Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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What Next For Granit Xhaka?
Granit Xhaka’s move to Sunderland raised eyebrows when it was announced, as a top class international joining a newly-promoted side with genuine relegation concerns seemed unlikely. It’s fair to say it’s worked out well, but what does the future hold? First, the positives, and Xhaka’s on-field performance. There are two elements to that: his own […]
Fan Letters: Has David Bruce’s Departure Changed The Dynamic?
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, Is the club’s outlook towards the fans changing with the departure of David Bruce? Let me be clear: the club and everyone around have been brilliant and there’s a close connection with fans. […]
Haway The Podcast | OPPO PREVIEW | Forest Focus Give The Lowdown On SAFC’s Next Opponents!
You might look at the league table and think Sunderland are a shoo-in to beat Nottingham Forest given they’re fighting it out near the bottom, but they’re in decent form and seem to be turning a corner – so, to give us the lowdown on Friday’s opponents, we’re joined by Matt from top Podcast and […]
Le Bris Must Stay – The Known Knowns
To paraphrase the late warmonger Donald Rumsfeld, there are known knowns, there are known unknowns, and there are unknown unknowns. Over 20 years on, confusion still reigns among the British public as to what the United States Secretary of Defense actually meant (though apparently it is common parlance in the corridors of US power). The […]
On This Day (23 April 1991) Ball Sees Red And Smith Fumes As Sunderland Drop Two Vital Points
The Wimbledon team of the late 80s and early 90s was something you had to see to believe. Folklore has painted the ‘Crazy Gang’ as a loveable bunch of rogues who played on the edge and upset the big boys. And look, some of that’s true. But the reality is they were often a thuggish, […]
Talking Tactics: Aston Villa (A) —“Close, But No Cigar!”
Sunderland travelled to Villa Park on Sunday lunchtime with the race for European football firmly on following victory over a wounded Spurs side, but with Aston Villa fresh off a Europa League beatdown of Bologna in midweek, Régis Le Bris faced a tough ask to take points back to Wearside. Even though we twice came […]
Haway The Podcast | HAWAY THE Q&A | Diarra, O’Nien, Social Media, Le Fee, Europe & More!
It’s a short week between playing on Sunday and Friday but we’ve squeezed in a Q&A to answer your questions! 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. If you’re interested in trying NORD VPN, we’ve negotiated a great […]
Beer, Baccy & Bovril!
It was mentioned by one of our distant fans on the Haway The Podcast episode from the International Fans’ Day, that when you’re an ‘exile’, you often don’t have anyone to chat with ‘all things Sunderland’. There could be some exciting game to discuss, or a massive moan that you need to get off your […]
On This Day (22nd April 1935): Vintage Performance From Remarkable Urwin
Preston North End were the opposition in this 1934/35 season. Jimmy Connor had picked up an injury in the game at Birmingham just two days earlier in the hectic Easter programme of three games in four days and with the ‘mighty atom’ Patsy Gallacher absent through suspension, the call went out for replacements. George Goddard […]
Forest On A Friday Night… Bring It On!
There’s no easy game in the Premier League. We all know that by now and every weekend, there’s a ‘banana skin’ with somebody’s name on it — and more often than not, it’s been ours. Nottingham Forest will rock up at the Stadium of Light on Friday night. Sixteenth in the table and unbeaten in five […]
Fan Letters: “Sunderland Paid The Price After A Gritty Fightback”
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, I can only assume Dan Ballard was deemed unfit to play a whole match, otherwise it was a costly error not to have started him — we never looked remotely secure at the […]
Haway The Podcast | On This Week | 20-26 April | Willie Watson | Seven Past Darwen
Welcome to this week’s episode of On This Week, where we take a look back through the history of the football club, talking about some of the important – and some of the not so important – things to have occurred in the world of Sunderland AFC on this week. Join Martin, Kelvin and Andrew […]
On This Day (21st April 2007): Keane Vows To Respond After Unbeaten Run Ends!
