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Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Latest Entries
Haway The Podcast | OPPO PREVIEW | SAFC v Fulham | Can Sunderland Get Revenge?
After three long months, Premier League football returns to the Stadium of Light on Sunday with the visit of Fulham to Sunderland – and joining us to chat all about his team with us is journalist Jack Kelly! On today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss […]
Can Sunderland Find Home Comforts As They Return To Wearside?
The importance of solid home form One of the most contributory factors behind our success last season was how incredible our home form was. Being a newly-promoted team and enjoying a tsunami of momentum off the back of the playoff campaign, the Stadium of Light was a fortress. Tickets for home games were like gold […]
Flexibility Could Be Sunderland’s Strong Suit For 2026/2027
At the end of last season, as it became clear Enzo Le Fée was best in the centre of the park, and our right-wing options were, well, not right wings, I argued many times that the best way to get all of the club’s best players on the pitch at one time was a back […]
On This Day (29 Aug 1981): A Six-Goal Thriller For Sunderland At Ipswich
Last week’s ‘punch in the stomach’ result against Ipswich wasn’t the first time that the Lads had made the long trip to Suffolk on the opening game of the season. There was an exciting encounter back on this day in 1981 — a thrilling six-goal game that saw Sunderland return with a fine point. Back […]
From 3-3 Thrillers to 2-1 Heartbreak: Sunderland at Ipswich
We witnessed a self-inflicted defeat over the weekend at Portman Road, and it was a discouraging start to the season which has resulted in a lot of online analysis, as well as blame assigned to some usually reliable players. This all took place in the context of the rebuilt Tractor Boys’ team being out to […]
Sunderland Fans: Let’s Win the Nurdle Derby!
The goal: Support the nurdle beach clean-up and win the Nurdle TrophyWhen: Kick-off 1st September, for four weeksWho: Fans of ten north-east clubsWhich clubs: Ashington, Blyth Spartans, Gateshead, Heaton Stannington, Hebburn Town, Newcastle United, North Shields, South Shields, Sunderland, Whitley BayHow: Score goals by taking action to support the nurdle clean-upWhere: Sign up at — […]
Haway The Podcast | EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW REACTION | Mackems In Milan!
We went live over on YouTube (search for Haway The Podcast and get subscribed…) earlier as Sunderland’s Europa League fixtures were announced – so join Gav, Andrew, Jonny and Ian for the craic! All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Ready […]
Sunderland’s Europa League Draw: Milan, Here We Come!
Ian Bendelow says… There are dream scenarios and there are dream scenarios…and this is a platinum edition banger of a dream scenario. Before today, I didn’t believe in fate, in things being written in the stars, or karma. But I do now. Let’s get ourselves down to Milan, do what the Mags couldn’t and come […]
Robin Roefs Extends His Sunderland Contract… A Big Boost For Everyone?
Can Robin Roefs become Sunderland’s long-term number one and establish himself as the Netherlands’ next great goalkeeper after an electric debut Premier League season? Sunderland have confirmed that Roefs has extended his stay on Wearside until 2031. The Dutch international was key in the Black Cats’ seventh-place finish during the 2025/2026 season and subsequent Europa […]
Haway The Podcast | Q&A | Attacking Threat, Upcoming Games & Past Heroes
We did one Q&A earlier in the week and had a ton of questions left over, so we thought we’d assemble a slightly different line up to tackle some more queries! On today’s show, Martin, Sam, Jonny and Ant talk • Attacking threat – in particular our wingers and forwards • How many points would be […]
On This Day (28th Aug 2007): The Night Sunderland Lost 3-0 — And Roy Keane Had An “Evil Thought”
It was that time of year again when the early rounds of the English League Cup were being played in the midst of a hectic Premier League schedule. Sunderland had played their first four games of the season following promotion and, despite an exciting victory over Tottenham Hotspur on the opening day, had failed to […]
Why Sunderland Must Find More Goals to Kick On This Season
It’s not possession that wins games; it’s not who has the highest xG; it’s simply one team scores more than the other. Football is a simple game made complicated by those who should know better – Bill Shankly. Similarly, the season’s final table positions are not dictated by goals scored or conceded. However, goals matter […]
Wilson Isidor Signs New Sunderland Deal – ‘Here’s to His Goals’
