Roker Report
Sunderland AFC's foremost blog and Podcast!
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Sunderland’s Black Cats Membership Scheme…Is It Worth It?
When Sunderland announced the ‘Black Cats Membership’ scheme in the summer, my first reaction was that it would make it much more difficult to get tickets for home matches. This was based on the expectation that most non-season card holders who go to more than one or two games a season — like me — […]
Sunderland Are Back! The Story of the Lads’ Rise from League One to Europe
I’ll start out by saying that, as someone who has lived through the ups and downs of the period in Sunderland AFC’s history covered by this book, I was looking forward to reading it but not really expecting to learn a great deal. I was wrong. Connor has, from the opening chapter and throughout the […]
OTD (10/09/66): Hurley Blow As Toddo Makes His Professional Debut
Heading into this early-season away fixture at Stamford Bridge, Sunderland knew the odds were very much against them. The club hadn’t won away from home for 20 games, with their last victory on the road coming almost a year prior, on 18 September 1965 at Blackpool. Ian McColl was now in charge – he’d been […]
Haway The Podcast | Haway The Q&A! | Jules Ahoka, Wingers, and Cup Runs
Welcome to Haway the Podcast and we’ve got a Q&A episode for you today – plenty of questions have come in from you lovely people, and Martin, Kelvin, Andrew and Chris are going to try and tackle them! On today’s show All this and more! Get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss […]
Matchday Musings: Sunderland Progress in the Carabao Cup After Talbi Magic
Sunderland progressed into the 4th round of the Carabao Cup with their first victory in the tournament since 2021 after playing out a 1-0 win against fellow Premier League side Hull City, inflicting the visitors’ first defeat of the season. How did the match play out? Régis Le Bris made wholesale changes from the draw […]
Talking Points: Sunderland’s Fringe Players Impress in Carabao Cup Victory
Debutants We knew there would be a lot of changes coming into this game, and Régis ended up giving us our first sight of Dayann Methalie and Jules Ahoka, while Fofana got his first start for the club. I was excited to see both get minutes, as I think they can each have big roles […]
2 Up, 2 Down: What Were The Positives & Negatives from Sunderland 1-0 Hull?
Gav says… Jules Ahoka… wow. You’re likely to hear a lot of repetition today on the positives, because anyone watching the game couldn’t have taken their eyes off the DR Congo wonderkid. Making his first start in a Sunderland shirt in ONLY HIS FIFTH EVER GAME OF PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL (I genuinely cannot believe this), Ahoka […]
Don’t Give Up On Your Sunderland Dream, Chemsdine
Prior to the start of the 2026/2027 campaign and with several of Sunderland’s leading lights having enjoyed a stellar World Cup campaign to sit alongside their historic achievements of 2025/2026, I highlighted three players whom I felt could be key figures for us in 2026/2027, with their talents potentially being showcased on multiple fronts during […]
OTD (9/9/1908): Jackie Mordue — The Pitman Who Became A Sunderland Great
The season was 1908/09. Two opening games away from home had left Sunderland pointless and manager Bob Kyle perplexed, as he attempted to manage a team in transition. Five players had made their debuts in the opening-day defeat against Man City. One of these debutants, centre-forward Arthur ‘Boy’ Brown, cost a world-record fee of £1,600. […]
Andy’s Player Ratings: Sunderland 1-0 Hull City – Cheeky Chemsdine Chip Clinches Cup Contest
Melker Ellborg: 6/10 Made one comfortable save from a free kick, where he pushed the effort wide. A couple of times he was a little slow to getting out to the ball after the centre backs had left the ball to him but without any real scares. Trai Hume: 7/10 Comfortable night at right back […]
Hull City Tactical Analysis: How Will Sunderland Handle the Tigers?
Sunderland welcome Hull City to the Stadium of Light in the Carabao Cup as the Black Cats kick off their League Cup campaign for the first time in the third round due to European qualification. We face a Tigers side that haven’t conceded a goal in the Premier League after three games and are coming […]
Haway The Podcast | MATCH PREVIEW | Is The League Cup A Priority For Sunderland?
