C'mon Midffîld!
| C'mon Midffîld! | |
|---|---|
 Opening credits | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Mei Jones Alun Ffred Jones |
| Starring | John Pierce Jones Mei Jones Llion Williams Bryn Fôn Siân Wheldon Gwenno Hodgkins |
| Country of origin | Wales |
| No. of series | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 31 (+2 specials) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30–90 minutes (inc. adverts) |
| Original release | |
| Network | S4C |
| Release | 18 November 1988 – 22 October 1994 |
| Release | 25 December 2004 |
C'mon Midffîld! is one of the most successful Welsh television comedy series ever broadcast on S4C. Created by Mei Jones and Alun Ffred Jones, the show started life on BBC Radio Cymru in 1982 followed by three series before being adapted for the screen by Ffilmiau'r Nant in 1988.
The show won a BAFTA Cymru for Best Drama Series in 1992, and despite coming to an end in 1994 is still repeated regularly on S4C.
Cast
[edit]- Arthur Rowland Picton — John Pierce Jones
- Walter "Wali" Tomos — Mei Jones
- Tecwyn "Tecs" Parri — Bryn Fôn
- George Winston Huws — Llion Williams
- Sandra Elizabeth Huws (née Picton) — Siân Wheldon (Series 1–4 & Special 1) / Gwenno Hodgkins (Series 5 & Special 2)
- Jean Parri — Bethan Gwilym
- Lydia Tomos — Catrin Dafydd
- Osborne Picton — Stewart Jones (Special 1)
- Elen Margaret Picton (née Griffiths) — Elliw Haf (Series 5)
- Dafydd Huws — Dafydd Hughes (Series 5) / Gruff Pritchard (Special 2)
- Gwenllian Angharad Huws — Gwawr Hughes (Series 5) / Lowri Price (Special 2)
Plot
[edit]The show mainly revolves around the misadventures of Bryn Coch United, a fictional village football team, which is based on Bont Football Club, a club based in the village of Pontrhydfendigaid (of which Alun Ffred Jones was a player). The running of the team is handled by a mix of uncapable committee members; quick-to-anger manager Arthur Picton, the slightly dim-witted linesman Wali Tomos, and Tecwyn Parri (the team's goalie and captain), arguably the most normal on the committee. Part of the cast outside of the football committee is Mr Picton's daughter, Sandra, and her boyfriend (later husband) and member of the football team, George Huws - a leather-clad punk rocker from Caernarfon.
Most plots were derived from the team's attempts to win their weekly games, as well as other events held in the village, and the main characters' relationships with their families. The many long-running jokes included Wali's intolerance of his mother, Lydia, Tecwyn's constantly angry wife Jean, and the fact that Arthur's (first) wife, Elsi, was almost never seen on screen - with many excuses being made for her absence. One ongoing sub-plot was Arthur Picton's dislike of his daughter's relationship with George Huws. However, Sandra was the only one who could put both her father and George in their place whenever she was unwittingly caught up in their feuds and ambitions.
Later series focuses more on expanding the families of established characters, such as introducing Arthur's brother into the show, the birth of Sandra and George's twins, the death of Arthur's wife, Elsi (after appearing on screen for only one episode), and eventually seeing him re-marry in series 5.
Team Members
[edit]- Bryn Fôn — Tecwyn Parri (captain)
- Llion Williams — George Huws
- Alan Williams — John Bocsar
- Rhys Richards — Harri Pritchard
- Mal Lloyd — Graham
- Dewi Rhys — Bryan Mawr (occasional)
- John Hammond - Bryn Bwr Dwr (silent role)
- Geraint Eifion — (silent role)
- David Owen — (silent role)
- Huw Charles — (silent role)
- Gerald Craig — (silent role)
- Geraint Williams — (silent role)
- Mel Fôn — (silent role)
C'mon Midffîld vs Pobol y Cwm
[edit]Charity football match against Wales' only soap opera (at the time), Pobol y Cwm. The match was played on the week of the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Nantlle Valley, 1990.
Episodes
[edit]Radio
[edit]| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot | 23 January 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | 25 January 1986 | 1 March 1986 | 6 |
| 2 | 25 December 1986 | 29 January 1987 | 6 |
| 3 | 26 December 1987 | 30 January 1988 | 6 |
Television
[edit]| Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 November 1988 | 23 December 1988 | 6 |
| 2 | 12 January 1990 | 23 February 1990 | 7 |
| 3 | 12 January 1991 | 16 February 1991 | 6 |
| 4 | 9 February 1992 | 15 March 1992 | 6 |
| Special 1 | 25 December 1992 | 1 | |
| 5 | 17 September 1994 | 22 October 1994 | 6 |
| Special 2 | 25 December 2004 | 1 | |
Reunion movie
[edit]Following a trend set by the BBC when they resurrected Only Fools and Horses, C'mon Midffîld! returned to the screens after a 10-year absence on Christmas Day, 2004, with a feature-length special - Midffîld a Rasbrijam.
Plot
[edit]After a car accident, Sandra is in hospital, and the Bryncoch crew are working hard to fulfill Sandra's dream of helping and giving presents to an orphanage in Azerbaijan. But the trip is full of turmoil, with Tecs trying to keep the peace between Arthur and George.