Hello all,

Not sure if anyone has dipped into this series on Netflix, but I just wanted to recommend it as a good series to watch over the festive period.

I received a text a few weeks ago from a Sunderland supporting uni friend who told me that his dad, Peter, was going to be staring in the documentary. Prior to emigrating to New Zealand, I had spent many a weekend at my friends parents place when Burnley were playing at the SOL with my friend coming down to Lancashire for the reverse fixture and some returned hospitality from my family and friends.

I binge watched the series this weekend, in between watching the Spurs game at 4am last night. I enjoyed the gritty reality of the series and can’t help but see many similarities between Sunderland and Burnley (figuratively). If anyone isn’t privy to the details, it’s a docu-series chartering Sunderlands season following their drop from the prem and their subsequent relegation from the championship.

There are many sub plots and it’s flows seamlessly between the fans, the community, the players, management and chief exec.

I don’t want to give too many spoilers away, but give it a go. It’s really hard not to get drawn into the emotion of it all, and see others love of their clubs mirrored like that of our own. Whilst we can all go through periods of disillusionment and frustration with football sometimes, what is captured perfectly is that no matter what, the love of your club and the individual and collective relationships that we all have with it in different ways, runs way deeper than club colours or league status.

Anway, that’s enough of that! Hope all posters on here have a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.........and as always, Up The Clarets!

I forgot about this, so thanks for reminding me. It sounds good and I’ll give it watch. Cheers

Watched the first 2 episodes last night. Great viewing for anyone who wants to see the "warts and all" of a struggling football club.

Some eye openers on transfer window.

Some eye openers on transfer window.[/quote]


Absolutely. To me Martin Bain can hold his head high. The season clearly took its toll on him, and he seemed, deep down, to want the best for the club and it’s supporters. Ultimately, he was answerable to his employer Ellis Short though. He grew on me, in a weird kind of a way.

Jack Rodwell should hang his head in shame though.

Interesting they had Marney and Westwood as loan targets

Really interesting watch, particularly the insight into the last day of the transfer window.

Grumps wrote:Interesting they had Marney and Westwood as loan targets

Dodgy editing on that part as they made out it was the Summer window but pretty sure it was actually the January window.

Surprised they thought they could get Westwood with our small squad.

Jack Rodwell though...

Just watched the second episode when there are identifying the areas that need strengthening.

The scouts have put together a PowerPoint presentation but the Cheif Exec isn’t helping. He looked at the list of the current favoured players they have in the squad and who could be shipped out - but he sneered that the scouts didn’t know how much they are costing the club and that they are not doing enough to entice new recruits to Sunderland. I’m thinking - isn’t that your job?

I got the impression that’s he’s not helping anyone and does he’s best to avoid any blame in anything.

PWBFC wrote:Dodgy editing on that part as they made out it was the Summer window but pretty sure it was actually the January window.

Surprised they thought they could get Westwood with our small squad.

Grayson was manager so must have been summer

Watching it, enjoying it. Real football. Unlike most posting I do not have a problem with Jack Rodwell. Previous management were stupid enough to pay him and he is supposed to turn around and say "sorry lads you are overpaying me for what i contribute. How about i help you out and just walk away leaving millions you are supposed to pay me behind." Nobody with any sense at all would do that.

Yanquiclaret wrote:Watching it, enjoying it. Real football. Unlike most posting I do not have a problem with Jack Rodwell. Previous management were stupid enough to pay him and he is supposed to turn around and say "sorry lads you are overpaying me for what i contribute. How about i help you out and just walk away leaving millions you are supposed to pay me behind." Nobody with any sense at all would do that.

What they never said was why he was never picked to play

Grumps wrote:What they never said was why he was never picked to play

I wondered whether him playing would have triggered an extra payment that they couldn't afford? Serious oversight by whoever negotiated his contract in the first place to not put a relegation clause in his contract

Really enjoying this so far, I’ve just got to the point where Chris Coleman has become their new manager.

Few points so far

1. The fans seem very quick to turn on their team. I know they’ve watched some dross, but I think some of the downward spiral is their fault.

2. Jason Steele is mentally fragile.

3. Don’t seem to be enough strong characters in the dressing room (apart from Cattermole)

I binge watched the entire series yesterday. I loved it. Thanks for the heads up

My Mackem mate told me this was on and I should watch it

I asked which section I would find it - comedy or horror?

Re contact and Rodwell it puts into perspective what a contract negotiationor can do if usless.Lots of fans me included slag of the incompetent way we have lost money by poor deals.The one that always sticks in the throat being Tripps giveaway to Spurs.
This 5 yr on £70k a week for a below avarage Everton reserve was mental.

Come again?

