Police have questioned nearly a dozen people suspected of selling dodgy devices used to illegally stream premium channels cheaply.

One person was arrested and ten others were interviewed under caution as part of a major crackdown on gadgets such as popular Amazon Fire TV Sticks that have been modified by criminals.

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Fire Sticks give users instant access to TV shows from a range of paid streaming apps, such as Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+.

However, people often get versions with unofficial apps on them that provide free or cheap access to premium channels.

We send a clear message that this will not be tolerated

Detective Chief Inspector Emma WarbeyLondon City Police

The City of London Police’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) has carried out a week-long campaign in partnership with anti-piracy organization FACT.

All 11 people questioned are accused of selling equipment that provides illegal access to premium TV content, such as live Premier League matches on Sky Sports.

Officers traveled to various locations including Portsmouth, Wales, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Leeds, Manchester and Bury to conduct interviews.

Although the main police investigation focuses on sellers, those who buy custom streaming gadgets have been warned that they face several potentially devastating consequences, including data theft, fraud and malware.

“Illegal streaming is a major problem for the industry and although it may appear to be a low-risk, high-reward crime, the proceeds are used to fund other serious forms of criminal activity,” said Police Chief Inspector Emma Warbey. Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) at the City of London Police.

“At the same time, it can expose end users to the risks of data theft, fraud and malware.

‘By targeting grassroots sellers we are sending a clear message that this will not be tolerated.

“PIPCU will continue to work with law enforcement and industry partners to take action against those offering illegal streaming services and protect consumers from the risks associated with their use.”

All 11 people questioned by officers were given a conditional warning, requiring them to cease their activities and shut down their advertising and social media channels.

A conditional warning gives a person a record in the police system and if they do not comply with the terms of the warning they will go to court and face further prosecution.

Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT, added: “The success achieved by this targeted operation is directly attributable to the excellent efforts and strong support of PIPCU.

“Implementing these measures has sent a strong message: piracy is a criminal act that is treated with the utmost seriousness.

“We remain vigilant in monitoring platforms including modified firesticks that promote and distribute illegal streams, and take decisive action against those selling illegal access to premium TV content.

“FACT and its partners are committed to disrupting these criminal operations and non-compliance will result in further law enforcement action.”

Last year, fraudster Steven Mills, 58, from Shrewsbury, was jailed for two and a half years for modified ‘Firesticks’ through a private Facebook group.

His organization received more than £1 million in five years.

A number of suspected sellers have recently received a ‘cease and desist’ letter.

Donald Trump moved closer to a rematch with Joe Biden in November when he defeated Nikki Haley, his last rival for the Republican nomination, on Super Tuesday.

The former president, 77, dominated the biggest day of primaries. He won 11 states by 9:30 p.m., leaving the former South Carolina governor’s dreams of the White House hanging by a thread.

Trump quickly won overwhelming victories in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Maine, Alabama, Massachusetts, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado and Minnesota.

Haley is still clinging to a glimmer of hope in Vermont, where she is neck-and-neck with Trump with about half the votes counted.

Elsewhere, she didn’t come close as Trump, the runaway Republican frontrunner, headed full steam ahead into the November general election.

The results of Super Tuesday cemented his absolute control over the Republican Party and led to increasing calls for Haley to quit the race.

Meanwhile, Biden is making gains on the Democratic side as polls close across the country. He faces only token opposition for his party’s presidential nomination.

And Trump’s string of victories on Tuesday night will make it virtually impossible mathematically for Haley to catch the former president.

Tuesday’s elections will award more than a third of Republican delegates — and more than 70% of the number needed to secure the nomination.

Haley pledged to stay in the race until the Super Tuesday contests but has made no other promises, and her campaign has no public events planned on Tuesday or beyond.

She is at her home in South Carolina and will not make any public comments. Trump is expected to address supporters at Mar-a-Lago later Tuesday evening.

Biden will be kept informed of the election results by his staff throughout the night, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Both the Biden and Trump camps are preparing for a rematch, tooThe earliest nominations for his party are March 12 for Trump and March 19 for Biden.

But after Tuesday, the battle for the general election will effectively begin. Both men are ready.

