Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
Total reads
4,769
This week
3
Rank
#31 of 466
Published
2,272 posts
Last 12 weeks
Most read posts
Featured on Sportsblogs
Run this blog? Add the badge to your site to show readers you're featured — it links back to this page.
Latest Entries
On This Day (22nd July 1977): The Sunderland Career That Never Took Off
Bob Stokoe paid a near club-record fee for coveted winger Roy Greenwood. Less than 18 months later, Jimmy Adamson was ready to listen to offers, and all the signs suggested a deal could be done… The Journal‘s John Donoghue shared the thoughts of Sunderland manager Jimmy Adamson on this day in 1977. Adamson said: “The […]
2026/2027 Could Be A Coming-Of-Age Campaign For Sunderland’s Youngsters!
We saw flashes of their immense potential on the domestic front at times last season and for many of Sunderland’s young tyros, during a marathon and frankly weird World Cup in the United States, and as the Lads continue to put in the hard yards ahead of the 2026/2027 season, there should be a growing […]
Haway The Podcast | INTERVIEW | We’re Joined By Danny McNamara From Embrace!
If you hadn’t seen it already, there’s a weekend of live music down at Seaburn in mid-August with Cliffe Park Live with the likes of The Waterboys & Ocean Colour Scene, and on Friday 14th August, Embrace headline the evening! So we caught up with Danny McNamara to catch up on everything about the gig […]
The Match That Made Me Fall in Love with Sunderland
As we’re about to embark on a European campaign and my sixth consecutive season as a season-ticket holder, it seems appropriate to reminisce about where it all began. It all started back in 2008, when I was just a five-year-old lad looking for something to do at the weekend. My dad and his brothers are […]
Can Sunderland Avoid A Sticky Second Season?
A band’s second album can notoriously be a let-down. You can get The Bends following Pablo Honey, but The Stone Roses didn’t really deliver following their self-titled debut. While the Premier League isn’t unfamiliar territory for Sunderland fans, beginning another top-flight season on the back of such a fruitful campaign certainly is. The remainder of […]
Which Of Sunderland’s Fringe Players Could Be In The Spotlight This Pre-Season?
Dean Dugdale says… Jocelin Ta Bi was impressive in a recent youth tournament, and he assisted in the recent pre-season game too. He got off to a great start last season before injury in what seemed to be his first chance. He has confidence, attacking intent and ability, and we need talented wide men — especially […]
On This Day (July 21st 1984): Sunderland Played Nissan In A Relationship Building Friendly
The Japanese car giant Nissan had, as recently as March that year, selected Wearside as the location for its massive investment in its UK manufacturing operation. A friendly match was suggested to mark the occasion, with Japanese side Nissan FC visiting Roker Park for a historic, relationship-building fixture. The manufacturing plant was to be built […]
Haway The Podcast | 2ND SEASON SYNDROME | Can Sunderland Learn From Our Past?
Pundits will periodically mention the second season syndrome but is it actually a thing?! Gav & Andrew joined Chris to go through whether or not there’s anything in it as the lads look at Premier League history as well as the other two occasions we’ve prepared for a second season! On today’s show: All this […]
Editorial: Sunderland Are Back In Action & The World Cup Comes To A Close!
Good to be back… It was good to have that matchday feeling back, especially with our game at York City being a 3pm kick-off on a Saturday afternoon. It just means you have something in your mind from the moment you wake on a Saturday morning, that you either know you need to get ready […]
Sunderland Loan Watch: Aleksić Off The Mark!
Let’s be honest, lads and lasses: being a Sunderland fan means your eyes are glued to more than just the first team sheet on a Saturday afternoon. With the club’s focus on cultivating top-tier young talent at the Academy of Light, keeping tabs on our rising stars and squad players out on loan has become […]
Régis Le Bris Will Make More History in 2026/27, And Deservedly So!
If there was one thing missing; one final touch that would’ve truly completed an unforgettable day as Sunderland secured a European berth for 2026/2027 after that iconic victory over Chelsea back in May, it would’ve been a rousing rendition of a seldom-heard chant once the music stopped and the layout of the final league table […]
On This Day (20th July 1986): Batey Waits For Sunderland Showdown With McMenemy
Almost exactly one year on from the excitement and optimism that greeted the arrival of Lawrie McMenemy to Wearside, the Sunderland manager was due to arrive back at Roker Park – following his trip to Mexico to watch the World Cup – on this day in 1986, safe in the knowledge that rebel director Barry […]
Can Data Help Sunderland Find Brian Brobbey’s Deputy?
