Pitch author Anthony Broxton features in the hugely anticipated Wigan Warriors ‘fly-on-the-wall’ documentary titled We Are Wigan Warriors, which is now exclusively available to watch on Sky Sports.

Commissioned by Wigan Warriors and filmed and produced by JAM Films, the three-part series charts the historic Grand Slam 2024 season, from a unique perspective. The behind-the-scenes story uncovers some truly remarkable moments of success, heartbreak and joy, talking to the people involved - every thrilling step of the way.

The three-episode series was shown on Sky Sports Action and on demand across three days. 

Anthony Broxton said, “It was my pleasure to contribute to this stunning documentary. While it focusses on the 2024 season, the producers knew it was important to place it in the context of Wigan’s history which featured in Hope and Glory. It was my pleasure to bring their stories to life for a new audience with the book and in this documentary.”

Warriors Chief Executive Kris Radlinski said, “2024 will be a year that Wigan Warriors fans will never forget. A season of triumph, passion, and unforgettable moments. But what truly made this year special wasn’t just the games or the trophy lifts - it was everything that happened in the other 10,000 minutes of each week, outside of those 80 minutes on the field.

“We were incredibly fortunate to have Joe Gardiner and Miles Massey from JAM Films capturing it all. What you’re about to see on Sky isn’t just a highlights reel—it’s raw, real, and unrestricted access to the heart and soul of our club. The hard work, the sacrifices, the moments of doubt, the camaraderie, and the unbreakable spirit that defines Wigan Warriors.

“So, sit back, soak it all in, and enjoy the story of one of the greatest years in our existence."

Hope and Glory recreates the extraordinary era of Thatcherite Britain with the dramatic tension of a novel, revealing it as a critical moment in rugby league history when despite losing everything, anything seemed possible.

Click here for more information or to read a sample chapter.

Rugby league should never have survived Thatcher’s Britain. As the sport of the working class, the expectation was that rugby league would suffer the same fate as the textile mills, factories and coal mines that once surrounded it. Having declined in the 1970s, the sport appeared to be at the point of no return in 1982, when the Australian team destroyed any remaining illusions of ‘British exceptionalism’.

But as it often does, rugby league found a way to turn itself around. From the pit villages which fought industrial decline to the players who ushered in the new professional era, the 1980s was the decade when rugby league finally came of age. By the 1990s, there was an optimism that it could even replace football as the global game for the 21st century.

Praise for Hope and Glory 

A terrific read, Immense work and research has clearly gone into this fantastic account." --Adrian Durham, TalkSPORT

"Fascinating...If Labour are looking for advice perhaps they could read this book." --Patrick Maguire, Times Radio

"A great time for this book to come out... a generation scarred by Thatcherism living to see the glory days come back." --Paul Mason author of Postcapitalism

"Gripping account of rugby league's improbable resurgence in the face of industrial collapse in Thatcher’s Britain. A book that is not just for rugby league fans." --Brian Groom author of Northerners

"Brilliant, illuminative. Hope and Glory is a literary triumph for rugby league chronicling the sport's rise in defiance of industrial decay." --Chris Irvine, former rugby league correspondent, The Times

"The themes in his Dickensian epic are as salient now as they were three decades ago." --Gavin Willacy, The Guardian.

"This tale of ruin and revival - and the times when it went wrong, such as the disastrous attempt to export rugby league to Maidstone - is superbly told." --Patrick Kidd, The Critic

"Whatever sport you love, I'd recommend this book. Visionaries, villains and vaudeville all play their part in a brilliant tale, expertly told." - Brian Carney, dual code Ireland international and Sky Sports presenter

"A terrific read, Immense work and research has clearly gone into this fantastic account." --Adrian Durham, TalkSPORT

"Fascinating...If (Labour) are looking for advice perhaps they could read this book" --Patrick Maguire, Times Radio

"A great time for this book to come out...a generation scarred by Thatcherism living to see the glory days come back." --Paul Mason author of Postcapitalism

"A must-read not only for rugby league fans but for those interested in politics, history and marketing." --John Davidson, I newspaper

"Rugby league's working-class heritage is intertwined with the events of the 1970s and 1980s, from punk rock to rebellion and riots." --Steve Brady, Catalan Media

"An interesting read, although it will leave you thinking of what might have been for rugby league." --Martyn Sadler, League Express