Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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On This Day (11 April 1977): A ‘Towering’ Performance Helps Sunderland To Victory!
As the years go by, many Sunderland wins may fade with memory loss, but never if it’s against Manchester United, so it makes me feel decidedly old to say I remember this win over the Red Devils very well! It was to be the-then Sunderland captain Tony Towers’ twenty-fifth birthday two days later, so it […]
Fan Letters: Tim Gilbert Memories, Holding In The Box, and 73 Semi Stories!
Dear Roker Report, My good friend’s Dad played for Sunderland. His name was Tim Gilbert and he came through the youth intake at Sunderland and played for them from 1976 to 1980. Sadly Tim died at a very young age. It is his son’s 40th birthday in July and he is about to become a […]
On This Day (10th April 2018): Dejected Sunderland Boss Almost Admits Defeat In Relegation Battle!
On a spectacularly misty, foggy and rainy night on Wearside, Chris Coleman’s Sunderland yet again let a glorious opportunity to pull themselves out of trouble in the Championship relegation battle after conceding a late equaliser to Norwich City at the Stadium of Light. For the neutral watching on (if any), this was an entertaining encounter […]
An Intriguing Summer Awaits For Sunderland!
When we were promoted almost twelve months ago, we had a few months in which to recruit a Premier League-ready squad. Our ownership could’ve done what so many of their counterparts have done in recent years: not splash the cash and then pocket the Premier League riches yet ultimately fail to compete. Many neutral supporters […]
Haway The Podcast | Q&A | SAFC’s Summer Transfer Window, Off Field Sackings & Spurs
It’s almost time for the proper footy to make its return, so we thought it was a good time for this week’s episode of Haway The Q&A! Join Gav, Jonny and Andrew as they answer everything that’s in this week’s mailbag, including: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never […]
Rallying The Lads For The Final Push!
Gav says… I think the Newcastle win was a reminder to everyone that this season is very much not over yet, and that this team is on the brink of achieving something that no other Sunderland team in history has ever done: qualifying for European competition through their league position. Being able to give that […]
“May I Have Your Attendance, Please?”
I’ve always been fascinated by the attendances that teams get. Of course, mostly Sunderland’s but other teams’ gates interest me too, and after looking at the league table or the results, an attendance can give you a good indication of various factors. Firstly, it gives you generally an idea of a team’s catchment area, as […]
On This Day (9 April 1988) Promotion Campaign Back On Track As Sunderland Demolish Southend
After an Easter Saturday trip to Grimsby saw Sunderland narrowly return home with all three points, the lads faced Chesterfield on Easter Monday and won a topsy-turvy game 3-2. Two games in three days, two tight victories and six points added to the season’s total was just what the doctor ordered to cure the run-in […]
Good Luck To Our Former Lads In The Championship Promotion Race!
Cards on the table: I don’t miss the Championship. I don’t miss the grind of the forty-six game schedule, the often-ropey red button coverage on Sky Sports, the attritional style of football or the incessant proclamations that Jack Rudoni is a future Ballon D’Or winner — and I certainly don’t miss Andy Hinchcliffe and Don […]
Haway The Podcast | LEGENDS WAY | The Lads Choose Their 14 SAFC Legends
The club recently announced the introduction of Legends’ Way outside the ground – recognising and commemorating some of Sunderland AFC’s club legends. The club put out a shortlist of 43 names – and with only 14 stones available, it’s a tough choice to pick who should be honoured, and who should miss out! So, Martin, Kelvin […]
On This Day (8th April 1942): Cec Irwin, SAFC’s Youngest Defender & Wing-Back Pioneer
Cecil Irwin was a schoolboy prodigy, first playing representative football with East Northumberland Under – 11s Schools. He trod a familiar path for lads that had any football talent in that part of the region, representing ‘East North’ upon attending senior school. Approaching the end of his school days, he was on the radar of […]
Fan Letters: Rule Changes, Le Bris Future And Podcast Praise!