“We have to beat Biden — he’s the worst president in history,” Trump told Fox & Friends on Tuesday.

“If we lose this election, you’re going to come back to Donald Trump,” Biden said on the DeDe in the Morning radio show in North Carolina. “The way he talks, the way he acted, the way he treated the African-American community, I think it’s a disgrace.”

However, voters appear unenthusiastic about a repeat of the 2020 election, which Biden won and Trump wrongly claimed victory. Polls show that a majority of voters wanted an option other than Biden or Trump.

So now each campaign will have to focus on rallying their supporters and convincing independent voters to come to the polls this November.

And the candidates will hit the road to make their case to the American people.

On Saturday, Biden and Trump will hold separate campaign events in Georgia, a critical battleground state. No interaction is expected from them.

Biden became the first Democrat since Bill Clinton to win Georgia in 2020. Trump was convinced he had won the country and now faces federal and state charges over his efforts to overturn the results there.

A MUM-OF-11 has sparked a heated debate after sharing a heartwarming video of her youngest child on Instagram.

Being a mother to a huge brood is no easy task. That's why Brenda Martin makes sure her children do the dishes and serve them breakfast.

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While the days can certainly be stressful, Brenda recently revealed that there is a special someone in the family who always cares for her the most: her youngest daughter.

The mother – who has five strict rules for all her children to follow – recently posted to Instagram a clip that “pays tribute to her kindness.”

According to Brenda, who regularly shares parenting-related content her pagethe youngest of the family 'voluntarily does sweet things, such as preparing a nice warm bath' for her mother.

Serving a delicious breakfast consisting of fresh strawberries, a fried egg with some toast and a glass of refreshing juice is also something the child has done in the past – and Brenda really appreciates it.

''Not to say kids #1-10 aren't great. We cannot imagine life without them and cherish them all immensely,” the mother told her 130,000 followers on the platform.

“But our youngest has surprised us with more acts of service than I can count, so this is a tribute to her kindness.”

She continued, “And this is also to make a point. If we had listened to the naysayers and those who ridiculed, we wouldn't have so many precious souls as part of our family.

“Extra blessings come with 'extra' children!”

But despite the beautiful message, the video sparked fierce debate as people remained divided by the youngest child's actions.

A fellow mom said, “I don't mean to be mean but she's probably doing that to get noticed.

“The only reason I regret not having more children is because I hate being an empty nest and not having anyone to care for, but those are very selfish reasons.”

Luckily, the comments section was mostly positive, as friendly viewers rushed to hit back at trolls and meanies.

One parent said, “Every time I get some weird, backhanded comment about the number of kids I have, I'm so tempted to say, 'Which one shouldn't be here?'

''To (the outside world) they see them as numbers and any number greater than four is looked down upon.

For us, they are unique individuals worthy of the world!''

''Precisely! How can you say no to another blessing?'' chimed in another.

Another mother wrote: ''Our #11 & #12 are two heroes of our family and I can't imagine life without them either!! Totally agree!''

But how does Brenda keep the house running smoothly? Earlier last year, the mother revealed the five most important rules for all her children to follow.

Not only do her children have to prepare their own breakfast, but the family also eats lunch and dinner buffet style.

I'm not the nanny. We are a team

Brenda Martinmother of 11

Brenda also refuses to 'provide meals by serving dishes at the table' and by the age of eight everyone has to do laundry.

Last but certainly not least, the parent also hands out the daily and weekly household chores.

“And I'm not the nanny… we're a team.

“They help carry the load and feel so needed and appreciated!”

MILLIONS of broadband, mobile and TV customers will be hit by huge bill increases within weeks.

This is because telecom providers usually increase the prices of their contracts in the spring.

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Providers typically increase their prices annually based on the inflation rate plus up to 3.9% more.

The December CPI figure (4%) or the January RPI figure (4.9%) are used by many mobile and broadband companies to increase prices.

The increases will take effect from March 31 to April 1 for millions of customers.

This means that the new rate will take effect from your next invoice after that date.

The increase will impact customers even if they have signed a fixed price contract.

This is because many companies have included price increases halfway through the contract in their general terms and conditions.

