[tense music playing]
[camera shutters]
[Stewart] People told me it would play out this way.
Negotiating with Josh,
um, it's all moving along...
and Jack calls me and said,
"Thanks very much, Josh has come in, picked up his stuff and said he's gone.
You could've told me you've accepted an offer."
And I said, "Well, hold on a minute. I haven't done anything."
[stammers] "I haven't accepted anything."
-[reporters murmur] -[Stewart] So I--
I haggled the best I could. You know, we ended up with...
I think it was a million and a half euros.
It's not a great deal, but it's the best we could get.
[helicopter propellers thumping]
But a million euros...
isn't worth anything in comparison to promotion.
-["Shipyards" by The Lake Poets plays] -♪ On the river ♪
♪ Where they used to build the boats ♪
♪ By the harbor wall The place you loved the most ♪
♪ I can see you there alone ♪
♪ But, oh, you know ♪
♪ I'll be there ♪
♪ Soon ♪
♪ All your life You worked your fingers to the bone ♪
♪ You worked hard For every little thing you owned ♪
♪ That you gave away for years ♪
♪ As if you'd known ♪
[trains rumbling]
♪ They were calling out ♪
♪ But if you could see me now ♪
♪ And if you could see me now ♪
♪ I hope that I'm making you proud ♪
♪ Proud ♪
-[crowd hums] -[indistinct yelling]
[electronic music playing]
Come on, lads! Come on!
[crowd swells]
[fans yelling indistinctly]
[crowd cheers]
-[crowd swells] -[man exhales in frustration]
[yelling indistinctly]
[crowd oohs]
[Barnes] He's done well here to bring it down...
-[commentator 2] Great ball. -...and puts a good ball in!
And it bounces off Maguire, behind.
[crowd shouting]
Chase it. Go on.
[Barnes] O'Nien's cross in, looking for Wyke's header.
-Wide. -[crowd shouting]
[Jack screams]
-[ball clanks] -[crowd swells]
[crowd oohs]
[fans yelling indistinctly]
I'm afraid we've got nobody upfront
who can score goals and who can hold the ball up.
In the past, we haven't played well but Maja took the chances.
He had one touch the whole of the game, he'd put the ball in the net.
Another draw, disappointing. Two points dropped.
The scenario is, if they don't get a striker in,
there is now going to be added pressure on Jack Ross
and on the way he sets his team up,
for those other players to score goals.
[electronic music continues, then fades]
[Jack] When the Josh Maja situation was developing,
we always knew that we were in, um... a difficult position.
[indistinct shouting]
[ball thuds]
You get to January and you've a player that's going to be out of contract,
and contribution over the first half of the season had been so good.
and had raised his profile so much that it was going to be challenging.
Because I had a... a really close relationship with him,
I liked him a lot.
But it also has an impact on the players that are left
and the staff that are left.
[continued indistinct shouting]
[tense music playing]
[Aiden] It was a difficult situation for the club, obviously,
with Maja letting his contract run down
and getting offered a lot more money elsewhere.
I'm not going to lie and say that he's not going to be a big miss.
If you take, what's he scored, 16, 17 goals, out of one team,
it's a massive hole in our team.
The fans are now looking to promotion and...
getting possibly excited at the prospect of it.
Hopefully they get a...
get a couple of other players in to fill that void.
-[tense music fades] -[car hums]
[Stewart] I felt a little bit let down. And-- And a little bit deceived.
I don't like being on the wrong end of a deal.
But I also felt a real determination not to be stitched up again.
So we are now likely to be in a position
that we don't want to be in,
that I was dreading.
Because clubs will now know we need a striker
and we've got six days to get one.
-[tense music resumes] -[seagulls cawing]
Well we've given them what they want. [stammers] I don't understand it.
Yeah, just-- just bin it off.
What an absolute joke of an idiot.
We've matched the offer twice and what they're now saying is,
they don't have authority to accept the offer,
um... so, uh, give us another offer.
And, um... I think the view of it is
that they think we're desperate.
'Cause we've got to sign two strikers, T.C.
And at the moment, we haven't got anybody.
Marquee is ten million. What a fucking joke.
I'm going to offer them one and a half and say that's the best we can do.
And what I'm thinking is...
[Stewart in interview] Football is a... is a unique industry.
The... The financial bartering
is just like nothing you've ever seen.
[Stewart on phone] Phone the person you spoke to and say,
"This is a joke and this is the offer, so either fucking take it or don't."
