10 Most Surprising Moments In Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die Documentary

It’s often hard to feel sympathy for a Chief Executive. They’re not football people the way coaches and players are, they’re rarely even fans of the team they’re at. With their Range Rovers and their ivory towers and their complete insulation from criticism, they can often feel like barnacles latched on to the side of a club, clinging on and pocketing big money for doing very little.

Sunderland’s Chief Exec Martin Bain may drive a Range Rover, but there’s very little else about that picture that rings true. He’s the only ‘man upstairs’ we get any access to, but that access is almost all encompassing. We see every aspect of his job, and see him work as hard as anybody at the club. Given some of the lacklustre performances on the pitch, he arguably works harder than a lot of the players.

The most telling moment of how difficult his job must be comes in his first appearance. On his first day back after summer, he recounts a conversation with a player (unnamed) in the car park. ‘Glad to be back?’ Bain asks, more out of politeness than anything. ‘No,’ the player replies, ‘but I’ve got a contract and I’ll honour it’.