BIG UPDATE NEWS: The wonderful Jossy’s Giants is now on DVD for the very first time. A set of both series of the show is available for order at Amazon right here. And here’s the box art…

Here’s our feature looking back at the show…

For readers of a certain age, Jossy’s Giants will bring back many fond memories.

Football and television have produced some varied output over the years. The rather well-remunerated Gary Lineker, no less, was behind the mini-series All In The Game while Sky’s truly dreadful Dream Team will likely be etched into your brain for all the wrong reasons. Kay Mellor’s Playing The Field was far better but the pinnacle of footballing dramas is undoubtedly Jossy’s Giants.

Penned by non other than the late, great Sid Waddell – most famous for darts commentating – Jossy’s Giants was an affectionate, witty tribute to the North and with it, Waddell showed a genuine talent for children’s drama.

Jossy’s Giants were, of course, a boy’s football team based, managed by Joswell ‘Jossy’ Blair. Throughout the course of the two series, we got to know the lads pretty well, often through the eyes of the hard-working, often exasperated, but ultimately proud-as-punch Jossy himself.

It’s testament to the show’s strength of characterisation, grounded plotting and acting that it has left such a mark on so many’s televisual history growing up. This is a show that only ran for two series over the course of the mid-80sand featured just ten episodes in total. From the very first episode, though – in which Jossy decides to take over the running of the Grasshoppers – Sid Waddell’s knack for comedy shines through. With the game on a knife-edge and The Grasshoppers needing to gain an advantage over the taller, stronger opposition, he encourages Tracy Gaunt to participate in some outrageous flirting with the opposition goalie. It’s a very funny scene and typical of much of the down-to-Earth, and frankly working-class, humour of the show.

Jossy’s Giant is a celebration of the downtrodden everyman, taking that very Northern trait of being matter-of-fact about life and laying it all out on the screen. It ties to a time when football was considered a sport for the working class too, and Waddell was considered as something of a working class icon. Jossy’s Giants tapped into this idea with gusto.

The other particularly memorable part of Jossy’s Giants was the opening credits and theme tune. Each week, the Grasshoppers would attempt – and fail – to spell out Jossy’s Giants using a set of placards with the various letters on. A simple joke, sure, but effective nonetheless. The theme song itself, like all great themes, was on the face of it a simple tune but my goodness it’s an earworm if ever there was one:

We’re called Jossy’s Giants

Football’s just a branch of science

Head the ball now, Jossy calls

Jossy’s Giants?

Written by Mike Amatt – who also wrote the theme to cartoon Mop and Sniff and has even played lead guitarist for Herman’s Hermits, no less – I’m willing to bet that anyone who watched any 80s kids’ television could hum Jossy’s Giants if you asked them.

Is that…?

No lookback at the show would be complete without mentioning the episode in which an actual, and very famous, footballer appeared on the show.

When the Grasshoppers go to visit Newcastle United’s St James’ Park, they’re given a tour by non other than Sir Bobby Robson. It’s a very wooden performance from the late, great Sir Bobby but you can tell that the child actors are thrilled at having the chance to meet him and for any kids growing up as a fan of Newcastle United, the chance to take a full tour of the grounds – dressing rooms and all – must have been one heck of a thrill. It’s a lovely part of the programme, where there’s clearly a crossover between acting and real life and it’s gratifying to see the boys getting rich reward for their efforts. There are quite a few moments throughout the series like this, to be honest, and it’s credit to the directing team for taking a naturalistic approach to the production.

As well as Bobby, Bryan Robson also appeared in the show and if we thought Bobby was wooden, we hadn’t seen anything yet.

If you have no idea what this article is going on about, I urge you to track down some clips online. Kids TV at its finest.