Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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On This Day (28th Dec 1992): Crosby Enjoys A Win During His Final Run
When Sunderland AFC supporters think of 1992 they will automatically recall Malcolm Crosby – a fan of the club growing up that subsequently took the Lads to Wembley as he lived out the dream of taking charge at Roker Park. On the face of things, it was a year of great excitement but whilst people […]
Starting XI: One Change For Sunderland Today?
We acquitted ourselves well at Brighton last time out, and with a big game against Leeds today the squad will be tested again. Chris Rigg was the surprise inclusion last weekend, and while he did OK I think his inclusion was more tactical than anything else and I’d be surprised to see him in the […]
Score Predictions: Will Sunderland Keep Up Their Cracking Home Form v Leeds?
Martin Wanless predicts… Score prediction: Sunderland 2 Leeds 1 Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey Leeds have been in good form recently, especially at home, but so have we – and we’ll be targeting this game as one from which we can get another three points to add to our already impressive total. Despite being without […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v Leeds United — Will The Lads Deliver A Late Christmas Gift?
Saturday 28th December 2025 Sunderland v Leeds United – Premier League Stadium of Light Kick-Off: 14:00 Tickets & Match Coverage Tickets: Tickets are sold out. TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via Sky Sports. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of […]
Haway The Podcast | OPPO PREVIEW | YouTuber Conor McGilligan On Sunderland v Leeds!
Pop the kettle on, load up a sarnie full of Christmas leftovers and stick your headphones in as we look forward to Sunderland vs Leeds United at the Stadium of Light – and joining us to give us his expert views on our opposition is popular YouTuber Conor McGilligan from the One Leeds Fan Channel! […]
Fan Focus: What Can Sunderland Expect From Leeds?
After four straight defeats, Leeds are on a current unbeaten run of four games, beating Chelsea and Palace – what has sparked an upturn in form? A change in tactical formation from the 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 during half-time at the Etihad has transformed Leeds and made them much more difficult and unpredictable to play against. […]
On This Day (27th Dec 2021): Johnson Happy To Close The Gap At The Top After Doncaster Win
It’s almost two years to the day since Sunderland secured a vital 1-2 win at Doncaster to ease the pressure on the then Sunderland manager Phil Parkinson, who was under huge pressure after a nine-game winless run. On this day in 2021, Sunderland came into this game in much better shape and put in a […]
Mel Reay: In or Out? Sunderland Women’s Dilemma
Sunderland sit towards the bottom of the WSL2, a position that naturally invites scrutiny, frustration, and emotional reaction. Yet the table tells a more nuanced story: the gap between 11th and 7th is a mere three points, meaning that a short burst of good form could transform the club’s outlook almost overnight. This tension between […]
On This Day (26 December 1962) Brian Clough Suffers Career-Ending Injury At Roker
It’s a date and a game etched into the minds of many Sunderland supporters, no matter whether you were around at the time or not. Boxing Day, 1962, Sunderland versus Bury. Alan Brown’s team were flying high in the second division – second in the league at Christmas after beating Leeds 2-1 at Roker three days […]
Boxing Day Footie — A Fixture Of The Festivities
Boxing Day is here, and a glut of football is taking place right across the pyramid – apart from at the very top. Only one Premier League game is scheduled for December 26th, that being Manchester United vs. Newcastle United. The rest of the league play will take place across the next three days, with […]
It Does Get Much Better Than Sunderland At Christmas
It has become a Sunderland tradition in my household to follow the lads to at least one away game over the Christmas holidays. My brother and I would be overjoyed to receive the ticket as a Christmas present. The next day, we would bundle into the car and begin the trip. I would sit in […]
Atkinson And Blades: Sunderland’s New Dynamic Duo?
Given the Lasses’ limited attacking output, there’s a sense that Sunderland haven’t quite reached their full creative potential. Injuries have disrupted their rhythm, limited options, and forced tactical reshuffles, and among the players whose absences have been felt most keenly are Izzy Atkinson and Reanna Blades — two wide players who offer something different. Although […]
Sixth At Christmas: Our Writers On Sunderland’s Yuletide High!
