TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: SCREEN INTERNATIONAL DATE: 28TH AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.screendaily.com/news/production/robin-friday-biopic-gathers-steam/5045762.article Robin Friday biopic gathers steam
28 August, 2012 | By Andreas Wiseman
Football biopic backed by Telegael, Film Agency Wales, Moonscoop USA, Tasty Films and Ambergreen Entertainment.
Controversial 70’s footballer Robin Friday, well known for his on and off-field antics, is to be the subject of a new biopic from UK TV producer Mike Young, creator of Super Ted .
Young is partnering on the project with author Paolo Hewitt and LA-based UK producers Marc Ambrose (Ambergreen Entertainment) and Marc Benardout and Julian Stone (Tasty Films).
Stone and Hewitt have adapted the script from Hewitt and former Oasis bassist Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan’s biography of Friday.
The project is funded by production house Telegael, Film Agency Wales and Young, with the team in talks for further investment.
Friday played football for Reading and Cardiff but was as well known for his off-field antics as his underappreciated football talent. The film will chart Friday’s widely reported excesses during the 70’s as well as his short-lived and mercurial football talent. TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: EMPIRE DATE: 28TH AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.empireonline.com/News/story.asp?nid=35002
The Robin Friday Story Kicks Off In The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw
28 August 2012 | Written by Phil de Semlyen
A famous George Best yarn tells of the wildly gifted footballer ordering a nightcap from hotel room service. When the bellboy appeared with yet another bottle of champagne, he took in the sight of Best strewn across a bed with fluttering bank notes and an even-more-fluttering Miss World. Pausing for a moment, the bellboy looked up at his hero and murmured: "George, where did it all go wrong?"
It's probably no coincidence that Oasis named one of their album tracks "Where Did It All Go Wrong?, or that the band's former bass player Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan is indirectly helping bring the story of another footballing maverick, Robin Friday, to the screen in the shape of The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw .
Friday, a Reading and Cardiff striker in the '70s, may not have had Best's profile but he definitely shared the great man's penchant for off-pitch craziness. All that boozing, smoking, womanising and drug-taking took its toll - he died at a tragically young age of 38 - but should make for a compelling character piece.
"When I was writing The Robin Friday Story [in 1998] with Guigsy all those years ago", says co-biographer Paolo Hewitt, "I kept saying it would make a great film". Hewitt and Julian Stone have penned the script, with Film Agency Wales contributing to funding.
No word on casting yet, but keep your eyes peeled for more on what could be an intriguing additional to perm-heavy '70s fare like Once In A Lifetime and Best .
TITLE: the greatest footballer you never saw OUTLET: HUFFINGTON POST DATE: 28TH AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/08/28/the-robin-friday-story-set-for-kick- off_n_1835641.html The Robin Friday Story Set For Kick- Off
The Huffington Post UK | By Samuel Luckhurst Posted: 28/08/2012 12:33 Updated: 28/08/2012 14:50
He is responsible for one of the greatest photographs in English football history, and now The Robin Friday Story is set to be made into a film.
Based on the eponymous book written by former Oasis bass player Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Paolo Hewitt, Friday was a Reading and Cardiff City striker in the 70s whose boozing, smoking, womanising and drug-taking contributed to his tragically young death at the age of 38.
Despite his short life, the film should make for an entertaining biography of one of English football's most memorable mavericks. Friday was also immortalised on the Super Furry Animals' album sleeve The Man Don't Give A F**k .
Although football has traditionally struggled on the big screen, the relative success of 2009's The Damned United and the 2006 documentary Once in a Lifetime suggests the 70s appears to be an auspicious era for depicting the beautiful game on film. TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: WALES ONLINE DATE: 29 TH AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/need-to-read/2012/08/29/tragic-life-of-cardiff-city-cult-hero- robin-friday-to-be-played-out-in-movie-91466-31720184/ Tragic life of Cardiff City cult hero Robin Friday to be played out in film by Gareth Rogers Aug 29 2012
Cardiff City cult hero Robin Friday flicks a 'v' sign at Luton Town goalkeeper Milija Aleksic
Cardiff City’s iconic champagne football maverick Robin Friday will be the feature of a film called ‘The Greatest Footballer you Never Saw.'
The movie, which will be part funded by Film Agency Wales , will take the title of the book written about Friday by Paolo Hewitt and Oasis guitarist Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan in 1998 and will document the story of the drinking, drug taking fans hero.
Cardiff City fans have mixed memories of the stylish star who, will be remembered in South Wales for magic moments on the field as well as famously flicking a ‘v’ sign to Luton Town goalkeeper Milija Aleksic after rounding him and scoring at Ninian Park in 1977, in a game that guaranteed the Bluebirds’ safety from relegation to Division Three.
The book also told of how Friday was arrested on the way to signing for Cardiff City for boarding a train without a ticket and how he tragically died, age 38, after struggling with drink and drug addiction. n 1996, the Super Furry Animals dedicated their song ‘The Man Don't Give a F***’ to their hero who they had watched on the terraces, who played and lived in the image of fellow football icon George Best.
