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Last Tuesday we looked at a tight home win over Bradford City, ahead of which manager Denis Smith had named an unchanged side following two disappointing away games On This Day (21st Oct 1989): Bradford City Sunk By MacPhail’s Arrow | Roker Report. The match had taken place during a heavy run of fixtures, with […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
In the early 1980s, a somewhat bizarre TV special titled The Mystery Of Al Capone’s Vaults aired in America. In it, an underground room at a Chicago hotel once inhabited by the notorious crime boss was opened live on air — only for the entire thing to fall flat when nothing more than mounds of […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Are you a budding wordsmith and fancy writing something that we can publish here at Roker Report? Drop us an email and we’ll post it on the website – we can be found at [email protected] In the aftermath of our tremendous victory over Chelsea, it’s hard to sum up just how well things are going […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Among the many indignities inflicted on Sunderland fans in our last Premier League campaign almost a decade ago, one that sometimes slips under the radar is the farcical final-day defeat at Stamford Bridge. Future Mag and gobshite Javier Manquillo actually gave us an unlikely lead, but what followed epitomised the cowardice and lack of self-respect […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
I was there. 24 years ago. January 2001. Don Hutchinson and Stan Varga, with his luscious long hair, steering us to a 2-0 away win at West Ham’s Upton Park. We sat second in the Premier League after that result. I was only 12 and had just become a fully invested Sunderland fan, thinking that […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Unfortunately no Martin this week, but Andrew, Kelvin (for most of it until he forgot to put 50p in the meter!) are here to guide you on a spooky ride through a week in the history of Sunderland AFC that includes Halloween – and there have been a few nightmares at Sunderland on that day! […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
John Wilson says… I’m sure the players’ morale and confidence in their own ability has been high all season. As Wilson Isidor said, “Nobody believes in us, so let’s show them!” Of course, winning away at the Club World Cup champions is going to give a boost to any team. As we keep hearing, consistency […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
It’s been one of the most popular angles of the season so far as opposition supporters have sought to dampen both Sunderland’s superb start to the 2025/2026 campaign and the optimism generated along the way by caveating almost every positive result we’ve achieved — no matter how it came about. “Yeah, but they’ve had an […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
With a bit of luck, it might be a nice dilemma for the club to have in a couple of years – and it’s one that has impacted a few clubs recently in the Premier League – but it’s that question of what’s next? We’d finished seventh in the top flight for two successive seasons, […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
We’re going to be talking about this game for a while, and who can blame us?! Former Sunderland defender Danny Collins joins Martin and Chris to chat all about that memorable win at Stamford Bridge as the lads claim another three points to go SECOND in the Premier League! On today’s agenda: All of this […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
On Monday morning, we’ll be recording our regular Tuesday Q&A podcast, where we answer your questions about Sunderland! Have a question you’d like us to answer? Leave a comment below, or email [email protected] and we’ll answer your question tomorrow. Could be anything about tactics, team selection, up coming games, things from the past, the manager, […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Heading into this week’s fixture away to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, spirits and hopes were high – but it would be fair to say that expectations weren’t necessarily on the same level. A week on from a fantastic win against Wolves, where Sunderland handily took all three points despite a less-than-stellar overall performance, the trip […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
The lads put in an almost perfect away performance at Stamford Bridge to defeat Chelsea away for the first time since 2014, and climbed up to second in the Premier League table. The last time a newly-promoted team achieved this feat at the end of the day’s fixtures was Nottingham Forest, 31 years ago. I […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Second-tier Cambridge United stood between Sunderland and a place in round three of the Milk Cup – and based on their performance at the Abbey Stadium in the first leg, John Docherty’s side must have fancied their chances to progress. With an hour gone in the first match the Lads had looked to be in […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Anthony Gair says… The Red and White Army…enough said! The fans were absolutely magnificent to a number. Chelsea’s fans must’ve thought they were away from home — properly loud and the only fans to be heard on the telly. Brian Brobbey plays his part Is there a stronger man on the planet? No. The patience […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Where do we begin with this one?! What a goal! What a performance! Is it time to get carried away?! Andrew & Chris attempt to talk about an incredible Sunderland win at Chelsea! On today’s agenda: All of this and much more – get subscribed to you don’t miss another episode of Haway The Podcast!
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Robin Roefs: 8/10 Maybe could have done better with Chelsea’s goal which went underneath him and his distribution was a little off today but otherwise was as reliable as ever. Made saves you’d expect him to make but was always in the right place to make them and was confident when coming for balls into […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Anthony Gair says… The Red and White Army…enough said! The fans were absolutely magnificent to a number. Chelsea’s fans must’ve thought they were away from home — properly loud and the only fans to be heard on the telly. Brian Brobbey plays his part Is there a stronger man on the planet? No. The patience […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Chelsea have looked promising so far this season. What are the expectations for 2025/2026? It’s a similar story to last season. We don’t have the consistency to challenge for the league and we don’t have the quality and experience to win the Champions League. So really, we’re hoping to win a domestic cup and hopefully […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
On this day, Sam Allardyce became the fourth Sunderland manager to beat Newcastle United in their second game in charge, as we beat our fiercest rivals 3-0. Whilst Steve McClaren suggested that his team was “utterly dominant” in the first half, the game was tight and cagey for almost the entire first forty five minutes […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
With Reinildo back in contention, there was an increasing chance that we might go five at the back at Stamford Bridge; however, Omar Alderete’s absence today makes that unlikely. Nordi Mukiele’s performance at right back last weekend was excellent, and with Luke O’Nien also back in contention there’s a few options available to the manager today. […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
Saturday 25th October 2025 Chelsea v Sunderland – Premier League Stadium of Light Kick-Off: 15:00 Tickets & Match Coverage Tickets: Tickets are sold out. TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is unavailable in the UK. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
IIIIIIIIIIT’S MATCHDAAAAAY! Andrew, Bomber & Chris gather to look ahead to Sunderland’s trip to Stamford Bridge… On today’s agenda: All of this and much more – get subscribed to you don’t miss another episode of Haway The Podcast!
about 2 months ago | 0 reads
It’s a big test for the Lads this weekend as we travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea! So we caught up with Simon Johnson from The Athletic so he could tell us about covering Chelsea for the last 20+ years! On today’s agenda: All of this and much more – get subscribed to […]
about 2 months ago | 1 read
Sunderland’s last trip to Chelsea was an embarrassing end to a humiliating season. A 5-1 humping, finishing rock bottom of the league, and creating a guard of honour in the 26th minute for John Terry were just some of the dreadful memories of this day. Fast forward eight years, and Sunderland prepare to visit that […]
about 2 months ago | 0 reads