Gav says… It’s been a season like no other in my lifetime — not just a season, actually, but a year that’s gone beyond my wildest dreams. The storyline of 2025 for Sunderland has been like no other — and it genuinely could’ve been the script of a movie. The way we’ve won big games […]
On This Day (25th Dec 1940): Len Duns Stars In A Christmas Cracker
The breakout of war in the early 1940s ultimately put a halt to any competitive football in England at this time. This meant that regional leagues and friendlies were the only games in which any club in the country could participate, with the funds raised from these friendly games going towards the war effort. For […]
Roker Report’s Alternative Christmas Speech: 2025 Has Been A Year To Savour
A very merry Christmas to one and all. A yuletide fact for everyone: did you know Santa’s outfit is red and white because he’s a massive Lads fan? There may be truth in that; there may not. But if he has a Sky Sports package (or IPTV for those of you on the naughty list […]
Haway The Podcast | XMAS EVE SPECIAL | We Talk To Tony Jameson From The FM Show!
It’s Christmas Eve! And while we’re waiting for Santa to rock up we thought we’d provide an early treat as we speak to comedian, the host of The FM Show and massive Lads fan… Tony Jameson! All of this and more on, so get on it! This episode of Haway The Podcast is sponsored by LiveScoreBet, […]
Talking Tactics: Le Bris’ Tweaks Earn Sunderland A Vital Brighton Point
Sunderland travelled down to the South Coast for their first league meeting at the Amex Stadium on Saturday as the festive fixtures took hold. With several departures away to the AFCON, how did Le Bris shuffle his pack and really put pressure on Fabian Hürzeler to earn yet another well-deserved point on the road? Sunderland […]
On This Day (24 Dec 1921): Tricky Hawes Is Worth Every Penny!
This would prove to be Sunderland’s biggest win of the season as Sunderland battered their Black Country rivals with goals and performances all over the pitch. The Sunday Sun reported in its Christmas Day edition that Sunderland’s left-hand side (Harry Martin and debutant Hawes) gave a sparkling display, with Mitton shining by virtue of his […]
Lutsharel Geertruida — A Player Worth Signing Permanently?
Lutsharel Geertruida has impressed so far this season, proving himself to be a talented, versatile and useful footballer. He’s played in thirteen games for us, starting six of them and coming off of the bench in seven. In fact, he’s only been an unused substitute in one game — the Wear-Tyne derby. This highlights his […]
A Red And White Christmas To Savour!
When considering the frankly staggering rate of progress that we’ve seen at Sunderland in recent times, one game I often use as a barometer is our 1-2 home defeat to Swansea City during the turbulent “season of three head coaches” — 2023/2024. Under Mike Dodds, we were — to put it mildly — bloody awful […]
Lasses Player Analysis: “Scarr… Scarr Will Tear You Apart Again!”
There are forwards who score goals and there are forwards who seem to carry goals with them, as if stitched into their stride and waiting to be released at the slightest invitation. Emily Scarr belongs firmly in the latter category — a player whose evolution over the past few seasons has been one of the […]
View From The Away End: Festive Cheer For Sunderland At Brighton
Santa hats and loud Christmas jumpers were the order of the day, and the cloudless blue winter sky matched the jubilant mood on the early Thameslink service from Finsbury Park as we shared stories of how we celebrated Nick Woltemade’s hilarious act of charity. The proximity of this game to Christmas and the long journey […]
“Time to Retire the Shearer Chant? Focus on Our Heroes!”
It’s Christmas 2025, Sunderland are sat sixth in the Premier League with 27 points from 17 games, we have international players away representing their countries in the Africa Cup of Nations, we still have enough top-class players in our squad to draw away to an established Premier League team like Brighton – and our nearest […]
On This Day (23rd Dec 1950): Sunderland Deliver An Early Christmas Present!
For those seeking last-minute gift ideas, the 23 December 1950 edition of The Football Echo carried adverts for sporting equipment from Binns and mouth organs from Bergs of Crowtree Road, but the majority of readers were focused on the mood of Sunderland’s favourite cartoon character — and thankfully for them, the “Footy Echo Man” was […]
Lasses Player Analysis: Gallant Greenwood!
From the moment Hannah Greenwood walked into the Academy of Light during the summer, there was a quiet sense among those inside Sunderland AFC Women that they’d signed a defender who would not only strengthen the back line but also reshape its personality — not through noise or theatrics, but through the kind of calm, […]
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