Joe is an Irish teenage boy who keeps to himself and lives a quiet life in the heart of a Dublin housing estate. Unexpectedly, he is thrust to the forefront of his school by a new teacher who selects him for an athletic competition. His blistering pace attracts the attention of his headmaster who is a keen football man. Reluctant membership of the school soccer team follows and soon scouts are looking for his signature. One scout, Gerry Grimes, turns out to be a link with his father's hidden past life and his arrival sets in motion a chain of events that cause huge turmoil within the family. Joe learns about his father's painful and hidden past and he must decide whether to accept the offer to go to Spurs or to stay at home. His beautiful girlfriend, Helen, is another part of his dilemma. There is no guarantee of success but the glory game has its magnetism and Joe is a rare talent.