Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Xhaka Deserves Patience Until the Truth Comes Out
There’s been a lot of vitriol directed at Granit Xhaka over the last few days on Twitter/X. As yet, there has been no official statement from the player, and I’m becoming concerned that the transfer rumours started by various accounts on the platform to unsettle things are working as intended. I think we have to […]
Haway The Podcast | CHIT-CHAT | We Catch Up With Tony Jameson On Footy Manager And The Lads!
We haven’t caught up with Tony since our Christmas Eve episode so we thought we’d catch up with all things Footy Manager, SAFC and the World Cup! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want to get in […]
On This Day (1 July 1957) The Mr Smith Scandal Continues to Reverberate at Roker!
It must have been a frustrating time to be a Sunderland fan in the early summer of 1957. Our club had been rocked by an illegal payments controversy that came to be known as “The Mr Smith Scandal”. Long-standing manager Bill Murray had just resigned following the joint FA/League Commission verdict of its investigation. Chairman […]
Sunderland Have Discovered The Fabrizio Romano Transfer Method
Fabrizio Romano. The social media ghoul that no one asked for, needs, or wants. You might think his presence is necessary in life, but trust me, it’s not. Get off Instagram, delete your X account, and throw your smartphone in the bin. Get a Nokia 3310 instead. You’ll feel much, much better. If you don’t know who […]
Terriers-Bound: Why Matty Young’s Huddersfield Loan is The Ideal Next Step!
Sunderland’s commitment to youth development isn’t just about what happens behind closed doors at the Academy of Light. A solid loan pathway is essential to ensuring young talent is provided with the environment to grow and develop past the challenges of youth football — a challenge that Matteo Serra will have to tackle when he […]
Captaincy Candidates: Who Could Lead Sunderland If Granit Xhaka Leaves?
With speculation about Xhaka’s future continuing to swirl yet no shortage of potential successors should the Swiss midfielder leave Sunderland for Chelsea, it seems prudent to consider who might be best-placed to inherit the armband and lead the Lads into what could be a landmark 2026/2027 season. Following Xhaka mightn’t be the easiest task in […]
From Pink To Red And White!
Colour transitions are rarely reversible, as anyone that’s dropped a single strongly-coloured item amongst their white laundry can sadly testify. Last week’s launch of Sunderland’s Elvis-inspired away kit was eye-catching on many levels — not just the pink shirt itself but the groundbreaking partnership with the Elvis Presley Estate, which will see visitors to Graceland […]
Haway The Podcast | The Little General | Part 2
Welcome to an episode of Roker Rewind, where we take a look back at some of the people, games, myths, legends, incidents, and occurrences that combine to create the history of Sunderland AFC. On today’s show, we’ve got the second part of our deep dive into the legend of The Little General, exploring just what […]
“Some Bonds Are Too Strong…”
Certain managers and coaches develop special relationships with particular players, partnerships which become intrinsic to success for both parties. The greatest manager Sunderland never had, Brian Clough, forged a hugely influential bond with John McGovern, a player he initially encountered as a teenager in his first managerial post at Hartlepools United. Clough then took McGovern […]
The European Pedigree Of Sunderland’s Players!
Ahead of Sunderland’s first season in Europe in over fifty years, there’s been a lot of debate about how the extra eight matches – and hopefully more – will affect our league form and our squad. It’s easy to assume that Granit Xhaka is the only member of our squad with real European experience and […]
Back To The Minstermen: Zak Johnson Completes Permanent Move to York City
The summer restructuring inside the Academy of Light shows no signs of slowing down, as Sunderland officially confirmed the permanent departure of defender Zak Johnson to York City for an undisclosed fee. The twenty one-year-old centre-back’s exit comes just weeks after the Black Cats triggered a twelve-month extension option within his contract, and he joins […]
Haway The Podcast | Roker Rewind | The Little General (Part One)
Welcome to an episode of Roker Rewind, where we take a look back at some of the people, games, myths, legends, incidents, and occurrences that combine to create the history of Sunderland AFC. On today’s show, we take a look at the legend of the Little General, and explore just what makes Bobby Kerr such […]
The Rise Of ‘Supporter Brands’ And What Sunderland Can Learn From Them
I’m enjoying the World Cup, and I hope you are too. As well as the tournament itself, I’m also enjoying the competition between national fans. It feels like it’s gone up a notch in scale and intensity; a reminder of how powerful and distinctive supporter identity can be. The Tartan Army has done itself proud […]
Editorial: “Permission To Speak, Sir?! – Don’t Panic!”