Exactly how much more you have to pay depends on how much your bill is now.

Under new proposals from Ofcom, providers could in future be banned from linking price rises to runaway inflation rates.

The regulator said mobile and broadband customers were hit with interim contract increases, which they found difficult to understand.

Instead, providers are encouraged to explicitly state the exact amount in pounds and pence.

Below we announce how much prices will increase in the spring at 11 different providers.

BT

BT, which has around 30 million customers, has confirmed it will increase its prices for most of BT's broadband, fixed, mobile and TV users.

These customers will see an increase of 7.9%, consisting of the December CPI figure plus 3.9%.

This will take place from March 31.

BT said: “Most of our customers can expect an increase of a few pounds per month, around the price of a takeaway coffee per month.”

From the summer, BT said it will abandon mid-contract price increases linked to inflation, and will instead increase prices in pounds and pence.

Marc Allera, head of BT Consumer, said mobile customers will see mid-contract price increases “of £1.50”, while broadband customers will face increases of “£3”.

EE

EE, owned by the BT group, will also increase prices for most of its 25 million customers.

Every year it adjusts the prices of its products and services in accordance with the CPI plus 3.9%.

Most BT broadband, landline and mobile users will be affected.

It means that prices will increase by 7.9% from March 31.

Plusnet

Every year Plusnet adjusts the prices of its products and services in line with the December CPI figure plus 3.9%.

It means that broadband and landline customers who are not within the minimum term of a 'fixed price contract' will see their bills increase by 7.9%.

But those within the minimum term of a fixed price contract will only see their call costs increase by 7.9%.

Shell

Shell will adjust the prices of its products and services in line with the December CPI figure plus 2%.

It means that broadband and landline customers who signed up before January 22, 2024 will see their bills increase by 6%.

Broadband and fixedline users who signed up on or from January 22, 2024, or users within the 12-month minimum term of a broadband or phone tariff, will not see their prices increase.

Sky Mobile

The majority of Sky Mobile's telephone rates have already increased.

On February 14, bills for the average Sky mobile customer without a contract rose by 3%.

But from April 1, broadband and TV users, including Sky Stream and Sky Glass users, will see their bills rise by an average of 6.7%.

Home phone users will also see their call costs per minute increase by 8%, from 25p to 27p per minute.

Small talk

TalkTalk customers will also pay more from April 1 this year.

Broadband and fixed line users will pay a total of 7.7% extra.

This uses the December CPI figure and an additional 3.7%.

Fixed Price Plus customers outside the minimum contract period pay 4% more as this is based on the December inflation rate only.

Three

Most of Three's broadband and mobile users will be affected by price increases.

The company will increase costs by 7.9% from April 1.

A spokesperson for Three UK said: “This year our contract customers whose bills will increase will see an average price increase of less than £1.50 per month.

'The increases reflect the inflationary pressures we face as a business, including energy prices, supplier increases and higher staff costs.

“Despite this change, our prices remain some of the most competitive in the market and we have a range of support, including a social tariff through SMARTY, available for customers struggling with their finances.”

Virgin media 02

Virgin Media O2 also confirmed that prices will increase from April 1.

Most pay-monthly and SIM-only users with mobile phones or other gadgets are likely to be affected.

The company uses January's inflation index plus 3.9% to determine mid-contract price increases.

And with January's consumer price index at 4.9%, that means millions will see their bills rise by 8.8%.

Virgin customers will see their bills increase by an average of £4.16 per month, or £49.92 per year.

For example, a Big Bundle customer currently paying £31.99 per month will see their new bill rise to £34.81 – an increase of £2.82 per month, or less than 10p per day.

Meanwhile, O2 customers will see their bills increase, but the price increase will only apply to the airtime portion of your bill.

You pay this for minutes, text messages and data.

The increase will not be applied to device subscriptions (what you pay for your device).

O2 said this means the average price increase will be 5%.

But customers whose plans started before March 25, 2021 will see prices increase due to the RPI alone.

If you are on a social broadband and mobile tariff, you will not see an increase in your bills as Virgin Media O2 has frozen these rates.

Vodafone

From April 1, Vodafone will also increase prices by 7.9% for half of its customers.

