Harry's Heroes

Harry's Heroes is an English documentary television programme produced by Fremantle for ITV. The first series Harry's Heroes: The Full English aired in March 2019. Series 2, entitled Harry's Heroes: Euro Having a Laugh aired in May 2020.

Harry's Heroes
Also known asThe Full English (series 1)
Euro Having a Laugh (series 2)
GenreSports documentary
StarringHarry Redknapp
John Barnes
Luke Worthington
David Seaman
Matt Le Tissier
Paul Merson
Neil Ruddock
Robbie Fowler
Rob Lee
Ray Parlour
Mark Wright
Chris Waddle
Mark Chamberlain
Lee Hendrie
Steve Howey
Michael Owen
Teddy Sheringham
Jamie Thompson
Vinnie Jones
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes6
Production
Running time60 minutes
Original release
NetworkITV
Release18 March 2019 (2019-03-18) –
20 May 2020 (2020-05-20)

It featured former football manager Harry Redknapp attempting get a squad of former England international footballers back fit and healthy for one last game, vs a Germany Legends team. Redknapp was joined by an injured John Barnes, who acted as his assistant manager, and by sports scientist Luke Worthington, who analysed the players' weights and fitness throughout the course of filming the show.

Episodes

Series overview
SeriesEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1323 March 2019 (2019-03-23)7 April 2019 (2019-04-07)
2329 April 2020 (2020-04-29)20 May 2020 (2020-05-20)

Episode 1

Episode 1 aired on 18 March 2019. Harry Redknapp meets up with his squad of players, who aren't expecting what is to come. The squad got weighed and had their bodies analysed, before they played their first game against Ridgeway Rovers Youth Football Club, losing 2-1, with the game ending early to prevent injuries. Whilst the majority of players begin working to become fitter and slimmer, Neil Ruddock goes on a cruise holiday. David Seaman takes Robbie Fowler and Paul Merson fishing, where Merson reveals his struggles with drugs, alcohol and gambling.[1] Back on the training field, the squad are put through a bleep test. Mark Wright and Ray Parlour meet a golf course, before luring John Barnes into joining the squad's dieting regime, despite not being able to play. The squad meet up again, first in a gym for some strength and endurance training, and later in a recording studio to re-record World in Motion. They played their second game vs Crystal Palace Ladies, winning 1-0.

Episode 2

Episode 2 aired on 19 March 2019. The majority of the squad jetted off to Spain for a training camp, in which Robbie Fowler missed a training session due to a hangover. Meanwhile in England, Paul Merson revealed he had fallen back into a gambling addiction, and met up with Drewe Broughton, a former footballer who had suffered with addictions himself.[2] The squad regather in England, where Merson again speaks with Seaman and Fowler about his struggles, before a number of the squad go for a session of cryotherapy, a new science used by today's modern footballers. Neil Ruddock meets up with former footballer and heart attack survivor David Ginola to talk about his health, before going for a personal check-up with a doctor, where he learns he is at a high risk of heart problems. The full squad regather to be suited up and weighed for the last time ahead of their third game, vs a Germany Legends team. Pre-match, the team were shown well-wishing videos sent in by Peter Shilton and Paul Gascoigne wishing them well, before winning the game itself 4-2.

