Schweedie

Yeah, there's no doubt Grealish has been an inspiration. I pointed to him and said "look, there's Jamie" and my mum was like, 'oh my god that really does look like him!' He even had those blond highlights at one point. (Sorry, they were probably walnut mist, too.) I see your point that they could've fleshed out Ted's reason for going better, but I've never expected the show to end in any other way than with him going back home. That makes complete sense to me. He presumably had a life back in Kansas before coming to England, although I agree they could've shown us that more, and he's clearly been homesick. He's never felt home in London, he was always going to be a Mary Poppins.

I didn't notice it being the same girl while watching, but that being the case coupled with Brendan Hunt's answer of "magic", this will be my take: the girl Rebecca saw in the mirror wasn't actually her own young self at all. It was another little girl somewhere, doing the same thing she did to feel strong and confident. I didn't much like BH's answer to the question about why Roy and Jamie regressed to fighting about Keeley: "men are dumb" and "Roy and Jamie's relationship was going too well" so they had to mess with it. The writers spent so much of the series refusing to fall back on tired clichés, yet that's where they go. And they wanted to subvert the love triangle trope by having Keeley choose no one in the end, when *actually* subverting that trope would've been to not create a love triangle where there wasn't one. Ugh.

Could be, of course, but I felt the same way about much of Sudeikis' acting in this episode. Ted just seemed off. Whether that was a character choice or Sudeikis just being tapped out himself, Ted's spark just wasn't quite there. A day later, this is still the thing that bothers me the most. Roy is a lot of things, but he's not manipulative. Like you say, Roy KNOWS his approval and friendship is important to Jamie and he outright used that, planned on using that from the moment he asked Jamie to hang out. It's ugly and I hate it - I would've felt better about it if he/the show had acknowledged afterwards how fucked up and manipulative that was and apologised, but nope. I keep thinking of when Brett Goldstein was on a talk show and said that from a writer's perspective he could get a bit protective of Roy as a character, and sometimes in the writer's room when someone suggested something he'd go "Roy wouldn't fucking say that". And yet somehow, he let them have Roy do this shit. And then Jamie responds in turn, which, okay, he's probably taken aback by this when he was just expecting a friendly hangout and they were just having a nice moment, but still, the guy who went and apologised to Keeley so genuinely about that video wouldn't use it to get back at Roy. I know growth and progress isn't linear and Roy and Jamie seem to be back on good terms after Keeley kicks them out, but it's not just regression here, it's being completely out of character. I didn't notice that! That's a good one. I remember thinking when that window moment happened that they should figure out a way to harness a shot that powerful, but I didn't see the ball going through the net coming.

I noticed that, too, and it made me sad.

"I didn't read this fucking book."

To be fair I understand better how they feel now. 😅 I cannot get over that they broke up our favourite couple off-screen in between seasons, made us think they got back together (and let us think that for a week), and then ended the show with them still broken up. I'm actually surprised at how gutted I am!

Ussie guy! He’s popped up several times during all three seasons. Roy and Keeley ended up at his house in the Christmas episode. :D

I think what annoys me most is that a lot of what came up in the finale is stuff I would've liked to actually *see*. I would love to see Richmond in the Champions League - I mean, they'll get their arses kicked, but I'd still like to see it. I want to see Sharon working at Richmond, and Roy actually getting HELP with working on himself instead of just battling on his own. I want to see how Sam beats Edwin Akufo's influence and makes the Nigeria national team in spite of everything. I would LOVE to see them work on setting up a women's Richmond team. This season spent so much time on things and characters that didn't matter or that maybe mattered to the showrunners and writers but many of us didn't care about, and then they throw in all of these "here are some great things that could happen but you don't get to see it because buh-bye" right at the end. This was a really great moment.

