Jack To A King, film review: Fall and rise of Swansea FC is a real-life sporting fairy-tale
(12A) Marc Evans, 98 mins
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Marc Evans' rousing film about the fall and rise of Swansea FC aims to go beyond the conventional sports doc. It opens with Richard Burton reading Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood and tries to give a sense of the importance of the club to the local community.
The most colourful character is the former owner Tony Petty, an Australia-based businessman who became loathed by the supporters. Evans' biggest coup is to have persuaded Petty, an engaging but comical character with a hint of Arthur Daley about him, to talk on camera. (He also interviews thuggish, balaclava-wearing fans who were threatening him with extreme violence.)
The film details how investors pumped in £50,000 each to buy the club at its lowest ebb. Swansea, who almost went out of business and needed to beat Hull to stay in the Football League in 2003, began to climb up the divisions.
This is a real-life sporting fairy-tale that suggests success can still sometimes be achieved in British football without the largesse of absentee foreign owners.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments