Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues

Steven Knight is a great storyteller. I love the way he's entwined Brady's mental toughness with the "toughness" of a working class city, Peaky Blinders ( Link to the Zulus who "took on "racisim in 1970's) and the winning mentality Knighthead are looking to instill. Birmingham being multi cultural has important role to play in the increasingly divise world we live in. The Brady12 brand will ensure this continues.

Like Wrexham and Sunderland till I die before it Brady and the Blues delves into a unique look at a sleeping giant.

A British soccer club in peril Brady and co walk into to an insane environment of hooliganism, decay and grit ... looking to change its fortunes around.

It's not all plain sailing and the challenges come thick and fast especially in episode 1.

A fish out of water story but a worthwhile incite non the less.

The comparison to Welcome to Wrexham is obvious, and it is also obvious that is where Built in Birmingham goes wrong.

Welcome to Wrexham - from day one - had a huge amount of community engagement, including both the owners constantly doing things for/with the community and the community playing a huge part of the story itself.

It almost (not quite) made the sporting side of the story secondary, it became a "human story of struggle" which touched our heartstrings.

It works because the Wrexham owners seem genuine, it seems like they care about these people for real.

Built in Birmingham tries to copy that, but it doesn't work, and it doesn't work because Tom Brady is a very different animal.

He's not an entertainer, there is no softness in him, he is a completely driven competitor, where anything that detracts from driving towards the goal is a waste of time.

THAT should be the driving force for the show, that should be the perspective.

When you try to fit him into the Welcome to Wrexham mold, he doesn't fit, and the whole thing comes across as awkward and disingenuous.

If they do a season 2 - and I hope they do if they take my advice - they need to change direction completely.

Don't include the fans, don't include the community, make it wholly about the drive to reach results, with Tom Brady being the driving force for the show, together with the main back office characters, the manager and the players.

That would be far more interesting.

Really good documentary of the highs and lows of Birmingham Citys last couple of seasons. Does not go into great detail about the matches but some interesting insights into the direction the club has gone and the characters/thought processes.

One highlight was Jay Stansfield family story though quite sad, his mum was so proud. He came across really well and was showed respect for his former club.

The documentary was put together with some snippets from Peaky Blinders, a dose of self deprication from the fans and found it was not just generic football club story.

Think Tom Brady and Chris Davies came across as professional whilst showing what drives them, and really enjoyed the 5 episodes.

You're reminded, once again, love him or hate him, why Tom Brady is The GOAT! Electrifying story and backdrop. Go Birmingham and Peaky Blinders. Sit back and enjoy the comeback kids and watch why success is earned and not given. Great documentary, intense, you feel the pain and suffering but you rejoice in the winning and glory. It's no wonder why soccer fandom is the best in the world.