Football Saved My Life
Encyclopedia
Football Saved My Life was a 10 part sports reality show commissioned from Granada Productions by Bravo. It was initially entitled "Saved by the Ball". This program took a group of 15 dysfunctional men and turned their lives around through the medium of football. The men all faced one or more present day life issues, including too much drinking, too much smoking, poor diet, anger management, depression, confidence and gambling.
Ex-premiership footballer and self-confessed ex-alcoholic, Neil Ruddock
took the manager position, along with Justin Edinburgh
at his side as coach. Using a team of experts including Dr. Adam Carey from Celebrity Fit Club
fame (Nutrition and Diet), Angie Dowds from TV's The Biggest Loser: UK Season 1 (Personal Training) and Keith Power (Sport psychology and mental health), the team got the contestants fitter, healthier, happier and on the road to a better future.
Celebrity football stars were introduced during training to give the "team" tips and tricks to help them on the road to their full 90 minute match planned for the final episode at the Dagenham and Redbridge football ground.
The series consisted of nine one hour episodes and one 60-minute special. The 10 part show was broadcast in late 2006 and has been repeated several times since.
Ex-premiership footballer and self-confessed ex-alcoholic, Neil Ruddock
Neil Ruddock
Neil "Razor" Ruddock is a retired English footballer, who played as a central defender.He made his debut at Millwall , and he had a long career playing for Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Liverpool, West Ham, Crystal Palace, and finally a short-lived spell as a player/coach at Swindon Town Neil...
took the manager position, along with Justin Edinburgh
Justin Edinburgh
Justin Charles Edinburgh is an English professional football manager and former player. He is currently manager of . Nicknamed 'Musselburgh', he has previously played for, or managed, six other clubs.-Playing career:...
at his side as coach. Using a team of experts including Dr. Adam Carey from Celebrity Fit Club
Celebrity Fit Club
Celebrity Fit Club is a reality television series that follows eight overweight celebrities as they try to lose weight for charity. Split into two competing teams of four, each week teams are given different physical challenges, and weighed to see if they reached their target weights...
fame (Nutrition and Diet), Angie Dowds from TV's The Biggest Loser: UK Season 1 (Personal Training) and Keith Power (Sport psychology and mental health), the team got the contestants fitter, healthier, happier and on the road to a better future.
Celebrity football stars were introduced during training to give the "team" tips and tricks to help them on the road to their full 90 minute match planned for the final episode at the Dagenham and Redbridge football ground.
The series consisted of nine one hour episodes and one 60-minute special. The 10 part show was broadcast in late 2006 and has been repeated several times since.