Sunderland are three points ahead of Fleetwood Town in the League One table after Max Power rescued a point for Phil Parkinson’s Black Cats.
Fleetwood Town boss Joey Barton claims that Sunderland’s plight in recent years has left him feeling ‘so sad’ while describing that infamous Netflix documentary as a cringe-inducing experience, speaking to the Northern Echo.
A former Newcastle United midfielder has not be afraid to put the boot into The Magpies’ North East rivals over the last 18 months.
Barton, an outspoken player turned motormouth manager, was on the offensive in more ways than one as Fleetwood conceded a 97th minute equaliser at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday, hitting out at Sunderland’s ‘long-ball’ approach while mocking one of English football’s biggest fanbases for celebrating wildly after a draw at home to the Cod Army.
But, putting his allegiances to one side for a second, Barton was also at pains to admit that Sunderland’s rapid decline, from the Premier League to the third tier in the space of 12 months, has tugged on his heartstrings.
“I love coming to cauldrons of football, and this is certainly a cauldron of football, but it’s so sad to see them playing at the level they’re playing,” said a man whose working class, Merseyside upbringing means he has a lot of respect for an iconic old club.
“I saw the documentary (Sunderland ‘Till I Die), which I thought was embarrassing on the football club. I thought it was more about (former CEO) Martin Bain than about Sunderland, which is sad because this is an incredible institution of football.
“It’s a massive football club and the North-East is a massive hotbed of football, and it’s sad to see they’ve only got one top-flight team.”
Some rather heartfelt remarks do mean that Barton won’t be desperate to consign Sunderland to another season in the third tier, however. His Fleetwood side are just three points adrift of the Black Cats in the play-off chase.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