Simon and Garfunkel, Wham!, Robbie Williams and Take That. Sometimes you have to accept you’re not the star of the show. We’ve seen Eliezer Mayenda depart for €25 million this summer, and at twenty one, the ‘Big Man’ most likely decided that backup minutes were not sufficient for his development. Brian Brobbey’s excellence — both […]
Haway The Podcast | YORK PUBCAST | Reaction To Sunderland’s First Friendly!
After the final whistle against York, Gav met up with a few of the lads to go through their day out and to give their reaction on Sunderland’s first friendly of the summer! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free […]
Matchday Musings: Pretty In Pink Sunderland Demolish York City
The Lads started pre-season ahead of their first European campaign in fifty three years in style, defeating York City 1-5 at the LNER Community Stadium. Régis Le Bris named a starting eleven with a mix of first team names, backup options and returnees from loan, as our twelve-man strong World Cup contingent aren’t expected to […]
Talking Points: Sunderland Kick Off Pre-Season With A Win!
The Lads’ starting eleven doesn’t miss a beat The team that started the first half was fantastic to a man. Granted, they were facing League Two opposition, but York City are ahead of us in their pre-season schedule, having already played one game and defeated League One Barnsley. We know from experience that facing a […]
2 Up, 2 Down: Sunderland See Off York As Pre-Season Begins
Dean McDonald says… Sunderland get back into the grove! The first team lads looked up to speed immediately. Enzo Le Fée in particular didn’t miss a beat and didn’t look like a player just back in pre-season. Aji Alese’s comeback Alese returned and completed forty five minutes with no trouble. You’d be hard-pressed to find […]
On This Day (19th July 2003): McCarthy’s Boys Continue To Learn
With the club still coming to terms with a damaging relegation from the Premiership a couple of months earlier, and many of the squad’s higher earners needing to be moved on in order to balance the books, Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy had his work cut out during the pre-season of 2003 – 04. A pitiful […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: York City 1-5 Sunderland – Black Cats Cruise To Victory
Melker Ellborg: 6/10 A spectator for most of the 45 minutes he was on the pitch, did well with anything that came his way. Trai Hume: 7/10 Did very little defending and often popped up in central midfield, which he did when he picked up an assist after picking out Rigg in the penalty box […]
Haway The Podcast | CHIT-CHAT | York, New Sunderland Signings & More On Memberships!
IT’S MATCHDAY! The Lads are back in action in our opening pre-season friendly, so we take a chance to talk through the latest news as well as looking forward to the game! On today’s show… All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily […]
On This Day (18 July 2006): Bob Stokoe’s Statue Is Officially Unveiled!
The Bob Stokoe statue was officially unveiled on this day in 2006. It was sculpted by Sean Hedges-Quinn, a bronze monument to one of our most loved and idolised managers — nicknamed The Messiah. The enormous grin and Stokoe’s attempts to keep that trademark trilby hat on his head even in the heat of such […]
Match Preview: York City v Sunderland — Everyone Ready To Get Started Again?!
Saturday 18th May 2026 York City v Sunderland – Friendly LNER Community Stadium – Kick-Off: 15:00 Tickets & Match Coverage Tickets: Tickets are sold out. TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via safc.com. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the […]
Fan Focus: York Reporter Gabriel Lifts The Lid On The National League Champions
League champions. 108 points. That last day drama. Is it fair to say that’s the greatest season of York’s history? Without a doubt, yes. It was a season that broke all sorts of records for the football club, reaching their highest points tally, winning a league title for only the second time in their history […]
Finding My Sunderland Family in America
For a long time, being an American Sunderland supporter was a solitary existence. Nobody I’d ever met knew what a Super Kev, a Stadium of Light or an Accrington Stanley was. Nobody I’d ever met understood what a great escape or a relegation felt like. I was alone. Or at least I thought I was. […]
Sunderland tracking Swedberg
Signing another winger is thought to be a priority for Florent Ghisolfi this summer, particularly following the departure of Bertrand Traore. Roma’s Matias Soule has been strongly linked with a move to Sunderland, with the club said to be competing with Fulham for his signature, but another new name has emerged this morning. According to […]
Displaying entries 626-650
of the latest 1,250