Sporting film of the day – Premier Passions
The six-part documentary focused on Sunderland.
Sunderland TIl I Die 2 has proved a popular show among football fans deprived of live action during the lockdown.
However, the Netflix offering is not the first to highlight the struggles of the once-mighty Wearside club.
Premier Passions was a success when it aired on BBC1 in 1998. Here, the PA news agency looks back at its impact.
Summary
The club were playing their final campaign at Roker Park, soon to leave their home of 99 years for the Stadium of Light.
Battling to preserve their top-flight status before the move across the river was the theme, with the club desperate to ensure their first campaign in the newly-built 42,000-seat arena was as a Premier League club.
There was to be no happy ending, however, with the Black Cats relegated on the final day of the season.
Cast
There were good supporting roles from the players, most of whom appeared comfortable in front of the camera – off the pitch at least, Kevin Ball and Niall Quinn came across well, with Paul Stewart and local lads Lee Howey and Michael Gray not far behind.
Chairman Bob Murray and chief executive John Fickling clearly cared for the club despite the pressure of their roles, and head groundsman Tommy Porter was as much of a fan as the chip shop worker, schoolgirl, decorator and laboratory technician who featured regularly.
And then there were the thousands of other Sunderland supporters who made themselves seen and heard, a passionate bunch who added to the drama.
Top quote
“It’s not a disaster scenario, but we need to get in the Premier League and never get relegated again and to win things and to be in Europe” – Sunderland clearly did not live up to Murray’s candid assessment to shareholders in the wake of their relegation.
Review