On the inside cover, it says: “This record is dedicated to the memory of Robin Friday and his stand against the 'Man'."
Former NME journalist Hewitt, who also wrote The Fashion of Football and Young Mods Forgotten Story, claims he always thought Friday’s story would make a good film, saying: “When I was writing The Robin Friday Story with Guigsy all those years ago, I kept saying it would make a great film.”
Six years after the book was released, Friday was voted the top "all-time cult hero" by fans of Cardiff City and his previous club Reading.
Reading fan Richard Wickeson gives his opinions of Robin Friday
Football film fans who enjoyed the likes of The Damned United, Once In A Lifetime and Best should look out for The Greatest Footballer you Never Saw because Robin Friday’s tragic tale is a roller coaster ride of intrigue.
Was Robin Friday a Cardiff City great? Have your say in the comments box below
TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: EVENING STANDARD DATE: 30 TH AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. 53
TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: DAILY EXPRESS DATE: 31ST AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. 77
TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: WALES ONLINE DATE: 31 ST AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2012/08/31/cardiff-city-supporter-picks- robert-carlisle-to-star-in-robin-friday-biopic-91466-31730922/ Cardiff City supporter picks Robert Carlisle to star in Robin Friday biopic
By James McCarthy Aug 31 2012
Cardiff Citys answer to George Best is to be the subject of new biopic, The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw
MERCURIAL footballer Robin Friday was as famous for his drug and drink fuelled antics off the pitch as he was for his silky skills on it.
And now Cardiff City’s answer to George Best is to be the subject of new biopic, The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw.
The film about the intimidating forward is to be scripted by former NME journalist Paulo Hewitt and screenwriter Julian Stone.
Paulo penned a biography about womanising Friday – also called The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw – with former Oasis bassist Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan.
The author said: “When I was writing the book with Guigsy all those years ago, I kept saying to him, ‘This would make such a great film’.
“The fact that this is now happening is the proverbial dream come true – Spurs will win the Premiership at this rate.”
SuperTed creator Mike Young, now based in LA, is producing the project, to be part- funded by Film Agency for Wales. The Emmy and BAFTA winner said: “I have been a lifelong Cardiff City fan – and have the lines to prove it – and saw John Charles and Trevor Ford play, but the firefly that was Robin Friday’s career was both breathtaking, and sadly, incredible to behold.”
London-born Friday was voted top “all-time cult hero” for both Cardiff and Reading, where he also played, in a 2004 BBC poll.
He was immortalised on record by the Welsh band Super Furry Animals in their song The Man Don’t Give A F***.
Vince Alm, of Cardiff City Supporters’ Club, yesterday said he wanted to see Trainspotting star Robert Carlisle should play Friday.
He said: “He could do him, he could carry him off – he can still grow his hair long.
“His build is similar as well. I’d never do it. I can’t act.”
He hoped the flick would examine his life on the pitch, as well as off.
“I remember Friday playing for Cardiff. They had to get him out of jail once or twice but he was a quality player.
“He had such a short life but it was very eventful.”
The player was plagued by drugs and booze problems before his death at 38 from a heart attack.
“He also had a streak where he would upset players,” Vince said.
He was at the 1977 game where Friday flicked the V sign at Luton Town goalkeeper Milija Aleksic after scoring.
The iconic image of the moment adorned the cover of the Super Furry Animal’s single.
“He stuck two fingers up at him,” Vince said. “That was down at Ninian Park.”
TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: EXPRESS.CO.UK DATE: 31 ST AUGUST 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/343151/Friday-film-show-a-kick-for-Mark-Lawrenson FRIDAY FILM SHOW A KICK FOR MARK LAWRENSON
Friday August 31,2012
By Matthew Dunn
ZAC EFRON? Robert Pattinson? The search could soon be on for an actor to play the young Mark Lawrenson.
The latest footballing attempt to crack Hollywood is in pre-production and the BBC pundit is set to be one of the key characters.
The name of Robin Friday might not mean much outside Reading and Cardiff – who have already pledged their support for the project – but his biography, The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw, is being put to celluloid to cash in on the current ‘coolness’ of all things Seventies. Casting is still a long way off, but skilful maverick hellraiser Friday, who died in 1990 aged just 38, all but finished his playing career in November 1977 by getting sent off for kicking Lawrenson in the face in retaliation for the hefty challenge that came his way, after he had given the then Brighton centre-back an embarrassing time.
Perhaps the film will right the omission of the book – co-written by former Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan – about the ‘gift’ Friday left in Lawrenson’s kit bag when he arrived back in the dressing-room for his early shower.
TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: THE INDEPENDENT DATE: 9TH SEPTEMBER 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/outside-the-box-that-friday- feeling-is-bound-to-give-you-a-good-night-out-8120089.html Outside the Box: That Friday feeling is bound to give you a good night out
STEVE TONGUE ¦ SUNDAY 09 SEPTEMBER 2012
Supporters of Reading and Cardiff City in the Seventies may object to the title, but The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw is about to become more widely celebrated.
