Boot Dreams: Now or Never was a six-part documentary series produced by Expectation TV for BBC Three, following sixteen young footballers who had been released by professional clubs and were given a final opportunity to secure a professional contract.

Set at Manchester City’s former training ground, the programme followed the players through an intensive training camp, combining elite coaching with mentorship from figures including Roman Kemp, Anton Ferdinand and Millie Bright. Over the course of the series, the players were pushed physically and psychologically as they trained, competed and confronted the realities of trying to rebuild a career in professional football.

I spent almost six weeks embedded with the production, documenting the players both on and off the pitch as the story developed. Working around the pace of a television production meant moving between observational documentary photography, behind-the-scenes coverage and more considered environmental and individual portraiture, while remaining responsive to moments that couldn’t be recreated.

That extended access allowed the photography to move beyond straightforward production stills. Alongside the football itself, I was interested in the personalities, relationships and quieter moments around the camp — the tension, humour, confidence and uncertainty that sat behind what was happening on screen.

The resulting body of work combined documentary photography and character-led portraiture, creating an archive of the production that reflected both the competitive intensity of the programme and the individual stories of the players taking part.

Client: BBC Three / Expectation TV
Production: Boot Dreams: Now or Never
Photographer: Drew Forsyth