It says this equates to a few extra pounds per month.

But the company, which has more than 18 million customers, says it will continue to consult with Ofcom on changes to how interim contract increases are set.

A spokesperson said: “We fully support providing clarity and choice to customers, and we will continue to work with Ofcom as they finalize their plans.”

How much will my bill increase by?

Your internet provider or mobile network should contact you to let you know how much your bills will increase in the coming weeks.

If you're a BT, EE, TalkTalk, Vodafone or Three customer, there's an easy way to determine how much more you'll pay in the spring.

For example, if you want to know what 7.9% of your current monthly bill is, you can use an online percentage calculator.

Then add that to your current bill. This is how you will receive your new monthly payment.

To determine your annual costs, multiply that total amount by 12.

How can I save on my telecom costs?

The easiest way to save more of your hard-earned money is to switch suppliers when your contract expires.

If you have exceeded the minimum term of your contract, you do not have to pay cancellation fees. You may be able to find a cheaper deal elsewhere.

You may be charged exit fees if the contract period is still running.

But don't just switch contracts because the price is lower than you pay now.

Check how much speed you need for broadband, how many minutes and texts you need and how much data you use on your mobile to find out which plan suits you best.

Use comparison websites such as MoneySupermarket and Uswitch to compare the best rates and phone prices.

If you're happy with your provider, it might be worth using your research to negotiate a better deal as well.

The first thing you need to do is find out what the cheapest deal is on the market.

You can use this rate as a negotiating tool to get a better offer from your provider.

Contact your provider to see if they can match this rate. If not, you might want to switch.

For more ways to reduce your phone bill, we have eight tips to reduce costs.

In the meantime, here's the full list of household bills set to rise by up to £370 in 2024 – and how you can avoid paying more.

In addition, millions of people will experience tax changes in 2024 that will affect both their income and savings.

• READ NORMAL: New theory after four students disappeared

By Daily Mail Australia Reporter

Published: 07:51 EST, January 30, 2024 | Updated: 09:11 EST, January 30, 2024

Having two children – one of which is a newborn – can be challenging enough.

So spare a thought for a woman named Ashley, who got the shock of her life after experiencing a cryptic pregnancy… and welcomed another child just 11 months after her last.

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The mum-of-three explained how her son was born on February 4, while her surprise baby arrived on December 27, meaning they are Irish twins – a pair of siblings born less than 12 months apart.

Ashley experienced no symptoms and had a so-called cryptic pregnancy – when medical testing methods fail to detect a pregnancy and the usual symptoms such as vomiting, menstruation and the appearance of a bump do not occur.

In a clip shared to TikTok, she wrote, “When you have a cryptic pregnancy and your baby is in the bathroom during Christmas break in Florida, you call your sister to tell her she has a new stretch.”

Ashley is then seen Facetiming her sister and pointing the camera at her surprise baby.

Confused when the newborn appears, her sister asks, “Who the hell is that? Hello?”

Ashley can be heard laughing in amusement as she announces, “That's your new niece!”

In disbelief, her sister asks, “I'm sorry, what?” What did you just say to me? You are lying.'

The mother of three responds, “I swear to God!”

Ashley captioned the post: “Shocked is an understatement (for everyone).”

The post quickly went viral and received a whopping 26.3 million views and several comments terribly intrigued social media users.

“Was it stressful having to get everything you needed on such short notice?” one asked.

Ashley responded, “Thankfully, friends and family really stepped up to help.”

A second asked: “Was the baby not full term??? or premature.”

Ashley replied: “We're not sure. They think she is full-term based on her height, but without ultrasounds it is impossible to tell.”

A third commented: “But you and the baby are okay? That must have been an experience for you! Make sure you take the time to practice self-care. Trauma comes in all forms and you will have to deal with it .”

The mother of three replied: “Thank you! It was definitely a shock and an adjustment. Getting used to our new 'normal' and learning to build a bond.”

Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “I was a year old today when I discovered cryptic pregnancies existed! Also…congratulations!”

Another wrote: “This is why I take random pregnancy tests for no reason.”

And another added: “I had an 8th grade English teacher who had a cryptic pregnancy. She had the baby in the teacher's lounge bathroom.”

