holcroft and Niamh Walsh.
The 6-part series, released directly to Netflix, follows the story of two footballers belonging to opposite sides of the class divide as they navigate personal and professional situations to change the game of football.
The English Game was widely well-received and covers a time when football was considered an amateur sport.
An emotional history of the FA Cup
The English Game brings a much-needed emotional tie to the FA Cup, creating a dramatic tale that resonates with a wide audience.
The tale dives much further into the social classes of football in the 19th century. With the sport dominated by the upper class, The English Game challenges the nature of the game, following working-class players as they aim to win the FA Cup.
The history of the origins of football may not be the most glamorous and with class segregation portraying a large part of the series, it proves not only to be emotional but an educational watch.
The true history of football and the true history of the FA Cup proves to be one of the best sports-focused works from Netflix, but this is far from the first time the streaming service has opened up a sport.
Netflix widening a sports audience
The English Game is not the first time that Netflix has managed to widen the audience of a sport – the streaming service is beginning to make a habit of it.
One of the most notable Netflix sports shows is “Drive to Survive”, a Formula 1-focused reality show that has dramatically boosted the viewership of the motorsport brand. The show, currently on its fourth season, has proved incredibly popular with new and existing motorsport fans.
ESPN noted that their F1 viewing numbers in 2018 grew from an average of 554,000 to 927,000 in 2021. The same is true, albeit on a smaller scale, for The English Game.
Main Story line
The dramatic storyline takes us to the 1880s when the main teams were Old Etonians, Blackburn Olympic, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday. The series starts with Darwen buying Fergus Surter and Jimmy Love to compete for the cup.
At the time, Football was seen only for the Gentlemen and not for the working class, hence why clubs paying players to play was seen as controversial. The series then takes us to the romantic life of Fergie to finally moving to Blackburn to win the Cup.
One of the most hailed factors of the series was shedding the light on these clubs which perhaps went forgotten. Obviously, Blackburn Rovers still survived till today with the club winning numerous league titles and cups.
Being in the championship for the last ten years, this year they finished eight place nearly grasping the play off place. Next season, as it’s possible to read on online betting sites, the odds are not looking pretty for John Dahl Tomasson’s team with them being fourteenth favorite for promotion.
Concluding
Netflix once again has opened up a sport to those outside of the niche, allowing for a new wave of football fans to enjoy the FA Cup. The history of football and the history of the FA Cup is one of the most important in the beautiful game.
With a dramatic storyline focusing not just on the origins of football, but the difference in classes at the time, The English Game is a must-watch on Netflix. Those who love football and even those that don’t will appreciate the well-made show, the incredible acting and a wonderful example of an important TV series.