Yeah?
[Stewart in interview] Having got to the position that we've got ourselves
if we don't go up, it'll be absolutely gutting.
[mellow music playing]
And League One is fun for Sunderland for a season,
you know, getting stuck down here will not be fun.
-[man murmurs on phone] -Yeah.
So I'm absolutely desperate to go up.
But it's in the balance.
And I feel that.
[brooding music plays, then fades]
-[men chanting gregariously] -[upbeat music plays]
[Barnes] Behind Barry, McCann's delivered the ball,
and it's swept home.
-[crowd cheers] -And no surprise, Will Grigg.
Right place, right time.
[chanting continues]
♪ Will Grigg's on fire Your defense is terrified ♪
-[crowd swells] -♪ Will Grigg's on fire ♪
♪ Your defense is terrified ♪
♪ Will Grigg's on fire ♪
[fans chant rhythmically]
[chanting fades]
[man] Yeah, we're looking at, um...
bringing in Will Grigg from Wigan.
Um...
We've made a substantial offer.
At the moment, um, that's been turned down.
I've put another call in, he's gone back to his people
and, um...
to see if, um, we can conclude and reach an agreement
on... on bringing Will.
[mellow music playing]
-[phone rings] -[man] Ticker's off.
-[Stewart] Go on! -[man] Go on!
Hello, mate.
What is silly money?
[Stewart chuckles]
There's a long way between that figure, them two figures.
I know there's some ridiculous people in football,
but is he actually fucking mental?
-Two million pounds? -[Richard] Yes.
-That's the conversation they've had? -That's...
It would take silly money and it would be over two million.
No!
-Do you not believe me? -No.
Why would I lie?
-[exhales steadily] -Why would I lie to you?
[Stewart sighs]
[stammers] No, his football club's taking the Michael, really.
They know-- They know we want them, so...
Fuck's sake, man! [takes a deep breath]
[exhales sharply]
[sniffs]
-Don't take it personally. -Eh?
Don't take it personally.
-[line ringing] -Just taking the piss.
[Sky News host] Welcome along to Transfer Centre.
It's getting close now, isn't it?
Not much more than 24 hours to go
until the January transfer window closes.
11 p.m. tomorrow night, remember.
[Jack] The January transfer window is always the most difficult one
because it's mid-season. But in that window, I think it's more
the identification and recruitment
of the right player is the most important thing.
There has to be some sort of strategic approach to it.
[indistinct chatter on radio]
I think you have to be careful you don't get caught up
in the hype of having to do something dramatic.
[newscaster] Sunderland, with a day left in this window,
have had two bids rejected by Wigan for striker Will Grigg.
[Stewart] You just can't work out who at Wigan is actually deciding.
You know, if they've given permission for the conversation
and we've hit the asking price...
um... they might be thinking they can screw us
down to the last million, we'll get desperate and offer more.
It's just ridiculous.
[pundit 1] It's a pivotal moment in their tenure, isn't it?
Because, you know... [stammering]
...if we start February without a striker,
well, look at last season, you know.
It would be almost...
an equally-sizable disaster
-not to bring someone in. -[pundit 1] A missed opportunity?
I think we'd struggle to go up.
[tense music intensifies, then fades]
[seagulls cawing]
[BBC host] It's everybody's favorite day of the year,
unless you happen to be one of those people that hates it.
It's transfer deadline day, the window will shut
at 11 o'clock tonight,
still plenty of time for all sorts of things to happen.
Got in the studio, Nick Barnes.
We'll start with Sunderland.
At the moment, um, it looks like they're getting knocked back
left, right and center, for a striker.
Stewart Donald and Sunderland have been desperately trying to get Will Grigg,
and they've chased that particular player,
but the problem with that
is they're not getting the other players either.
So from a position where they're looking for two strikers...
-[BBC host] Yes. -...they might not get any.
[Stewart] We'll give ourselves one last shot with Will Grigg.
I'm going to put an offer in in a second...
[stammers] ...and talk-- Can you just talk to the guy?
One and a quarter million.
[Stewart] I've put some pressure, which probably in hindsight
I shouldn't have done, by saying,
you know, we'll definitely get X amount of players.
You know, we'll try and do that,
but there's no guarantee.
You've told us a million, we've gone a million and a quarter.
Take it or leave it now, that is it.
Okay. Cheers, mate. Bye. Let me know. Bye.
