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Roker Report

https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/ | 973 entries published

Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!

Latest Entries

Haway The Podcast | CHIT-CHAT | We Catch Up With Ian Murtagh Ahead Of Sunday!

Sunday is the 159th the Lads have taken on that lot up the road so we thought we’d catch up with someone who has covered most of them for the past 36 years – so Ian Murtagh joined us to talk about the upcoming derby and a whole host of other things! On today’s show… […]

about 12 hours ago | 0 reads

Lasses Match Report: Last Minute Heartache

There’s something uniquely draining about following Sunderland. It doesn’t matter if it’s the men or the women, home or away, top of the league or fighting at the bottom – supporting this club is a guarantee of emotional whiplash. The highs and lows often come in the same ninety minutes. Tonight’s 2–2 draw against Sheffield […]

MLS

about 14 hours ago | 0 reads

Reasons To Be Cheerful Ahead Of The Wear-Tyne Derby!

John Wilson says… What’s keeping me positive is the fact that this game certainly won’t define our season — and taking a longer-term view, it won’t define the trajectory the club is on. Of course it’s depressing whenever we lose — and certainly to them — but our visit to the ‘Visitors’ is in many […]

about 14 hours ago | 0 reads

On This Day (19 March 1988) Another Ref Controversy – But Marco The Subject of Smith’s Fury!

After leaving Wigan’s Springfield Park frustrated after a controversial refereeing decision had denied his team all three points – which came off the back of a controversial referring decision denying his team all three points at home to Blackpool the weekend before – Denis Smith’s regard for the footballing authorities wasn’t at its highest level.  […]

about 14 hours ago | 0 reads

Fan Letters: “Should Chris Rigg Start For Sunderland vs Newcastle?”

Dear Roker Report, Maybe it is just me, but I somehow do not sense this Sunday’s big game is causing the same anticipation and levels of anxiety as the one at the SOL and those in bygone seasons. Something just seems missing in the build-up, and whether it is injury concerns or other reasons, I […]

about 14 hours ago | 0 reads

Haway The Podcast | Q&A Part 2 | Set Pieces | Habib Diarra | VAR

Welcome to today’s edition of Haway The Podcast, and there’s somuch to talk about we thought we’d do another Q&A! Martin, Andrew and Ant tackle your questions, including: Is Premier League footy actually any good? Why are our set pieces so poor? What’s going on with Diarra? Is a DRS type solution an idea for […]

1 day ago | 0 reads

An Away Derby Success Would Be One For The Ages

As a general rule of thumb, I don’t tend to issue rallying cries without an element of conviction to back them up. Many of my Roker Report colleagues are far more adept at finding the sweet spot when banging that particular drum and trading in blood-stirring Shakespearean oratory in the process, whereas I prefer to […]

1 day ago | 1 read

On This Day (18th March 1869): Hugh ‘Lalty’ Wilson, Captain Of Sunderland’s ‘Team Of All Talents’, Is Born

Hailing from Mauchline in East Ayrshire, Lalty’s family home is deep in Rabbie Burns country. He first played organised football for his hometown team of Mauchline in 1887/88 and the following season played for the Ayrshire Rifle Volunteers. Season 1889/90 saw the volunteers change their name to Newmilns, amalgamating with Newmilns Rangers and Newmilns Star […]

1 day ago | 1 read

Sunderland’s Remarkable Return: Don’t Take It for Granted

It’s almost a year to the day since we lost 3–0 at Coventry in a game which probably ended our hopes of automatic promotion from the Championship. At that point in our journey, promotion was a hope and a realistic ambition – especially after the positive impact made by Régis Le Bris in his first […]

1 day ago | 3 reads

“To Sunderland Women, From Supporters Who Travel, Care and Believe”

Dear Sunderland AFC Women, There’s something special about women’s football and anyone that’s followed it for more than a few years knows that. It’s not just the football itself — although that’s increased in quality, intensity and standards of professionalism at a remarkable pace. It’s also the connection, the sense of community and the feeling […]

1 day ago | 0 reads

Lasses Match Preview: Can Sunderland Blunt The Blades?

