Striker

As many of you will know I’m currently recovering from major surgery following a cancer diagnosis. One of the things I’ve tried to do during this time to keep my spirits up and my mind alert is to revisit some old TV programmes that I loved as a boy and younger man.

One programme I often yearn to see again was a short-lived BBC series ‘Striker’. Written by comic actor Kenneth Cope (known primarily, at least in my house, for playing Marty Hopkirk in Randall & Hopkirk Deceased and Vic Spanner in ‘Carry On At Your Convenience’) Striker told the story of a young lad, Ben Dyker (played by Kevin Moreton), and his Dad (played by Geoffrey Hinsliff) as they arrive in the small village of Brenton in their caravan and park right next to a football pitch where a game is underway. It’s clear Ben is football mad although his rather grumpy Dad discourages any interaction with the lads playing. I won’t spoil the story safe to say that the main thrust of the programme is the relationship between Ben, his Dad, the local team (including characters such as Soggy, Mark, Nicky and Soggy’s sister Jacky) and the sport itself.

First televised in December 1975, the first series lasted just three episodes and for me captures that idyllic hot summer of my childhood where life was pretty much carefree and the world seemingly a much simpler place. A second series of five episodes was released a year later and told the continuing story of Ben and the Brenton Boys football team.

Striker is a brilliantly crafted tale, way ahead of its time, and one that just draws you easily into the plot and stimulates curiosity as to what the full story is with Ben and his Dad. I think I must have only seen the series once as a seven year old (unless it was repeated) but I read Cope’s novelisation of his story a thousand times.

Over the past 20 years or so I’ve often searched for the programme on forums, social media and YouTube with no luck – it was almost as if this underrated children’s TV gem had been forgotten and had become a bit of a ‘Holy Grail’ for me. Then about eight years ago I corresponded online with one of Kenneth Cope’s sons, Nick (a musician and presenter on Cbeebies). Nick kindly gave me a bit of background on the series and revealed how proud his Dad was of the programme and how he wished it would be rereleased on DVD. He also mentioned how two of the characters of the Brenton Boys team were named after himself and his brother Mark.

Then another person messaged me saying that the BFI had unarchived the first episode, although no more than that, and he generously shared a secret YouTube link for me to watch it. What bliss being transported once again back to Brenton in the mid-seventies. It was just as I’d remembered it and I knew so many of the lines, probably from the multiple re-readings of the novelisation as a young boy. We spoke briefly about what would be needed for the series to be rereleased but that was where the conversation ended.

So, fast forward to today and whilst convalescing in bed I just thought I’d search YouTube again to see if any there was anything about Striker on there. I was gobsmacked to see a user, leedsguy41, had somehow obtained six of the eight Striker episodes that were made! I was thrilled and immediately watched them all. I noted that he didn’t have the first episode – the one I had secret privileged access to, which meant that I was able to watch seven episodes with only one, series 2, episode 4, missing.

It was such a joy to reconnect with this wonderful innocent slice of my childhood again, especially as I was going through some dark times related to my operation. It really lifted my spirits. I also managed to buy a copy of the novelisation and devoured it in an afternoon, at times almost knowing word for word the text.

From a kit perspective, Brenton Boys play in a blue shirt with red and white sash, reminiscent although not identical to Manchester City’s fourth shirt of the early 70s, paired with red shorts and socks. Curiously the novelisation claims Brenton’s home strip is all yellow and that the blue kit was their away outfit although this isn’t how it was portrayed on the TV series.

I would love to see Striker properly remastered and rereleased as I’m sure many fans of my age (mid-50s) would remember it and enjoy watching it again. In the meantime here is the link to the channel whre the episodes are hosted on YouTube (I promised the chap who shared the first episode from the hidden YouTube account with me that I wouldn’t share it) but I hope there’s enough here to whet your appetite!

https://www.youtube.com/@leedsguy41