I cried many many times and there were things I loved, but overall think I... didn't really like it. Which bothers me, because there WERE so many great things: The Richmond players crying before kickoff. Rebecca selling part of the club to fans. Nate coming back as "assistant kit man", at least to begin with. Nice touch with Jamie putting in extra money this time instead of a piece of gum like he did the last time Nate went around the room with a box. Jamie reading The Beautiful and Damned. I cried. The decoy play and "I WANT THE BALL PLEASE" Keeley proposing a women's team. Roy opening up to the Diamond Dogs and actually going to therapy. Sharon being back at Richmond. Rebecca's happy ending. I know some think Dutch guy was unnecessary, but I loved their chemistry and I hoped he'd show up again. But for some reason the Keeley/Roy/Jamie thing ruined so much of it for me. Why did they end one episode with it looking like Keeley and Roy were back together only to walk it all the way back? I don't get it. And I was so happy when Roy said "Hey, Jamie" instead of "OI, TARTT!" (progress!) and asked him to go out and grab a beer, like friends do, and then it turned out it was just all an excuse for him to tell Jamie to back off with Keeley. That's just not fucking on. (ETA - and it coming after his whole spiel about being proud of Jamie, like he was buttering Jamie up, makes it even worse for me - it's feels manipulative and almost cruel, and that's nor Roy.) And Jamie telling Roy that video was for him? That's not your information to share, you twat. I absolutely hate that they left this bloody triangle unresolved, and I hate that they made it into a triangle to begin with. And I just really, really wanted a moment with Ted and Jamie. Jamie thanking Ted for giving him his second chance the year before to turn everything around, and Ted telling Jamie he's proud of him. I wanted more than that little nod in the dressing room. I hate that Richmond came in second, even though it was completely realistic. I'm just glad we didn't get to see the part where that news came through. I HATED Jamie's montage moment being reconnecting with his abusive dad. And I hated that it seemed so unclear if that montage was actually things that would happen, or just Ted dreaming.

Yeah. Man City would need to lose, and that's a big ask. I have this fear that they're going to do the thing that happened in 2012 when City won their first league title. It came down to the last day, when all the matches are played at the same time, and it was going to be City or Manchester United. United won their match while City were still a goal down in theirs with only a few minutes left, and the United fans were basically already celebrating the title when City suddenly scored two goals during stoppage time and overtook them. It was absolutely wild. And my heart will absolutely break if Richmond lose the title in that way.

I know very confusing, I should have written the whole thing out. The league they were just promoted from is called the English Football League Championship the elite league for the top 4 teams is called the Champions League. Think you may have quoted the wrong post. 😅

Well, I think Rebecca had her own money before the divorce, too - I remember Sassy saying her family was rich back in season one when she explained to Keeley where name "Stinky" came from. And Rebecca said her dad always bought her mum a very expensive apology present, like a Tesla, when he'd screwed up. Not quite, they're two entirely different things. The league Richmond were in last year was the Championship, which is the league below the Premier League. The Champions League isn't actually a league as such at all, it's the biggest of the European cups where the top clubs in Europe play, and a Very Big Deal. England has four spots, so the top four teams qualify. Having a scene where that's explained to Ted would be quite fun! "Hold on, now we WANT to make it to the Championship again? I thought only relegation got you that." "Champions LEAGUE. Very different. Played all over Europe." (ETA - it's played simultaneously with the regular league, so just means you play more matches over the season. First there's a group stage, and then the knockout stage with quarter finals, etc.)

Oh sure, there's Chelsea or Arsenal, or even Tottenham who have been making guest appearances in the top four more recently. But I guess it's possible that they just didn't want to be involved like that in the show, like you say.

This always bugged me, too. I never understood why they chose West Ham, who are pretty much what Richmond have been portrayed as in the show - been relegated and come back much like Richmond did, bouncing around mid-table and finishing 14th this year. Why not have Rupert buy an *actual* top club? I don't get it.

I never got the sense that Keeley and Jamie dated for all that long - I assumed they started dating after Jamie came to London from Manchester, and they seemed relatively casual, not quite on a "come back to Manchester and meet my mum" level. Yeah, there are, but it's not easy to get tickets for the away section if you're not actually an active member of the supporters club. The club is the one to distribute those. (I've wanted to go to matches when my team, which isn't local to me, ended up playing a local team in my country, but it was impossible to get tickets in their section and I didn't want to sit among the home fans flaunting my loyalties.) I agree that they might've chosen not to go because of Jamie's dad, and Jamie probably could've gotten them seats in the box if they wanted to be there, but like Crs97 says it might be showing the difference between her and his dad that she's not asking for that.

