Here I am going to take a look at the best English football manager movies to watch for all those wanting a trip down memory lane and a true feel for English football culture.
(3) Mike Bassett: England Manager (2001)
A lot has changed in English football since 2001, but this film has a distinctly timeless appeal to it. A comedic representation of what was once thought of as one of the toughest jobs in the country you'll find no short supply of hilarious gags delivered in its earlier stages, as well as some awkward and disastrous moments peppered throughout.
It's shot in a mockumentary style, which works well, though it is a little silly. It's got cameos from celebrities as far afield as Atomic Kitten as well as gags that send up footballing stereotypes, though to varying degrees of success.
(2) The Damned United (2009)
Though some films here are less enjoyable for non-football fans, The Damned United has a much broader appeal. This is a truly captivating look at Brian Clough's time as a reluctant manager of Leeds in 1974.
Football fans will know immediately the fate of the team as well as its manager (let's just say it's not a story of unbridled victory nor a tale of success), but that's not the point. Michael Sheen puts in what remains as the performance of his career in this well-constructed and gritty look at life and Leeds in the 1970s.
(1) I Believe in Miracles (2015)
A look back at football in the 1970's and 80's now, with a film that tells the story of a Nottingham Forest team in its glory days. Specifically, we're talking about their victory in the 1979 and 1980 European Cups. These back-to-back victories were achieved under the guidance of Brian Clough and assistant Peter Taylor.
This film is captivating largely because of the way it is constructed. It intersperses modern interview footage with actual footage from the 70's and 80's, resulting in an highly captivating and nostalgic journey that should take Nottingham Forest fans back to the glory days.