Another key game for the Lasses Tonight’a rearranged meeting between Sunderland and Sheffield United feels bigger than it did a month ago when the weather forced its postponement. Back then, Sunderland’s position in mid-table felt stable but the delay has changed the tone entirely. Portsmouth and Ipswich have found small but significant bursts of form, […]

1 day ago | 3 reads

Lasses Spotlight: “Ruthlessness Or Realism For Mel Reay?”

Sunderland currently find themselves with little room for hesitation. Performances have been encouraging in spells, the identity is clear and the effort is unquestionable, yet the league table remains tight enough to demand sharper edges and bolder decisions. This is the moment to make choices that reflect urgency, context and the fine margins that define […]

2 days ago | 0 reads

Haway The Podcast | Q&A Part 1 | SOL Atmosphere | RLB Future | Squad Depth | Injuries

Welcome to today’s edition of Haway The Podcast, and there’s plenty to talk about for today’s Q&A podcast! Martin, Andrew and Ant tackle your questions, including: Why the negative atmosphere at the Stadium? Is Regis Le Bris’s future in question? Is social media reaction a true reflection of fan sentiment? Is our squad depth a […]

2 days ago | 2 reads

Lasses Spotlight: Katy Watson — Sunderland’s Newest Centurion!

There are milestones in football that feel significant no matter who reaches them — a first goal, a debut, first start and a first season as a regular — and then there are milestones that make you take stock and appreciate the scale of what a player has achieved. Katy Watson reaching one hundred appearances […]

3 days ago | 2 reads

Talking Tactics: Brighton Defeat Exposes Sunderland’s Mounting Injury Crisis

Sunderland returned to the Stadium of Light to resume League action after a three-game stint on the road to face a Brighton side who were looking to draw level on points with the hosts. With a fresh raft of injury concerns announced just before kick-off, Sunderland were left down to the bare bones and Brighton […]

MLS

3 days ago | 2 reads

What Are Your Expectations For The Rest Of Sunderland’s Season?

Gav says… It’s a really difficult position that we’re in right now, because the outcome of Sunday’s game may well ultimately decide where we go from here. As things stand, we are currently just three points behind Everton in 8th and four behind Brentford in seventh, which are probably the positions you want to be […]

3 days ago | 4 reads

Derby Nerves: Rigg & Sunderland Ready for Newcastle

I don’t normally feel the derby nerves this early into the week of a game, but I think that feeling at the pit of my stomach kinda sums up the place we’re in right now with Sunderland. Obviously, it’s normal to be nervous before such a huge game, but there’s so much uncertainty about how […]

3 days ago | 3 reads

On This Day (17 March 1987): Misery For McMenemy’s Sunderland At Stoke

When I started researching this date in history, I had to do a double-take at the newspaper headlines suggesting that, up to that point, the 1986–87 season had been anything but miserable. It is seared in my brain as one of the most utterly depressing, gut-wrenching seasons ever following the Lads. But studying the stats […]

3 days ago | 1 read

Talking Tactics: A Left Back Conundrum For The Lasses?

Sunderland have been forced into a rethink — not by choice but out of necessity. Louise Griffiths’ suspension has created a gap on the left side of the defence that can’t be filled on a like-for-like basis, and the coaching staff now face a decision based around structure, identity and the balance of the entire […]

3 days ago | 2 reads

Can Wilson Isidor Rediscover His Sunderland Spark?

Is it all over? Is a player who scored an array of sublime goals en-route to promotion and appeared to have thrown himself wholeheartedly into life on Wearside before kicking off the 2025/2026 season in encouraging form edging ever closer to the Stadium of Light exit — or is there some form of redemption arc […]

4 days ago | 1 read

People Leaving Early Again On Saturday – Why Is This Happening?

Ian Bendelow says… If you’re offended by any of the below and leave early – good. Because I mean every word. And if you don’t like it? Piss off and support Newcastle. Three years ago a survey was carried out to find out which club had the most “early leavers.” Interestingly, the top six places […]

NFL

4 days ago | 1 read