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With Martin O’Neill getting Celtic back on track north of the border, it’s difficult not to think back on his time as manager of Sunderland – and think what a bloody shame it was that it didn’t work out. Thinking back, it was potentially a case of being the right man at the wrong time. […]
3 days ago | 1 read
It seems so long ago when Burnley defeated Sunderland back in August – how would you summarise your season since? Yeah feels like a while ago doesn’t it – the season has not gone well, is an understatement. 10 points adrift by January and looking down the barrel of another relegation. Scott Parker has developed […]
3 days ago | 1 read
Isaac Allen: 8/10 Couldn’t have done much with the Leicester goals but made some important second half saves, the first of which, with his legs from close range, was particularly good. Rhys Walsh: 6/10 Played out of position at right back and did a pretty good job, worked hard defensively and got forward when he […]
4 days ago | 0 reads
We have a free weekend this week and it’s because we play in front of the cameras on Monday We enjoyed it so much last time that we bring you another edition of our Room 101 series as Gav & Jonny present their transfer window pet hates to Chris in the hope they are chucked […]
4 days ago | 0 reads
James Elliott says… When the season started, I think it’s fair to say that staying in the Premier League was the main objective. Despite some mixed results recently, we’ve done incredibly well adapting to the top division, and I’m incredibly proud to support and watch this team each week. For me, the remainder of the […]
4 days ago | 0 reads
I’m fed up of hearing about how great Dan Neil is and what a shame it is that he never got his chance in the Premier League. Don’t get me wrong: I love Dan Neil and I wish him well for the future. A local lad, a true fan, he came through the ranks, played […]
4 days ago | 0 reads
There are defeats that sting, defeats that frustrate, and defeats that leave you staring at the pitch long after the final whistle, wondering how a team with so much potential can unravel so quickly. Sunderland’s 3–0 loss away to Bristol City falls firmly into that last category. It wasn’t just the scoreline, nor even the […]
4 days ago | 0 reads
Having returned to club towards the end of the 1967-68 season and brought about a much-needed improvement in results, Sunderland manager Alan Brown soon found the going to be much tougher once his first full campaign back at the helm got underway. 12 months on from replacing the at times unpopular Ian McColl, ‘Bomber’s’ initial […]
4 days ago | 1 read
Do you want to have your say on something Sunderland-related? Drop us an email and we’ll include your thoughts in the next edition of Fan Letters! You can reach us on: [email protected] Dear Roker Report, I note with interest that some fans on here and other social media say the club should have done more […]
4 days ago | 1 read
Ian Bendelow says… Only the Burnley match will provide a clear answer to the question. It is a concern, though, because it is a complete departure from the traits the squad has shown throughout the season. Composure, organisation, professionalism. A rancid first half showing, Granit Xhaka offering some lame-brained helmet of a West Ham fan […]
5 days ago | 1 read
In a victory that Sunderland manager Gus Poyet described as ‘much needed’, new Sunderland signing Jermain Defoe got off the mark for his new club after his January move from Toronto FC. Sunderland had been struggling for goals throughout the season where they had become quite the draw specialists and the club knew that something […]
5 days ago | 3 reads
With the current transfer window seemingly being used to ship players surplus to requirements, the news that Aji Alese has joined Portsmouth on loan prompted me to take a look at a typical team from last season and see how they have fared this year. To do this, I dipped into my box of programmes […]
5 days ago | 1 read
We’re heading not only towards the Burnley game, but also the end of the January Transfer window – so, Gav caught up with Jonny and Bomber for a chat about the latest goings on at Sunderland! Coming up: All of this and much more – get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss […]
5 days ago | 0 reads
We have a free weekend this week and it’s because we play in front of the cameras on Monday night as we entertain Premier League strugglers Burnley and we caught up with Joe Redmond from TurfCast to find out if they still have any hope of staying up this year! All of this and more […]
6 days ago | 0 reads
Jon Guy says… I don’t think there will be a major change in thinking. He will set the team up to win and I expect to see a lot more from the team in terms of application on Monday. The big question is who does he put in to replace Xhaka. Diarra and Talbi need […]
6 days ago | 2 reads
The transfer window closes on Monday 2 February 2026 — in less than 100 hours as I am writing this piece. So far Sunderland have only signed the promising Ivorian winger Jocelin Ta Bi, for a very modest fee. It appears that the recruitment team snatched the young prospect from right under the noses of […]
6 days ago | 2 reads
With Dan Neil gone, the Sunderland bench will look very short of midfielders come the Burnley game. So given the lack of options available to Régis Le Bris in order to change a game or cover injuries, do we need to bring in another midfielder during the transfer window? You could argue that we were […]
6 days ago | 0 reads
Most Sunderland supporters are acquainted with Mr Smith. Regardless of age, you know the name, because Mr Smith, to this day, is inextricably linked to the club’s shift from top-flight elite, The Team of all the Talents, and ‘The Bank of England Club’ to a yo-yo club bouncing between second and first divisions, and occasionally […]
6 days ago | 2 reads
Joe Cowan: 10/10 Made some fantastic saves throughout, brilliantly tipped over two goal bound efforts, one in each half, and stopped a shot with his feet when a striker was through on goal. Made a world class save in injury time when a goal looked certain and made a good attempt at the penalty. Looked […]
6 days ago | 0 reads
The window is about to slam shut just an hour before we kick-off against Burnley and Andrew & Ant join Chris to go through and attempt to predict what might happen! Coming up on today’s show… All of this and more – get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never have to miss another […]
7 days ago | 1 read
Following on from their victory against Crystal Palace, Sunderland returned to the capital for the third away game in a row to face a West Ham side renewed with confidence following a last-minute winner from Callum Wilson the week prior. With Granit Xhaka a confirmed fitness doubt for at least the next fortnight, for the […]
7 days ago | 0 reads
I have to admit that when Sunderland signed two experienced international left-backs in the summer, I thought it would be curtains (sorry, not a pun, despite his hairstyle) for Dennis Cirkin. He’s a player I’ve really fallen in love with over the years and I’ve really enjoyed watching his journey from being a League One […]
7 days ago | 3 reads
Aji Alese has had quite a strange time on Wearside. We signed him for a reported £500,000 from West Ham in the summer of 2022, and although no one knew anything about him, I think we all had high hopes. He’d made just four senior appearances before joining us, but the club saw his talent […]
7 days ago | 1 read
During a game where Sunderland were largely second best against local rivals Middlesbrough, the greatest joy came from the fact that Frazier Campbell scored on his return to the team after eighteen months out injured. Campbell had been extremely unfortunate since joining Sunderland, with a stop-start feel ensuring that supporters only saw glimpses of what […]
7 days ago | 2 reads
As news of Dan Neil’s inevitible departure from Sunderland AFC reached us, Gav, Chris and Andrew reacted to hearing that our former skipper was headed for pastures new, joining Championship promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town. Coming up on today’s show… All of this and more – get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never have […]
8 days ago | 1 read