Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Matchday Musings: Worthwhile Workout For Sunderland In Nashville
People who listen to our Podcast are probably fed up of me labouring this point, but pre-season friendlies and the performances you see don’t actually matter a great deal, and we shouldn’t try and read too much into them. For me, pre-season games are all about taking every positive that you can from them. And, […]
Talking Points: Plenty Of Positives As The Lads Begin US Tour
We all know deep down pre-season means very little in the grand scheme of things, but it’s always nice to see the players back in the red and white – or the pink, as it was on this occasion – and show some promise for the season ahead. Despite the score line, there was a […]
On This Day (26 July 1992): Child’s Play In Scotland As Crosby Tests System
Having made a shock appearance in the FA Cup final at the end of the 1991/1992 campaign, thoughts were turning to the new season at Sunderland – with a different trophy now up for grabs. The Lads began their 1992/1993 pre-season programme at Falkirk, whose kit was also provided by manufacturer hummel. The Danish brand […]
Haway The Podcast | Reaction To Sunderland’s Defeat In Nashville!
Martin, Kelvin, and James got together on the final whistle to talk all about Sunderland’s game against Liverpool in Nashville as the lads went down 4-2 in an entertaining clash. On today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want […]
Just Good Business: The Sensible Geertruida vs Meunier Decision
Following Lutsharel Geertruida’s farewell post on Instagram earlier in the week, fans now have closure on this early window saga or whether or not the well-liked Dutchman would stay on Wearside following the expiration of his loan deal from RB Leipzig. To caveat, I’m a big fan of Lutsha, and this article is in no […]
Can Football Go Global Without Losing Its Soul?
The 2026 World Cup has finished, and it’s a good time for reflection — especially as, coincidentally, Sunderland have arrived in the United States. So, I ask myself: what can we glean from the tournament, and how can Sunderland influence perceptions of football while on tour in the USA? Because there’s a bigger question here. […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 2-4 Liverpool – Canny Runout In Nashville
Melker Ellborg: 6/10 Played around an hour, didn’t have chance with either goal, both being well struck. Made one good save when he came out quickly to save with his feet in the second half but most of his participation in the game was using his feet to play around the press. Nordi Mukiele: 6/10 […]
Fan Focus: What Can Sunderland Expect From Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool Side?
Arne Slot was sacked as Liverpool’s manager after a title defence that saw you lose the same amount of league games as Sunderland. Did fans feel it was the right decision? I think it was the right decision in the end. Of course there was some mitigation and he managed a lot of problems off […]
Haway The Podcast | MATCHDAY PREVIEW | Sunderland Take On Liverpool In Nashville!
YEEEEEEEEEHAW! Sunderland take on Liverpool in Nashville later today and we’re right up for it, so join Gav, James and Andrew as they chat ahead of the match! Coming up on today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want […]
Fan Letters: Transfer Frustrations, Biding Our Time, And More Membership Questions
Dear Roker Report, Like many others, it would seem, I’m becoming somewhat frustrated by the slow transfer window Sunderland appear to be having this summer. However, I have to admit that’s primarily because I love transfer news. Other than matchdays themselves, it’s probably the most exciting part of football and, over the summer, when we’re […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v Liverpool — The Party Gets Going In Nashville
Saturday 25th July 2026 Sunderland v Liverpool – Friendly GEODIS Park, Nashville Kick-Off: 23:00 (BST) Tickets & Match Coverage 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 game on the Roker Report Twitter […]
On This Day (25 July 1973): Happy Birthday, SuperKev!
It’s a happy 53rd birthday to ‘Super’ Kevin Phillips today — and what joy and memories he’s given all of us that are old enough and lucky enough to have seen him. I say that last bit as a nod to the late Kevin Keegan (a player admired and idolised on Merseyside and Tyneside) as […]
Transfer Spotlight: Ten Value Signings Sunderland Could Target This Summer!
‘Arry leaning out of his Land Rover. Sol Campbell crossing North London on a free and Darren Gibson on an eighteen-month deal. The transfer window can bring up plenty of wheeling, dealing and out-of-the blue signings — and often that maybe should’ve stayed there. It’s often been said that “One man’s trash is another man’s […]
Haway The Podcast | Previewing Sunderland v Liverpool With John From The Anfield Wrap!
