Stress, spanners and dismay: another glimpse behind Sunderland's curtain

27-Mar-2020 20:00:05 | The Guardian

Second series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die starts on Wednesday and if an Old Etonian proves entertaining, the fans are the real stars

A BBC film crew working on a Sir David Attenborough wildlife documentary once sparked controversy by rescuing several penguins trapped in a ravine from certain death. Their life-saving intervention prompted an absorbing debate on ethics and whether observers tasked with recording what was unfolding in front of them had done the right thing by flying in the face of natural selection and giving the subjects of their film a literal dig-out.

The second series of Sunderland ‘Til I Die, due to drop on Netflix on Wednesday, features a fascinating episode centred around last season’s January transfer deadline day following the club’s ignominious drop to League One after back-to-back relegations. Having been powerless to stop Josh Maja leaving for Bordeaux for little more than a pittance, the club’s owner, Stewart Donald, finds himself trapped in a highly stressful game of brinkmanship with the hierarchy at Wigan as he tries to sign a replacement striker in Will Grigg.