John Wilson says… I like Isidor a lot. Sometimes you catch a player up close, executing a superb piece of skill, and I’ve seen that many times with Wilson. He’s a bright talent and his speed isn’t often talked about either — he’s like a gazelle and I’d love to know what his flat 100 […]
Sunderland’s Transformation Is About More Than What Happens on the Pitch
When I lived in London, for a couple of years a good proportion of my disposable income went on travel to make the most of my season ticket at the Stadium of Light. I bought it in the wave of optimism of the Stewart Donald takeover and maintained it through COVID and the League One […]
Fan Letters: Sunderland Must Get Out Of The Blocks – Or This Could Turn Disasterous
Dear Roker Report, Right at the death yet again, and, as should have been scripted, by a former player. Taking away the regrettable celebrations from Clarke that irked us fans who once adored him, there was definitely something lacking in our play. To me, we seemed half a yard off the ball, and although I […]
Pause The Meltdown – We Aren’t in Bad Company
Well, that was a bit of a damp squib of a “match one”, wasn’t it? It was always going to be a bit “meh” for me, to be honest – I erroneously made arrangements to have lunch with some old friends on Saturday (family pals, not footy mates), which I was really looking forward to […]
Haway The Podcast | GREALISH + PAIXAO | Two Huge Names Linked To Sunderland!
Just when you thought that Sunderland’s transfer window wasn’t picking up pace, along come two barmy transfer rumours in one day – so, join us as Gav, James and Andrew 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 […]
Sunderland’s Europa League Adventure Is Almost Here – Bring It On
With only a matter of days to go before the draw for the league stage of the Europa League takes place, it still hasn’t sunk in that Sunderland will be competing across the continent against some of Europe’s biggest clubs this season. Like us all, I have had the date of the draw in my […]
Jack Grealish to Sunderland? Why the Move Could Actually Make Sense
On the 22nd of July 2025, David Ornstein tweeted, “Granit Xhaka informs Bayer Leverkusen he only wants to join Sunderland,” and across Wearside, a collective “Really? Us?” was said. At that time, we didn’t quite know the extent of the club’s ambitions for the Premier League, and we certainly couldn’t have predicted the success our first campaign […]
Talking Tactics: What Went Wrong for Sunderland at Ipswich?
Sunderland kicked off their 26/27 campaign with a long trip down to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town, having not visited Portman Road since January 2024, given both sides have swapped leagues simultaneously since then. With a raucous opening-day atmosphere, Sunderland were going to need to weather the early storm, but ultimately lost control and fell […]
Sunderland’s European Adventure Is Finally About to Become Reality
Sunderland find out their Europa League opponents this week. This is a sentence most of us would never have thought could be a reality after finishing 16th in the Championship just over two years ago. On Friday, in a studio in Monaco, representatives from Sunderland will be watching on as the fixtures for the competition […]
On This Day (27 Aug 1994): Gray Day For Sunderland At Stoke – And Club Set To Be Sold
Bob Murray’s ownership of Sunderland is a difficult one to truly understand – there were so many things going on at so many different times behind the scenes that you feel like he spent much of the first half of his tenure simply suriving. His own version – outlined in his autobiography – is one of long-term […]
Igor Paixão: Is He the Solution to Sunderland’s Attack?
It’s that time of the season now – the final week before “Jim White Day”, or as it’s more commonly referred to… Transfer Deadline Day. As expected, rumours and links to players come thick and fast during this period, and one interesting one has turned its head. Enter Igor Paixão. The Brazilian winger has been […]
Haway The Podcast | The Sunder Years | 1999
We’ve got the start of a new series for you today – The Sunder Years! The concept is simple. We pick a year, and choose one game, one player and one anniversary that happened in those 12 months – and have the crack about them! On today’s show, Martin, Kelvin and Andrew cover: • A big […]
After 27 Years, A Dream Trip To The Stadium Of Light Is Days Away
Even though I started playing the sport when I was seven, I never had a favourite professional football team growing up in the United States. The NASL, which had once boasted Pelé and Beckenbauer, collapsed in 1984 when I was 10, and Major League Soccer didn’t start until 1996. Outside of going to a few […]
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