Film review: We Are The Geordies (12A)

Documentary about the devotion of Newcastle United’s ‘toon army’ is engaging but reveals little different to any other football fans up and down the country

Fans at the Huddersfield game at home from We Are The Geordies documentary - Credit: Archant

At one point in this documentary about the devotion of Newcastle United fans, a book called Football For Dummies is shown and, if we’re honest, it’s probably a fair judgement.

To a certain degree, all proper, thick’n’thin football fans are in an abusive relationship, but none more so than the Toon Army - followers of NUFC who never win anything and are mismanaged by their owner, self-made billionaire cheapskate Mike Ashley.

Yet still 50,000 plus turn up for home games at St James Park wearing the replica tops.

Though a few big names pop up at the start – Alan Shearer, typecast as the Buddha of the Bleeding Obvious – the film is all about the fans. It follows a selection of them through the ups and downs of a post-relegation season where they are trying to return to the Premiership under the management of Rafa Benitez. They are engaging company, but the film reveals little. The emotions they express and the stories they tell are basically the same as you’d get from followers of any team in the country.

3/5 stars

Directed by Hames DeMarco and Zahra Zomorrodian. Featuring Elaine Punton, Sima Haq, George Mitchell, Dave Dixon, Matt Wightman and Clinton Forde. Available on VOD and DVD from December 11th. Running time: 91 mins.