[taps pen]
I'll double-check how badly Jack wants him. [sighs]
-Hi, Jack, how are you, mate? All right? -[Jack] I'm surviving.
To be honest... Stewart, I know this is not the ideal way to look at it,
but see with the offer you've put in?
He's not worth any more than that. Not a chance.
If you were getting him for that money, which Rich said is still a good offer,
then fine, but not the figures they're talking about. It's mental.
I wouldn't do it, he's not worth it.
[Stewart] No, fine, okay. It's just that owner panicky thing
-that, at the end of the season... -No, I know.
...bringing somebody on for half an hour
who's got that bit of experience or whatever.
[Jack] Yeah. I get that.
I know that's your-- I just think, please don't go daft in it,
-because he's not worth that. -Okay.
-I'll speak to you in a wee bit. -All right, Jack. Cheers, mate. Thanks.
-Bye now. -Cheers.
[mellow electronic music playing]
-Bye-bye. -[man] See you.
[Jack] Stewart knows that I like... I like structure, I like organization,
I like to know exactly where I am.
And it was the last day of a window,
on the last hours of a window closing
and you didn't have time to recruit a replacement as such,
that is the worst thing that can happen
to a manager because...
then you know there is no possibility of finding somebody else. And...
it can make the rest of the season challenging,
and ultimately as a manager, you'll be judged on that.
[presenter] I think there's... From what I'm hearing, there's a...
another bid on the table, and I think Sunderland
are waiting to hear if their most recent bid
has been accepted.
-[mellow music playing] -[sighs heavily]
[blows air]
I want a 30-goal striker and I can't get one.
[Richard] So do Real Madrid.
I don't care about Real Madrid.
You're not going to get what you want.
You're not.
Well, you either... You're either a quitter
-or you're a trier. -It's not...
There's also a sense of realism.
Yeah, all right. Well, look... when-- when it gets to too late...
I get that.
But we've exhausted... exhausted everything
for the last three weeks.
[Neil] Whatever the scenario is,
they don't want to sell to us.
[stammers] You're not gonna agree with me so you won't want to listen to this.
-[Richard laughs] -You might want to leave.
What about one more dive in for our main man?
-I knew you'd do this. -Yeah.
I knew you'd do this.
-Uh... Up the offer. -I knew you would do this.
From what it was.
[Tony] You're joking?
[Stewart] No.
[Tony] Fucking hell.
-Leave it with me. -[Stewart murmurs]
I just think we need him, T.C.
-[Tony] All right, okay. -Or not.
-Leave it with me. -[Stewart] Um...
I think Jack can do that.
[stammers] Yeah, we might have to change the number at the front.
-All right, lemme see. -All right, okay. Cheers. Bye.
Cheers, mate. Cheers.
-[phone rattles] -I knew you'd do this.
[Stewart chuckles] I've waited as long as I can.
We've done good business.
-I know you'll argue this isn't-- -[Richard] I'm not arguing with you.
-All right. Good. Okay. -[Richard] At the end of the day,
I've always said to you, it's your money.
But I don't think it's the right thing to do.
-[sighs deeply] -Because you fell into the trap
of January transfer windows.
[pen rattles]
[chair creaks]
[Stewart sputters]
[tense music playing]
[Stewart] They know it's 11 o'clock, don't they?
[phone rings]
[Neil] Here we go.
-Is that him? Do you want me to take it? -[Richard] I don't mind.
-[bangs table] -Yeah. Hoped that would.
[Stewart fidgets with bottle]
Brilliant. Thank you, Mike. Thank you.
Cheers now. Thank you, Mike. Bye-bye.
Adamant. Nothing's changed from last night.
They won't... They are not selling him at all.
[Stewart tapping bottle]
[tapping continues]
[inhales and exhales deeply]
Doesn't sound to me as if there's much more you can do, really.
Do you want to be a dog with a bone?
[stammers] You want to keep on, but you don't want
to rub people up the wrong way.
-I know. -You know?
Or give people the message that you're so desperate
they can do whatever they want.
-Yeah. So it's that-- -[stammering] It might be--
It might be best with Wigan to leave them for a bit now.
-Yeah. -I think.
Um... I think so.
[man 1] I can't remember the deadline day
where it was this late on and you're like, "Oh, shit, we're in trouble
if we don't get the signing in now."
[man 2] I don't know how it's gonna get done
unless they then just say,
"Here you go, here's all the money in the world, let's have him."
