Netflix have released the latest and final season of the popular football series Sunderland 'till I die.
The first season documented was the 2017-18 campaign. It was initially expected to chart the club's promotion challenge back to the Premier League, but football very rarely goes according to plan and instead it showed a disastrous second relegation in as many seasons as Sunderland were doomed to League One.
Season two begins with Sunderland having been newly taken over by businessman Stewart Donald, as the Black Cats attempt to regain their Championship status. That attempt ultimately ended in failure.
What really made the series appealing though, was the access to real supporters. It's a move that has since been hugely popular in the Ryan Reynold's ‘Welcome to Wrexham‘ docuseries as viewers catch a glimpse of what it's like to ride the rollercoaster of unconditional love for a football club.
“Why is it never us celebrating?” asked Sunderland fan Michelle Barraclough after a stoppage-time defeat by Charlton Athletic in the 2019 League One play-off final. It's a sentiment that can easily be empathised with, especially among fans of lower league sides.
What to expect in Sunderland 'till I die Season three
The new season of Sunderland 'till I die will show that such a sentiment is often a fleeting feeling though, as it will show Netflix viewers the culmination of four years in League One for the Black Cats.
The trailer for Season 3 Sunderland 'Til I Die has been released.
It comes out on the 13th, can’t wait for this! 🍿pic.twitter.com/vR4fb8i8m8
— Football Away Days (@FBAwayDays) February 9, 2024
It's not such a spoiler alert to say that Sunderland were promoted back to the Championship in 2021/22 after a win at Wembley over Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off final, and the series will of course provide another window into real life as a fan of the North East club.
Now pushing for a second consecutive promotion, Sunderland are sitting in seventh place in the Championship at the time of writing.
The only down side to the new season is that it isn't longer: season three is just three episodes long. Perhaps the misery was more entertaining to the masses.