Eleven members of the same family, spanning three generations, work in an award-winning fish and chip shop.

If you walk into J-Henry's Fish & Chips, in Hedge End, Hampshire, there's a good chance you'll be served by a member of the Lee family.

Known as the “Codfather,” Shane Lee, 59, employs not only his wife and four children, but also his five teenage grandchildren, ages 13 to 15.

He founded the company 36 years ago and it has never left the family. His son Sonny explained that 'you're born into it' and 'as soon as you're old enough you're in the chippy'.

Now eleven members of the Lee family proudly man the counters and fryers, serving battered cod and peeling, chopping and frying potatoes.

The books feature Mr Lee, his wife Beverley, 60, and their four children: sons John-Henry, 41, and Sonny, 29, and daughters Ellie, 38, and Charlotte, 25.

Grandchildren Scarlett Harris, 15, Charmaine, 13, Betsy, 13, and Sienna Harris, 13, also work at the chippy alongside Sonny's stepson Brook Ayles, 15.

The young people receive their uniform and are put to work from the age of eleven, in shifts around school hours.

Mr Lee said: “It's mainly family, but we have about 16 employees now. For me, those are my children and grandchildren. It's beautiful.

'You don't see these kinds of family businesses anymore these days. Every now and then we have a fight, but usually it's a joke and usually it's all good.'

'We all have a good working relationship. Some families can't work together, but it seems to work for us.'

The chippy owner, who processes 100 tonnes of crisps a year, estimates his family has served more than a million portions of crisps since he opened his doors in 1988.

He was only 23 when he bought the shop – named after his son John-Henry – but already had experience in the industry, having worked at a chippy in London from the age of 14.

Customers have been visiting the 'true family-oriented' chippy for more than 20 years and even exchange Christmas cards with the Lee family because they appreciate the friendly service.

Mr Lee revealed: 'When we do staff parties, or Christmas parties and Secret Santas, things like that with family, I'm usually 'The Codfather himself, Shane Lee'.

However, the 59-year-old is looking forward to taking a backseat to the business and watching his two sons John-Henry and Sonny take over.

He said: “I'm glad it's going from strength to strength and the boys are picking up where I left off.

“I don't see it slowing down in the future so they can keep it going and continue to be successful. I'm looking forward to the future.'

Mr Lee said that with the “current decline in the high street”, being open for so long while competing with fast food chains such as McDonalds and KFC is “an achievement in itself”.

He added: “When we first came here there was none of that stuff, none of the big boys were here, but now we have them all as competition. But of course we are still here, the proof is in the pudding.'

Sonny said the family values ​​a strong work ethic: “Once you can lift a bag of spuds and are tall enough to look over the counter without standing on an oil chest, you're old enough to serve.”

John-Henry's two other daughters, Olivia-Rai, six, and Isla, two, have even been given their own mini chippy uniform, in a teaser of their future.

Sonny said: “The whole immediate family is now involved in fish and chips. It's all about good food and friendly service.

“I know the names of three-quarters of our customers and I know their families and you become friends with them – I know most of their orders.”

J-Henry's has been awarded a Good Food Award for 2023/24, and is recognized for its good quality food, friendly service and locally sourced produce.

It has also been awarded an Elite Hygiene Award – the highest hygiene rating that can be awarded – for meeting hygiene standards at three separate inspections over eight years.

The Lee family also own another chippy in Hedge End called The Codfather, but this is under different management.

Among 2023’s most surprising storylines was that of Wrexham, the lower-tier Welsh club whose fortunes under celebrity American ownership have been chronicled in the series “Welcome to Wrexham.” Though the show was initially released in 2022, its popularity grew exponentially in this subsequent year. The result? An heretofore unseen number of real-life marketing and tour opportunities for the lower-division club that might never have existed before.

One can read the rise of Wrexham as one of the more extreme examples of the impact of a football documentary. Executed well, these works don’t just offer behind-the-scenes looks at teams and players or reveal stories we hadn’t seen before – they give you an entirely new avenue of connection to the game we all know and love.

So with that in mind, here are 11 suggestions from our global football staff on good things to watch, emphasizing new(ish) works or those that resonate especially well at the tail end of 2023.