Jeff Stelling, because I count him as part of the cast, is currently doing his last Soccer Saturday (even though it's Sunday). End of an era.

Agreed, this bothered me a bit at first, too. But we see Ted ask Jamie if he's sure he can't go back out, and when Jamie says 'yeah' he immediately turns to tell the official that they'll be making the sub, and then Jamie stops him with 'no' so they let the medics tend to him before they decide. And after the physios are done, they don't tell Ted to take Jamie out. In the end I don't think Ted just lets Jamie go back out on the pitch for the sake of the match, I think he knows that Jamie needs to finish this particular match on his own terms. He needed to leave that pitch on a high note that day. (Although you did say 'repeatedly' - did you mean the times he was tackled earlier in the game?)

That's a good shout! When it comes to new contracts and such, I've always thought that if this was the last season of the show, which it seems it is, it would make sense for not just Ted but also for some of the players to move on. Jamie for sure, and probably Sam from what little we've heard, would definitely be getting offers from some big clubs after this season and it would've made sense for them to go, although now that Richmond will play in the Champions League it'd also make sense that they'd want to stay another year for that. But it'd be interesting if we at least got some mentions of that - "Bayern have inquired about Jamie", "Atlético are interested in Sam", etc. Speaking of Jamie, I kind of hope they don't just stick him with Roy for whatever in the finale - like, I love the relationship they've built, but the show has focussed so much on that this season that I feel like it's isolated Jamie from the team a bit. I'd like some Sam and Jamie time, for instance. (And yes, Jamie for Player of the Season, please.)

I mean, I get it, because the show isn’t actually *about* football, it’s about the people, and there’s no way you can fit everything about English football into twelve episodes. But a throwaway line about the Champions League at least would’ve been nice. To bring this back on topic, as someone said above (and I think I’ve said it before) - I’d really like it if they win their final match and Colin feels comfortable enough to kiss his fella.

It would’ve been really nice if they’d had a moment of celebration after they won the match that secured them top four and the Champions League. I know the football is just a vehicle for the show, but still. Richmond going to the Champions League is HUGE and a major win in itself.

Yeah, English teams participate in two or three cups outside of the league - the League Cup and the FA Cup for English teams, and for the higher placed teams, a European cup, the main one being the Champions League. All those finals except for the League Cup are played at the end of May or early June once the league is over (and like you say, Manchester City have won the league, and they’re going to play in both the Champions League and FA Cup finals).

I’m also very much looking forward to seeing what’s in store for Rupert. It would be the best ending if he lost a second football club. While that would be neat, league matches don’t go to penalties - that’s just for cup matches. A draw would simply mean both teams get a point each. It’s a bit of a shame they’ve just ignored the FA Cup this season, that could’ve had penalty shootout potential. Before this season I didn’t figure they’d actually win the whole league, but I thought they might revenge on City in the FA Cup and win Richmond’s first major trophy that way.

Exactly that. There were much better options for advice Ted could've given him. "Your dad doesn't need to have anything to do with your motivation. You got plenty of other things. He's got nothing to do with who you are now, not as a player, not as a person." Those are things I'd much rather hear Ted tell Jamie instead of just to forgive his abusive dad.

You said it way better than I could. They reminded me of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, young mother who's developed a close relationship with her kid. Would people still have found their closeness and dynamic weird if Jamie's mum looked more like Ted's mum, I wonder? Jamie's always been shown to be a touch-y person, hanging on and leaning into people - makes total sense to me that he and his mum are that way.

I think that's what DearEvette is saying - "the last few episodes" isn't enough time for it to feel earned, for many of us. It feels too rushed. I think Jamie's arc feels different because we saw several moments already back in season one showing there *was* more behind the dickish exterior, so that when he came back in season two his change didn't feel that sudden. (Although I do actually still think it should've taken more than one episode for him to be accepted by the team.) Nate's just been stagnant for so much of the season and we haven't seen the reason why he's suddenly changed now. Why did he actually quit West Ham? What made him realise that how things ended at Richmond was his fault? It feels like they've skipped scenes that should've been there.