Keep Calm And Let’s See What Happens… Just three weeks ago I wrote about the fact we should embrace whatever change might come this summer – which you can read here – and this was mainly centered around the likes of Roefs, Sadiki and Brobbey, but I’m not sure I would have included Granit Xhaka […]
On This Day (29th June 1994): Smith Looks To Reunite With Sunderland Midfielder!
When Sunderland dropped to the third tier of English football for the first time in our history in 1987, it was clear a fresh start was needed at Roker. Chairman Bob Murray had looked to the past in an attempt to save us from the drop when cup-winning legend Bob Stokoe was parachuted in after […]
Haway The Podcast | SUMMER QUIZ – PART 2 | Who Will Be Victorious?
We have an early leader from part one but who will come out on top?! Martin, Andrew and Kelvin line-up with Chris as host and we compete our Summer Quiz! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want […]
Sunderland Must Stand Firm Amid Chelsea’s Interest In Granit Xhaka
When the news broke late on Saturday afternoon that Chelsea were rumoured to be interested in or had even agreed personal terms with Sunderland’s inspirational captain Granit Xhaka, my initial reaction read something like this… “That’s it. Project destroyed if he moves on. He’s utterly irreplaceable and if he leaves the club, we haven’t got […]
“Que Serra, Serra”: The New Man Behind Sunderland’s Loans and Exits!
Sunderland are set to enhance their backroom recruitment operation by appointing highly experienced Italian Matteo Serra to a senior role. Serra arrives on Wearside from Greek top-tier club PAOK Salonika, where he most recently served as head of recruitment. He’ll be stepping into a vital and highly specific position at the Academy of Light — […]
Could Nilson Angulo Be Sunderland’s Secret Weapon Next Season?
After signing from Anderlecht in January for around £15 million, Angulo experienced a stop-start six months, with injuries interrupting his progress as he made just eight appearances following his arrival. He showed brightness in moments, but honestly probably flattered to deceive for the most part, and looked very raw. For those getting their first view […]
On This Day (28 June 1968): Elvis Fills The Pre-Season Gap!
Sunderland’s innovative Elvis Presley collaboration is now live, with the club last week releasing the first of a series of themed kits. The pink strip pays homage to the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s’ 1950s career beginnings, and come the following decade Presley was at this peak, starring on records and in films. In 1968, […]
Who Are Sunderland’s Top Team?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself asking a simple question. Who exactly are the people running Sunderland AFC? We all know Kyril Louis-Dreyfus. We know Juan Sartori. Florent Ghisolfi arrived with a strong reputation from European football. Tom Burwell’s name has become increasingly prominent behind the scenes. But beyond the headlines, I realised […]
Haway The Podcast | REACTION | Could Granit Xhaka Be Heading To Chelsea?
Some bombshell news dropped on Saturday evening – Granit Xhaka is wanted by Chelsea, is understood to be in favour of a move, but Sunderland have said they don’t want to sell! Join Gav and Ant as they react to the news as it unfolded. Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss […]
Haway The Podcast | NEWS ROUNDUP | New Strips, Rumours, EFL Trophy Draw & The World Cup!
Ant & Bomber join Chris to talk through all the news that has come out of Sunderland AFC over the las couple of weeks! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want to get in touch with us? […]
Fan Letters: Polarising Opinions On Sunderland’s Pink Away Kit!
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, Can I just comment on the new pink range of Sunderland gear as I’ve seen a lot of negative comments on social media, sometimes vitriolic (as is life now) Firstly, I absolutely love […]
On This Day (27th June 2001): Lilian Laslandes – The Signing That Symbolised Sunderland’s Decline
Much has been documented and written about the success of Peter Reid’s tenure as Sunderland manager, and notably the two seventh-place finishes. That fact has, of course, been resurrected even more at the end of this season, with the achievement of RLB’s team and qualification for the Europa League. I’ve supported the Lads long enough […]
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