THE STORIES BEHIND THE GOALS
Forever Blue is a 3 part documentary series that tells the turbulent, emotional, and inspiring story of Manningham United Blues FC, one of Victoria’s youngest football clubs. The film charts the club’s rise from humble beginnings in the lower ranks of State League 5, through their meteoric climb into NPL1 — the state’s second-highest level — before facing the harsh realities of relegation, rebuilding, and survival in the ultra-competitive Victorian football pyramid. It’s a tale of ambition and adversity, of players and coaches pushing against the odds, and of a community bound together by the love of the game.
At its heart, Forever Blue is about more than just football results. It shines a light on the people who make the club tick — the presidents, coaches, players, volunteers, and fans who sacrifice countless hours to keep the dream alive. Their voices and stories reveal not only the pressures of staying competitive on the pitch, but also the off-field struggles of finances, facilities, and identity that small clubs across Australia face. The documentary highlights the constant balancing act between survival and ambition, exploring the question: how does a community club grow without losing its soul?
Visually and emotionally, the documentary captures the full spectrum of the Manningham experience — from euphoric promotion celebrations to the despair of relegation battles, from tense match-day moments to quiet behind-the-scenes conversations about the club’s future. Through match footage, interviews, and archive material, Forever Blue paints a raw and honest portrait of grassroots football at a professional level, showing the game’s capacity to both unite and challenge.