Bear in mind that these are recommendations, not a best-of list. By all means, drop your favorites in the comments.

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Super League: The War for Football

Released: 2023

How to watch: Apple TV

In our post-“The Last Dance” society, there are a few hallmarks that have become essential to a good sports documentary — and this four-part Apple TV docuseries checks every box. Transposing very relatable drama onto the unrelatable greats of sport? Check – You see Juventus chair Andrea Agnelli navigating behind longtime friend and UEFA head honcho Aleksander Čeferin’s back. Memorable talking head segments from the main people involved? Yep – Along with those two, Florentino Pérez and Nasser Al-Khelaifi make star turns as rich football owners-turned-supporting actors. A meticulously curated soundtrack? Indeed – Few documentaries can match one specific Talking Heads cue at a crucial moment.

History is told by the victors, and this documentary certainly skews toward the anti-Super League camp headed by Čeferin and the romantic idealists around soccer. As the sport continues to launch new competitions and further fracture the schedule of events, it’s important context about one of the most insane stretches the club side of the sport has seen in recent memory. It’s also relevant to current events in the U.S. and in Europe, as MLS tries to leave behind the century-old Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and talk of a Super League was revived somewhat after a European court decision. – Jeff Rueter

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One Team, One Dream: This is Chelsea

Released: 2022

How to watch: DAZN via YouTube

I don’t want you to feel like I’m assigning you homework over the Christmas break, but USWNT fans who might not know the incoming head coach Emma Hayes should queue up DAZN’s six-part docu-series on Hayes’s leadership at Chelsea, focused specifically on 2019 to 2021. While it may not be precisely up-to-date, it’s a fascinating look behind the curtain with a ton of insight into how Hayes leads her club team.

Knowing what we know now about how successful Sam Kerr has been with Chelsea, it’s also somewhat hilarious to revisit her signing and entrance into the team. But far more revealing is how a club team adapts to a superstar signing and the tensions it can create amongst the original roster. (One charming moment: Hayes asking Kerr in her first team meeting if she’s willing to dog-sit for everyone else on the team.)

I won’t (retroactively) spoil the conclusion of the documentary and the result of the 2021 UEFA Women’s Champion League final, but in a way, the arc of this series reminds me a bit of “Under Pressure,” the USWNT doc on Netflix. (Okay, maybe that just spoiled it, sorry.) The day-to-day environment of Chelsea isn’t exactly the same as that of the USWNT Hayes will enter next May, but I can’t imagine her fundamental approach to managing players will be very different.

Oh, and one other reason why it won’t feel like homework? Just how much use DAZN makes of the bleep button. – Meg Linehan

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Graham Taylor: An Impossible Job

Released: 1994

How to watch: YouTube

There will never be another documentary like this. Forget the over-sanitized nonsense that they sell you as ‘warts and all’ these days. This was nothing but warts. No one had editorial control over this show except the editors, which is exactly as it should be. England manager Graham Taylor, a good man in an increasingly bad situation, is slowly beaten down by the press, the fans and his own team’s fitful efforts to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

It’s a difficult watch at times, Taylor is clearly suffering, but his dignity, kindness and class shines through. It’s a masterpiece, a harrowing time capsule of the game before all the money arrived and if you don’t choke up with tears during Taylor’s speech before the crucial clash with the Netherlands, then I don’t even want to know you.  – Iain Macintosh

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Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story

Released: 2023

How to watch: Hulu (US), Disney+ (UK)

This documentary delivers a three-episode stare into a hardy believable – and perhaps to some, slightly trivial – moment in British popular culture. It’s………. Coleen Rooney, wife of former England and Manchester United footballer Wayne Rooney, who guides us through the story of how she became an iconic internet detective nicknamed “Wagatha Christie.”

