Sunderland til I die

[The 90+2]

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That would be too easy.

I have time on my hands.

You were right btw.

True and true as are you, and I could have said the same for me 👍

[Steve-O]

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You can’t really say it was papering over cracks, he had a team playing to its strengths and that included, in main a player who was suited to that side scoring goals for them. He stopped the downfall also and it was stated time and time again all the cost cutting all over the shop which actually meant playing a 18year old up top.

Jack Ross, (he is our manager by the way) didn’t seem that fussed over Grigg at all. He had no say on his team being broken up in January though for a quick buck that backfired, that’s for sure.

I think Grigg was identified as Ross’s number one target (according to what Donald said) but he was obviously saying he only valued him at about £1m.

Also not sure Maja was sold for a quick buck - he clearly wanted away and was out of contract in the summer. They offered him what he wanted but he left anyway and they got as much of a fee as they could in the circumstances. Ross wasn’t “consulted” because there was bugger all he could’ve done anyway.

[Tyler Durden]

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I think Grigg was identified as Ross’s number one target (according to what Donald said) but he was obviously saying he only valued him at about £1m.

Also not sure Maja was sold for a quick buck - he clearly wanted away and was out of contract in the summer. They offered him what he wanted but he left anyway and they got as much of a fee as they could in the circumstances. Ross wasn’t “consulted” because there was bugger all he could’ve done anyway.

Hindsight is 20/20 but they had a few better options. They could have let him sign a pre contract with Bordeaux and kept him til the summer. Sure he may have been disruptive but he didn’t seem the type did he?

Secondly given they knew the agent was liable to punt him abroad, they could’ve been more pro-active in offering him to English teams on the basis that he was loaned back for the rest of the season. The player would’ve been happy knowing he’s guaranteed big money and Sunderland still have their star player.

They knew what was coming and just let it happen regardless. Naive in the extreme

[BILLYHIBS]

Stewart Donald resigns as Sunderland Chairman stating new blood is needed to get the ‘Black Cats’ back into the Championship

Now what ever happened to that fly on the wall Documentary about the Hearts relegation season?

Got my popcorn at the ready

[The 90+2]

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Stewart Donald resigns as Sunderland Chairman stating new blood is needed to get the ‘Black Cats’ back into the Championship

Now what ever happened to that fly on the wall Documentary about the Hearts relegation season?

Got my popcorn at the ready

He seemed like a good guy tbh.

[BILLYHIBS]

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He seemed like a good guy tbh.

He did

Noticed his big pal went before him

[HendoDelivered]

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He did

Noticed his big pal went before him

Charlie Methven? Still has shares I think.

[BILLYHIBS]

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Charlie Methven? Still has shares I think.

👍🏿

[Jones28]

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Stewart Donald resigns as Sunderland Chairman stating new blood is needed to get the ‘Black Cats’ back into the Championship

Now what ever happened to that fly on the wall Documentary about the Hearts relegation season?

Got my popcorn at the ready

Came across as someone who genuinely wanted to do well with Sunderland but showed a lot of naivety when he chucked money at Griggs. If that pattern has continued it’s no wonder he wants out.

I didn’t find the second series as good as the first, the other bloke is a total tit.

[BILLYHIBS]

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Came across as someone who genuinely wanted to do well with Sunderland but showed a lot of naivety when he chucked money at Griggs. If that pattern has continued it’s no wonder he wants out.

I didn’t find the second series as good as the first, the other bloke is a total tit.

Agree

[Speedy]

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He seemed like a good guy tbh.

Totally out of his depth

[Pretty Boy]

I rewatched a bit of Sunderland Til I die recently and actually felt sorry for both Donald and Methven.

They inherited a shambles and it was blindingly obvious a lot of the staff were just coasting along happy to pick up a wage. Methven was painted as a bit of a cock in the 1st or 2nd episode when he went a bit David Brent in a meeting. However he quite correctly pointed out that he had provided figures and a briefing days before and no one had bothered their arse to read it. No wonder he was pissed off. That was a theme throughout.

I've no idea what the situation is at Sunderland now but if Donald has managed to slash the wage bill and control the debt then he has probably left them in a better state than he found them.

[Tomsk]

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I rewatched a bit of Sunderland Til I die recently and actually felt sorry for both Donald and Methven.

They inherited a shambles and it was blindingly obvious a lot of the staff were just coasting along happy to pick up a wage. Methven was painted as a bit of a cock in the 1st or 2nd episode when he went a bit David Brent in a meeting. However he quite correctly pointed out that he had provided figures and a briefing days before and no one had bothered their arse to read it. No wonder he was pissed off. That was a theme throughout.

I've no idea what the situation is at Sunderland now but if Donald has managed to slash the wage bill and control the debt then he has probably left them in a better state than he found them.

I don't know if I would go as far as to say I feel sorry for them. Their failings professionally and personally were of their own making. Donald while apparently well meaning was in over his head and would have been better served taking his wife's advice and getting out while the going was good. The problem was he just didn't know his own limitations.

Of the two of them Methven gets a wee bit sympathy. I can't help feel the film makers did a bit of a hatchet job on him, which in fairness because of his arrogant personality was shooting fish in a barrel. That said, his judgement was generally sound, he was professional, brought energy and ideas and gave the deadbeats at the club a chance to get on board with him before he rightly binned them. I must say if it was a choice between him and Martin Bain I would pick Charlie every day of the week. I thought Bain exemplified everything that was wrong at the club.

[Clarence]

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I rewatched a bit of Sunderland Til I die recently and actually felt sorry for both Donald and Methven.

