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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Kids TV
    Kids TV TV Shows - 1980s 2 Mins Read

    Jossy’s Giants

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    1 9 8 6 – 1 9 8 7 (UK)
    10 x 30 minute episodes

    This BBC children’s TV programme featured a youth football team called the Glipton Grasshoppers, made up of a motley crew of boisterous young misfits. They were hopeless until they convinced mouthy Geordie former-England Boys midfielder Joswell ‘Jossy’ Blair (Jim Barclay) to manage them.

    Jossy’s first moves were to switch their kit to black-and-white-stripes, rename their dilapidated ground “St James’ Park” and change their name from ‘Grasshoppers’ to the rather more intimidating ‘Giants’.

    Unfortunately, Jossy had a fondness for betting on the gee-gees that often caused him (and the team) problems, but with the brains of the team’s biggest supporter – Tracey Gaunt (Julie Foy) – and the willingness of the Giants to pull together in times of crisis, the lads made a success of things.

    With organisation, hard work, canny gamesmanship and much humour along the way – (“I’ve seen more life in a tramp’s vest”) – he steadily transformed them into a team of contenders.

    The Glipton Giants took on Italian rivals, raised funds to travel to the real St James’ Park and even reached the obligatory cup final.

    The second series found the lads slightly older, hitting puberty and beginning to become more interested in girls than football.

    The youngsters in the cast were not child actors but had been picked for their footballing ability from local pitches and schools around Manchester, where the show was filmed.

    Producers figured it was easier to teach football-skilled lads to act rather than pint-sized actors to play football. The decision added an additional air of authenticity to the series.

    The show was written by legendary darts commentator Sid Waddell.

    Joswell ‘Jossy’ Blair
    Jim Barclay
    Albert Hanson
    Christopher Burgess
    Tracey Gaunt
    Julie Foy
    Ross Nelson
    Mark Gillard
    Ricky Sweet
    Paul Kirkbright
    Harvey McGuinn
    Julian Walsh
    Glenn Rix
    Stuart McGuinness
    Ian ‘Selly’ Sellick
    Ian Sheppard
    Bob Nelson
    John Judd
    Wayne Chapman
    Oliver Orr
    Glenda Fletcher
    Jenny McCracken
    Shaz
    Jennifer Luckraft
    Opal
    Suzanne Hall
    Melanie
    Lucy Keightly
    Daz
    Lee Quarmby
    Bex
    Ray Callister

    Video

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