First look: New Netflix series The English Game tells story of Scot who transformed football

New series tells story of Scot who transformed beautiful game

The first trailer for a new Netflix series telling how a Scot helped develop the modern game of football in England has been released.

Written by the creator of Downton Abbey, Lord Julian Fellowes, The English Game winds the clock back to the 1870s when the beautiful game was still in its infancy.

The six-part series features the story of Glasgow stonemason Fergus Suter, who relocated to Lancashire in 1878 to play for Darwen FC.

The English Game will appear on Netflix later this month.

The Scot is credited as being the first professional footballer and helped to introduce the modern ‘passing and running’ version of the game we are familiar with today.

Suter is played by 31-year-old Sunshine on Leith actor Kevin Guthrie.

Lord Fellowes said: "I didn't know that there was this class war at the beginning of the game.

"The fact that the working class essentially won it changed the shape of the game and gave it to the world."

The writer added: "It was much nearer rugby. It was much more bruising.

"They played quite violently. This wouldn't be allowed for five seconds now."

Actors trained at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground to learn how to play the game 19th century style.

As well as Guthrie, the new drama series stars an impressive list of top British actors, including Edward Holcroft, Charlotte Hope and Craig Parkinson.

The English Game is scheduled to be released on Netflix on 20 March.