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Roker Report

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/ | 730 entries published

Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!

Latest Entries

Granit Xhaka – We’re Under His Skin!

When Granit Xhaka was first linked with a move to Sunderland back in the summer, even the most optimistic of us would have thought this was too good to be true. As the links became more detailed, one of the most ambitious signings in our recent history got closer. Once the deal was done and […]

28 days ago | 1 read

Haway The Podcast | Q&A | Sunderland’s January Transfers & Season’s Ambitions!

Martin, Andrew, and Kelvin are back again to field another round of listener 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 SAFC show! This episode of Haway The Podcast is sponsored by LiveScoreBet, a principal partner of Sunderland AFC. For […]

29 days ago | 0 reads

A Step Too VAR!

I still wasn’t sure what I thought about VAR going into this new season in the Premier League. Sorry, yes, I’m writing about VAR! There are arguments on both sides of course; if there weren’t, everyone would be of the same opinion. I’m slowly coming off the fence, which is a very limited use of […]

29 days ago | 1 read

View From The Away End: Another New Ground To Tick Off!

To say that the FA Cup has been something of a non-event for Sunderland in recent years might be an understatement, but after the deflating loss at Brentford a break from league action could be the tonic we all needed. A trip to Everton away wasn’t the kindest draw on paper, but the Toffees’ squad […]

29 days ago | 1 read

Has Régis Le Bris Become A Cup Magic Believer?

When Sunderland were drawn away to Everton in the third round of the FA Cup there may have been a feeling among some of our own fanbase that we would once again be looking at an early exit from the competition. It was an all-Premier League tie, away at the Merseysiders’ brand spanking new home […]

29 days ago | 1 read

On This Day (14 Jan 1978): A Penalty, A Debut, And A Barking Dog!

The 1977/78 season had not quite gone to plan for Jimmy Adamson. The unbelievable run-in to the previous season as we attempted to preserve our hard-won top-tier status – though in the end unsuccessful – had left many of us feeling we were only a couple of players away from having a squad good enough […]

29 days ago | 1 read

Talking Tactics: Sunderland March on in the FA Cup (Everton A)

Sunderland returned to FA Cup action on Saturday as the lads travelled down to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time to face an Everton side who faced the prospect of their third home defeat in a week. With questions around how seriously both teams were going to treat the competition, two strong sides […]

29 days ago | 2 reads

Editorial: The Only Way Is Up For Sunderland In 2026

It’s been a while since we did these editorial pieces for the website and, after a ridiculously busy period where it’s felt like Sunderland have been playing every couple of days, it feels like an appropriate time to bring them back as a regular feature here on the website. So, thanks very much for checking […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

On This Day (13 January 1982) Durban Gives Conditions A Frosty Reception

Having drawn 1-1 at Millmoor first time around Sunderland needed to get an FA Cup 3rd round replay with Rotherham United lined up, but with the country in the midst of a ‘big freeze’ it was proving to be much easier said than done The fixture had been due to take place on the evening […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Fan Letters: Sunderland Have Underachieved For Far Too Long!

Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, If you take the size of the support as a yardstick, Sunderland are the biggest underachievers in world football. We’ve been yo-yoing between the top two divisions since 1958. We haven’t been English […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

Haway The Podcast | Q&A | Your Post-Everton v SAFC Questions Answered!

Join Martin, Andrew, Kelvin and Ant as they attempt to answer your questions from the Everton game on Saturday! On today’s agenda • Team selection under the spotlight – should Dan Neil and Patto have played? • Did Luke O’Nien’s performance show he’s got something to offer at Premier League level? • How important is […]

about 1 month ago | 3 reads

No Reinildo? No Problem As Cirkin Steps Up For Sunderland!

Mark Wood says… I have to admit that back in the summer break following our promotion and before we had gone out and bought so much as a bootlace, I did feel that based on the performances of Dennis Cirkin last season the left-back position was one of the areas I would have chosen to […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

The Value Of Sunderland’s “Flying Dutchman” Continues To Soar!