How else would you have got Trips to sign a new contract?

Woodleyclaret wrote:Re contact and Rodwell it puts into perspective what a contract negotiationor can do if usless.Lots of fans me included slag of the incompetent way we have lost money by poor deals.The one that always sticks in the throat being Tripps giveaway to Spurs.
This 5 yr on £70k a week for a below avarage Everton reserve was mental.

Rodwell was a City player when they signed him not Everton.
Any fans who criticise the Tripps sale to Spurs simply refuse to read or listen to the facts about what happened. I’m not sure why they ignore this and choose to believe that we had any say or control over the matter.

Woodleyclaret wrote:The one that always sticks in the throat being Tripps giveaway to Spurs.

We didn't "lose" Tripps to Spurs - we managed to keep hold of him longer than we could have done with his last contract and we ensured we received a fee for him.

We've made a lot of bad deals in our time (Joseph Mills, Nahki Wells, Remco van der Shatner etc.) but getting Trippier to sign a contract extension when we did isn't one of them.

You can only play the cards you're dealt.

Keeping Tripps was the deal. Same with Ings

Does anyone remember the BBC documentary "Premier Passions"? It was about the season that Sunderland were relegated from the Premier League with Peter Reid in change. I believe it was the season before they moved to the Stadium of Light.

If this documentary is anywhere near as good as that, then I'll be looking forward to watching it!

'Give it to Waddler'!!!

Aiden McGeady's frustration over Chris Coleman's management style was interesting. A few episodes earlier Coleman and Symon's spoke about how lucky they were with the unity of the Wales squad, though when it came to managing a more difficult situation they were obviously lacking. Coleman even mentioned he didn't want to hammer the Sunderland players after defeats as he wanted the players to be 'proactive rather than reactive', but as McGeady says, it seems this fostered an attitude of acceptance over their poor performances.

Also, did anyone else spot Will Hughes on the scouts' list of potential targets?

watching this now. Its a really really well made fly on the wall account of the reality of the football world. Whatever happened to Jack Rodwell then?
his situation shows just how poorly some clubs are run and how greedy some players can be....for me he is lacking in respect for himself and his employers and everyone associated with the club.

I’m sure some club will be willing to spunk a load of money on him

The one thing I’ve learnt from it, is that the worst thing you can possibly do is turn on the players. Singing “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” when just one goal down in a game helps no one except the opposition.

It’s no surprise that the bigger clubs go down through the divisions once they get relegated from the Prem (City, Sunderland, Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday and United), it’s because they have the larger amount of negative numpties.

Just finished episode 3, quite an addictive watch actually.

Always had a soft spot for Sunderland for a number of reasons and every time there's a match sequence in the program feel a bit sorry for the fans when they don't win!

I binge watched this over the last couple of days. It's a great series.

Lots of sympathy for the Sunlin fans. Always liked them, especially as they gave Stan a great send-off with us. Coleman comes across as a good boss, too. Shame it didn't work out for him there.

Rodwell comes across as an utter ****. Ended up at the right place for him afterwards, though.

I have to disagree. Coleman comes across as a good person but definitely not a good boss. They were awful and well deserved relegation.

They should have hired Dyche when they had the opportunity instead of going back to Advocaat and then they’d never have dropped like they did.

I agree with Winston here. I think Coleman’s ‘friendly, friendly’ approach was completely wrong for Sunderland and the relegation fight that they were facing. That’s not to say that it hasn’t and wouldn’t work elsewhere, but just not at a basket case like the Sunderland of the last 10 years.
As Peebs already alluded to, Aiden McGeady’s interview said a lot about what some of the players were thinking.
I think it might have been Jimmy Ballard’s autobiography, or on his magic sponge podcast where he talks about Chris Coleman as almost being one of the ‘lads’, but I didn’t think his coaching methods seemed that good..... it was particularly interesting to hear Mcgeady talk about CC asking them to play 4-3-3 midway through a game, when they hadn’t even discussed it let alone practiced it in training!

I watched it all over the last 2 days, very interesting show but agree Coleman was a bit meh. I'd deffo recommend the show though, very good !

I’d imagine folk all over the world are scratching their heads thinking I didn’t know The Stadium Of Light was so close to the Tyne Bridge.
It’s no wonder Ellis Short stopped chucking money at it. How many poor signings can a club make.

piston broke wrote:I’d imagine folk all over the world are scratching their heads thinking I didn’t know The Stadium Of Light was so close to the Tyne Bridge.

That would be the Queen Alexandra Bridge. Been over it many a time...they do look similar, to be fair. The Tyne Bridge is bigger though.

Jakubs Tash wrote:That would be the Queen Alexandra Bridge. Been over it many a time...they do look similar, to be fair. The Tyne Bridge is bigger though.

