A line of horse drawn cabs are parked outside the hotel at which the Spurs party are staying. TULL, TRAINER and the SPURS PLAYER, all carrying bags are getting into the cabs.

A poor MOTHER with her BABY and INFANT begs the PLAYERS for money as they get into their cabs.

In the background we notice MOUNTED POLICE  patrolling the deserted street.

INT. MOVING HORSE DRAWN CAB, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

In the cab are TRAINER, TULL and two SPURS PLAYERS.

TRAINER

No hot water, no cooked meals, load-up our own kit – what’s going on? It’s like a bloody ghost town.

TULL looks out of the window.

EXT. STREET, BUENOS AIRES, DAY.

A Shirtsleeved SHOP OWNER is boarding-up his windows. As he does so two ARMED POLICEMEN walk past.

As the cab moves along TULL notices other shops are boarding-up their windows.

Fast Forward to

INT. MOVING HORSE DRAWN CAB, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

TULL looks out of the window.

EXT. ENVIRONS OF FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

All around are the ‘coventillos’ - cardboard and wooden shacks - of the shanty town that surround the ground. Standing around are GROUPS OF MEN and WOMEN from these coventillos talking. Some are holding unfurled trade union banners; others red flags. Others join all the time with banners and flags. They are getting ready to march on a demonstration.

RAGGED-ARSE KIDS of all colours shapes and sizes are also playing. The common denominator is poverty.

EXT. OUTSIDE FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

FOOTBALL ENTHUSIASTS of all classes, colours, shapes and sizes filing into the ground, most on foot, some in carriages or on horseback. The

common denominator amongst these enthusiasts is lack of poverty.

A group of STRIKERS is also outside the ground with their banners, two of which read (in Spanish): ‘Hard Work for Fair Pay’ and ‘Workers United will never be Defeated’. They are monitored by mounted and foot POLICE.

There are YOUNG RAGGED-ARSE CHILDREN begging and selling oranges, and adult SELLERS of beer, water, newspaper and programmes. These look similar to the inhabitants of the ‘coventillos’.

We read the sandwich board of a NEWSPAPER SELLER (of the English language daily) ‘Buenos Aires Herald. Capital shuts down. 200,000 workers strike’.

The SPURS’ PLAYERS, in suits, arrive in a series of horse drawn carriages. As they exit a crowd of CHILDREN gather around.

A young BLACK BEGGAR (9) grabs at TULL’s trousers and holds out his hand pleading:

BLACK BEGGAR

(in Spanish; subtitled)

Sir, my home is the street. Please sir, please?

TULL gives him a note. The BLACK BEGGAR runs off chased by other, bigger ORPHAN BOYS.

TULL watches them catch up with the BLACK BEGGAR argue about the money.

FLASHBACK

EXT. PLAYGROUND, ORPHANAGE. DAY.

YOUNG TULL surrounded by a group of older, larger ORPHAN’S, including CAPTAIN ONE and CAPTAIN TWO and the other footballers foreshadowed in that game, trying to wrestle the leather ball from him.

TRAINER

(V/O)

Come on Walter.

EXT. OUTSIDE FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

TULL turns and follows his TEAM-MATES and TRAINER into the ground. He is clearly troubled by the scenes of poverty he’s witnessed, and empathises with the BLACK BEGGAR. 

EXT. FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA. DAY.

Spurs v Argentina XI. A large, noisy, BOISTEROUS CROWD. There is a seated stand for the DIGNITARIES, who are lighter skinned than the standing supporters.

In front of the stand is a wooden platform.

EXT. PITCH, FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA. DAY.

Argentine President FIGUERON ALCARTA, standing on the platform in front of the stand, is addressing the crowd through a megaphone as the PLAYERS wander onto the pitch.

FIGUERON ALCARTA

(in Spanish, sub-titled)

My good Argentinian patriots, let us welcome these football missionaries from England, with their gospel of individual fitness and disciplined unity. If we as a young nation are to succeed and prosper we must follow their example, not that of those socialist parasites stirring-up trouble in the factories, mines and coventillos that we had the misfortune to encounter outside.

Loud applause and cheers from all the DIGNITARIES in the stand.

FIGUERON ALCARTA

(cont’d)

I’m sure the brave show of our young footballers will prove we learn quickly and may even one day master our teachers. Let us shout our warriors into battle and look forward to a sporting contest.

ALCARTA turns to the ARGENTINE PLAYERS who are grouped together on the pitch and encourages the crowd to cheer them, which they do ecstatically.

A military BRASS BAND now strikes-up, while marching to the middle of the pitch.

ALCARTA and all the PLAYERS have their photograph taken. They then break to warm-up.

As they warm-up with the ball the SPURS PLAYERS are met with loud boos, whistles and abusive comments in Spanish from the STANDING SUPPORTERS. TULL comes in for special treatment.

SUPPORTER ONE

(in Spanish, subtitles)

Eh, Negro, your whore mother shags donkeys.

SUPPORTER TWO

(in Spanish, subtitles)

Your father likes other fathers...from behind.

TULL smiles at them.

The DIGNITARIES in the seated enclosure - Argentinian and expatriate Britons - clap and cheer for their players while booing and whistling the opposition.