[man 3] Stewart Donald maybe has been a bit naive,
maybe he's been a bit unaware
the way you should act as a chairman of one of the biggest clubs in England.
[Stewart] We played poker as long as we can play it.
We can't play it any longer.
[Richard] You could make a calculated judgment.
Yes.
And the calculated judgment you're making is-- is not really very calculated.
-Is it not? -No, not in my opinion. No.
At this point, it doesn't make financial sense.
At this point, now.
Which is all we can judge it on.
You won't be saying that if he scores a hat trick in a playoff final.
-It doesn't mean to say-- -[phone rings]
Yes, so what I'm saying is, even if you didn't get acknowledgment tonight,
it's in there, it's in there, and it's all... timing is everything.
Yes, yes, yes... Yeah, yeah.
[Stewart] I like a deal...
-[mellow music playing] -...that makes me feel alive.
You know, you can overcomplicate lots of things.
You've just got to go with your gut.
-[stammers] Do-- -[Tony murmurs on phone]
Do one last shot at one, one and one, tell Mike, and that's it.
-What? -[Stewart] One and one.
-Are you sure? -[Stewart stammers] Yeah, I think...
I'm worried about it, T.C.
[stammering] And say that is it, we can do no more.
[presenter 1] Sunderland, as we know, yesterday made a bid of £1,25 million
for Will Grigg. I can tell you,
they are so desperate to get him,
they have now made a bid of £3 million, rising to four,
for the Wigan striker.
[Stewart] Just phone him back and say we need a yes or no now,
or we're gonna miss the deadline anyway.
It's too late. It'll be too late.
[Richard] We've got literally 20 minutes now.
I've moved to 16, he's just being greedy now.
[presenter 2] Grigg isn't even in the North East,
he's still back towards Wigan.
I don't know how it works in terms of a medical.
[Stewart] No, no, no, he's been cocking about
for 25 minutes, trying to haggle.
He's got to sign the contract.
Tell him he has got one minute to get us the forms back or we're done.
[phone rings]
[Richard] Just sign that paper and send it back.
[Stewart] Fucking five minutes.
[suspenseful music plays]
-They've signed it? -[Richard] Yeah, it's all agreed,
and they've signed it.
[suspenseful music fades]
[Stewart] Yeah. He's agreed it and he's signed it.
-Now whether they get it back in time. -[Richard murmurs]
[Stewart] I'll phone you in a minute, T.C.
[stammering] I'm resigning as chairman next December.
I can't fucking do this again.
Sunderland waiting by their phones patiently, nervously,
to find out if Will Grigg will become a Sunderland player.
I can't believe they've gone out to have a chatter about it.
[Stewart sighs]
-[phone rings] -Hello, Stewart Donald.
How we going?
[stammers] I haven't really absorbed that. So we've got a deal?
Can we tidy the player up
and get that done?
-[man murmurs on phone] -Yeah?
I'm not sure I can afford to pay the pizza delivery man that's turning up.
[laughs]
We know if you try something and fail, you might try again.
You might try a third time, then you'd probably give up.
Well I tell you what, you'd be wrong.
'Cause it's sixth time lucky for Sunderland tonight.
They've finally had an offer accepted
for Will Grigg.
[man] So Will Grigg
actually on fire, and he's headed to the Stadium of Light.
which is-- I hope someone puts him out before he gets there 'cause we need him.
[Stewart] Whatever.
-Yeah. -[Richard] Come on, mate.
-[Stewart groans] -Chairman!
[Stewart] Do you mind?
What you doing? [laughs]
Told you we might get one, if you leave me to the negotiations.
[exhales]
[mellow music plays]
This football club is going to kill me.
[exhales sharply]
[mellow music fades]
[steam hisses]
[oil sizzles]
[man] We've signed Will Grigg. Everybody's happy again,
it's all sweetness and light.
You know, everybody's pleased
because they've got promised something and he's fulfilled the promise.
[man 2] We've got a definite promotion, I think.
I think we're... I think we're on the way.
-[mellow music playing] -[indistinct chatter]
[Charlie] In terms of maintaining the trust of the fan base as well,
that we are owners who deliver on what we promise,
I think it was really important in that way.
-[indistinct chatter continues] -[all laugh]
[man 3] From where we've come from,
with the uncertainty and the silence,
I think, yeah, we can't argue, can we?
He knows what he's doing. Stewart Donald knows what he's doing.
