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Roker Report

Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!

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An Intriguing Summer Awaits For Sunderland!

When we were promoted almost twelve months ago, we had a few months in which to recruit a Premier League-ready squad. Our ownership could’ve done what so many of their counterparts have done in recent years: not splash the cash and then pocket the Premier League riches yet ultimately fail to compete. Many neutral supporters […]

Rallying The Lads For The Final Push!

Gav says… I think the Newcastle win was a reminder to everyone that this season is very much not over yet, and that this team is on the brink of achieving something that no other Sunderland team in history has ever done: qualifying for European competition through their league position. Being able to give that […]

“May I Have Your Attendance, Please?”

I’ve always been fascinated by the attendances that teams get. Of course, mostly Sunderland’s but other teams’ gates interest me too, and after looking at the league table or the results, an attendance can give you a good indication of various factors. Firstly, it gives you generally an idea of a team’s catchment area, as […]

Good Luck To Our Former Lads In The Championship Promotion Race!

Cards on the table: I don’t miss the Championship. I don’t miss the grind of the forty-six game schedule, the often-ropey red button coverage on Sky Sports, the attritional style of football or the incessant proclamations that Jack Rudoni is a future Ballon D’Or winner — and I certainly don’t miss Andy Hinchcliffe and Don […]

Haway The Podcast | LEGENDS WAY | The Lads Choose Their 14 SAFC Legends

The club recently announced the introduction of Legends’ Way outside the ground – recognising and commemorating some of Sunderland AFC’s club legends. The club put out a shortlist of 43 names – and with only 14 stones available, it’s a tough choice to pick who should be honoured, and who should miss out! So, Martin, Kelvin […]

On This Day (8th April 1942): Cec Irwin, SAFC’s Youngest Defender & Wing-Back Pioneer

Cecil Irwin was a schoolboy prodigy, first playing representative football with East Northumberland Under – 11s Schools. He trod a familiar path for lads that had any football talent in that part of the region, representing ‘East North’ upon attending senior school. Approaching the end of his school days, he was on the radar of […]

Fan Letters: Rule Changes, Le Bris Future And Podcast Praise!

Dear Haway The Podcast,  I’m certain that I’m your most dedicated fan here in NYC* I’ve held back on all the things I would share, but I’ve got a compliment I have to share and a compelling question. Andrew’s description of being at Wembley with his family and friend and the niece’s “big, fat, hot tears […]

Honouring Our Heroes

Mavis Brack was born in Sunderland in 1920, one of 7 children. She and her future husband, the splendidly named Henry Smiles Griffiths, or Harry as he was known, spent their courtship at Roker Park, in the club’s halcyon days leading up to World War 2, as Raich Carter and Bobby Gurney tore through the […]

Can Sunderland Keep ‘The Band’ Together Beyond The Summer?

It’s never going to be a day of celebration when a musical act of which you happen to be a big fan either loses a member or calls it a day entirely. I remember feeling shocked and a little saddened, for example, when Blink 182 initially called it a day in 2005 (the official term […]

On This Day (7th April): Ten Takeaways from the 1973 FA Cup Semi-Final

Did you know in the 1972/73 season a player involved in this game played for both teams in the FA Cup? Brian Chambers, who was an unused substitute for Sunderland at Hillsborough in 1973, was transferred to Arsenal shortly after the final for £30,000 and played for them against Wolves in the 3rd/4th play-off game. […]

What Do Sunderland Need To Reach A European-Level Points Total?

Gav says… I’m going to be really boring and clichéd here, but we have to take it one game at a time. If we beat Spurs on Sunday – and, regardless of what anyone thinks or says, that would still be a huge win given the amount of quality they actually have at their disposal, […]

Editorial: What Story Will The Season’s Next Chapter Tell?

I don’t typically like international breaks at all. Bar the World Cups or Euros, I barely pay attention to international football, and usually, the national teams getting together is just an unnecessary diversion from league action. This international break, however, could not have been better timed. By the time we take to the field on […]

NFL

Sunderland Need To Take Advantage Of Spurs’ Recent Upheaval On Sunday!

When it’s felt like nothing short of 9,635 days since our glorious victory against the ‘hosts’/‘visitors’, you’re left with a significant amount of time to think about our next match. International friendlies, although traditionally notoriously dull, have proven to be even more meaningless, with even the players themselves deeming them as optional events to take […]

For Sunderland, Ruthlessness Can’t Become Recklessness

“Ruthless”. A popular word in footballing circles, often used to describe the world’s leading strikers (“He’s ruthless whenever he gets a chance inside the box”), teams who scent blood and show no mercy, hard-nosed managers who make often-controversial decisions for the good of their team (“Manager X is ruthless when it comes to making the […]

On This Day (6th April 1994): Keller Becomes Roker Target After Clash With Don

Sunderland had just drifted aimlessly since dropping out of the top tier in May 1991. Reaching the cup final in 1992 provided a big distraction from just how bad things were, but we ended up with a manager in Malcolm Crosby that chairman Bob Murray just didn’t want. Roker Park was falling to bits, there […]

MLS

Can Eli And Wilson Play A Role For Sunderland During 2026/2027?

Gav says… A lot probably depends on where we finish the season, so it’s probably a little too early to say. If we — and I know this sounds utterly mental — manage to qualify for Europe, the demands on the squad will be far greater than if we’re just competing for domestic honours next […]

On This Day (5 April 1901): Revolting Newcastle Fans Ruin The North East’s Big Day

The latest episode of Haway The Podcast’s “On This Week” series ends with the story of what was meant to be a Good Friday showdown between rivals Newcastle United and Sunderland. With both a possible league title and local pride on the line, the fixture attracted huge numbers to St James’ Park, but as was […]

Régis Le Bris – Sunderland’s Rare Beacon of Stability

Régis Le Bris is fast approaching a second full season in charge at Sunderland, a feat that only three others have reached in the last 30 years – Steve Bruce, Mick McCarthy, and Peter Reid. This stat is amazing in itself and stands out even more when you look at the high turnover of managers/head […]

Three Huge Fixtures – Defining Sunderland’s European Dream

Three important fixtures are in the near future for the Lads, as the results of these games will more than likely define our European dreams. There has been an awful lot of discourse around our chances of securing a European spot since we secured safety and it has never been so prominent than in these […]