Daughter of Sunderland AFC legend Dave Watson launches crowdfunding campaign to finish film on his life

The Emmy-award winning daughter of legendary England captain Dave Watson is making a documentary about her father’s career and ongoing battle with dementia.

And now Gemma Jordan has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to complete the film of her father’s life she decided to make after he went public on his neurodegenerative brain disease diagnosis.

US-based Gemma says she needs to raise funds quickly to complete the film because her father’s condition is deteriorating.

No nonsense centre-half Dave, who turned 78 in early October, was capped 65 times by England after making his debut in Sir Alf Ramsey’s last game in charge in 1974.

He remains the most capped England player never to play in a World Cup Finals, after missing out on the 1982 finals in Spain.

Regarded as one of Sunderland’s greatest ever players, he was a member of the famous 1973 FA Cup winning side and also played for Manchester City, Stoke City, Southampton, Rotherham United, Notts County and Derby County, with a brief spell with Werder Bremen in Germany and stints in the States with Vancouver Whitecaps and Fort Lauderdale Sun towards the end of his playing days.

But his success on and off the football field, which included captaining his country three times, and led to the birth of the youngest of his three children Gemma, has come at a price.

The Nottingham-born ex-defender is now living near his home city with wife Penny, and Gemma has already started work on the documentary, with former Newcastle United and England manager Kevin Keegan, a team-mate from Southampton, among the family and friends interviewed so far.

Gemma needs around £27,000 for a final two-week shoot in the UK, which will require a British-based crew, travel, accommodation and insurance.

The fund has already reached 25 per cent of its target.

She said: “Dad encouraged us to work hard, be inquisitive and never give up on something we believe in.

“Those values have helped shape my career as an award-winning non-fiction producer and director in the US. 

“I make documentaries about a variety of subjects, but I’m driven by telling stories that champion under-represented voices, raise tough questions and inspire change. 

“That’s why, when dad went public with his diagnosis, I decided to make a documentary about him.

“The film is a journey through dad’s incredible life and career, and explores what it's like to live with dementia.

“It also documents the push to get some of football’s major stakeholders to recognise and support our forgotten heroes, who gave so much to the game we all love.

“To complete the documentary, we need to film more interviews with fans, sports journalists, former players and experts. 

“Time is of the essence.

“Dad’s condition is deteriorating, so I would like to complete the documentary next year.

“Fundraising for an independent documentary can be tough, and they often end up being funded by a patchwork of sources.

“But if there's one thing dad taught me, it’s that persistence pays. 

“This money will allow us to keep pushing the project forward so we can secure more funding, begin to edit the rest of the film and, ultimately, find a distributor. 

“If we don’t reach our goal, we will simply downsize our plans, cut down shoot days and do what we can with the money we raise. 

“I’m comfortable working within a budget and adapting quickly when needed.

“I’m hoping people will believe in this project, help me memorialise my hero and raise awareness about sports-related dementia.”

Gemma, who has worked on award-winning political and criminal investigation series, says the documentary is not about bashing football, which is believed to be responsible for hundreds of former players suffering brain-related illnesses in retirement. 

Her son Jack, 13, plays football and, in an exclusive interview with Bdaily, she says she is willing to ask serious questions and challenge the game’s approach to a difficult subject.

Gemma added: “Football is football, and it’s given our family everything.

“And we know it’s not practical to say, ‘hey, we’re gonna ban heading completely.”

“Football gave my dad so much joy, and it was his way of providing for his family and making a living. 

“As a family, we love the game.”

To support Gemma’s funding campaign, visit https://igg.me/at/davewatsonfilm/x#/

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