-Absolutely brilliant. -[man 4] Stewart... Stewart.
-[crowd chatters and laughs] -[steam hisses]
Stewart, that's the best piece of transfer business
we've had in a long time.
[stammers] Well, maybe. Maybe.
-I've been flaked out. -[men laugh]
Twenty-four hours I've been like--
-I'm not surprised to hear it. [laughs] -You look tired.
[man 5] The guys that came in, I was chuffed to bits with, to be honest.
Definitely think we can go forward, and automatic promotion,
possibly win the division.
-Yes, I'm fine. Lovely to see you too. -[crowd chatters and laughs]
[man yells]
♪ Will Grigg's on fire Your defense is terrified ♪
♪ Will Grigg's on fire... ♪
♪ Ooh! La-la-la-la-la! ♪
♪ La-la-la-la-la! ♪
[crowd buzzes]
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
young and old, will you please give a big,
huge, Wearside welcome to your new striker, Will Grigg!
[crowd cheers and applauds]
[dramatic music playing]
[crowd chants]
[Charlie] When Stewart and I first went to the North East...
-[crowd shouts] -...I didn't quite know what to expect.
And I don't think they knew what to expect from us.
Some of the Sunderland fans who I've got to know a bit better
have said, for Southerners, Stewart and I seem quite down-to-earth.
I... I don't think I perhaps understood the spirit of the North East
as well as I might have done when I went up there.
And I think, perhaps,
they thought that we would be something
other than what they've actually found us to be.
But, you know, that remains to be seen, because if things all go horribly wrong,
then I'm sure they'll go back to thinking
that we're a bunch of pretentious Southerners
who didn't know what they were doing. [laughs]
-[intercom chatter] -[crowd cheers]
I swear the music before games is getting louder
here at the Stadium of Light.
We can barely hear ourselves think these days,
the way the music has been cranked up.
-[intercom chatter] -[crowd applauds]
[pundit] I think the squad is a bit stronger than it was
at the start of the window.
I think everyone's aware they've paid
probably a little bit more than Will Grigg's worth.
There's no doubt it's given the players a lift.
♪ ...I'm sure I am I'm Sunderland 'til I die ♪
♪ Sunderland 'til I die ♪
♪ I'm Sunderland 'til I die ♪
♪ I know I am, I'm sure I am I'm Sunderland 'til I die ♪
♪ Sunderland 'til I die ♪
[singing fades]
[presser squeaks and clicks]
[Grigg] Obviously, you know, it was a quick turnaround
to get myself up here, but, uh, we've got a really busy period coming up,
it's going to be pretty intense, but...
my job is to score goals and it's probably one of the hardest things to do.
But, um...
that's what I was brought here for.
No pressure on you, because if fees are anything to go on,
you're the-- it's the highest transfer fee for a League One player.
So you need to provide the goals. Is that a pressure you enjoy?
Yeah, no problem at all. No, I've always seemed to know,
the bigger the crowds, the bigger the games,
I... I seem to, uh, I seem to thrive off it.
So it's a massive opportunity for myself and obviously I'm really proud to be here.
So my personal target would probably... just get to ten goals and go from there.
Um, it's obviously a big ask, ten in 16 would be a really good return,
but, um, it's something I back myself to do
and something I think the team needs.
[child] I can't find it.
-[Stewart] Can you not find it? -[child] No.
Okay. Are you ready?
[child] I'm looking.
-Eh? -I'm looking right now.
I only gave you one job.
I'm really...
Have you hid it? It's got all my money in, Cody.
-I'm looking. -Have you hidden it?
-No, I'm looking. -You're joking, aren't you?
[laughs] No.
[Stewart] Every game as you get to this stage of the season
feels more and more important.
And I just took the judgment call with Will that...
you know, his... his proven goal-scoring record
might just be the difference
and it's difficult to put a price on that.
[indistinct chatter]
-[utensils clatter] -[Stewart] Right, let's do it.
[Lora] Let's do this.
-We're transferring the money. [kisses] -[laughs]
-[Stewart] It's not funny. -Good luck.
[tense music playing]
[crowd applauds]
[indistinct chatter]
[fan] Let's go, lads.
[Stewart] I know we've paid top dollar for Will, but...
if you get a good performance and he scores a couple of goals today,
it'll feel like the best money I've ever spent.
[tense music fades]
[children laughing]
[Barnes] It's a gray afternoon, there's a breeze.
