On her debut as a football correspondent, Julia Herrick is mistaken for a reporter's girlfriend in the press box at a Tottenham Hotspur home game. After using a pay phone to deliver her story, Julia is offered a lift back to her office by her childhood hero, former Spurs player Danny Blanchflower. En route she tells him how, with her three friends, Toni, Tub and Jailbird, she followed Spurs as they became the first team that century to win the double, in the 1960-61 season.

1960/61. Julia is a 13-year-old schoolgirl living with her parents. Her mother is upset because Julia's father is having an affair with a work colleague. Julia, however, is preoccupied with Spurs. Asked her name by a teacher at school, she replies 'Danny', in honour of her footballer hero. Recognising a kindred spirit, classmate Toni, along with Tub and Jailbird, decide to induct Julia into their Spurs supporting gang in an initiation ceremony at White Hart Lane.

Julia tries to persuade her parents to buy a ticket for the Spurs versus Leicester City Cup Final, but she is ignored. Having raided a charity box and borrowed money, Julia and friends try to buy their tickets at the ground, but discover they are not for sale until 9am on Wednesday. In a bid to ensure they are first in line, Julia agrees to spend the night inside White Hart Lane's gates, where she discovers the players' dressing room. Donning Danny Blanchflower's No. 4 shirt, Julia fantasises coaching the players post-match, while they bathe.

Waking on the pitch the following morning, Julia rushes to buy tickets, only to discover a one-ticket-per-customer rule. Hurrying to fetch the gang, she forgets to buy a ticket for herself. Returning to the ground, the girls discover all tickets sold. Julia is temporarily abandoned by her friends.

On her return home, Julia's father explains he will move out. Julia fantasises about committing suicide as she watches her parents argue, imagining the Spurs team finding her body. Toni arrives in a gesture of reconciliation.

A teacher catches Julia writing to Blanchflower, begging for match tickets. After being summoned to the school, Mrs Herrick decides Julia needs a new start, banning her from seeing the gang. At the house of a new, ballet-dancing friend, Julia discovers Petrina's father possesses four Cup Final tickets. She sneaks into his bedroom at night and steals the tickets, sharing them with her old companions.

At Wembley, the girls are confronted by Petrina's father and taken to a police station. Julia's parents, having decided to stay together for their daughters' sake, collect her. Julia returns home in time to discover Spurs have won the Cup; she is overjoyed. Later that year she is sent to boarding school.

The present. Julia tells Blanchflower she never saw her friends again. She asks his opinion of her ambition to be a football reporter. He encourages Julia to carry on and fight for what she wants.