The first of 14 programmes for the holiday period.

Ron Greenwood insists that coaching should be simple:
"In a lifetime of coaching football my experience is that it is easier to teach good habits than to correct bad ones. Football is a simple game, the coaching of it should not be over complicated. Good coaches develop and improve their knowledge to share it with others. When you can bring together, as we have done for these films, the best coaches, the best players, high-quality technicians, a vast library of match action, plus the avowed intention of all concerned to make it a success then you must get a good result."
Kevin Keegan argues that even experienced internationals should still be learning.
Bobby Robson enthuses on shooting correctly and Sir Harold Thompson, Chairman of the Football Association, hopes that fun will come back to the game by players using and spectators observing great skills.

Presented by Noel Edmonds with John Craven, Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin
Fly to the other side of the world for a look round exotic Hong Kong. Try out Delia Smith's special recipe. Go transatlantic for a New York Christmas and don't miss the story of the Haunted Bike with a star-studded cast - and there's a Sting in the tail!

Introduced by Frank Bough

12.20* Football Focus
with Bob Wilson

12.50; 1.25; 2.0; 2.30* Racing from Chepstow
1.0 World Wide Assurance Novices' 'Chase (2m)
1.35 Coral Welsh National Handicap 'Chase (3m 6f).
Mud-loving Peter Scot seeks to become the first horse ever to win this 'marathon event' in successive years.
2.10 Panama Cigar Hurdle Race (Qualifier, 2m)
2.40 Finale Junior Hurdle Race (2m)

1.10* World Cup Ski-ing from Cortina D'Ampezzo: Men's Downhill
Italian Herbert Plank thrilled his home crowd by winning the last World Cup downhill raced on this course and he'll again be a strong contender for the major honours.

1.45; 2.20* Swimming from Coventry - The Arena Sprint
The competition to find the fastest man and the fastest woman swimmer in Britain over 50 metres takes on a further dimension with the appearance of world record holders Joe Bottom and Jill Sterkel from the United States.

2.50* International Boxing from Merthyr Tydfil
British Welterweight Champion Colin Jones met the Nigerian-born Clements Tshinza on a promotion specially arranged to help the memorial fund of the late Johnny Owen

3.15* Rugby League: John Player Trophy: Semi-final
Live second-half coverage of today's outstanding match.

4.5* International Show Jumping from Olympia
This afternoon's class, the Radio Rentals Twist or Stick Stakes, offers the riders an opportunity to gamble. After jumping the course, for which there are points for each fence, they can choose whether to stick with the score they have or gamble on jumping the Joker fence, which will be considerably bigger than the others.

4.40* Final Score

Today's timetable:
12.20 Football Focus
12.50 Racing; 1.10 Ski-ing: 1.25 Racing
1.45 Swimming; 2.0 Racing
2.20 Swimming: 2.30 Racing
2.50 Boxing; 3.15 Rugby League
4.5 Show Jumping; 4.40 Final Score
*Timings subject to alteration

starring Rolf Harris , with special guests Keith Harris , Darts, and featuring the children of Overleigh Middle School, Chester.
Rolf and 200 young guests bring you a selection of Christmas songs from the historic city of Chester.

with Angela Rippon; Weatherman

Alexander Korda's famous film of Rudyard Kipling's classic story, starring Sabu, Joseph Calleia

In his battle against the tiger Shere Khan, Mowgli, the Indian boy brought up by wolves, is helped by a herd of elephants as well as Kaa the snake, his wolf brothers and Bagheera the black panther.
Films: p 116
(First showing on British television)

A Christmas edition starring Syd Little and Eddie Large
Written by Eric Davidson
with star guests Lena Zavaroni, Sheena Easton
featuring Foxy Feeling

starring
Fourth Son
(Another episode: Christmas Day at 7.15)

with Angela Rippon
Weather

The feature film starring James Caan, Alan Arkin

Freebie and his constant companion the Bean are two tough, big-city cops, whose methods are decidedly unconventional. Working on a case against a syndicate boss, they discover that there is a 'contract' on him. In order to bring him to trial they must first keep him alive! Fights, chases, collisions and mayhem follow as the two zany policemen try to 'protect' the guilty man.
(First showing on British television)
Films: page 116

Jean Rook discovers that Christmas still means a lot to burglars, vicars, former Prime Ministers, Australian Dames, and the man whose father was eaten by a circus lion.