Certainly not as windy as it's been over the last 24 hours.
Will Grigg makes his debut and it would be remiss of me
not to say we all hope he's on fire.
[electronic music plays]
[crowd buzzes]
[whistle blows]
[crowd shouts]
[players yelling indistinctly]
[crowd applauds]
[crowd chants]
♪ Sunderland, Sunderland! ♪
Well he's all on his own with three defenders,
so just pass the ball to him.
[Stewart] My job is to give Jack what he wants, um...
and I've given Jack the management team he wants
and I've given him the players that I think he's asked for.
The pressure, then, is on Jack to deliver.
[electronic music fades]
-[fan] Ooh! Fucking hell! -[crowd oohs]
[fan 2] Is he all right?
[fan 1 applauds] That was right on Grigg's head, that was.
[Barnes] ...blue kit. Drives it right through the center...
-[cheering swells] -...but Grigg's offside.
-[crowd cheers] -Nice finish, mind.
But it's a free kick
-to Oxford. -[commentator 2 laughs]
[commentator 2] He's just getting a feel, getting a feel.
[tense music playing]
[Barnes] A substitution can be made now. O'Nien to come on.
-[commentator 2] Will Grigg, I'd imagine. -[crowd chants]
[Barnes] And it's, uh...
I can't see the number. Yeah, it's Grigg.
[tense music fades]
-[chanting continues] -[intercom chatter]
[Barnes] Sunderland, with Dunne, trying to play the ball
down the touchline.
A break for Watmore. [intensifies] Watmore rolling it into the path of Grigg.
[excitedly] Grigg in the penalty area...
-[crowd oohs] -Blocked by the goalkeeper
off his left foot from 12 yards.
[commentator 2] You expect Will Grigg to put them away.
[Barnes] You thought that was going to be the opener.
[commentator 2] They're the opportunities.
[Barnes] That was the chance.
Inside from Feeney to Thompson, who gives it away to Baldwin.
[intensifies] He's lifted it over top for Grigg to chase.
Grigg trying to get on the end of it, pushes it past the goalkeeper.
-[crowd roars] -Oh, he's missed! Just missed it!
Side netting...
-[commentator 2] I can't believe it. -...when he'd got round the keeper.
-Can't believe it. -It looked like he was odds-on
to equalize, and he's pushed it into the side netting.
-[crowd shouting] -[commentator 2] Well...
I'm afraid Will Grigg is not on fire.
[commentator 2] He's not on fire. Correct.
[tense music playing]
[Barnes] Well Grigg, two gilt-edged chances.
If he'd put those away, it may have been a different story.
Yeah, it's all ifs and buts,
you know...
We said before we brought Will Grigg in
that he's got to hit the ground running.
[Barnes] Disappointment. Frustration, no doubt.
Again, they didn't lose.
But it heaps more pressure.
Will Grigg's second opportunity. I guess you put it down to the fact
he hasn't played a lot recently and has just come back in,
-but it was a glorious opportunity. -Yeah...
Both the clear opportunities he had tonight,
he would, um, he would always
back himself to score.
For me, I'm pleased to see him in those positions,
it's why we brought him to the club.
And if he keeps putting himself in those positions
and we keep creating opportunities for him, then he'll take them
because his track record will suggest nothing otherwise.
[crowd chants in the distance]
[man] The only thing I don't agree with is his tactics, it's not working.
[man 2] In my opinion, Jack Ross does not know his best team
and I think some of his inefficiencies are actually starting to come
and show him up a little bit now, Gary.
[indistinct chatter]
[tense music fades]
[Graham] The one thing I would say with the Will Grigg situation, and, um...
[stammers] If he's chosen Will Grigg to... And I might sound quite harsh here,
but I can't think of any other way to word it.
If Will Grigg was his signing and that's who he wanted,
how come he can't find a way to play a style that suits him?
[takes a deep breath] Um...
Well, uh, Will Grigg was the number one target
that we had in January.
And that was Jack's target.
I pushed the boat out,
beyond probably what we felt was a sensible pricing, um...
[stammering] ...so you can discuss how much we paid for him,
but the reality of it is, once, you know, we've then signed him,
it's then down to Jack to...
[stammers] ...to put him in the team as he sees fit,
or whatever it is now.
[Graham] I don't think he fits into the system,
and my concern with that is, yes, he wanted him,
but like, why did he want him?
Because since he's came, well, he doesn't fit into the team.
