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If we are all honest with ourselves, when we saw the fixture list at the start of the season, you would probably admit that Chelsea away is one of those fixtures where we thought we would be likely to get a good slapping. Along with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City away, it was one of […]
In the run up to Sunderland’s fixture against Bolton Wanderers, all of the talk centred around the availability of striker Benny Yorston. The diminutive striker, who had joined the club midway through the season before, had struck the winning goal against Middlesbrough the week before, with a 2-1 win at Ayresome Park lifting Johnny Cochrane’s […]
All season long, despite our fantastic start to the Premier League campaign, we’ve heard that Sunderland have been good… but, they haven’t really played anyone yet. Which, of course, we all know is a complete load of rubbish. The Premier League is full of great teams with great players, and there are no easy games. […]
Are you a budding wordsmith and fancy writing something that we can publish here at Roker Report? Drop us an email and we’ll post it on the website – we can be found at [email protected] In the words of the late Davey Atkinson, let’s get carried away, man. 17 points after nine games, Champions League-level […]
Thanks to everyone who sent questions in via the website, social media and email! We’ve had so many we’re recording 2 Q&A pods this week! Martin, Andrew and Ant got together to tackle the first round of questions today. On today’s agenda… All of this and much more – get subscribed to you don’t miss […]
Stamford Bridge at around 4.50 pm on Saturday was a scene of delirium and delight for Sunderland. A 93rd-minute winner from Chemsdine Talbi moved us up to second in the table and despite Chelsea dominating the ball, they never looked likely to peg us back. The atmosphere was up there with the best I’ve ever […]
Last Tuesday we looked at a tight home win over Bradford City, ahead of which manager Denis Smith had named an unchanged side following two disappointing away games On This Day (21st Oct 1989): Bradford City Sunk By MacPhail’s Arrow | Roker Report. The match had taken place during a heavy run of fixtures, with […]
In the early 1980s, a somewhat bizarre TV special titled The Mystery Of Al Capone’s Vaults aired in America. In it, an underground room at a Chicago hotel once inhabited by the notorious crime boss was opened live on air — only for the entire thing to fall flat when nothing more than mounds of […]
Are you a budding wordsmith and fancy writing something that we can publish here at Roker Report? Drop us an email and we’ll post it on the website – we can be found at [email protected] In the aftermath of our tremendous victory over Chelsea, it’s hard to sum up just how well things are going […]
Among the many indignities inflicted on Sunderland fans in our last Premier League campaign almost a decade ago, one that sometimes slips under the radar is the farcical final-day defeat at Stamford Bridge. Future Mag and gobshite Javier Manquillo actually gave us an unlikely lead, but what followed epitomised the cowardice and lack of self-respect […]
I was there. 24 years ago. January 2001. Don Hutchinson and Stan Varga, with his luscious long hair, steering us to a 2-0 away win at West Ham’s Upton Park. We sat second in the Premier League after that result. I was only 12 and had just become a fully invested Sunderland fan, thinking that […]
Unfortunately no Martin this week, but Andrew, Kelvin (for most of it until he forgot to put 50p in the meter!) are here to guide you on a spooky ride through a week in the history of Sunderland AFC that includes Halloween – and there have been a few nightmares at Sunderland on that day! […]
John Wilson says… I’m sure the players’ morale and confidence in their own ability has been high all season. As Wilson Isidor said, “Nobody believes in us, so let’s show them!” Of course, winning away at the Club World Cup champions is going to give a boost to any team. As we keep hearing, consistency […]
It’s been one of the most popular angles of the season so far as opposition supporters have sought to dampen both Sunderland’s superb start to the 2025/2026 campaign and the optimism generated along the way by caveating almost every positive result we’ve achieved — no matter how it came about. “Yeah, but they’ve had an […]
With a bit of luck, it might be a nice dilemma for the club to have in a couple of years – and it’s one that has impacted a few clubs recently in the Premier League – but it’s that question of what’s next? We’d finished seventh in the top flight for two successive seasons, […]
We’re going to be talking about this game for a while, and who can blame us?! Former Sunderland defender Danny Collins joins Martin and Chris to chat all about that memorable win at Stamford Bridge as the lads claim another three points to go SECOND in the Premier League! On today’s agenda: All of this […]
On Monday morning, we’ll be recording our regular Tuesday Q&A podcast, where we answer your questions about Sunderland! Have a question you’d like us to answer? Leave a comment below, or email [email protected] and we’ll answer your question tomorrow. Could be anything about tactics, team selection, up coming games, things from the past, the manager, […]
Heading into this week’s fixture away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, spirits and hopes were high – but it would be fair to say that expectations weren’t necessarily on the same level. A week on from a fantastic win against Wolves, where Sunderland handily took all three points despite a less-than-stellar overall performance, the trip […]
The lads put in an almost perfect away performance at Stamford Bridge to defeat Chelsea away for the first time since 2014, and climbed up to second in the Premier League table. The last time a newly-promoted team achieved this feat at the end of the day’s fixtures was Nottingham Forest, 31 years ago. I […]
Second-tier Cambridge United stood between Sunderland and a place in round three of the Milk Cup – and based on their performance at the Abbey Stadium in the first leg, John Docherty’s side must have fancied their chances to progress. With an hour gone in the first match the Lads had looked to be in […]
Anthony Gair says… The Red and White Army…enough said! The fans were absolutely magnificent to a number. Chelsea’s fans must’ve thought they were away from home — properly loud and the only fans to be heard on the telly. Brian Brobbey plays his part Is there a stronger man on the planet? No. The patience […]
Where do we begin with this one?! What a goal! What a performance! Is it time to get carried away?! Andrew & Chris attempt to talk about an incredible Sunderland win at Chelsea! On today’s agenda: All of this and much more – get subscribed to you don’t miss another episode of Haway The Podcast!
Robin Roefs: 8/10 Maybe could have done better with Chelsea’s goal which went underneath him and his distribution was a little off today but otherwise was as reliable as ever. Made saves you’d expect him to make but was always in the right place to make them and was confident when coming for balls into […]
Anthony Gair says… The Red and White Army…enough said! The fans were absolutely magnificent to a number. Chelsea’s fans must’ve thought they were away from home — properly loud and the only fans to be heard on the telly. Brian Brobbey plays his part Is there a stronger man on the planet? No. The patience […]
Chelsea have looked promising so far this season. What are the expectations for 2025/2026? It’s a similar story to last season. We don’t have the consistency to challenge for the league and we don’t have the quality and experience to win the Champions League. So really, we’re hoping to win a domestic cup and hopefully […]