Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Latest Entries
Haway The Podcast | WHEN FOOTBALL CAME BACK TO ROKER PARK | Sunderland in 1946
Join Martin, Andrew and Kelvin as they take a fascinating journey back to Sunderland in 1946 — a year of recovery, rebuilding, civic pride and, most importantly, the return of league football to Roker Park. We explore a town emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, including Princess Elizabeth’s rain-soaked visit to the […]
OTD (7/10/1967): When Sunderland Beat Manchester City’s Future Champions
There are games that I remember from way back that stick in my head because they were great contests, or graced by a great goal or two, or a fine individual/team performance. This game had all of these, but that is not why I remember it as vividly as I do. Something changed for me […]
Quinn, Jones, Brobbey: Sunderland’s Pillars Of Striking Strength
During Sunderland’s 1998/1999 season opener against QPR, there was a moment when Niall Quinn nodded down a long, aerial pass from Chris Makin into the path of Allan Johnston whilst holding off one of the visitors’ defenders as casually as you or I would hold a pub door open. Although well-struck, Johnston’s subsequent half-volley was […]
Haway The Podcast | One Conversation Can Change The Score | Sunderland, Football & Mental Health
With the Premier League’s Together Against Suicide initiative at the heart of the conversation, we explore the huge role Sunderland AFC and the football community can play in supporting the mental health of people across our city. We discuss: 🔴 How important is Sunderland AFC to the collective mental health of our city? ⚪ When […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sheff Wed 2-0 Sunderland u21 – Black Cats Fall To Experienced Owls
Joe Cowan: 8/10 Didn’t have a huge amount to do but did make two fantastic saves, firstly tipping a header over in the first half and then a great reflex save early in the second half. Alex Lienard: 8/10 Played at right back tonight and looked the part, was very comfortable defensively with Wednesday not […]
Editorial: Sunderland’s Off-Field Uncertainty Is Becoming a Major Problem
When it came to writing this piece on Sunday night, I couldn’t really be arsed. I just thought “ah, I’ll just leave it until tomorrow…” And how glad I am that I did. Because, as it turned out, some pretty huge news dropped on Monday morning, with Sunderland AFC announcing that ‘interim’ CEO Tom Burwell […]
Juangulo Scores His First International Goal for Ecuador
Juan Riquelme Angulo, Angulo Mk. II or ‘Juangulo’, as he is now affectionately known in the Roker Report group chat, scored his first senior international goal for Ecuador on Monday 5th October against Panama in an international friendly. A huge moment for our new youngster and what could be a defining moment in a promising […]
Fan Letters: Man City, Cup Tickets and European Adventures
GOT SOMETHING TO SAY? Email us and we’ll post in our next edition of Fan Letters! We’re found at: [email protected] Dear Roker Report, I was just wondering. Now, I know these things are from different eras, but is this Man City thing going on over illegal payments, sponsorship and all that our generation’s version of […]
Haway The Podcast | BURWELL LEAVES | What This Might Mean For Sunderland?!
🎙️ TOM BURWELL LEAVES AS SUNDERLAND CEO! 🔴⚪ Well, he was interim CEO, wasn’t he?!Chris & Andrew jump on for an emergency chat to run through all the potential reasons and scenarios of what this might mean! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily Sunderland show. […]
Sunderland Fans React to Tom Burwell’s Shock Departure
Andrew Smithson says… It is hard to know exactly what to make of Tom Burwell’s departure because we are low on details, but from the outside, it appears as if this is another example of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus taking matters into his own hands. The owner has always acted swiftly and decisively when he has felt […]
Haway The Podcast | What’s Really Going On at Sunderland? | Supporters’ Meeting Breakdown
The latest Sunderland AFC Supporters Collective meeting minutes have been released — and there’s plenty for Gav and Andrew to get stuck into. From the club’s current structure to communication with supporters and the ongoing rumours surrounding a potential sale, there’s plenty to discuss. Among the key points: 🔴 Tom Burwell is STILL Sunderland’s ‘interim’ […]
Brief But Memorable: Remembering The Dick Advocaat Era At Sunderland
On October 4 2015, Sunderland manager Dick Advocat resigned following a winless start to the Premier League season. Advocaat had been appointed in March of the same year on a temporary basis following the sacking of Gus Poyet. Initially tasked with staving off relegation during 2014/2015 and contracted until the end of the season, he […]
Will Sunderland’s Evolution Continue, Starting This Weekend?