Cast

England Team
No. Name Pos. Age Former Club(s)[lower-alpha 1] England Caps England Goals England Era Football Career
Main Squad
1David SeamanGK (1963-09-19)19 September 1963 (aged 55) Queens Park Rangers,
Arsenal		7501988–20021982–2004
2Rob LeeMF (1966-02-01)1 February 1966 (aged 53)Newcastle United2121994–19981983–2006
3Lee SharpeMF (1971-05-27)27 May 1971 (aged 47)Manchester United801991–19931987–2004
4Ray ParlourMF (1973-03-07)7 March 1973 (aged 46)Arsenal1001999–20001992–2007
5Neil RuddockDF (1968-05-09)9 May 1968 (aged 50)Liverpool1019941985–2003
6Mark WrightDF (1963-08-01)1 August 1963 (aged 55)Southampton,
Derby County,
Liverpool		4511984–19961980–1998
7Matt Le TissierMF (1968-10-14)14 October 1968 (aged 50)Southampton801994–19971986–2003
8Chris WaddleMF (1960-12-14)14 December 1960 (aged 58)Newcastle United,
Tottenham Hotspur,
Marseille		6261985–19911978–2002
9Robbie FowlerFW (1975-04-09)9 April 1975 (aged 43)Liverpool,
Leeds United		2671996–20021993–2012
10Paul MersonMF (1968-03-20)20 March 1968 (aged 50)Arsenal,
Middlesbrough,
Aston Villa		2131991–19981985–2006
11Mark ChamberlainMF (1961-11-19)19 November 1961 (aged 57)Stoke City811982–19841978–1998
Guest Substitutes
12Steve HoweyDF (1971-10-26)26 October 1971 (aged 47)Newcastle United401994–19961989–2010
14Andy GrayMF (1964-02-22)22 February 1964 (aged 55)Crystal Palace1019911980–1998
15Alan KennedyDF (1954-08-31)31 August 1954 (aged 64)Liverpool2019841972–1994
16Michael ThomasMF (1967-08-24)24 August 1967 (aged 51) Arsenal201988–19891984–2001
17Lee HendrieMF (1977-05-18)18 May 1977 (aged 41) Aston Villa1019981994–2019
18Paul WalshFW (1962-10-01)1 October 1962 (aged 56) Liverpool511983–19841979–1996

[3][4]

Players' ages are as of the opening episode of Season 1 (18 March 2019).

Coaching Staff
Role. Name Age Notable Former Club(s) England Caps England Goals England Era Football Career Management Career
ManagerHarry Redknapp (1947-03-02)2 March 1947 (aged 72) West Ham United,
Tottenham Hotspur		00N/A1965–19821983–2017
Assistant ManagerJohn Barnes (1963-11-07)7 November 1963 (aged 55) Liverpool79111983–19951980–19991999–2009
Fitness CoachLuke WorthingtonTBCN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Coaches' ages are as of the opening episode of Season 1 (18 March 2019).

England Team
No. Name Pos. Age Former Club(s)[lower-alpha 2] England Caps England Goals England Era Football Career
Main Squad
David SeamanGK (1963-09-19)19 September 1963 (aged 56)Queens Park Rangers,
Arsenal		7501994–19981983–2006
Rob LeeMF (1966-02-01)1 February 1966 (aged 54) Newcastle United2121994–19981983–2006
Lee SharpeMF (1971-05-27)27 May 1971 (aged 48) Manchester United801991–19931987–2004
Ray ParlourMF (1973-03-07)7 March 1973 (aged 47) Arsenal1001999–20001992–2007
Neil RuddockDF (1968-05-09)9 May 1968 (aged 51) Liverpool1019941985–2003
Mark WrightDF (1963-08-01)1 August 1963 (aged 56) Southampton
Derby County
Liverpool		4511984–19961980–1998
Matt Le TissierMF (1968-10-14)14 October 1968 (aged 51) Southampton801994–19971986–2003
Lee HendrieMF (1977-05-18)18 May 1977 (aged 42) Aston Villa1019981994–2019
Paul MersonMF (1968-03-20)20 March 1968 (aged 52) Arsenal,
Middlesbrough,
Aston Villa		2131991–19981985–2006
Mark ChamberlainMF (1961-11-19)19 November 1961 (aged 58) Stoke City811982–19841978–1998
Substitutes/Guest Players
Dave BeasantGK (1959-03-20)20 March 1959 (aged 61)Newcastle United2019891978–2008
Steve HoweyDF (1971-10-26)26 October 1971 (aged 48) Newcastle United401994–19961989–2010
Alan KennedyDF (1954-08-31)31 August 1954 (aged 65) Liverpool2019841972–1994
Andy GrayMF (1964-08-31)31 August 1964 (aged 55) Crystal Palace1019911980–1998
Michael GrayMF (1974-08-31)31 August 1974 (aged 45) Sunderland3019991992–2010
Vinnie JonesMF (1965-01-05)5 January 1965 (aged 55) Wimbledon910 11994–199711984–1999
Michael ThomasMF (1967-08-24)24 August 1967 (aged 52) Arsenal201988–19891984–2001
Trevor StevenMF (1963-09-21)21 September 1963 (aged 56) Everton,
Rangers,
Marseille		3641985–19921980–1997
Jamie ThompsonMFN/ANone0202N/AN/A
Paul WalshFW (1962-10-01)1 October 1962 (aged 57) Liverpool511983–19841979–1996
Teddy SheringhamFW (1966-04-02)2 April 1966 (aged 54) Tottenham Hotspur
Manchester United		51111993–20021983–2008
Kevin PhillipsFW (1973-07-25)25 July 1973 (aged 46) Sunderland801999–20021991–2014
Darius VassellFW (1980-06-13)13 June 1980 (aged 39) Aston Villa2262002–20041998–2012
Michael OwenFW (1979-12-14)14 December 1979 (aged 40) Liverpool
Real Madrid
Newcastle United		89401998–20081996–2013

