BT Sport’s next original documentary follows Harrogate Town FC as it grapples with returning to the pitch for the Vanarama National League playoffs.
Proud To Be Town is the first full-length documentary to highlight the profound impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on football and features self-shot contributions by manager Simon Weaver, players and other key figures from the club.
When the remainder of the season was cancelled in Spring, Harrogate Town were second behind Barrow in the league’s premier division and set for a place in the end of season play-offs.
But this depended on the National League being able to deliver the showpiece matches amid the easing of lockdown.
In the midst of all this uncertainty, the club’s future was unclear.
At its Wetherby Road stadium, ground improvement work had to go on, to meet the League Two criteria in time for the new Football League season. But the club required some of the revenue from promotion to pay for it.
This film goes behind the scenes with the management team and players, whose futures now depend on a pandemic and related issues beyond their control.
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “This is not just the story of one club. It reflects aspects of almost every football club in the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This film is a unique collaboration between BT Sport Films and Harrogate Town AFC.
“A large proportion of the film was self-shot by members of the team and club staff on phones and tablets, who enthusiastically recorded their experiences of lockdown, getting back into action and making their historic bid for promotion.
“We are grateful for the club’s collaboration. We were honoured to be part of the journey with this inspiring group of individuals, not least the film’s author, manager Simon Weaver.”
BT Sport will premiere Proud To Be Town on Saturday October 3, at 8pm.