Roker Report
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Haway The Podcast | MATCHDAY PREVIEW | SAFC v Wrexham | The Return of Phil Parkinson
Sunderland round off their tour of the United States later today with a kickaboot with Wrexham in Philly… and speaking of Philly, a certain Mr Parkinson will be in the opposition dugout for the first time since he terrorised us in League One. Join Gav, Michael and Andrew as they look ahead to the game! […]
Oppo Analysis: Can Sunderland Get the Better of Familiar Foe Phil Parkinson?
Wrexham play with a 3-4-3 formation, a high press and quick verticality. The team relies on aggressive movement to win the ball high up the pitch and attack quickly, with active wing-backs providing width. The Red Dragons apply an intense high press to disrupt opponents in their own half and focus on verticality, pushing the […]
On This Day (2 August 1972): Sunderland Aim To Raise A Glass!
A pre-kick off pint on Stadium of Light concourses is a match day ritual for many Sunderland supporters, whilst the possibility of fans being allowed to drink alcohol in the actual stands was recently brought up again by Andy Burnham in the days before he was confirmed as the new Prime Minister of the United […]
What Can Sunderland Learn From Recent Europa League History?
Sunderland did what can only be described as “a Sunderland” last season, surpassing all expectations by delivering a seventh-placed finish, and with it, European football for the first time in over fifty years. We all know the challenges that Europa League football will bring, and having a deeper squad is a necessity. While things have […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v Wrexham — We Face Hollywood In The Final Stop On Our US Tour!
Sunday 2nd August 2026 Sunderland v Wrexham – Friendly Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania Kick-Off: 18:00 (BST) Tickets & Match Coverage TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via safc.com. Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time […]
Haway The Podcast | HAWAY THE Q&A | Mags Imploding, Window Worries & Cheesesteaks!
It’s been a few weeks since we did a Q&A so once we realised we put the call out and you lovely people responded once again with some belting questions! It’s everything from the mags, the window, Europa League rules and what bait you prefer! On today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to […]
Talking Points: Sunderland Fall Narrowly to Leeds
Sunderland continued their pre-season preparations with their second of three Premier League Summer Series games, this one resulting in a 1-0 loss to Leeds United. But what are the main points of discussion following this match? Is Melker Ellborg Ready for the Job? Our Swedish goalkeeper has taken a fair bit of flak on social […]
Sunderland AFC: The Club They Want To Stay At!
While others spend their summers firefighting, Sunderland are quietly and calmly building. Stable ownership, a united dressing room and a coaching staff fully invested in the project have turned the club into one players want to join and more importantly, want to remain. In years gone by, the reality was very much the opposite; Sunderland […]
On This Day (1st Aug 1992): Sunderland Continue To Stumble In Pre-Season With A Defeat At Carlisle
In the third of five first-team warm-up friendlies of the 1992/93 season, The Lads suffered what was viewed at the time as an embarrassing defeat at Brunton Park. There are still many fans who view a defeat, or even a draw, against lower-league opposition in pre-season games as a hugely negative outcome (look at the […]
Haway The Podcast | LEEDS REACTION | Sunderland Lose But World Cup Stars Return!
Did you stay up ’til the wee hours to watch Sunderland take on Leeds last night? Well, luckily (or unluckily…) for you we did, so join Gav and Andrew as they run down all the action and chat about a solid performance for the Lads, despite losing 1-0 in the end. On today’s show… All […]
Matchday Musings: Minutes In The Legs For The Lads In New Jersey
It’s a cliché to say the most important thing about pre-season matches is to get minutes in the legs, but clichés exist for a reason. Sunderland fell 1-0 to Leeds United Thursday night (or Friday morning if you were watching in Sunderland) in Harrison, New Jersey, and other than the lone — and very ugly […]
On This Day (31 July 2022): Sunderland Begin The Season With A Draw At The Stadium Of Light!
