Character Relationship Map: Awaydays

Characters

• John Godden (played by Stephen Graham) — protagonist

  Ex-soldier and charismatic leader of the football firm "The Pack". He enforces strict discipline, particularly against drug use, and initially recruits Paul Carty before ceding leadership to Elvis.

• Paul Carty (played by Nicky Bell) — protagonist

  A young man from Birkenhead obsessed with football firms who dreams of escaping his surroundings. He joins The Pack, experiences the thrill of hooliganism, but ultimately seeks a normal life and leave...

• Elvis (played by Liam Boyle) — supporting

  A charismatic but troubled member of The Pack who struggles with heroin addiction. He serves as Carty's gateway to the firm and assumes leadership briefly before his tragic fate.

• Baby Millan (played by Oliver Lee) — supporting

  A volatile member of The Pack known for taunting newcomers. He plays a pivotal role in the firm's internal power struggles and ultimately commits murder, sealing the group's destructive path.

• Natasha (played by Sacha Parkinson) — minor
• Molly (played by Holliday Grainger) — supporting

  Paul Carty's protective sister who serves as a moral anchor and a symbol of the conventional life he occasionally strives for.

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Paul Carty → Natasha (Romantic Interest) — Natasha offers Carty a possible life outside The Pack.

  Carty meets Natasha in a taxi after previously seeing her in a club, and they spend a romantic night together.

• Elvis → John Godden (Power Subordinate) — Elvis operates under Godden's leadership but becomes increasingly unstable and independent.

  Elvis is initially a member of Godden's Pack, while Godden leads the firm and later taunts Elvis for taking heroin.

• John Godden → Paul Carty (Professional Recruiter) — Godden controls Carty's acceptance into the firm.

  Godden warns Carty that The Pack has no room for runners, then later accepts him after Carty cuts a Wrexham fan with his Stanley.

• Paul Carty → Molly (Family Brother) — Molly is Carty's sister and an important connection to family life.

  The film identifies Molly as Carty's sister, and she escorts their father away from their mother's graveside.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Baby Millan → John Godden (Conflict Murderer And Victim) — Baby's killing of Godden destroys The Pack's original hierarchy.

  Elvis tells Carty that Godden was killed by Baby Millan after a disagreement in The Pelican.

• Baby Millan → Paul Carty (Conflict Aggressor) — Baby remains hostile toward Carty from his first contact through the final encounter.

  Baby taunts and threatens Carty when Carty observes The Pack, and later cuts Carty with a knife while calling him a 'ponce'.

• Paul Carty → Elvis (Social Gateway Friend) — Elvis becomes Carty's closest friend and his entry point into The Pack.

  Elvis leads the other lads away when Baby Millan taunts Carty, and later introduces Carty to The Pack after Carty repeatedly asks to join.

Story Analysis

Paul Carty's pursuit of belonging within The Pack leads through violence, fractured loyalty, personal loss, and an ultimate decision to leave.

Plot Progression

1. Running Toward The Pack — Carty leaves the graveside and pursues the football firm he has long observed. Elvis becomes his guide, while Godden and Baby establish the firm's hierarchy and hostility.
2. Violence Earns Belonging — Carty proves himself in fights and is finally accepted by Godden after attacking a Wrexham fan. His initiation gives him belonging but deepens his separation from Molly and Elvis.
3. Fractured Brotherhood — Elvis's heroin use and Carty's growing confidence strain their friendship. Godden reasserts authority, ending Carty's brief rise within The Pack.
4. Family And Loss — Carty tries to return to education and family life, but Molly's attack pulls him back into violence. The Pack retaliates while Elvis reveals that Baby killed Godden.
5. The Last Away Day — Elvis asks Carty to escape with him to Berlin, but Carty chooses to remain with his family for now. Elvis then disappears from the bridge, and Carty finally rejects The Pack.