When we were first linked with Robin Roefs last summer, I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t have a clue who he was, and nor did I know how highly he was rated in his homeland and quite why Sunderland were so keen to bring him to Wearside as we sought a more […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

Lasses Spotlight: How Have Sunderland’s Summer Signings Performed During 2025/2026?

When Sunderland entered the 2025 summer transfer window, there was a clear sense that the club meant business, with the recruitment strategy blending the signings of seasoned internationals with younger players carrying high‑ceiling potential. The arrivals of experienced figures brought leadership and stability, whilst the addition of emerging talents promised energy, creativity and potential for […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Haway The Podcast | ON THIS WEEK | 12-18 Jan | Frozen Pitches & A Day Out At Orient

Join Martin, Andrew and Kelvin for another episode of On This Week, where we take a look back at some of the key events that have happened on this week in the history of Sunderland AFC. On today’s show: This episode of Haway The Podcast is sponsored by ⁠LiveScoreBet⁠, a principal partner of Sunderland AFC.  For […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

Luke O’Nien: Sunderland’s Heartbeat in FA Cup Glory

On Saturday, Régis Le Bris showed proper respect to the FA Cup competition. The hectic Christmas period, combined with the absence of the AFCON players, has placed a massive strain on the first-team squad. Spaces opened up on the bench, and it was good to see the likes of Timur Tutierov getting some exposure to […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

Fan Letters: Let’s Draw A Line Under Brentford!

Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, A nine-hour-plus round trip to Brentford and back after losing 3-0 wasn’t in my script, but I’m not going to be critical of the Lads. Since 20 December, we’ve played five league games, […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

“…Because We Are Sunderland And He Is Enzo Le Fée”

Let’s be honest: we’d all love to be Enzo Le Fée, wouldn’t we? A good-looking guy, a real team man, an example of the triumph of determination over tragedy, and above all, a damn good footballer. However, perhaps it’s fair to say that few of us would’ve wanted to have swapped places with Le Fée […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

On This Day (12th Jan 1991): Sunderland Debutant Gets A Sharpe Shock!

Denis Smith’s Sunderland were always up against it after being promoted in May 1990. After the celebrations of beating the mags and the announcement we were promoted over Swindon Town had faded, the realisation of the task in hand kicked in. Smith had nothing in the pot to strengthen, so Eric Gates and John MacPhail […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

Lasses Profiles: Katy Watson — “A Light In The Darkness”

There are seasons in football that drift, seasons that never quite settle into a rhythm and seasons where the story becomes one of “what might’ve been” rather than what was. Sunderland Women know that feeling all too well, amid a 2025/2026 campaign that promised stability yet has instead lurched between inconsistency and frustration, with performances […]

about 1 month ago | 0 reads

FA Cup Talking Points: Le Fée Makes His Mark As Sunderland Progress

Sunderland show due respect in both team selection and performance Prior to the trip to Merseyside, Régis Le Bris hinted that his team selection against the Toffees would reflect a desire to take the FA Cup seriously, and that’s exactly what happened when the Sunderland starting eleven was published at 11:15. This was no mix-and-match […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Matchday Musings: Sunderland Edge Out Everton In The FA Cup!

When the team was announced, I was surprised at its strength and the lack of rotation after the tired showing against Brentford, but once again, Régis Le Bris got it bang on and but for a dubious penalty, we would’ve won comfortably and the rested lads would’ve enjoyed even more of a recharge of their […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read

Social Media Meltdown Over – Keep the Faith in Le Bris’ Lads

In the first half at Tottenham and after Brentford, the worst of our fanbase decided to soil themselves publicly on social media. Without any regard to the context in which those matches were played, we were treated to a total meltdown from a group of what I can only describe as “wetwipes”. There were a […]

about 1 month ago | 2 reads

On This Day (11th Jan 1964): Sunderland Able To Bury An Unhappy Memory

Sunderland’s home game against Bury on Boxing Day 1962 proved to be one of the most pivotal moments in British football history, so seismic was the aftermath. Star forward Brian Clough received a horrible injury in a collision with goalkeeper Chris Harker that left his playing career in tatters but forced him to remould himself […]

about 1 month ago | 1 read