Steadman Scott has run Afewee, a grassroots football club in Brixton, south London, for over a decade. His training style is unorthodox but it produces results: the kids respect him and their parents trust him. Not every child will be good enough to make it to the top, but it is about more than football: for local kids, the club offers an alternative to the streets and an opportunity to improve their lives, something Steadman, a former gang member who has done time, is critically aware of.

Afewee has given careers to a number of notable players including England and Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne, Millwall and England women’s striker Rinsola Babajide, and England Under-17 and Manchester United winger Joshua Bohui.

Kids at Afewee are learning it takes discipline, passion, hard work and self-belief to live the dream of sporting glory, fame and riches. But the road to the top is tough, and even for those that sign for a club, a secure future is not guaranteed.

This documentary short by Ray McFarlane and Patrick Steel is an access-all-areas look at the football club, Steadman’s philosophy, and the impact of the training regime on the kids and their families.

CREDITS

Tough Love

A Fat Toad Films production by Ray McFarlane and Patrick Steel

Directors: Ray McFarlane and Patrick Steel
Colourist: Martin Fickling
Music: Tim Spencer
Sound Design: Thom Paisley at Hurricane Sound

Length: 20'55
Country of production: United Kingdom

Copyright Fat Toad Films, 2018