Think you’re getting bridges mixed up.
The Wearmouth Bridge is nearest the SOL and looks similar to the Tyne bridge.

Queen Alexandra ironwork isn’t as curved

wilks_bfc wrote:Think you’re getting bridges mixed up.
The Wearmouth Bridge is nearest the SOL and looks similar to the Tyne bridge.

Queen Alexandra ironwork isn’t as curved

Crossed it many times, Wilks. From the station to Roker.

wilks_bfc wrote:Think you’re getting bridges mixed up.
The Wearmouth Bridge is nearest the SOL and looks similar to the Tyne bridge.

Queen Alexandra ironwork isn’t as curved

You are right (it was a few years ago now!).... been over both of these bridges but used to go over the QA Bridge more often. Both very close to the SOL though. Some good folk in Sunderland, I have a bit of a soft spot for them.....only a bit, mind!

I know which of the 3 look more alike


Tyne


Wearmouth


Queen Alexandra

Jakubs Tash wrote:You are right (it was a few years ago now!).... been over both of these bridges but used to go over the QA Bridge more often. Both very close to the SOL though. Some good folk in Sunderland, I have a bit of a soft spot for them.....only a bit, mind!

Likewise. Best mate is a Mackem and been up a few time and stayed at the city appartments at the end of the Wearmouth bridge

Just watched the first two episodes,I miss the Championship

Just started watching it: my God, what an insight.

Now finished watching. An absolutely terrific documentary: so we’ll put together. You sense, just like with our very special club, just how much AFC Sunderland means to the community up there. Football is the heartbeat of Burnley and Sunderland.

jdrobbo wrote:Now finished watching. An absolutely terrific documentary: so we’ll put together. You sense, just like with our very special club, just how much AFC Sunderland means to the community up there. Football is the heartbeat of Burnley and Sunderland.

Absolutely. I felt myself getting emotional when they were singing ‘Can’t help falling in love’ by Elvis post relegation.

Great, great documentary.

Agreed, well worth the watch

Just finishing up watching Last Chance U on Netflix which is a different sort of insight into sports (am football) - definitely recommend watching that as you truly get drawn into the story’s of the team and individuals as the seasons draw on.

Heard a lot of good things about the Sunderland doc and it’s next on my list to watch now.

[quote="bfccrazy"]Just finishing up watching Last Chance U on Netflix which is a different sort of insight into sports (am football) - definitely recommend watching that as you truly get drawn into the story’s of the team and individuals as the seasons draw on.


Last Chance U is an absolutely brilliant series. Probably the best I’ve seen on Netflix.

I was reading that one of the players in the series was done for/on a charge of murder/manslaughter after a stabbing, whilst another had broken into the nfl..... I’m really fascinated by the American ‘Student Athlete’ model and hat series was a really interesting take on it! Coaches were questionable humans though!

AotearoaClaret wrote:Absolutely. I felt myself getting emotional when they were singing ‘Can’t help falling in love’ by Elvis post relegation.

Great, great documentary.

I've been in that pub pre match with a couple of Sunderland supporting family members (1-1 v Burnley and the beast had one of his blinders). Great pub and a great bunch of people in there.

As for the t.v. series, it's just addictive damn good tele. No soft edges, no flowering things up, just a very good honest account of a team in desperate trouble.

Infact I'll probably watch it again

Just to add it's immensely more enjoyable viewing than the blowing smoke up Man Citehs ar5e one

Don't have Netflix, hope to catch a glimpse of it on sky or BBC.

How long is it, if put together for 1 full length documentary?

MACCA wrote:Don't have Netflix, hope to catch a glimpse of it on sky or BBC.

How long is it, if put together for 1 full length documentary?

8 episodes of approx 45mins so about 6hrs in total

MACCA wrote:Don't have Netflix, hope to catch a glimpse of it on sky or BBC.

How long is it, if put together for 1 full length documentary?

It's about 8 episodes of around 40 mins from memory. Don't quote me on it though. Finished it last month. A great watch.

did no one get annoyed by the continuity (if that's the word!) errors in this?

When they play at Brentford they show Grayson shouting instructions from the touchline and he's clearly at Hull.
The Bolton game was played on 31st September apparently
They focus on the fans supposedly shouting at some games going from blazing sunshine to floodlights and for home games seating to terracing (which there certainly isn't any of at Sunderland))

That aside I have watched the first three episodes and actually felt sorry for Grayson, The chief exec basically tells a fans forum he's going to get sacked, they changed the transfer policy on him after he arrived and (although this may be bad editing) they made it appear like he got sacked before the players even left the pitch after the Bolton home game