All good things must come to an end at some stage and despite a run of seventeen games undefeated, I recall a sense of panic and slight frustration that did surround the 3-1 defeat to Colchester United on this day in 2007. This sense of frustration wasn’t some irrational outrage that we lost a game […]
Keep Your Head Up, Habib!
Anth Gair says… In my honest opinion, let’s not pretend it was anything other than horrendous. Most of the fanbase would probably rather we lost 3-1 and gone home quietly than go through that rollercoaster and still wind up taking nothing home with us. The miss will haunt a few of us for a while […]
View From The Away End: Villa Park Heartbreaker… But A Canny Day Out
For the first time in what feels like decades, Sunderland fans can largely relax, and enjoy the drama playing out above and below us at the top and bottom of the table. We’re in a sweet spot where we have a tantalising goal to aim for in the shape of European qualification, but no real […]
Fan Letters: “Aston Villa Are A Model Sunderland Can Emulate”
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, Driving home from Villa Park, our conversation was one for our future. The last ten minutes or so — you don’t script it. Losing, drawing, should’ve won, then lost, but Aston Villa are […]
Sunlun’… It’s A Crazy Ride!
Be honest: when we made our way to the Stadium of Light for the opening game of the season against West Ham (which frankly feels like a lifetime ago — the result of an utterly intoxicating and unforgettable campaign), what were your hopes and aspirations for 2025/2026? For Sunderland to merely avoid relegation? To enjoy […]
On This Day (20th April 1991): It’s “Win Or Bust” For Smith’s Sunderland!
It’s getting to the business end of the season and in most of our ‘on this day’ articles you will no doubt be reading about high pressure games – and this one was huge. To set the scene, Denis Smith had taken Sunderland from Division Three to the top flight in three seasons as manager […]
Haway The Podcast | MONDAY SUPPLEMENT | Phil Smith Joins Us To Review All The Action From Villa Park!
Fancy going through it all again?! Phil Smith joins Chris & Jonny to pick the bones out of what could have been an epic three points for Sunderland, but 36 seconds after missing achance to win it in stoppage time, we go behind and end up with nowt! On today’s show… All this and more! […]
Talking Points: Villa Victorious But Sunderland Show Their Spirit
A famous old ground that’s still fit for the modern era As an ‘old school’ venue, Villa Park is usually able to generate a fantastic atmosphere. It was certainly lively on Sunday afternoon, given the way the game went, so hopefully it’ll be able to maintain its character once the recently-announced renovations are carried out. […]
Editorial: Feelings Of Sadness, Anger & Hope After Sunderland v Villa
As I sat down to type this week’s Editorial column and thought about what I wanted to talk about, I couldn’t get Habib Diarra out of my mind. I highly doubt that any of you need me to explain why, but I shall. Sunderland’s unbelievable quickfire comeback at Aston Villa on Sunday almost reached its […]
Matchday Musings: A Cracking Game But A Sickener Of A Result For Sunderland
One of Sunderland’s craziest, most breathless and ultimately gut-wrenching Premier League affairs. A game during which we exhibited sloppiness, solidity, resilience and naivety in borderline equal amounts and that ultimately swung on two key moments. How the hell do you begin to sum up a match like that? If the top flight has been criticised […]
2 Up, 2 Down: Sunderland Edged Out In A High-Scoring Classic
John Wilson says… A landmark goal for Chris Rigg What a great moment in the first half as Rigg curled a beautiful shot into the far corner for his first goal in the Premier League. A lovely team move for a very encouraging equaliser. ‘Til The End…once again! How many times? Beautiful and well-deserved goals […]
Haway The Podcast | MATCH REACTION |Villa 4-3 SAFC | The Lads Lose Out In Seven-Goal Thriller!
THow do you feel after that?! Kelvin and Andrew join Chris to try and decide how they feel about what they just saw! 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? You […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Aston Villa 4-3 Sunderland – Black Cats Done At The Death
Robin Roefs: 6/10 Conceded four times but made some good stops when rushing out to attackers, had a hairy moment from a corner in the first half when he got underneath the ball but was fine other than that. Nordi Mukiele: 6/10 Defended well down the right without ever looking particularly comfortably, put a few […]
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