The true story behind the chaotic attempt to buy Notts County, the oldest professional football club in the world.
King Of Lies. Football’s Greatest Con. Sky TV Documentary.
This is a feature length documentary on Sky TV about how one man won over the football world, acquired a stake in a bank and courted North Korea in a bombastic trillion dollar caper.
After years in administration, the world’s oldest football club, Notts County, is taken over by mysterious backers from the Middle East. Promising Bahraini billions and a ticket to the Premier League, within 5 years, the biggest names in football are enticed into the dishonest scheme, including ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
In the shadows is Russell King. He boasted ownership of half a London bank, a Formula 1 team and a trillion-dollar deal with North Korea. His contact list was out-of-this-world and his elaborate lifestyle convinced everybody he was the real deal.
But when an investigation digs into where the money is coming from, King’s house of cards topples – uncovering a series of frauds over decades that delivered heartbreak and devastation.
King Of Lies. Football's Greatest Con. Sky TV Documentary.
What the Papers Say
THE DAILY MAIL
“This one-off documentary relates the whole sorry and extraordinary tale. It captures both the high of the deal and the low that came when the reality was revealed – and all the guilt, the blame and consequences for the community that followed.”
THE GUARDIAN
“Everything is most certainly not what it seems in this tale of outrageous grift involving fictional Bahraini billions, a trip to North Korea, Sven-Göran Eriksson and Harry Potter villain Voldemort.”
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
“This jaw-dropping documentary… one of the most ludicrous episodes in modern football history… retold in all its jaw-dropping detail in a new Sky documentary that remains eye-wateringly preposterous.”
THE MIRROR
“Former England boss Eriksson recounts his bizarre seven months at Notts County in one of football’s most remarkable scandals. Notts County, the oldest professional club in the world, became embroiled in a multi-million fraud and money laundering scam which is being laid bare in incredible detail in a brilliant new Sky documentary.”
Credits
Film Production: Matthew Lorenzo Productions
Post production: Dash Pictures
Director: Louis Myles
Producer: Will Stone
Re-Recording Mixer: Rich Evans
Sound Design and Mix
King of Lies. Football’s Greatest Con is a Sky TV original feature length documentary directed by Louis Myles about the true-crime story that uncovers the bizarre 2009 fraudulent takeover of Notts County FC. The sound and audio production for the project involved a dedicated team across music score, mix, sound design and field recording.
Please contact [email protected] for all Sound Design and Mixing queries.
Sound Design and Mix: Produced by Rich Evans at Syncbox Audio-Post, featuring a fully immersive sound design and mix in stereo, 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos.
Production Sound: Additional sound and on-site interview recording were captured by Mick Duffield, Simon Koelmeyer and Alex O’Brien.