Dear Haway The Podcast, I’m certain that I’m your most dedicated fan here in NYC* I’ve held back on all the things I would share, but I’ve got a compliment I have to share and a compelling question. Andrew’s description of being at Wembley with his family and friend and the niece’s “big, fat, hot tears […]
Honouring Our Heroes
Mavis Brack was born in Sunderland in 1920, one of 7 children. She and her future husband, the splendidly named Henry Smiles Griffiths, or Harry as he was known, spent their courtship at Roker Park, in the club’s halcyon days leading up to World War 2, as Raich Carter and Bobby Gurney tore through the […]
Haway The Podcast | ON THIS WEEK | 6-12 April | FA Cup Semi Final 1973 | 7-1 Huddersfield Demolition
Welcome to another episode of On This Week, as we take a look back at some of the key – and some of the not so key – events to have taken place on this week in the history of Sunderland AFC. Join Martin, Andrew and Kelvin as they look back on: All this and […]
Can Sunderland Keep ‘The Band’ Together Beyond The Summer?
It’s never going to be a day of celebration when a musical act of which you happen to be a big fan either loses a member or calls it a day entirely. I remember feeling shocked and a little saddened, for example, when Blink 182 initially called it a day in 2005 (the official term […]
On This Day (7th April): Ten Takeaways from the 1973 FA Cup Semi-Final
Did you know in the 1972/73 season a player involved in this game played for both teams in the FA Cup? Brian Chambers, who was an unused substitute for Sunderland at Hillsborough in 1973, was transferred to Arsenal shortly after the final for £30,000 and played for them against Wolves in the 3rd/4th play-off game. […]
What Do Sunderland Need To Reach A European-Level Points Total?
Gav says… I’m going to be really boring and clichéd here, but we have to take it one game at a time. If we beat Spurs on Sunday – and, regardless of what anyone thinks or says, that would still be a huge win given the amount of quality they actually have at their disposal, […]
Haway The Podcast | ROOM 101 – PART TWO | We Talk Shin Pads, Rule Changes & Prices!
One of the lads takes in an advantage from part one and in part two we talk about socks & shinnies, IFAB, open play snobs and prices of everything! 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 […]
Editorial: What Story Will The Season’s Next Chapter Tell?
I don’t typically like international breaks at all. Bar the World Cups or Euros, I barely pay attention to international football, and usually, the national teams getting together is just an unnecessary diversion from league action. This international break, however, could not have been better timed. By the time we take to the field on […]
Sunderland Need To Take Advantage Of Spurs’ Recent Upheaval On Sunday!
When it’s felt like nothing short of 9,635 days since our glorious victory against the ‘hosts’/‘visitors’, you’re left with a significant amount of time to think about our next match. International friendlies, although traditionally notoriously dull, have proven to be even more meaningless, with even the players themselves deeming them as optional events to take […]
For Sunderland, Ruthlessness Can’t Become Recklessness
“Ruthless”. A popular word in footballing circles, often used to describe the world’s leading strikers (“He’s ruthless whenever he gets a chance inside the box”), teams who scent blood and show no mercy, hard-nosed managers who make often-controversial decisions for the good of their team (“Manager X is ruthless when it comes to making the […]
On This Day (6th April 1994): Keller Becomes Roker Target After Clash With Don
Sunderland had just drifted aimlessly since dropping out of the top tier in May 1991. Reaching the cup final in 1992 provided a big distraction from just how bad things were, but we ended up with a manager in Malcolm Crosby that chairman Bob Murray just didn’t want. Roker Park was falling to bits, there […]
Haway The Podcast | ROOM 101 – PART ONE | Are Americans Shaping Our Matchday Experience?
We hadn’t done one in a while and two come along in quick succession! After the fun we had last week we return with another Room 101 and Jonny returns along with Andrew to get rid of their football pet hates! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so […]
Can Eli And Wilson Play A Role For Sunderland During 2026/2027?
Gav says… A lot probably depends on where we finish the season, so it’s probably a little too early to say. If we — and I know this sounds utterly mental — manage to qualify for Europe, the demands on the squad will be far greater than if we’re just competing for domestic honours next […]
On This Day (5 April 1901): Revolting Newcastle Fans Ruin The North East’s Big Day
The latest episode of Haway The Podcast’s “On This Week” series ends with the story of what was meant to be a Good Friday showdown between rivals Newcastle United and Sunderland. With both a possible league title and local pride on the line, the fixture attracted huge numbers to St James’ Park, but as was […]
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