"Just a Boys' Game" is an episode of '' Play for Today'' written by Peter McDougall and directed by John Mackenzie. "Just a Boys' Game" aired on 8 November 1979. It features Frankie Miller, Gregor Fisher, Ken Hutchison, Hector Nicol, Jean Taylor Smith, Katherine Stark, Barry Malone, Michael Malone and band The Cuban Heels. The plot revolves around the life of Jake McQuillan, who lives in the shadow of his dying grandfather, who used to be

Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...

's hardest man. The play was filmed in and around

and

Port Glasgow Port Glasgow (, ) is the second-largest town in the Inverclyde council area of Scotland. The population according to the 1991 census for Port Glasgow was 19,426 persons and in the 2001 census was 16,617 persons. The most recent census in 2011 s ...

. Frankie Miller's song " Rules of the Game" is featured over the closing credits.

Cast

*Jake McQuillen - Frankie Miller *Dancer Dunnichy - Ken Hutchison *Grannie - Jean Taylor-Smith *Granda - Hector Nicol *Tanza - Gregor Fisher *Jane - Katherine Stark *Bella - Jan Wilson *Mental Dan - Jim Byars *At the pub - Gaylie Runciman, James Morrison, Bill Riddock, Sandy West, Irene Sunters, Martin Cochrane, Elaine Collins, Freddie Boardley *Young Team Boys - Billy Greenleas, Michael Malone, Hamish Taylor, Eddie Kane, David Fulton, Billy Faulds, Douglas Sannachan, Andrew Burns, Jimmy Fisher *Group in Pub - The Cuban Heels *Outside the Pub - James Kennedy, Myra Forsyth, David Voss, Peter Davidson *Couple in Close - Katy Gardiner, Jimmy Martin *Woman in Grocer's - Mairhi Russel *At the Shipyard - Jackie Farrell, Campbell Morrison, John Butterly, Ken Henderson, James Boyce *At Bella's Close - Barry Malone, Billy Jeffrey, John Murtagh, Johnny Adam *Man at Snooker Hall - Ray Jeffries *At the Garage - Eileen McCallum, David Anderson *Jake's Family - Shenagh Douglas, Ivy Val, Ron Paterson

Critical reception

Screenonline wrote "stunningly photographed by Elmer Cossey and featured McDougall's most crackling dialogue and richest characterisations, all brilliantly evoked by a cast headed by blues singer Frankie Miller in a performance that melts the camera in its intensity."

References

External links

* BBC television dramas Play for Today Scottish plays Plays set in Scotland 1979 television films 1979 films British television films Greenock Scots-language films Scottish television films Films directed by John Mackenzie (film director) {{Scotland-tv-film-stub