FMP Proposal –

The dog who saved

Torquay United
By Harvey Gerring
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Idea outline:
My idea for my FMP is based around something I’m extremely
passionate about, football. I’m aiming to make a 10-minute-long
documentary on a bizarre football story involving a dog who saved
lower league team, Torquay United.

I have done some research prior to this proposal in which I found

this story amongst Sportskeeda’s “13 unbelievable football stories”.
I decided to take a particular interest in this story as I think it’s as
much of a human-interest story, as it is a football story. This means
that the potential audience will be larger and therefore will appeal
to more people.

A brief overview of the story is set in 1987, where Torquay United were bottom of the 4 th Division and had to avoid a
loss against Crewe on the final match of the season or else they were set to be relegated out of the football league and
were at risk of going bankrupt. At half time, Torquay United were 2-0 down against Crewe and were looking hopeless.
Jim McNichol was able to score from a free kick for Torquay, but in the last few minutes he confused a police dog on
the side of the pitch, which subsequently led to him getting bit by the dog.
 (Slide 02/02)

Idea outline:
After approximately 4 minutes of treatment, Jim McNichol was back on his feet, as his side were desperate for an
equalizer. During the minutes added on at the end of the match, due to his injury, Dobson scored for Torquay which
saw them stay up in the fourth division.
Since then, the dog was seen as a hero by the
club, which even led to them releasing a beer
in 2019 in honor of the dog. I plan to go film
most of this documentary around the Torquay
United stadium with a well researched and
prepared script. Moreover, I hope that I can
get an interview with one of the players in this
match, to see what their point of view of the
story was.

I really like this story as I think it’s a dire

situation which turned out to be a wholesome
and interesting story that people will
remember for a lifetime.
Secondary Research:
Welcome to Wrexham - (Example 01/03)

A similar documentary to the one I’m looking to produce is Welcome To

Wrexham.

• What do you like about this example? Why?

Something I particularly like about Welcome to Wrexham that I would

like to take inspiration from in my own documentary is the way that the
structure the documentary, so that anyone can enjoy it, even if they have
no interest in football. For example, they explain how the divisions work
in England and how the teams at the bottom are at risk of being
relegated. I think they have done this since the the story is based around
these famous American actors, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds,
purchasing fifth-division club, Wrexham. I therefore think that they know
a large percentage of the viewership will be first time Americans,
therefore it makes it easier to watch and more enjoyable for the casual
viewer.
Secondary Research:
Welcome to Wrexham - (Example 01/03)

A similar documentary to the one I’m looking to produce is Welcome To

Wrexham.

• What do you like about this example? Why?

Something I particularly like about Welcome to Wrexham that I would

like to take inspiration from in my own documentary is the way that the
structure the documentary, so that anyone can enjoy it, even if they have
no interest in football. For example, they explain how the divisions work
in England and how the teams at the bottom are at risk of being
relegated. I think they have done this since the the story is based around
these famous American actors, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds,
purchasing fifth-division club, Wrexham. I therefore think that they know
a large percentage of the viewership will be first time Americans,
therefore it makes it easier to watch and more enjoyable for the casual
viewer.