The Great Scottish Football Debate: Scotball

Imagine a television programme, which talks about football and treats the viewers like adults.

Imagine a television programme that isn’t afraid to tackle the main issues of the day, and isn’t subject to editorial influence, advertisements and ill informed egotistical panellists.

In Scotland , of course, such a programme would have to remain in the imagination, as no broadcaster has the balls to commission it.

But in his new novel, Scotball, Stephen O’Donnell explores the concept, and gives an excellent account of how such a programme would take shape, and how it would work, and exactly why it would eventually be pulled.

In his second novel in the “Kirkie boys ” series, we see Peter Fitzpatrick, a minor character from opening instalment  “Paradise Road ” -he’s the one the lads went to see in Prague, and the one who persuaded former footballer and Celtic fan Kevin McGarry to stay in the Czech Republic- return to Scotland with his Czech bride to make a new life back home.

Reversing the innocent abroad theme, we see how “Fitzy ” notes the changes to his home town of Kirkintilloch, and, now having sampled life in another  small European country, pondering the mentality of his fellow Scots with an independence referendum in the offing.

The idea for the tv show, on the lines of the more cerebral shows available on the continent, is pitched to the fictional SBC national broadcaster, and although ignored at first, a chance meeting in a west end bar leads to a pilot show, and this is followed by a series.

O’Donnell, having much matured as a writer since his first book, perhaps having gained in confidence from its reception and success, through the eyes of the central character also considers why Scotland, despite having a lot to be proud of.physically, historically and culturally, remains entrenched in a parochial outlook on her place in the world, largely through a trip to Amsterdam, where he notes the way in which the Dutch capital is proud of what it is, and not afraid to show off its versatility to tourists.

This thought provoking chapter leaves the reader wondering exactly why Scotland is reluctant to go out on her own, and the author cleverly combines it into a footballing context by using the pre Strachan lack of success for the national team, concluding that Scotland has forgotten what its like to be Scottish on the field, whilst in politics she is unsure exactly where she stands.

But its the tv series that makes the book.

For anyone with an interest in Scottish football, and certain recent events around a now defunct football club from Glasgow, this is essential reading.

Although in a fictional setting, using mostly composite characters based on  the mainstream Scottish sports media, O’ Donnell makes several valid points about the way football has been relegated to a sideshow of the financially bloated English Premiership, and actually has some very good ideas about how to put it right.

Youth development, finances, even alcohol in the grounds are all among the subjects discussed, and the author manages to present all sides of the discussion equally, allowing the reader to decide for himself which would be the best way forward. This is a remarkable achievement by O’Donnell, as it must have been difficult to avoid leaping on to a soapbox and telling us where we are all going wrong.

Which is key to why the novel works, and also why the higher brow talk show would work as well.

More interestingly, the episodes of the show which deal with the demise of Rangers are written, like a select few others,  as a full transcript, and offer a factual , no nonsense summary of events, and reactions to them, using panellists on the show to represent opposing views.

One of the panellists, “Doddsy ” is a former Rangers player, and the author uses him to offer the defence of the Ibrox club and its actions, and commendably refrains from making him into a vehicle for him to merely repeat the accusations of impropriety  that brought an end to the club. Or company.

“Doddsy”  is allowed to put forward a case for the defence, which although we all know its nonsense, at least the subject is discussed freely and without fear of censorship.

Told you such a show could only exist in the imagination

In fact, if you have a friend who supported the old club, and who still has blinkers on when it comes to what actually happened over at Ibrox, buy him this for Christmas.

He might finally begin to understand it.

The book also offers an insight into the workings of the media in Scotland. The SBC, although fictional , bears a remarkable similarity to BBC Scotland, its competitor,  Radio Kelvin, a low brow station with an even lower brow phone in show, has a lot in common with Radio Clyde.

The author did a lot of research into the workings of the television world, and this shows in the way he describes how the  show is produced, broadcast and treated by those at the SBC, and there are no surprises for guessing that the “establishment ” , whilst happy to have a hit tv show on their hands, begin to interfere when the Rangers story begins to dominate the show.

Which is pretty much what happened in real life. And not only on television, but throughout the media, which itself in the book is portrayed as exactly what it is.

There are good journalists and reporters out there, but the establishment was afraid to give them free reign to uncover the full story, and they were afraid to put their heads above the parapets and tell the truth because of the reaction, both from within the media and out on the streets.

Which, for a modern , free society is actually quite ludicrous.

But it happened, and O’Donnells book, written in a style that makes him Scotlands Roddy Doyle , with both humour and poignancy, is not only a great story-and there are few of them around these days-but a damning indictment of the insular attitude that is incredibly still prevalent within the upper echelons of Scottish society in the early years of the Twenty First Century.

Published by Ringwood Publishing, the book is out now. The official launch is on Wednesday , December 10 at Sweeneys on the Park, 962,  Pollokshaws Road, G41. Seven till midnight . He didn’t say whether or not there was free beer, but its unlikely, so don’t expect it.

You can pick the book up  before then from  Waterstones, Blackwells and a few others throughout Scotland.

Amazon also have it for anyone who can’t get to the shops.