The player in question was Robin Friday, whose biography by former Oasis bass player Paul McGuigan and Paolo Hewitt carried that title, and is now to be made into a film. It runs the risk of being accused of exaggeration by those unfamiliar with the man Friday, whose antics on and off the pitch – think George Best, Stan Bowles and Frank McAvennie rolled into one – led to his being named greatest cult hero by fans of his two clubs in a career that lasted less than three years.
At Reading from 1974-76, sympathetic manager Charlie Hurley just about coped with him, but his time under Jimmy Andrews at Cardiff never recovered from Friday taking the train to Wales to sign without a valid ticket and having to be bailed out.
The former borstal boy, failing to curb his drinking and drug-taking, was never likely to hit it off with a disciplinarian manager and in 1977 he retired, aged only 25. By 38 he was dead from a heart attack, which Hewitt believes stemmed from a heroin overdose.
The film is now in pre-production, backed by Film Agency Wales.
A cloud over 'The Sun'
A blogger called Phil Mac Giolla Bhain is the latest victim of Glasgow's great divide after The Sun withdrew at the last minute from serialising his book on the collapse of Rangers, apparently fearing a possible boycott by fans similar to that on Merseyside, where the paper has never been forgiven for its post-Hillsborough coverage.
The Scottish edition of The Sun had publicly trailed the serialisation of Downfall: How Rangers FC Self-Destructed and featured an interview with the author, praising him for breaking the story of the club's £24m tax bill and standing up to "sectarian hate" and death threats.
Rangers supporters who regarded him as a Celtic sympathiser protested in large numbers and the paper's attention was drawn to an anti-Rangers blog he had written about bigotry. The next day, publication was cancelled and The Sun wrote in a leading article that they had been wrong to believe Mac Giolla Bhain was "a proper and sound journalist". He responded in a blog: "It was a commercial decision for The Sun to go for the book and it was the same rationale that made them drop the serialisation."
Not that book sales have been harmed by all the publicity, as it races up the charts in pursuit of some Hairy Dieters and scary erotica.
Draw a vale over Ryder
Still on the subject of financially stricken clubs, what has happened to Keith Ryder? He's the Lancashire businessman whose offer was selected by insolvency specialists Begbies Traynor as the best package to take over Port Vale after they went into administration late last season. He paid £20,000 to cover Vale's pre-season trip to Ireland, a £60,000 non-refundable deposit and half of the club's estimated £180,000 monthly wage bill for July. But then he stopped communicating with the club and the administrator, Bob Young.
Manager Micky Adams worried that players would defect over concerns that wages might not be paid. Young said: "In the 38 years since I first became an insolvency practitioner I have never been in a scenario where you get so far down the line and a party disappears."
There are now five interested parties carrying out due diligence with a view to taking over the club.
Wright got it wrong
The oddest transfer of the summer was surely Manchester City's signing of Richard Wright as their fourth keeper; he had left Preston after a week, declaring he could not bear to be 200 miles away from his family in Ipswich.
Distance to Manchester? A mere 173 miles. [email protected] ; twitter.com/@stevetongue TITLE: THE GREATEST FOOTBALLER YOU NEVER SAW OUTLET: THE READING CHRONICLE DATE: 16 TH SEPTEMBER 2012 PAGE NO. http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/reading/articles/2012/09/16/62739-life-of-a-legend/ Life of a legend
By Chris Forsey • Published 16 Sep 2012 17:00
LEGENDARY Royals striker Robin Friday only played football for four years in the 1970's but his cult status has spawned plans for a new British produced feature film of his extraordinary life.
The Greatest Footballer You Never Saw is based on the hit biography by Paul McGuigan - former bass player of rock group Oasis - and will pull no punches in detailing his shocking but all too short career.
Robin Friday's talent was spotted at Hayes and Yeading in west London and he joined Reading in February 1974. During his two years with the Royals he scored one of the best goals ever seen, kissed a policeman on the sidelines and famously stuck two fingers up at the opposition's goalie.
He soon became an all-time cult hero for fans and his wild off the pitch antics just raised his profile to new heights.
Unfortunately there is no film footage of the mercurial striker, and co-author Paolo Hewitt said: "I kept saying to Paul this would make such a good film. I saw Robin play but the firefly that was his short career was both breathtaking and sadly incredible to behold."
It has been said that after being impaled on a spike in a construction accident he decided, having glimpsed death, to live by instinct, try his best to be brilliant and not give a damn as to the consequences.
The Reading Chronicle sports archive documents Robin Friday's goals and on the pitch antics including his frequent match bans for unruly behaviour.
But word of mouth of his many off the pitch events reached new heights when, in an away match hotel, he appeared with a swan as his new "best friend". Friday left Reading on transfer to Cardiff City in December 1976 where his career dribbled away after initial promise and his rock and roll lifestyle eventually caught up with him.
Robin Friday, in one of his few interviews, summed up his life with the following quote: "On the pitch I hate all opponents. I don't give a damn about anyone. People think I'm mad, a lunatic. I am a winner."