TULL

(To SPURS PLAYERS)

No comprende compadres but I think it’s time to fix bayonets!

EDITED MONTAGE OF FOOTBALL ACTION AND HIGHLIGHTS.

Hot, dusty, hard pitch. The SPURS PLAYERS are uncomfortable: sweating, tired and thirsty.

ARGENTINE HALFBACK trips TULL and puts his hand out to help him up, instead pinching the flesh on his stomach.

A SPURS PLAYER elbows an ARGENTINE PLAYER in the ribs when going up for a header.

TULL shadows a clever ARGENTINE FORWARD who nutmegs him and races away. TULL catches-up and shoulder-charges him to the floor. The challenge is met with much booing, jeers, whistles. Orange peel and bottles are thrown in TULL’s direction.

TULL is then jostled by some of the ARGENTINE PLAYERS. A number of SPURS PLAYERS rush to defend him, except one TEAM-MATE who goes over to the ARGENTINE PLAYERS and shakes his head in an expression of sympathy and admonition (of TULL’s shoulder-charge).

In the break in play a SMALL BOY runs onto the pitch and kicks TULL in the backside, to the amusement of the crowd.

TULL leaves the pitch with a black eye.

END OF MONTAGE.

INT. CHANGING ROOM, BUENOS AIRES. DAY

TULL is getting treatment for his black-eye from the TRAINER, late 40s dressed in long trousers, collar-less shirt, waist coat, flat cap and towel wrapped around his neck. TRAINER wipes the dust and sweat from TULL’s face with a sponge. A director DEACOCK (late 30s) is hovering.

TULL

So this is what being a pro is all about.

TRAINER

Aye, it’s not all tarts, autographs and photographs.

EXT. OUTSIDE FOOTBALL GROUND, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

A line of waiting horse-drawn cabs into which go the PLAYERS from both teams, now mixing and chatting freely and amicably.

We see TULL, TRAINER and the ARGENTINE FORWARD and ARGENTINE PLAYER foreshadowed above get into a cab.

INT. MOVING HORSE-DRAWN CAB, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

TULL is sitting opposite the ARGENTINE FORWARD.

ARGENTINE FORWARD

(To TULL)

Now the war’s over we can eat, drink, dance and...

He winks at TULL.

Fast Forward To:

EXT. CROWDED AVENIDO DE MAYO, CENTRAL BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

U/s noise of chanting, speakers.

The line of horse drawn cabs carrying the Spurs and Argentine PLAYERS and OFFICIALS is unable to continue because of large numbers of DEMONSTRATORS, POLICE and ARMY blocking the avenue.

The PLAYERS and OFFICIALS exit from the stationary cabs. We see the group from TULL’s cab being led up the avenue towards the Plaza de Mayo (which is visible and packed) by the ARGENTINE FORWARD.

ARGENTINE FORWARD

We have to go the rest of the way on foot. The hotel is on the other side of the Square.

As the ARGENTINE FORWARD leads his group through the crowd people nod, pat and generally acknowledge him and his team-mate.

EXT. PACKED PLAZA DE MAYO, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

O/S mass chanting.

DEMONSTRATORS

(subtitled)

‘Workers United will never be defeated.’

Chanting DEMONSTRATORS have gathered in front of the Casa Rosada (Pink Palace) which is being heavily guarded by POLICE and ARMY.

The ARGENTINE FORWARD leads TULL and the others through the crowd. As they push and shove their way in the direction of the Casa Rosada the POLICE and ARMY, lined-up in front of the Casa Rosada, attempt to clear the Plaza.

Some MILITANT DEMONSTRATORS try to hold their line and refuse to move. Armed POLICE fire shots into the air. This angers the MILITANT DEMONSTRATORS who now try to grab the weapons. A battle begins and the CROWD panics and turns to run in the opposite direction.

Because TULL’S group are moving against the flow they are buffeted by the fleeing crowd and TULL is knocked down. The ARGENTINE FORWARD unsuccessfully tries to stop TULL from being trampled by the crowd. In the mayhem around TULL a gun is dropped which is picked-up by the ARGENTINE FORWARD who fires it into the air creating a space around TULL, who is now helped-up by the other two.

ARGENTINE FORWARD

Follow me.

Now waving the gun to clear a path in front of him the ARGENTINE FORWARD leads his group into a side street and away from the trouble.

U/s gun shots and screaming.

EXT. SIDE STREET OFF PLAZA DE MAYO, BUENOS AIRES. DAY.

U/S shouting, screaming, the odd gun shot.

TULL, the ARGENTINE FORWARD and the other two are huddled in a doorway catching their breath.

TRAINER

(to TULL)

Are you alright?

TULL

(holding his rib-cage as he speaks)

A few bruises. What’s this all about anyway?

ARGENTINE FORWARD

Anger and hunger. Like the banner said, they want to be paid fairly for their work...treated with respect, feel a little dignity. What can I say?  You can go back to England now, you’ve seen us Argentines naked and in our best suits!

TULL takes a postcard from his pocket. He looks at the photograph of a peaceful Plaza de Mayo, turns it over and reads what he’s written and then rips it up.