Sunderland are in the United States and take on Liverpool in Nashville this weekend, so joining Gav is John Gibbons from the excellent Anfield Wrap for a chat about the Reds and what we can expect to face! On today’s show: All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss […]
Reader’s Corner: A Young Sunderland Fan’s Perfect Day Out at York
Do you fancy writing something that we can publish here on the website? Drop us your piece in an email – [email protected] Hi, I’m Joe. I’m 10 years old and I’m from Ashington. However, unlike the majority of people here, my blood flows red and white. It’s been passed down through my family ever since […]
Released Sunderland Man Reflects on Wearside Spell and Injury Battle
Former Sunderland Under-21 midfielder Elias Lenz has reflected on his two years on Wearside after being released by the club this summer. Speaking to BylineCoverage.com, the former RB Leipzig academy captain opened up on his injury struggles, the support he received at the Academy of Light, why he believes Sunderland’s coaching helped improve his game, […]
On This Day (24 July 2006): A Sunny Night In Dublin With Niall Quinn!
It seemed like the perfect time for the club to arrange a pre-season friendly in Dublin, where Sunderland would take on Shelbourne FC, and on a sunny midweek evening in the Irish capital, hundreds of Sunderland supporters, — including this writer — made the journey from both near and far to Tolka Park on Dublin’s […]
Hope Returns: Why Sunderland Fans Can Dream Again
As Sunderland fans, we’ve been almost institutionalised over the years into thinking negative thoughts about the club’s and team’s future, or its ability to maintain any semblance of long-term satisfaction – let alone happiness. I’ve written in these pages before about “doing a Sunderland”. Many other clubs (if not all) can claim to have similar […]
Sunderland’s 1955 North American Trip: What Happens On Tour, Stays On Tour…
In 1955, Sunderland embarked on an international tour for the first time since the pre-Second World War trip to Spain in 1935. The North American tour was scheduled to last just under a month and would include nine matches in all, with four against Huddersfield Town, as well as games against Nuremberg, the Montreal All-Stars, […]
Haway The Podcast | SAFC IN THE USA | Sunderland Fans Stateside On Our Pre-Season Trip!
Sunderland have jetted off to the States for this summer’s pre-season tour, so we thought it would be a grand time to chat to some Massive Lads Fans who follow the club from the other side of the pond! Joining Gav are Jim, Mike and Jose! On today’s show: Find out more about the SAFC […]
On This Day (23 July 1995): Gray Right At Home As He Hits A Pre-Season Hattrick
When Michael Gray looks back on his career, the moment Peter Reid walked into Roker Park must be viewed as a sliding doors moment. The youngster had burst onto the scene under Malcolm Crosby – famously scoring in the first minute of his first start, in his first pro game at Roker – before enjoying […]
What Can Sunderland Hope To Gain From Their USA Tour?
Malc Dugdale says… I’m quite relaxed about pre-season as last time around, we hardly ripped up trees, but we then had our best season in many decades. I’d like to see what the lads who had injuries late last season can do, as we’ll need depth in the squad more than ever this season, so […]
Opposition Focus: Can Sunderland Show Some Pre-Season Promise Against Liverpool?
Can Régis Le Bris’ side reproduce the exciting, free-flowing football shown against York City and trouble Liverpool in Nashville? The Lads now travel stateside to face the Reds at GEODIS Park in Nashville on 25 July and the game itself — as with all matches hosted over the last six weeks in North America — […]
Haway The Podcast | Balogun Bollox, Geertruida No More, & New Sunderland Home Kit Coming?
Plenty is going on in the world of Wearside, so join Gav, Chris and Andrew for this week’s chinwag about all things Sunderland! All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of our free daily show. Want to get in touch with us? You can drop us […]
View From The Away End: York Offers Sunderland the Perfect Return to Club Football
With England’s painful – and arguably avoidable – exit from the World Cup at the semi-final stage still fresh in the mind, a quick turnaround before the return of club football was the perfect tonic. I always think of pre-season friendlies like an appetiser at a fancy restaurant; they’re not what you’re there for and […]
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