Coleen has watched her life play out in the press since her days as a schoolgirl in Croxteth, Liverpool after her then-boyfriend Wayne made his Premier League debut for Everton at the age of 16. This real-life soap opera takes us from a Caffe Nero in Cheshire by Land Rover to the nearby Rooney mansion back to Coleen’s Croxteth beginnings and all the way to a High Court trial at the Royal Courts of Justice. The documentary form of going down an Instagram rabbit hole, and one in my opinion worth a scroll. – Caoimhe O’Neill

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Sunderland ‘Til I Die

Released: 2018 (season 1)

How to watch: Netflix

Rob McElhenney has never been shy in explaining how he ended up the part-owner of a modest football club in north Wales. Lockdown had forced the world to watch boxsets in the spring of 2020 and among the recommendations he had been given was the tragicomic series “Sunderland ‘Til I Die.”

Part football documentary, part social study, it follows two of the worst seasons in the history of Sunderland AFC, first when relegated from the Championship and then when beaten twice in Wembley finals.

It ought to be miserable and morose, especially when the finales to both series end with tears and suffering, but those 14 episodes are an illustration of what football means to so many thousands in good times and bad. Somehow, improbably, it ends an uplifting watch thanks to the contributions of long-suffering fans, like Peter the no-nonsense cabbie.

Sunderland was an open book to producers and fly-on-the-wall content that followed the protagonists, like directors Martin Bain, Stewart Donald and Charlie Methven, captured scenes most clubs would hide away. The deadline day pursuit of striker Will Grigg, overpriced and ill-advised, is still best watched behind slatted fingers, as is Methven’s quest to make the Stadium of Light “a bit Ibiza” with a revamped pre-match playlist.

There is uplifting news… A shortened third series is in the can and coming to Netflix in the opening months of 2024, with Sunderland’s overdue promotion out of League One the central thread. The happy ending secured. – Philip Buckingham

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The Three Kings

Released: 2020

How to watch: Prime Video (UK)

Jonny Owen’s portrait of the careers and lasting influence of Jock Stein, Matt Busby and Bill Shankly has a somber sincerity that so many modern documentaries lack. It has no real agenda, either, because it has nothing to sell. Instead, as well as faithfully retelling their bodies of work at Celtic, Manchester United and Liverpool, it studies the people behind three of the most compelling personalities that British football has ever known.

Stein, Busby and Shankly came from similar places. Geographically and sociologically. But they wrote their respective legends in different ways and “Three Kings” is a tender and, at times, affecting examination of how they exerted influence on their teams, their times, but also their cities. It’s essential; they altered those local cultures permanently. – Seb Stafford-Bloor

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Higuita: The Way of the Scorpion

Released: 2023

How to watch: Netflix

I’m going to be honest here: I don’t watch a lot of football documentaries or series. I haven’t watched Sunderland ‘Til I Die, Ted Lasso or Welcome to Wrexham. The David Beckham documentary? I started it but I haven’t finished it. I tend to disconnect from the sport that I cover when I peruse Netflix. Horror and crime dramas are my preference. However, I did recently watch Higuita: The Way of the Scorpion.

As the title suggests, the documentary tells the story of former Colombia international goalkeeper René Higuita, one of modern football’s most charismatic personalities. The film features Higuita, his family and many of his former teammates from the 1990s, which was a golden age for Colombian football. Of course, the documentary reveals the origin of his unorthodox scorpion kick, which he debuted during a 1995 friendly versus England at Wembley Stadium.

What many viewers may not know about Higuita’s past is his admitted friendly relationship with infamous Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar or the kidnapping scandal that sent him to prison and forced him to miss Colombia’s 5-0 World Cup qualifying win over Argentina in 1993, as well as the 1994 World Cup. Higuita also discusses his proudest achievement: the creation of the “Higuita Rule,” which curtailed time wasting and changed the back pass to the goalkeeper for good.  – Felipe Cardenas

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Maradona in Mexico

Released: 2019

How to watch: Netflix

The series is entertaining, chaotic, and entirely bingeable, with sounds of cumbia sprinkled throughout. It brings the viewer through Diego Maradona’s time as manager of Dorados de Sinaloa, a second-tier, lowly-ranked team in Mexico that’s fighting for promotion back into Liga MX. It’s as much a redemption story for the club as it is for Maradona, who finds himself coaching in Culiacán, Mexico’s drug capital.