With FIFA’s 2022 winter World Cup only a few months away, Sunderland found themselves in the unusual position of kicking off their league campaign in July. Promotion from League One had lifted the mood around Wearside immeasurably and for the first time in years, there was a genuine sense that the dark clouds hanging over […]
Sunderland’s World Cup Show Was Worth More Than Any Advertisement
It was fitting that Granit Xhaka, our captain, remained the last of the record-breaking Sunderland contingent at this instalment of the World Cup. With Chemsdine Talbi being the penultimate Sunderland representative to fall against France, Xhaka’s eternal campaign continued before he was eventually struck down by the inevitable Lionel Messi and his assortment of Argentine […]
An Open Letter to Americans Looking for a Premier League Home
Sunderland ‘Til I Die was an interesting experience for a Sunderland fan. I was ramping up towards Christmas at university, working behind my college’s bar when Netflix dropped the first season. At first, it was hard to bring myself to watch it, after all I’d already lived it. Ironically, at Durham University, I was in […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 0-1 Leeds United – Good runout as World Cup stars return
Melker Ellborg: 5/10 Dallied on the ball quite a bit, due to Leeds not being baited into the press. Made a good second half save with his shoulder but got his feet all wrong for the goal. Nordi Mukiele: 7/10 Never troubled defensively. Got up and down the line really well, put in a couple […]
Opposition Analysis: What Can Sunderland Expect From Leeds United?
Can Sunderland’s recent success against Leeds continue, or will Daniel Farke’s tactical approach prove too much in another chapter of this historic rivalry? Leeds United, under manager Daniel Farke, primarily favour a possession-based setup, shifting fluidly between a 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 shape and a back-three structure (such as a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2), depending on the phase of […]
Haway The Podcast | MATCHDAY PREVIEW | SAFC v Leeds | Onwards To New Jersey!
Sunderland head to New Jersey for part two of our USA tour to take on Leeds United in the wee hours – join Gav, Ant and Brett as they chat all about it! On today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free […]
Talking Tactics: What We Learned From Sunderland’s Pre-Season Defeat to Liverpool
Sunderland kicked off their 26/27 pre-season tour of the USA & their mini ‘Premier League Summer Series’ with an oSunderland kicked off their 2026/27 pre-season tour of the USA and their mini ‘Premier League Summer Series’ with an opening fixture against Liverpool in Nashville, Tennessee, on Saturday evening local time. With both sides operating under […]
Mundle On The Move? Assessing Romaine’s Future Prospects
John Wilson says… Every single member of our Championship playoff squad deserved the right to a chance at Premier League level. Unfortunately, football isn’t always as patient or linear as that — Anthony Patterson, for example, was immediately deemed not good enough. Dan Ballard took to it like a duck to water and Dan Neil […]
Getting The Small Details Right
Just over a week ago, I received the email to confirm that the stone our family bought in memory of our Gran had been laid in the “Shackleton” area of Legends’ Way. I’ve written previously about how Gran and the grandfather I never met did their courting at Roker Park between the First and Second […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v Leeds United — It’s Part Two Of The The US Party!
Friday 31st July 2026 Sunderland v Leeds United – Friendly Sports Illustrated Stadium, New Jersey Kick-Off: 00:30 (BST) Tickets & Match Coverage TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via safc.com. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the […]
On This Day (30 July 2003) Thornton At The Double To Provide Just A Little Bit Of Hope
This time 23 years ago, hope was a rare commodity at Sunderland. Relegated on 19 points after a dismal campaign under Howard Wilkinson, it had been the unenviable task of Mick McCarthy to watch over the dying embers and then begin the rebuild. Off the field, the club was trying to move players on to […]
Haway The Podcast | DAYANN METHALIE | Is Sunderland’s Potential New Signing Any Good?
Dayann Methalie – is he any good? We’ve got no idea, so we brought someone in who does… our old marra Baptiste Reynaud from Le Classique Podcast joins us for today’s show to chat about the France U21 left back who looks set to join up with Sunderland this summer! On today’s show… All this […]
Wearside Must Unite to Protect Its Remaining Community Clubs
With Silksworth CW becoming the latest club to fold, Wearside must rally behind its remaining community clubs before more are lost. The resignation of Silksworth CW from the Wearside League is both unfortunate and deeply saddening, marking another blow for grassroots football in Sunderland. Everyone connected with the club deserves recognition for their efforts over […]
Sunderland’s Membership Scheme: The Price To Pay For Success?
“Football is for the fans” is something everyone in the game should be fully aware of. The cost of following our teams is on the rise — whether that’s for match tickets, merchandise or the external cost of transport), and Sunderland’s new membership scheme is divisive to say the least, with non-season-ticket holders like myself […]
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