Fair enough, the statistics show he scores goals and stuff like that.
Great, as a fan you see that,
but do you not look at players that fit into your style of football
so you don't have the Will Grigg situation?
[Stewart] Yeah, but, um...
[stammers] ...I think the view was that he would fit into the style of football.
Um...
[Graham] So who's to blame for that, Jack Ross, or Will Grigg
-not being up to the standard you expect? -Well is it a question of blaming,
or is it a question of saying, he hasn't hit the ground running yet?
[Graham] I think there's reasons to say there's maybe a level of blame there.
[stammering] I just... I... Graham, you know, we've...
we've got so many interesting questions where Stewart and I can add some value,
and making micro man-in-the-pub analysis
of why this or that player, is Jack getting the best out of him?
As a board, we're not going to get into that kind of discussion.
That's just not on. Um...
Discussing individual employees' performance in public,
that's not on, it's not fair. Um...
[stammers] There are so many difficult questions that you can ask us
which move the argument on and which I know fans want to know about.
[fading] Really, Stewart and my views...
[tense music playing]
[Jack] There's a relentless feel about trying to win games all the time.
The fact that we've had to deal with pressure every single game,
every single week, from the beginning of August,
and it's been greater than I imagined.
Um, maybe the way I work increases that
because I'm so intense about what I do.
[indistinct yelling]
And, of course, when you set your ambitions high
and you don't reach that ambition you set at the start of the season,
there is, of course,
people out there who will point to that being a failure.
I think most human beings,
when they read or hear any criticism, will have this little burn.
But if you don't accept that,
then the job could completely swallow you up.
[Stewart] Sunderland is emotionally tough.
But when it's good, you are absolutely invincible.
[no audible dialogue]
[tense music intensifies]
But I would also imagine that when it's bad,
it is a place of despair.
Everybody really wants it.
If they feel it slipping away,
the pressure...
can build.
This is the time for men.
[tense music intensifies, then fades]
[crowd shouts]
[Barnes] McGeady still has it, on the left-hand side of midfield.
Into the middle to Cattermole.
Cattermole rolling it away, trying to get it away from Byrne.
-In the box it goes! -[commentator 2] Penalty!
-[Barnes] Was that a penalty? Yes! -Penalty!
[crowd cheers]
[Barnes] O'Nien was brought down on the corner of the penalty area.
Referee, no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.
[commentator 2] It was a definite penalty.
-[Barnes] Definite foul. -[crowd buzzes]
-And so, a chance for Will Grigg... -[commentator 2] Will Grigg.
...to get off the mark.
[tense music plays]
[crowd sounds fade]
[tense music intensifies]
[tense music fades]
-Grigg, right-footed. -[crowd roars]
[commentator 2] Goal!
[Barnes] You hear the roar?
-[crowd cheering] -He's on fire, finally.
Sunderland 3,
Gillingham 2. Will Grigg...
[intercom chatter]
...from the penalty spot.
[commentator 2] That'll do him a world of good. Tell you what.
[cheering intensifies]
[Barnes] You can hear the roar from the crowd,
as Will Grigg restores Sunderland's lead.
[cheering fades]
[mellow music playing]
The penalty. [stammers] You let Will take the first one
and the manager said that's because you had absolute belief
that Will was going to... was going to score.
Yeah, well, look, it was more... Will wanted the ball.
And, you know, he's not scored.
For a striker, you want to get off the mark,
get that monkey off his back.
You know, I want him to score and I want him to score 20 goals.
Everyone inside this club and inside that dressing room
knows where we want to be
and wants to be promoted, that's... that's where we want to be.
Sometimes you have to be patient, it doesn't all just come at once.
[kids chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[Stewart] I sense a, um...
a realization...
[murmurs at camera]
...and you think, "Well, I might need a bit of time here.
Jack might need a bit of time."
And it dawns on you then that you might not go at the speed
that the fans want.
I spent more money in January than budget.
But I... I took the judgment call that it was the right thing to do.
But it's likely, if we don't go up, Sunderland Football Club
is going to cost £25 million to run in League One.
And, um...
What we don't want to do is go down that route,
risk not having enough money to see it through properly.
[Stewart in hallway] Good man.
[Stewart in interview] I'm very mindful of not overstaying my welcome,
I've said it before.
But, you know, the-- the reality of it is,
you start to think about those things.
[mellow music intensifies, then fades]
[solemn music plays]