Narration of Documentary

Starting body of narration:

Since the dawn of time. Man has felt the need, the urge to belong. We gathered as herdsman for shelter, for warmth, for safety.

The evolution of mankind has witnessed the results of this burning desire to be a part of something greater than oneself.

... This we call

TRIBE.

The concept of tribe has been such that it has defined us as a race, it has made us stronger, faster and more powerful than any other creature on earth.

Over the millennia it has proved costly…one tribe versus another…through war…. we have seen destruction…annihilation…chaos

But still we survive…. still we thrive…. still we remain alive.

But man has also learnt to try and attempt to quell this madness…. He has also evolved and has tried to tame the tribal instinct.

The progression of man and the concept of tribe run parallel.

It is true that we have pursued peace by shackling our inner beast and we have found a way of unleashing the barbarian within.

We have found a place…. we have found a time…. and it’s called Saturday.

The football fan is one of the most passionate animals on earth…he finds his place, his people…his tribe. This environment is what awakens the primeval man…. This is what drives the fan.

But at times this dark side reverts back to the primitive.

Then it is difficult to distinguish between man and animal.

And then we wonder, if we have really evolved at all.

Middle body of narration:

Tribalism has manifested in contemporary society in no greater way than the creation of the national sport… football.

Football invented with [xx] rules by a group of men from, in the year [xx].

This pastime became so widespread across the British Isles that soon every city, every town and every village had its own team.

These clubs pitted against other local sides to prove their skill, their strength, and their sense of prowess.

Soon these cities, towns, villages created a powerful growing sense of identity; giving the inhabitants a new feeling of belonging but not just to a family, a workplace, a set of houses but to a greater spirit…

A body of values, beliefs, and of shared characteristics.

Tribal paint had become the colour of a strip.

Tribal war cries became the rallying chants of the terraces.

Where once warring tribes would run at each other with spear in hand, today it is running at each other with ball at foot.

The power of this game became so intense that 100 years after its creation, through the 70s and 80s, tribalism boiled over into a new behaviour. This they called hooliganism! Street violence and the dark side of the human character had once again reared its ugly head.

In a world where jobs were few, money was short, wear escapism was sort through the anonymity often discovered in the herd of the crowd.

Such was the savage and wild notoriety that running street battles with police were commonplace, electric fences were erected at football grounds and water cannons and police horses were introduced to maintain social order.

It became such a social problem that every single English team was banned from playing in Europe for half a decade. (Heysal stadium).

The through the ultimate tragedy, it was realised that if football were to survive this ugly side of tribalism had to be defeated.

We had to do something so pricing strategies changed, zero tolerance was incorporated, all-seater stadiums were mandatory, and eventually the evil hooligan was crushed, defeated, left weak and gasping for air. Football had saved itself – just.

150 years since the FA first created those [xx] rules, the game remains – bigger and greater than ever before and is played in 199 countries.

With the World Cup the most valuable prize of all football is the most lucrative financial global sport of all time.

The British Isles remains the home of football the home of the English Premiership, the most expensive and most successful league in the world. Where a single player can cost 100 million pound – equal to the GDP of a small nation!

Ending body of narration:

The fans still support their teams through thick and thin, together and united they stand.

That sense of belonging of identity is stronger today then it ever has been.

The tribesman within all of us is alive and well.