BBC to make Newmains United documentary

Jun 24 2009 by Andrew Weston, Wishaw Press

BBC to make documentary about Newmains United

THE BBC are to make a fly-on-the-wall documentary about Newmains United that will see the local junior club’s training sessions and matches beamed across the globe.

Crew members have already filmed three training sessions at Victoria Park and will continue to follow Newmains throughout the 2009/10 season.

The BBC are planning to make a series of five-minute documentaries which will be posted on their website every month.

United may also appear on BBC One’s flagship news programme “Reporting Scotland” and could also feature on Radio Scotland.

Delighted Newmains boss Ian Rankin said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity for ourselves in terms of the exposure and for junior football. It helps put junior football back on the map, which is great.

“Hopefully, it can give us an opportunity to let people know how professional a club we can be.

“But it will also show how difficult it can be at this level when you don’t have much money and show how hard it is to sustain yourself as a club.”

He added: “The BBC website is one of the biggest and best in the world, I’m led to believe.

“So from that perspective it is going to be shown globally and for Newmains United that is wonderful. “Everyone at the club is buzzing and I’m certainly looking forward to it.”

Last week the BBC crew, including sports reporter Keir Murray, were up at the club, getting to know the players and the management staff.

Murray said: “The plan is to work with them across the season until next May unless they get turfed out of all the cup competitions before then!

“We have been looking to extend our coverage beyond professional football and this fly-on-the-wall-type documentary will help us do that.

“We have been out three times and Ian is so enthusiastic it’s great.”

Meanwhile United have confirmed two friendly fixtures for next month. They will take on Hurlford United on July 19 before playing Harthill Juniors three days later.

Rankin is hoping to add three players to his squad in time for these matches.

He said: “We are going to be better organised this season and we have better facilities.

“This tie-in with the BBC can be to a certain extent a selling point for players but I don’t want that to be the main motivation for a player to come to the club. I want them to come to Newmains because they know that we are on the up.”