Leeds United documentary Take Us Home was one of several Ricky Gervais watched to become “hooked” on football for the first time in years.
Speaking on Stick to Football (November 28), Gervais stated that Take Us Home, as well as documentaries created by Sunderland, Manchester City, and Arsenal, helped him reconnect with the sport in 2020.
Take Us Home covered United’s first two seasons under Marcelo Bielsa’s management, with six episodes covering the 2018/19 season and two more covering the title-winning 2019/20 campaign.
Gervais stated, “What really got me back into (football) was a documentary, is it Sunderland Till I Die?” The fact that it was like a religion to them and that the entire town was interested made me think it was a pretty well-crafted product.
“I watched the Man City one, then I watched the Leeds one, then I watched the (Mikel) Arteta one and I was hooked, and now I’m fascinated with it – I watch every game that’s on TV, I absolutely love it again.”
Leeds United influence spread far and wide via Take Us Home
If there was ever an era at Elland Road that needed to be documented more than most, it was Bielsa’s three-year reign, which saw the club rise from Championship obscurity to Premier League prominence.
Although Bielsa’s tenure ended with his dismissal in 2022, the club is still dealing with the fallout, there’s no disputing that he oversaw some incredibly important moments.
Events such as ‘Spygate’, United’s FIFA Fair Play Award-winning match against Aston Villa, and the play-off semi-final against Derby County all occurred during the 2018/19 season, offering plenty of talking points.
The covid-19 lockdown, delayed season finish, and subsequent Championship title win offered a fitting conclusion to the documentary, reinstating the Whites to the Premier League.
After witnessing everything during the same lockdown, it’s no surprise Gervais fell back in love with the game, and with United back in the second tier, ‘Take Us Home’ is the rallying cry once more.
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