Awaydays
| Awaydays | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Pat Holden |
| Produced by | David A. Hughes |
| Written by | Kevin Sampson |
| Starring |
Stephen Graham Nicky Bell Liam Boyle Oliver Lee Lee Battle Sean Ward Michael Ryan Ian Puleston-Davies Holly Grainger Sacha Parkinson Samantha McCarthy |
| Music by | David A. Hughes |
| Cinematography | Tony Mitchell |
| Edited by | Mark Elliot |
| Distributed by | Optimum Releasing |
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Release date
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Running time
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105 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Awaydays is a 2009 British film directed by Pat Holden and stars Stephen Graham. It is based on the novel of the same name by Kevin Sampson, originally published eleven years previously in 1998.
The film follows Paul Carty, a 19-year-old in the aftermath of his mother's death who becomes part of The Pack - a legendary group of football hooligans who dress casual and wear Peter Storm cagoules, carry Stanley knives and follow Tranmere Rovers F.C.
The film begins in 1979 with Paul Carty (Nicky Bell), with his sister Molly, (Holliday Grainger) and father, at his mother's graveside. After his sister escorts her dad away from the grave, Carty, looking at his watch, starts to run off. Along his way he gets changed into casual clothing and carries on running until he catches a football special train.
Aboard the train, he meets the leader of the football firm, John Godden (Stephen Graham), an ex-soldier who warns him he has no room for runners in his firm and he best stand his ground. When walking through the train, he meets Elvis (Liam Boyle), and Carty reminisces about how they met in a series of flashbacks. We learnt that Carty has always been fascinated by The Pack, observing them at Tranmere games when they fight and trying to dress like them, at which point Baby Millan (Oliver Lee), taunts Carty and threatens him but Elvis leads the other lads away and Carty stands his ground. Carty eventually meets Elvis at a club night and the pair realise they have many things in common from music taste to wanting out of Birkenhead. The pair fantasise about leaving for Berlin. Carty, over their next few meetings, begs Elvis to introduce him to The Pack but Elvis calls them a "gang of pricks" and says Carty does not want to be involved. Eventually, after Carty headbutts a rude sales assistant in a record shop to prove his fighting skills, Elvis gives in and tells him to meet him on the train at 12:00 on Saturday.
It fast-forwards onto the train again, and The Pack are led by Godden to meet a rival firm. Once there, the two groups scrap and Carty is taken over by a thrill as he is embroiled in the fight. Carty returns home and we discover that his sister knows about his fascination with The Pack. The next day, Carty promises to take her shopping for her birthday in Chester. However, after an argument with Elvis when Elvis tells him he is making a "twat out of himself", Carty leaves work to find Elvis there. The pair go for a drink and forget about their argument, and Carty forgets completely about his sister. He promises he will take her out another time the day after, as his mind is firmly on the meet The Pack has when they travel to Wrexham that day. Once there, police attempt to form a barrier between the firms but Carty breaks through and cuts a Wrexham fan with his Stanley - much to the delight of Godden, who finally accepts him as one of The Pack. Everyone toasts Carty on the train home, except Baby Millan and Elvis who are far from happy about his new status. That night at The Pelican, the HQ and chosen pub of The Pack, Carty is "initiated" with a girl who he takes outside to have sex with. Once out there, Godden warns Baby Millan to not deal heroin to the members of the firm, warning The Pack cannot have any "smackheads". Baby replies "But it's okay for Elvis to do it?", much to the puzzlement of Godden and the rest of the firm. Outside, Carty does not perform well with the girl, and the lads all rib him for this.
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