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Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Latest Entries
Haway The Podcast | OPPO PREVIEW | Can Sunderland Avoid Defeat At City?!
It’s the last of the trilogy this week that began with the visit of Arsenal, which was followed by our first game in the Europa League – and now we have a tough test at Manchester City! It’s a stadium we’ve never won at so we spoke to Simon Bajkowski from the Manchester Evening News […]
Out of the Darkness, Into the Light
4th December, 2000 may be a date that means nothing to many reading this. It perhaps was just another day 26 years ago. Some may even recall there was a Sunderland game that day. Others may remember we beat Everton 2-0 that night, with Alex Rae and Super Kev scoring. However, to me, this date […]
TV View: Watching Sunderland In Europe From the Couch
It was moments like that when I hate my job. UEFA don’t take Irish Sunderland-supporting teachers into consideration when scheduling their team’s biggest game in many years. Did it have to be a Wednesday? Did it really have to be a Wednesday night? With the new term just beginning, I didn’t take one of my […]
Alan Hutton recalls ‘brilliant’ Sunderland Spell & Reflects On Career Rollercoaster
This article is brought to you in association with NetBet Sport. Alan Hutton spent just eleven games on Wearside, but the former Sunderland defender still looks back on his short spell with the club with enormous fondness. The Scot joined Sunderland on loan from Tottenham Hotspur during the 2009/10 season, making eleven appearances for Steve […]
Enzo Le Fée: Sunderland’s Unbreakable Magician
It’s one of the oldest and occasionally hackneyed maxims in the football fan’s little book of go-to phrases: “The biggest players rise to the challenge on the biggest stages”. Granted, other versions of that phrase may be available, but that’s probably the simplest way of putting it and, as Sunderland kicked off their Europa League […]
OTD (19/9/73): When Sunderland First Took Europe by Storm 53 Years Ago
Wednesday saw Sunderland return to European competition after a wait of fifty-three years. What a glorious evening that was for everyone involved, and I wonder what players and supporters would have thought back in 1973 if they’d been told we wouldn’t be repeating their feat for over half a century!? But it was on this […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland u21 3-1 Norwich City u21 – Angulo debut but Ta Bi takes top billing
Joe Cowan: 5/10 Will be extremely disappointed with the goal he conceded, letting a soft shot squirm into the far post. Had a few shots right at him which he handled well, played around the Norwich press well but his long kicking was a bit suspect. Finlay Holcroft: 7/10 Was strong at right back, giving […]
OTD (18/9/1950): When Sunderland & St Mirren Came Together to Honour Andy Reid
Two days after a chastening defeat at home to Blackpool, Bill Murray brought his charges north of the border to commemorate and celebrate a man who had left a lasting impression on the people and supporters of both St Mirren Football Club and Sunderland Association Football Club. Andy Reid was honoured with a thoroughly deserved […]
From the Darkest Days to a Night I’ll Never Forget
Wednesday night was about far more than a football match. It was about the journey Sunderland and its supporters have been on over the past five years – from the lowest of lows to standing inside the Stadium of Light and watching the Lads win a European game. We’ve had a few reminders recently of […]
Kevin Danso: Sunderland’s Quietly Brilliant Defensive Addition
Kevin Danso has flown under the radar since joining Sunderland, in my opinion. A hard, dominant and motivated defender, he has been nothing short of flawless in what we have seen from him in a Sunderland shirt so far. When the link first emerged during the transfer window, I wasn’t too sure what to think, […]
Sunderland in Europe: A Night Shared Across Generations
The moment that will stay with me is not the goal. It is looking to my right and seeing my uncle, Ebbie. The last time Sunderland played European football, he was there. Fifty-three years later, so was I, standing beside him as the players emerged from the tunnel against AZ Alkmaar. I had spent my […]
Sunderland Are Back in Europe – And What a Night It Was
If someone had told me five and a half years ago, on the long trudge back to the car from what is now called the Toughsheet Community Stadium in Bolton, that on my 23rd birthday we would be hosting a regular European outfit in AZ Alkmaar, in our first European game in 53 years, I […]
Haway The Podcast | Q&A | Getting Emotional About Sunderland Winning In Europe
