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Entertainment

09th Apr 2020

Watching Mike Bassett: England Manager for the first time

JOE

“This is a hate crime”

If you’re not aware of it, Mike Bassett: England Manager is the tale of a man called, well, Mike Bassett. Played by Royle Family actor Ricky Tomlinson, Bassett is a salt of the earth football manager. A good football man.

Upon winning the cup with Norwich City, Bassett finds himself thrust into the England national team hot seat, by nature of the fact that his predecessor has suffered a fatal heart attack and all other contenders aren’t interested.

Based roughly on the England tenure of Graham Taylor, the film depicts Bassett’s memorable and unconventional journey with the Three Lions to the World Cup in Brazil.

But has it aged well and is it still funny? We got this Irishman to watch it for the first time, and see what he thinks.