THE ENGLISH PREMIER League football season is over but for Harchester United it is only just beginning. Tonight ESPN STAR Sports presents the first episode of Dream Team - a football drama series that follows the ups and downs of a club playing in England's money-spinning top-flight league. But the half-hour daily television show is not just for football addicts. Off the field matters get as much attention, with plenty of non-sporting drama woven into the plot. Issues of love, lust, friendship, hatred and betrayal all simmer. 'Dream Team takes sports programming to another level,' said Wayne Becker, of ESPN STAR. 'We're offering a creative perspective into the off-the-field drama and intrigue of football.' Main characters include ruthless club chairman Jerry Block, notorious for his underhand business tactics but devoted to his headstrong wife, Lynda, who loves the glamorous and high-profile lifestyle. So much so, in fact, that she can't resist a fling with good-looking and flamboyant Argentinian World Cup star Luis Rodriguez. The Dragons (Harchester's nickname) are managed by Ian Coates - a tough, arrogant man burning with unfulfilled ambition. Much of the show follows the antics of the club's youth team contingent and their various non-footballing social distractions. Young Hari Lal must cope with rumours that he is only on the team because his father - Pravin Lal - is a business partner of Jerry Block. Mica Hocknell, sister of talented young prodigy Warren Masters, is delighted at her brother's chosen career because it means she may get the chance to marry a rich footballer. There is 20-year-old Karl Fletcher - the goal-hungry striker - who has confessed to his drug addiction, and Alex Wilkinson, the club's real bad boy. Meanwhile, Des and Lynette Baker have the unenviable task of looking after these young would-be millionaires at the Youth Academy hostel. Television trickery from producer BskyB means there are guest appearances from real life stars in the match play sequences. Harchester really do play in the Premier League and even have a fictional 120-year club history. They were promoted to the elite division in 1998 and now play their home matches at 'The Dragons Lair'. Tonight's episode is the first in the second series of the award-winning show, which has long been a smash hit in Britain. We join the drama as Jerry Block takes control of the club - sparking off interesting events. Dream Team, 7.30pm, ESPN STAR, Monday to Friday. Omnibus, 10am-12.30pm, Sundays.
