' Sunderland : 'Til I Die' proved a huge hit for Netflix that brought the Wearside club to the attention of a worldwide audience - but had things turned out differently, it might never have seen the light of day.
Millions of people tuned into the documentary's two series which were released on the popular streaming service in 2018 and 2020.
The fly-on-the-wall show documented the Black Cats' relegation from the Championship and their unsuccessful bid for an immediate return. It made unexpected stars of not only the management and players but colourful characters such as ex-CEO Martin Bain and former executive director Charlie Methven.
However, Niall Quinn has said if the idea had been suggested while he was chairman, it would have received short shrift.
Quinn is a legend on Wearside, where he spent six years as a player. After retiring, he was named chairman of the club in 2006 and even had a brief stint as manager before taking a back seat and returning to his upstairs role.
Whilst he had plenty of tough decisions to make as chairman, a post he held until 2011, one thing he definitely would have kiboshed is the offer of a documentary centred around the club. Part of this comes from having starred in one previously; Quinn was a Sunderland player when the BBC filmed 'Premier Passions', which chronicled the club's relegation from the top flight in the 1996-97 campaign.
Speaking to Mirror Football , he said: "As brave as the Netflix documentary was for exposing the club to a global audience and showing exactly what the club means to Sunderland, it's a double-edged sword.
"For those who were making mistakes during that period, it was very polarised and very public. I would have hated to have cameras anywhere near me because I made lots of mistakes in the same role.
"I know how tough that must have been to see it played before the world's eyes, after the event. I was part of one (documentary) many, many years ago called Premier Passions. Sometimes nowadays at 4am it comes on weird channels!
"It was up close and personal and I think after every game we played Peter Reid (manager) and Bobby Saxton (assistant) made up new swear words to call us! It became infamous.
"I never wanted to be involved in a situation with film crews like that again. When I was Sunderland chairman I would have probably have been in a position to turn it down (Netflix series). Obviously it didn't come our way, it came afterwards of course. But they decided to go for it and it was brilliant marketing-wise. My pals in America talk about and want to know if another one is coming out."
At present, there are no any plans for a third instalment of the Netflix smash hit, but if cameras had been present for this season, they would have had the perfect setting for a Hollywood ending this weekend.
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The Black Cats are in the League One play-off final against Wycombe at Wembley. With around 45,000 Sunderland fans making the trip down, it promises to be a special occasion. And Quinn hopes his old side can finally start to climb back up the leagues after four seasons in the third tier - and end their play-off hoodoo at the seventh attempt.
"Sunderland fans, people who have worked at the club - they've had it tough," he added. "But that can all be forgotten about on Saturday. The excitement is building up. We've been here before of course, and I hope I'm right, but this feels different this time."