Sunderland are back in Europe — and they’ve already got a win under their belt. 🔴⚪ Join the Haway The Podcast team LIVE for a Sunderland Q&A as we look back on the historic victory over AZ Alkmaar, discuss the Europa League adventure so far, and look ahead to Sunday’s trip to Manchester City. We’ll […]
Sunderland AFC, It Was Always You
I slipped a note underneath the pillow of my seven-year-old, letting her know the score when she woke up in the morning. Just to make sure she understood, I added below: “We Won!” I went back downstairs into the living room. There, I sat quietly for a minute or two. The noise had come like […]
Haway The Podcast | THURSDAY SUPPLEMENT | Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar: The Morning After
THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT BEFORE… 🇪🇺🔴⚪ Sunderland are back in Europe — and what a night it was at the Stadium of Light. Now, it’s time to dissect it. For this special Thursday Supplement, Ian Murtagh joins Haway The Podcast to look back on a truly historic night — and there’s a brilliant story […]
Talking Points: European Paradise on Wearside
French poet Paul Valéry famously claimed that “the best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up”. Last night, all of Sunderland woke up; a sleeping giant woke up, and Wearside’s collective dreams came true. It was a historic night, from the bedlam in the town and the Roker End concourse pre-game, […]
2 Up, 2 Down: Le Fée On The Spot As Sunderland Edge Past AZ Alkmaar
Andy Thompson says… Enzo Le Fée steps up It takes a lot of balls to stand up and take a penalty after you’ve missed one the game before, and I thought Le Fée was excellent and busy all game, with his pressing and intricate passing. Glad he got the opportunity to step up and get […]
Matchday Musings: ‘This Was So Much More Than A Game Of Football’
Ok, I admit it. For a period, many, myself included, didn’t like Sunderland very much. He was the problematic bairn, the one you love out of inherent duty, out of moral obligation as a parent. And if your paths weren’t inextricably intertwined, woven by some greater power at play, then you’d probably have dropped him […]
OTD (17/9/1892) Sunderland Put Six Past Villa In Titanic Clash!
Sunderland kicked off their third season in league football as reigning champions, having won the Football League title for the first time at just the second attempt in 1890-91, with Johnny Campbell scoring 31 in just 24 league games, Jimmy Hannah weighing in with 17 league goals, and Jimmy Millar with 15 in the league, […]
Haway The Podcast | Sunderland Win In Europe | Reaction Pod
SUNDERLAND WIN IN EUROPE! 🇪🇺🔴⚪ THIS IS NOT A DRILL! 53 years after their last European adventure, Sunderland AFC have finally returned to continental competition. And what a way to do it — AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light in the Europa League! Enzo Balls Of Steel Le Fee stepped up to secure the […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 1-0 AZ Alkmaar – European Campaign Kicks Off With A Win
Robin Roefs: 8/10 Made a couple of really important saves when AZ had worked themselves chances inside the box, early on with his foot when the Dutch side were one-on-one and then late on after throwing himself at the ball following a scramble in the six yard box. Nordi Mukiele: 8/10 Got up and down […]
Fan Focus: What Can Sunderland Expect from AZ Alkmaar
We returned the favour and answered questions for our friendly opposition – check out what Matty had to say about Sunderland for AZFanpage by clicking here! AZ finished seventh in the Eredivisie last season, but won the KNVB Cup with an emphatic 5-1 victory over NEC and reached the Conference League quarter-finals. How would you […]
Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar: Our Europa League Predictions Are In
Stats at a glance: Alkmaar (H): 16/09/2026 Average home goals predicted: 2.4 Average away goals predicted: 0.4 Confidence of Roker Report’s writers: 7.5/10 Predicting a win for the Lads: 100% Martin Wanless (Cautious Optimist) says… Score prediction: Sunderland 2 AZ Alkmaar 0 First Mackem to Score in Europe in over 50 years – Fofana A […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar — The Lads Kick-Off In The Europa League
Wednesday 16th September 2026 Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar – Europa League Stadium of Light – Kick-Off: 20:00 Tickets & Match Coverage TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via TNT Sports. 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 […]
Haway The Podcast | MATCH PREVIEW | SAFC v AZ Alkmaar | We Build Up To Our European Opener
JOIN US AS WE PREVIEW SUNDERLAND’S FIRST EUROPA LEAGUE FIXTURE! Bomber & Ian join Chris to preview what is likely to be an emotional night at the Stadium of Light as we play in Europe for the first time in over half a century! Join the lads as they discuss what it means for Sunderland […]
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