They inherited a shambles and it was blindingly obvious a lot of the staff were just coasting along happy to pick up a wage. Methven was painted as a bit of a cock in the 1st or 2nd episode when he went a bit David Brent in a meeting. However he quite correctly pointed out that he had provided figures and a briefing days before and no one had bothered their arse to read it. No wonder he was pissed off. That was a theme throughout.

I've no idea what the situation is at Sunderland now but if Donald has managed to slash the wage bill and control the debt then he has probably left them in a better state than he found them.

Yeah I felt that way too about the staff. You would think that the gravity of the situation would make them want to run through walls to get the club back up the leagues but they were pretty passive and all seemed to be wallowing rather than taking action. Agree that Charlie went a bit Brent which was probably a mistake in front of your average Maccam.

[Greenbeard]

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I get that Methven lacked quite a bit in people skills but that shouldn't detract from his business accumen. He was able to paint a pretty concise picture about the financial state the club was in when they took over and what had to be done to improve the situation.
He had obviously already given a presentation about what their vision was and the changes that were required. Then in a meeting with key members of the administritive team, not one of them could tell him details of key elements of that presentation, ie. How much the club was paying in interest. That would have seriously pissed me off.
In the situation the club was in it was important that they had people buying into their vision. Then in a later scene we seen the Head of Commercial girl rolling her eyes at him. They had to realise that drastic change was required and it seemed few of them were able to think outside the box. That would have been very frustrating. I honestly don't think many of that team would have outlasted me if I were in his position.

Only recently got Netflix and this one one of the first things I watched.
RE the above, she wouldn't have rolled her eyes at Methven had he not been such a tosser. Have had the misfortune to come across a few of this PR/Marketing type in business. Full of themselves and full of bull for short term tick-the-box self-glorification on their pedestal. The very fact that Methven's Wikipedia page carries the following warning says it all really (i.e. he's written some of the self-promoting p1sh himself:

A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (April 2020)

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (April 2020)

This article may contain wording that promotes the subject through exaggeration of unnoteworthy facts. (April 2020)

[0762]

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Only recently got Netflix and this one one of the first things I watched.
RE the above, she wouldn't have rolled her eyes at Methven had he not been such a tosser. Have had the misfortune to come across a few of this PR/Marketing type in business. Full of themselves and full of bull for short term tick-the-box self-glorification on their pedestal. The very fact that Methven's Wikipedia page carries the following warning says it all really (i.e. he's written some of the self-promoting p1sh himself:

A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject. (April 2020)

This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. (April 2020)

This article may contain wording that promotes the subject through exaggeration of unnoteworthy facts. (April 2020)

Inclined to agree with you about Methven - came across as a complete tosser. Used to work with someone exactly like that. Described himself as a "visionary"! In reality delivered nothing and the company emptied him but not before he cost the company a small fortune.

Stewart Donald however may come over as a caring chairman but think his partner hints at the story that wasn't told properly on Netflix. She said people were calling him out and was almost pleading with him to get out. He was in fact exposed by the Times - "Quote - It emerged last year that Donald financed the £39.6 million purchase from Ellis Short in May 2018 by using broadcast income that is paid to clubs relegated from the Premier League. While Donald disputed the precise figures, evidence suggested he used as little as £5 million of his own money to complete the initial takeover of a club he was actively looking to sell on within a year". That plan has failed now not once but twice and if reports are correct they're looking for £37.6m from any potential buyer. Outrageous if these guys get away with this.

It's as dodgy as Craig Whyte funding his buying of Rangers using Ticketus money from advanced season ticket money.
From Netflix it's clear Donald and Ruthven couldn't run a raffle let alone a football club.
People like that shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a football Club. I've no allegiance to Sunderland but you can't half feel sorry for their supporters as these guys are taking them for a ride.

[Greenbeard]

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Inclined to agree with you about Methven - came across as a complete tosser. Used to work with someone exactly like that. Described himself as a "visionary"! In reality delivered nothing and the company emptied him but not before he cost the company a small fortune.

Stewart Donald however may come over as a caring chairman but think his partner hints at the story that wasn't told properly on Netflix. She said people were calling him out and was almost pleading with him to get out. He was in fact exposed by the Times - "Quote - It emerged last year that Donald financed the £39.6 million purchase from Ellis Short in May 2018 by using broadcast income that is paid to clubs relegated from the Premier League. While Donald disputed the precise figures, evidence suggested he used as little as £5 million of his own money to complete the initial takeover of a club he was actively looking to sell on within a year". That plan has failed now not once but twice and if reports are correct they're looking for £37.6m from any potential buyer. Outrageous if these guys get away with this.

It's as dodgy as Craig Whyte funding his buying of Rangers using Ticketus money from advanced season ticket money.
From Netflix it's clear Donald and Ruthven couldn't run a raffle let alone a football club.
People like that shouldn't be aloud anywhere near a football Club. I've no allegiance to Sunderland but you can't half feel sorry for their supporters as these guys are taking them for a ride.

Nail-head hit. The immediate and obviously phoney behaviour at matches and with the fans, acting as if he was a dyed-in-the-wool mackem, is typical of Methven's sort. Dressing things up to look different from reality. No different to a dodgy car salesman respraying a rust-bucket to dupe some poor unsuspecting customer into parting with their harder and more genuinely earned cash. Makes me puke. Got past experience of a "new regime" coming in and basically telling all the long-serving and hard-working staff they have been 5hit for too long and things are going to change, then they find out it's not as quick or as easy a fix as they thought, especially with staff who have been told they are 5hit often enough and loud enough that they now don't give one.