BELIEVE in season four: what we want next from AFC Richmond

Ted Lasso is beloved by many for being an amazing example of positive masculinity – dare I say it is the best example in media at the moment. However, even though fans are excited that we are getting a fourth season, they are also conflicted due to the closure given by season three’s ending. Most of the time, when shows get renewed beyond what the writers planned for, it can lead to a season that feels half-hearted, leaving fans disappointed.

Fans have expressed that they are scared season four will ruin the perfect ending that the last season gave us, but many are also happy the well-loved show will be returning. Other fans care less about season three’s ending potentially being ruined and are simply excited to see where the new season will take Ted’s journey. Fans online are also curious about what Ted will do next. Will he come back to England? If so, Richmond already has Roy as its manager, and Coach Beard as its coach, so will Ted get his old job back? Or will he start a new one?

I hope we get to see more of the Richmond players that haven’t had much screen time 

It will be exciting to see what they do with a season four, with some rumours saying Ted will be coaching the women’s football team instead of the men’s. Some fans have become disheartened by this rumour as it means the characters we all grew to love will not be present in the show as much, though it would be exciting to see Ted interact with new football players and to see women’s football in such a beloved show, getting the spotlight it deserves. It would also be interesting to see an entire team of women be the focus of the show, which has so far predominantly focused on men and male friendships, and how this would change the atmosphere of the programme.

Personally, I would love it if season four gave us a love interest for Ted, and many fans agree – people loved seeing Ted be comfortable by himself at the end of season three, but wish he still got his fairytale ending like the rest of the characters. I hope we get to see more of the Richmond players that haven’t had much screen time in the first three seasons – it would be nice to see characters like Bumbercatch, Winchester, and Babatunde come to the forefront and show us their stories.

It shows a beautiful side to humanity

Of course, fans all want Roy Kent and Jamie Tartt’s friendship back on our screens, especially after Jamie had one of the best character development arcs seen on television in a while. It would also be interesting to see what happens between them and Keeley, following Keeley’s choice to not be with either Roy or Jamie at the end of season three. Maybe season four will give us more Roy and Keeley moments, Jamie and Keeley moments, or even introduce a new love interest for Keeley. Although she and Roy are a fan-favourite couple, I personally think their breakup was good for both characters, and showed us that even a healthy relationship can fall apart sometimes, which may not always be a bad thing.

All in all, I just hope Ted Lasso does what it does best in the new season: make us fall in love with the characters and feel like we, too, are a part of the Richmond family. Ted Lasso truly shows us how changing your attitude can lead to strong friendships, and how emotional maturity is a great quality in everyone and should be celebrated. The show is one that makes you feel emotional, even in the happiest of moments. It shows a beautiful side to humanity, which I think most people did not expect to see from a show about football, and it even makes non-football fans, like myself, fall in love with the game through wanting to see these characters succeed in their careers.

Ted Lasso is available to watch on Apple TV.