What I love most about this series is it offers raw access to Maradona in one of his final chapters before his untimely death. You watch Maradona’s health visibly decline. At one point he calls himself the loneliest man in the world. There’s a scene where he’s watching his beloved Boca Juniors in the clubhouse, and another where he’s griping about the pitch. After every big win, the team sings together, with a tiny Maradona jumping alongside his squad. It’s a marked change from the Maradona you see through much of the eponymous Netflix documentary directed by Asif Kapadia, which is also excellent.

If nothing else, this is a compelling watch for any football nerd who wants to learn more about an oft-forgotten chapter in the life of one of the sports’ biggest personalities. – Melanie Anzidei

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When Eagles Dare

Released: 2021

How to watch: Prime Video

Not to be confused with the 1968 war film “Where Eagles Dare” starring Clint Eastwood, this is an inspirational and uplifting insight into a rollercoaster season at English club Crystal Palace.

In 2013, three years after being on the edge of extinction, they were within touching distance of the Premier League. With local businessman-done-good Steve Parish in charge (he still co-owns the club, alongside Americans Josh Harris, David Blitzer and John Textor), club legend Dougie Freedman as manager and academy youngster Wilfried Zaha starring on the pitch, it was going so well… until it wasn’t.

This is not the whitewashed, airbrushed, over-edited “All or Nothing” series. This is gritty, heart-wrenching, and honest. It’s a classic underdog story about how an unlikely, rag-tag group of misfits and free agents with an incredible team spirit came together to take the blue-collar south London club to the brink of the promised land (I won’t spoil the ending).

Come for the real-life Ted Lasso team AFC Richmond, stay for Irish hardman Damien Delaney’s tears, a sweary speech in the fan lounge and a deeply authentic look behind the curtain at one of the sport’s historic clubs. – Max Mathews

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Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos

Released: 2006

How to watch: Rent/buy on multiple platforms

At one point in this documentary about perhaps the iconic club in American men’s soccer history, an interviewee mentions that for soccer in the U.S., “there was before Pele, and after Pele.”

It’s a quote that has remarkable resonance in 2023, the year when Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas proclaimed to multiple outlets that for MLS, there would be “before and after Lionel Messi.”

Parallels like that are impossible not to think about when watching “Once in a Lifetime,” a fast-paced and at times hilarious documentary about the rise and fall of the Cosmos. Pele’s arrival to the United States is a huge storyline here, with key figures expanding upon what it took to get him to play in the U.S. at a time when the nation was a true footballing backwater. It’s interesting to see which key elements remain with Messi (including corporate media influence, big personalities and money. A lot of money.)

Overall, the documentary is a fascinating document of a moment in time, when the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Carlos Alberto, and the inimitable (and occasionally nude) Shep Messing were the toast of the town and the life of the party in New York City. The soundtrack is excellent and nobody can agree on exactly what happened – the truest signs of a good party. – Alexander Abnos

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Under Pressure

Released: 2023

How to watch: Netflix

It’s not exactly the feel-good film of the season, but Netflix’s USWNT World Cup docuseries provides a strange sense of closure to a dark period in the team’s journey. Plus, you can see The Athletic’s Meg Linehan discuss the obstacles the U.S. faced.

You won’t leave the four-part viewing experience with a lot of answers to why the U.S. failed to make it past the round of 16 for the first time in team history, but you will see the emotion and character of some of its players. Lynn Williams shares tearful testimonies about what it means to finally make it on the team after years of being on the outside looking in. Alyssa Thompson shares her family with the audience, as cameras follow her to a family gathering as they find out the 18-year-old is going to her first World Cup. Kristie Mewis and Sam Kerr give a sneak peek into the next chapter of their story on and off the field, which we now know includes an engagement and a move to West Ham United for Mewis.

“I wanted to tell the story of these individual experiences, which as a whole become the narrative of the story,” director Rebecca Gitlitz told The Athletic.

In a tournament many would otherwise love to forget, Under Pressure tells the story of life. It doesn’t always have the fairy tale ending, but that doesn’t make it any less impactful. – Emily Olsen

(Top photos: Getty Images) 

By Sam Joseph Semon for Dailymail.com

Published: 7:44 PM EST, December 23, 2023 | Updated: 10:25 EST, December 24, 2023