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Ben McKevitt says… Enzo Le Fée! What does a hard-working, defensively solid Sunderland team which is slightly lacking in creativity need when trying to escape the clutches of the Championship? Well, a French midfield magician of course. Enter Enzo Le Fée. I may just be his biggest fan but I think it’s completely fair to […]
A February night under the lights at Eppleton always carries its own kind of electricity, but tonight’s game feels particularly charged. Sunderland Women welcome Sheffield United in a fixture that arrives at a pivotal moment for both clubs, with each navigating the fine margins of a league table where a handful of points separate mid‑table […]
Malcolm Crosby’s sacking on the back of a pools panel verdict summed up a lot about the way Sunderland were being ran in the early 1990s, and the immediate days after his dismissal saw a flurry of names mentioned as possible replacements. Steve Coppell, the Crystal Palace manager, had allegedly been offered the job in […]
Earlier this week, it was announced that The Women’s FA Cup is facing a moment of reckoning — and the proposals currently circulating feel like they pose a threat to the very soul of the competition. The Football Association is considering a series of structural changes that would fundamentally alter how the tournament works, and […]
On Tuesday evening, Sunderland Women announced a pair of loan signings that immediately reshaped the complexion of their squad for the remainder of the season. Defender Caragh Hamilton arrived from Nottingham Forest, while winger Mared Griffiths joined from Manchester United, giving Sunderland both experience and youthful dynamism in two key areas of the pitch. The […]
Sunderland completed the signing of Anderlecht and Ecuador winger Nilson Angulo on deadline day, which led us to ask… wey, is he any good? Of course, we haven’t got a clue, so we caught up with our old mate Elijah Michiels – a video scout who focuses mainly on Belgian football – to find out […]
In his first guest column here on Roker Report, long-time SAFC journalist James Hunter looks at the departures of two of the heroes of Sunderland’s renaissance… Wembley Stadium, 4:59pm on 24 May 2025, was a seismic moment. Who can forget Tommy Watson’s 95th-minute winner against Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final? It ended Sunderland’s […]
In today’s world of football, many people complain about the protection — or overprotection — that goalkeepers receive from match officials in games yet this wasn’t always the way it was. Around this time in 1936, Sunderland AFC were riding a crest of a wave in the top tier of English football where they were […]
Matt, thanks for joining us. You’re a former pro goalkeeper, now coaching the U19 and U17 keepers at Malmö FF academy, plus providing goalkeeping analysis for The Athletic. Melker Ellborg is someone you know inside out from daily training — what’s his story at Malmö, and how did this rapid rise happen in the last […]
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, Monday night…wow! I witnessed the goal of the season. My seat is in L6 of the Stadium of Light, right behind from where Chemsdine Talbi struck his wonder goal. The moment it left […]
Andrew Smithson says… I’d have to say that it was another good window for the club, all things considered. Few transfers seem to run smoothly but it appears as if a lot of hard work has gone on behind the scenes — both in terms of strengthening Règis Le Bris’ options and with regards helping […]
It would be an understatement to say that Sunderland Women have struggled this season, occasionally looking bereft of confidence and ideas, as well as struggling to find consistency each week. However, the team has adapted and evolved throughout the campaign, and with that evolution has come a natural and thoughtful debate about how best to […]
Thanks for speaking with us, Holly! When Hamilton was in the starting eleven, what differences did you notice within Nottingham Forest’s defensive structure or organisation? When she played at right back, it was usually in a straight four — and I would say this was her best position when in a deeper defensive role. She […]
Welcome to another episode of On This Week, where we take a look back at some of the key events to happen On This Week in the history of Sunderland AFC. Join Martin, Andrew and Kelvin as they look back on… A midweek FA Cup Replay versus Preston in 1955 – not much work was […]
Monday’s convincing victory over Burnley has virtually guaranteed Sunderland’s Premier League status for next season, with more than a third of fixtures still to play. It was also the sixth occasion where the squad has responded to a defeat with a win — that speaks to the mentality of the group of players who have […]
It was announced on Tuesday of the sad death of ‘Mr Sunderland’, George Forster, who was chair of the Sunderland Supporters’ Association for 55 years from 1966–2021. George died in hospital after a short illness, surrounded by his friends and family, wearing his Sunderland cap and scarf and holding his clippings from the Stadium of […]
Want to have your say on all things Sunderland? Drop us a line and we’ll publish your views! [email protected] Dear Roker Report, Not sure if you can help in order to look into the purchasing of tickets or the fact that I can’t buy tickets. My family have been to a few games this season […]
After a poor result last Saturday, Sunderland had to wait over a week to put things right as they took centre stage against Burnley for the Monday Night Football special on transfer deadline day. With the window shutting just an hour before kick-off, Sunderland were able to name a side without any transfer speculation following […]
There are moments when the answer to a lingering problem doesn’t lie in the transfer market — even if, in an ideal world, that’s precisely where Sunderland would be looking. The reality is that finances and resources often impose limitations — particularly in the January window — where shrewd signings become not only difficult but […]
It was Sunderland’s first full season at their new home of Roker Park when Andrew McCombie arrived from Inverness Thistle in December 1898. He was an imposing figure at right-back, but looks were deceptive as was his physique. This was a ball-playing defender who combined traditional defensive attributes with a subtle and intelligent ability to […]
Starting next season, the Subway Women’s Cup will undergo a major overhaul, with sweeping changes to its format, eligibility and structure. These adjustments are designed to streamline the competition, align it more closely with UEFA standards and elevate its competitive integrity. However, they also raise questions about inclusivity and opportunity — particularly for clubs outside […]
Gav & Chris catch up with Phil Smith as we talk about Sunderland’s transfer window and run through Sunderland’s win over Burnley at the Stadium of Light! On today’s show: All of this and more – get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never have to miss another episode of our free daily SAFC […]
A lot has unravelled since the players last laced up their boots for Premier League action: from some of the squad rendezvousing in Dubai and London, Lutsharel Geertruida turning on a sixpence (on the M6, not on the pitch) after a touted move to Liverpool, and a flurry of movement at the arrival gate and […]
Sunderland show their resilience once again — and the fortress remains unbreached! After a fairly shambolic loss at the hands of West Ham last time out, Sunderland needed to use this home clash with the Hammers’ fellow relegation rivals as a chance to respond strongly and to show that we could cope in the absence […]
Paddy Roberts came to Sunderland on loan from Manchester City in the January transfer window of 2022. After all the rubbish we had seen in those bleak League One years, Paddy was a breath of fresh air, blowing left-backs out of the water with his mazy run trickery; taking the rather exotic number 77 jersey. […]