User Reviews

This episode has production contrasts...the usual studio scenes which I assume was in front of a live studio audience. Then you have an outdoor scene on a football pitch and contrary to the usual stereotype, the sun was shining! You saw the usual brown brick houses in the background and you knew this is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Anyway, this episode was screened during the Heath era, and was a sign of the Conservative times at the time.

Blakey organises a football match at the depot of which the prize is £5 to each player of the winning team. Stan and Jack duly sign up, however during training Stan accidentally injures the only decent player on the team. With a man down, Blakey, who is acting as referee, is left to find a substitute. Stan suggests that Olive be allowed to play but Blakey refuses. He gives in, however, when he discovers that the opposition are an all-women team.

'The Football Match', written by Bob Grant and Stephen Lewis, starts off well enough but by the second half, the episode quickly starts to grow tiresome. The scenes on the pitch where the women were cheating in order to win were annoying, embarrassing and unfunny.

Real-life Arsenal defender Bob McNab plays the Busman who Stan accidentally injures whilst in training. The gorgeous Jennifer Guy, who has appeared in many sitcoms over the years such as 'Chance In A Million' and 'Birds Of A Feather', appears as one of the dolly birds whom is playing for The Basildon Bashers.

Funniest bit- Blakey attempting to get his men in shape. The result? An absolute disaster as one would expect!

A football match is to take place between the Luxton bus company and 'The Basildon Bashers'. The winning team gets a fiver each, so Stan ( in need of ready cash as ever ) signs up, along with Jack. Blakey assumes responsibility for knocking his squad into shape, but nearly puts himself in hospital. With one man short, Stan asks Blakey if Olive can substitute, but the inspector is adamant that women and football don't mix. He gets an almighty shock when the 'Bashers' finally show up - its an all-woman team...

Bob Grant and Stephen Lewis raid the 'On The Buses' archive yet again for this episode, its 'Self Defence' from Season 2 given a footballing angle. The 'Basildon Bashers' are a collection of dolly-birds and middle-aged frumps who resort to cheating by distracting the male players as only women know how. When Stan complains, they tear off his shorts. Funniest moment - Blakey wandering into the women's changing room in his long johns!