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Sunderland’s burgeoning 2026/2027 campaign (other than the fact that the ‘Stadium of Light factor’ is doubtless going to be key for the Lads both domestically and in Europe this season), it’s that the players and coaches have acknowledged and are acting on the fact that in order to […]
OTD (05/10/1996): Sunderland’s Search For A Striker Goes Cold
We’ve had a few quickfire revivals over the years, or magic carpet rides in modern terminology, but the one under Peter Reid came out of nowhere. The club was in a bad place – on and off the pitch. We were heading towards the third tier for the second time, and Reid was appointed for […]
Haway The Podcast | SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT | Matty Hewitt on Sunderland’s Season So Far!
Senior Journalist at Reach PLC, Matty Hewitt, joins the lads to discuss Sunderland’s season so far, a controversy-packed international break and a huge week ahead for the Lads. With some seriously tough opponents on the horizon, what can we expect from Sunderland over the coming days? Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never […]
OTD (04/10/1977): Greenwood Shoots Of Recovery Amid Gloom
The opening months of 1977-78 promised plenty but delivered little for Lads fans, with a performance against Cardiff City on this day typifying the frustration enveloping Roker. Sunderland’s relegation at the end of 1976-77 had been somewhat unlucky – the team, at one point thought to be dead and buried, produced a remarkable fightback in […]
Sunderland’s Huge Fixture Run: Can Le Bris Handle the Pressure?
The domestic season restarts for Sunderland with a challenging home test against Brighton. Brighton were, of course, one of only four teams to beat us at the Stadium of Light last season and have started this season excellently. Led by the young, pragmatic German Fabian Hurzeler, they are coming into this off the back of […]
Wilson Isidor: Why Choosing Haiti Could Be One Of The Best Decisions Of His Career
The cynic will tell you the only reason Wilson Isidor wears the blue and red of Haiti is that he wasn’t good enough to wear the blue, white and red of his native France. The cynic is almost certainly right, but the cynic is missing the point. Why a player plays for one national team […]
Haway The Podcast | Q&A | What’s Next For Sunderland?
The international break is almost over — and Sunderland have a HUGE month ahead. In this LIVE episode of Haway The Q&A, we get stuck into YOUR questions, including: 🔴 How the Lads have fared during a gruelling international break⚪ The benefit of fresh legs for those who stayed on Wearside🔴 The latest off-field issues […]
Ranking Sunderland’s Top Ten Greatest Managers Of All Time
It’s often discussed by people at the match, in pubs, houses and on social media: who’s their club’s greatest manager of all time? I feel like when discussing best players, it’s easier to go off goals and appearances, but debating the best manager is, in my opinion, is a topic of conversation with more to […]
How Can Sunderland Improve Their Off-Field Operations?
David Elliott says… The club needs to be open and honest about the whole ticketing and membership process, and I would appreciate transparency about its operations even if that’s not 100% to my liking because I would then know where I stood. The whole ticketing system has been very frustrating and quite opaque. I’m not […]
OTD: (3/10/1931) A Sunderland Debut For Charlie Thomson
There have been two players named ‘Charles Thomson’ that’ve played for this club. Both were greats in their own right. Both won a league championship medal, played in an FA Cup final and made over 260 appearances for the Black Cats, and both were Scottish half backs that represented their country. There are amazing similarities […]
Haway The Podcast | Roker Park REVEALED! | Secret Life of Sunderland’s Scoreboards
Anyone who went to Roker Park will remember the scoreboard – you know, the one that worked for a few months and then flickered intermittently for years… But then there was the manual scoreboard in the corner of the Roker End and the Clockstand too… And we’ve found images of another scoreboard from years gone […]
OTD (02/10/2021): Lee Johnson And His Fratton Park Fiasco!
Maybe I am wrong, but unless you are a southerner — or stone mad — an away day to Fratton Park is not one that stands out on the calendar. Sunderland’s experiences down there over the years have not exactly been pleasant. I recall a defeat for Ricky Sbragia near the end of the season, […]
Sunderland’s European Tour: Four Trips, Four Adventures
In the summer, Sunderland’s upcoming European tour still felt like the stuff of make-believe, somehow always on the horizon but tantalisingly out of reach. Even after the excitement of the draw, when we could finally realise our plans for Portugal, Poland, Italy and Belgium, the reality of what it meant still didn’t hit home. It […]
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