Ok I’m not going to lie, I didn’t like Chris Sutton when I first heard him doing co-commentary or punditry on BT Sport. I though he was monotonous, boring and a bit uninterested.

But the former English forward has settled into his role and he’s made a few observations that have riled up with viewers, current players/managers and fellow pundits alike.

Sutton was always a divisive figure. As a player fans would equally love and hate him, it all depended on who you supported.

If you look at Chris, you can actually see how he actually does a good job in showing what it’s like to support Scottish football.

Growing up in Glasgow, as a Rangers fan, I was always drawn to being good friends with Celtic supporters. We would be extremely passionate about our teams and argue over football all the time and slag each other off (sometimes brutally)! It was fun and I wouldn’t change it.

It happens in pubs and workplaces all over Scotland every week. Friends and colleagues will argue over football constantly and not in the violent/sectarian ways that the media like to highlight.

Watching Sutton passionately butt-heads with Michael Stewart or Stephen Craigan is welcoming and refreshing as it mirrors what Scottish football fans do every Monday morning.

Sutton doesn’t shy away from being honest and/or controversial, it’s entertaining for many and that has always been the point of TV and football. I get the feeling he says certain things on purpose but again most Scottish footballing fans are wind-up merchants.

Now obviously people disagree with him or dislike him, but there’s still a reaction and that’s all that matters to the TV execs and Sutton himself.

BT Sport as a whole, probably produces the best content when covering Scottish football. They don’t sit back and accept the norm, they’re constantly looking at ways to change things and look for improvements.

In Derek Rae they have, in my opinion, the best commentator in the game. He’s constantly researching and is constantly impressive with his knowledge, that will teach the viewer more about the game.

Stewart and Craigan, like Sutton stick to their guns and give frank views. Without them, Sutton wouldn’t have the same impact. They come together and give different sides of a debate and it works!

Love him or hate him, when you watch Chris Sutton and you’re a fan of Scottish football, you’re probably seeing traits that you and a lot of your friends share.

Posted on February 2nd, 2017 by scott
Filed under: Article