The Brentford game was the start of a run that sees Sunderland play five games in sixteen days, and with two of Europe’s best sides to come and our first step on the European adventure sandwiched inbetween, makes tonight’s game against Hull City is a tough one to place! Martin, Andrew & Jonny join Chris […]
OTD (8/9/94): The Sunderland Academy Graduate Who Became a Captain is Born
On this day in 1994, George Honeyman was born in Prudhoe, Northumberland. Brought into the Academy of Light at ten years old in 2004, Honeyman would spend a decade impressing in the youth and under-21 set-up before finally making his full debut in February 2015. Honeyman was handed his debut by Gus Poyet in a […]
The Argument In Favour Of Attending Sunderland’s Cup Games
Dear Reader, I come to you in peace. You’ll find zero negative vibes here today — and I have little interest in sparking any kind of intra-fanbase beef or even a mild-mannered debate for that matter. There’ll be no fingers being pointed, blame apportioned, guilt being tripped and absolutely no pontificating whatsoever. My soap box […]
Fan Focus: Hull Supporter Ant is Fully Confident They’ll Beat Sunderland
Hull have had a dream start to life back in the Premier League, currently unbeaten without conceding. It must feel like a dream after so many wrote you off? It feels like a dream but we knew we had it in us — despite whatever every other content creator and pundit tried saying about us. […]
Starting XI: All Change For Sunderland’s Cup Tie Against Hull City?
Tonight’s league cup tie is a well-times opportunity for some of our squad to get minutes into their legs – and given the next run of games is likely to see a few of the needed, it’s a great fitness exercise, as well as being an opportunity to stake a claim in the starting XI […]
Match Preview: Sunderland v Hull City — Will The Lads March On In The League Cup?
Tuesday 8th September 2026 Sunderland v Hull City – League Cup 2nd Round Stadium of Light – Kick-Off: 19:45 Tickets & Match Coverage Tickets: Available via safc.com. TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available on Sky Sports+. Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online) Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow […]
Could Sunderland Finally Bring Domestic Cup Glory Back to Wearside?
As we look ahead to Sunderland’s Carabao Cup tie against Hull City and a welcome break from Premier League action, this presents Sunderland with one of the best chances of winning a domestic cup in fifty-three years. For the first time in many seasons, Sunderland are competing on four different fronts this season and, if […]
Sunderland Stand Tall at Brentford Despite the Doubters
Last week might have seen the most draining run of days for Sunderland fans in a while (and there’s plenty of competition). We lurched from the excitement of the Europa League draw, to the frantic scramble to book flights and accommodation without being ripped off by Ryanair, to the more familiar sensations of the nervy […]
Haway The Q&A | ISIDOR OR BROBBEY? Sunderland’s BIG Selection Dilemma!
Sunderland’s next two Premier League games are against Arsenal and Manchester City – but who should be starting up front? Is it finally time for Wilson Isidor to get the nod ahead of Brian Brobbey? Gav, Bomber, Brett & Ant answer your questions, discussing Sunderland’s attacking options, the impact of injuries to Mundle and Diarra, […]
Editorial: Sunderland’s Secret Weapon? Let Them Keep Writing Us Off
Sunderland’s success in recent years can be attributed to many factors, but I’d argue that one of the main drivers of our success has been the fuel provided by doubt. Time after time, year after year, game after game, Sunderland are written off. Sometimes by our own supporters, yes, but mostly by people in the […]
Fan Letters: Two Up Top For Arsenal? Can Sunderland Sort Their Club Communications?
Dear Roker Report, Driving back from Brentford had a feeling of mixed emotions. I thought Sunderland played really well in the first half and were unlucky not to go in at half-time a couple of goals to the good. Once they scored, changes had to be made by RLB and it was good to see […]
Sunderland’s Transfer Window: Panic, Gluttony and Malick Fofana
Amid all of the madness of last Tuesday’s deadline day scramble, involving three new signings, private jets allegedly bound for Sunderland and South London, some last-minute involvement from Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and a mysterious, guru-like figure known only as Uncle Bouba, it would’ve been easy to wed yourself to the view that “Sunderland have panicked! We’ve […]
On This Day (7th Sep 1987): Smith Confirms Interest In Bristol Striker & A Load Of Bull
There have been plenty of rebuilding jobs promised by new Sunderland managers down the years. Some were needed more than most, but it’s difficult to argue that many were bigger than the one Denis Smith faced in the summer of 1987. Following the Lawrie McMenemy era and Bob Stokoe’s last-ditch effort to perform another miracle, […]
Inverted Wingers: Why Can’t Right-Footers Play on the Right?
Some of us will remember flared jeans in the 1970s. They then became straight jeans and then my wife persuaded me to start wearing skinny jeans… only for flared jeans to make a comeback. There have always been changing fashions from generation to generation. Even when it comes to football strips, there have been changes […]
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