By Nigel Powlson

FOOTBALL fans generally get a raw deal in the movies with Nick Love in particular concentrating on the stanley knife wielding hooligan element.

The Shouting Men aims to readdress the balance by giving us a more realistic cross-section of the diverse ages and types who spend their Saturdays traipsing up and down the nation's motorways following their team.

And nowhere is the devotion to the beautiful game less glamorous than at the Priestfield Stadium where Gillingham FC wallow in the lower reaches of Coca Cola League 1. But, in the movies at least, the FA Cup has brought a touch of glamour to this corner of Kent with a run to the quarter finals and a tie away at Newcastle United.

Ten Gills fans decide to make the 600-mile round trip and get an offer they can't refuse when wheelchair-bound fan Terry (Matt Daniel-Baker) says he can provide free transport. But Terry's offer comes with a few strings attached.

The Shouting Men was originally intended as a six-part ITV sitcom but the 90-minute pilot has instead surfaced as a feature film. It's the brainchild of Warren Llambias (West Ham supporter) and Matt Daniel-Baker (Arsenal fan).

Matt says: "We tried to focus on the social side of the lower leagues because the football is never really that good and there's very few glory days, yet people travel the country spending thousands of pounds."

Matt and Warren took up Gills colours, went to a few away games and spoke to the fans to get a feel for the Shouting Men (the name comes from Gillingham's Latin motto).

"They seemed the right kind of club and were perfectly placed on the map to have to tackle long journeys. It really set up that mini bus scenario," says Matt. "Gillingham didn't know whether we were going to send them up at first but the chairman read the script and he was really happy."

Newcastle were also happy to feature in the film.

"We got Sunday league players to recreate the game at Newcastle," says Matt. " They got half an hour on the pitch at St James Park. Football films rarely capture the action properly but I thought we did it pretty well.

"There's a nice buzz around the film and we have the whole Gillingham squad coming to the premiere."

Football fans will also spot former England stars John Barnes and Peter Beardsley making cameo appearances.

"I actually played as a schoolboy at Watford when John was there," says Matt, whose next game is likely to be in Derby in June. "I have family in Derby and my cousin died more than 10 years ago and every year we play a memorial match for him."

Matt's cousin was Steven Warren, who was a young player on the Rams books who died in a car crash.

"The guys who turn up every year were all close friends as kids," says Matt. "Everyone always comes back on this particular day for this match. There's 30 blokes that turn up and we are all getting older, fatter and slower but it's lovely."

Matt's hoping that this extended football-connected family will also come and see The Shouting Men.

"Hopefully they will all support the film in Derby."

In fact, the only thing that so far has let the Shouting Men down is Gillingham FC themselves.

"We wanted them to do well in the FA Cup but unfortunately they didn't," says Matt. Yes, sadly in real life, Gillingham did scrape past Burton Albion 1-0 at the Priestfield but then bowed out away at Accrington Stanley in front of just 1,322 supporters.

Oh well, there's always next season.

THE SHOUTING MEN

CERTIFICATE: 15.

RUNNING TIME: 100 mins.

STARTS: Today at the Showcase Cinema in Derby.

RATING: 2/5