[5]

Players' ages are as of the opening episode of Season 2 (29 April 2020).

^ Vinnie Jones caps, goals and time spent in national team denotes to his appearances for Wales and not England. Jones was born in England but represented Wales at International level, despite this he appeared as a guest for the England legends in Season Two.
^ Jamie Thompson is not a footballer, and was the teams physiotherapist who was forced to play due to injuries to some of the players.

Coaching Staff
Role. Name Age Notable Former Club(s) England Caps England Goals England Era Football Career Management Career
ManagerHarry Redknapp (1947-03-02)2 March 1947 (aged 73) West Ham United,
Tottenham Hotspur		00N/A1965–19821983–2017
Assistant ManagerJohn Barnes (1963-11-07)7 November 1963 (aged 56) Liverpool79111983–19951980–19991999–2009
Fitness CoachLuke WorthingtonTBCN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
PhysiotherapistJamie ThompsonTBCN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
Coaches' ages are as of the opening episode of Season 2 (29 April 2020).
Ruddock participated in the first two episodes but did not play owing to a heart condition. Jamie Thompson, the team's physio, played in the match against San Marino.

Games

Series One (2019)

The two episodes showed highlights of three games played by Harry's Heroes, winning two and losing one.

England Legends1–2Ridgeway Rovers Youth F.C.
Robbie Fowler
England Legends1–0Crystal Palace L.F.C.
Paul Merson Report
England Legends4–2 Germany Legends
Robbie Fowler 32', 58'
Rob Lee 68'
Paul Merson 90'		 Report Maurizio Gaudino 46' (pen.)
Dariusz Wosz 48'

Series Two (2020)
FC Metz veterans3-1 England Legends
Paul Merson
San Marino3-5 England Legends
Lee Hendrie
Andy Gray
Michael Gray
Germany Legends0-1 England Legends
Lee Hendrie

Reception

The show received generally positive reaction, with many praising the air time given towards players talking about their mental and physical health, notably Paul Merson.[6][7]

The Daily Telegraph published a 3/5 star review, calling the issues touched on by the programme "rather heartwarming."[8]

References
  1. Carson, Sarah (19 March 2019). "Harry's Heroes: the Full English: this sensitive programme was about far more than football". MSN. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  2. "Ex-striker helping players through mental struggles". BBC Sport. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  3. Bond, Kimberley (19 March 2019). "Who is taking part in Harry's Heroes: The Full English?". The Radio Times. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  4. Archer, Katie (19 March 2019). "Harry's Heroes: The Full English – Who are the football legends taking part?". BT TV News. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  5. "Harry's Heroes". IMDB. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  6. Parker, Sam (21 March 2019). "Harry's Heroes: a moving reminder that middle-aged men are in denial about their health". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  7. Moore, Joe (20 March 2019). "Harry's Heroes: Harry Redknapp praises ex-Arsenal star Paul Merson for opening up over gambling addiction on hit TV show". talkSPORT. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  8. Hogan, Michael (18 March 2019). "Harry's Heroes: The Full English, review". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2019.

Notes
  1. Club(s) that the player was signed on for at the time of their England appearances
  2. Club(s) that the player was signed on for at the time of their England appearances
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