Roker Rapport

Our Michael Dunne had the chance to chat with fellow Irishman and former Sunderland Defender Mr Jimmy Dunne to talk about his experiences at the club under former manager Jack Ross, his thoughts on the club itself behind the scenes and the events of that fateful season, as well as his current situation at PL outfit Burnley under Sean Dyche and the lads he's learning from at the Clarets, his experiences under massive lads fan Joey Barton at Fleetwood, his dream of getting that place in the Republic of Ireland National side and much more!*The line dropped out in the last 15 minutes so we had to rescue it best we could, so if you notice our Michael disappearing a touch toward the end... Well that's what it is aye..Cheers for listening!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Lads of the RR Editorial and Management team gathered together in the darkness to conspire to keep each other awake.. and chat all things SAFC in the process.Covering as many fan questions/points as possible including; Thoughts on the clubs transfer policy, the ownership and a rumoured re-shuffle at Madrox;New arrivals on the horizon and possible new scouting methods; Thoughts on Lewis Morgan's recent interview talking about McGeady and the squad behind the scenes;Where Parkinson stands at the moment with strategy and a few weeks remaining of pre-season training;Looking back at mistakes we can all learn from as a fanbase, the kit deal and club business strategy and so much more!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Brett, Chris and John got together midweek to chat the return of Football, what they’ve been up to during lockdown, and look at the Salary Cap the EFL have introduced. What are we talking about?Brett gives the ego of our Chris Wynn a good massage;Brett fails to massage the ego of our poor John Stacey;How have those exiled to the distant lands of.. Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Lincoln.. been feeling about the coming season? Who do we still need in their opinion?The EFL Salary Cap; What do the lads make of it since it’s announcement roughly a week ago? Is it something that makes sense? Is it fair for all clubs?The new Sunderland AFC Nike/Avec kits; Design-wise.. Do the lads actually like it? If they do, do they approve of the standard of the kits being sold, and the actual deal that isn't quite all it seems to be? (While trying to not come across negative... Aye)A brief chat about the players brought in (at the time of recording) and how they look from watching their former fans comments; Including an Exiles t

Mr Connor Bromley is back to interview one of the most inspirational Sunderland managers and characters of recent years, a Uruguayan legend of the pitch - Mr Gustavo 'The Radio' Poyet - to discuss everything that occurred throughout his tenure at the club, from arrival to his ultimate dismissal, from his Newcastle conquering to our 2014 League Cup run to the Wembley Final and of course that weakened team against Hull; picking through his recruitment, the challenges he faced from within the club, the plans he made, the players he loved and wanted to sign, and his assertion nearly 7 years ago that there was something very wrong behind the scenes... As well as his thoughts on the current state of the club, what he would do as Manager in this League, and his heartbreak watching us finally fall the way we did...This is an intense, incredibly detailed and brutally honest interview with a truly increyable man. Sorry it's a bit later than billed. Sit back and let Gus take you through it all in his own unique style.GU

Out-of-contract Benji Kimpioka joins the Roker Rapport Podcast to talk exclusively about his current status as a Sunderland player.What’s the crack then?Benji Kimpioka is currently out of contract - so where does he stand with Sunderland?We caught up with the Sweden U21 international forward to find out more about his current status, and whether he plans to sign a new deal and stay at the club.Be sure to listen in for a frank discussion with a very honest, professional and lovely young man.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hey Lads and Lasses! Bit of an Editorial note: It's a busy time at RR HQ as we gear up for the new season, with Pods recording faster than they can be published, former hosts returning, huge (secret) projects underway with a plethora of Sunderland legends and a great deal more to come including the imminent releases of Interviews with Gus Poyet, Chris Makin, John Byrne, Paul Stewart, Andy Melville, Martin Smith, Graham Kavanagh, Matt Kilgallon and Steve Caldwell (To name a few) along with some more recent departures from the SAFC ranks. But we aren't stopping our usual roundups and reactions either so here we go. Just wanted to say thanks to our listeners for putting up with us, being patient and sticking with us through what has been a very strange year so far. We appreciate every single one of you, and we look forward to bringing you more of our noise in the coming 20/21 season! Cheers for listening!But what are we talking about today?This is a quick one for you all as Gav, Craig and Alex quickly came toget

Jonny caught up with Nedum at his home in Utah - where he's currently playing for Real Salt Lake in the MLS - to discuss his time at Sunderland through the 2010/11 season and a few of the highs and lows of his career so far.What are we talking about?Leaving his beloved Manchester City for the first time after rising through the Etihad ranks as a youngster; How did the move come about?What were his thoughts on arrival on Wearside, and just how strong a squad did we have back then?The Incident and the aftermath; Our defeat to Newcastle a decade ago seemed to prompt a change for the better in that side, what does he think caused 'the incident' and how did the team respond behind the scenes to such a blow?As the side recovered and regained momentum, Nedum decided to go all Lionel Messi to score a quite spectacular goal in our victory over then Champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge; Was that shock on his face or something else? Some context for that pic from his point of view...The loss of Darren Bent; How many of

Chris Wynn had the opportunity to chat with Brace (while he was waiting for some football to resume) looking back at his three stints at the club as a player through the 80s and 90s and his years behind the scenes! You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in!What are we talking about?Back to the beginning: Joining the club under Alan Durban in 1983 as a young player on the up, and his thoughts on Alan and his vision as a manager.Leaving us (the first time) to head to glory at Everton alongside Reidy in midfield in that incredible Toffees side of the mid 80s;The injury - resulting from a typically hefty Billy Whitehurst challenge - that dogged his playing career, forced him to change his style of play and amplified his fixation with playing at all costs, any way he could;Returning to Sunderland again under Denis Smith and the ride the Lads went on over that period;His issues with the Sunderland boards decision to give him just a year’s cont

It's been quite the week. It's actually been quite the few days but aye, the lads convened an emergency pod that had to go out before the other emergency Pod to quickly react (with a touch of reality) to the news Stewart Donald came up north for the first time in ages, arranged a meeting alongside his cronies, insulted half the fanbase, then essentially told the fans they could buy the club for a mere £37,000,000 before implying once again that nothing is anything to do with him, but it is, but it isn't... then let his right hand men of the last couple years leave the club and then... resigned as Chairman.Aye.Sunlun.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gav was joined by Ross to chat about his time at SAFC during the glorious 2006/07 title winning season under manager and former teammate Roy Keane and more. You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in!What are we talking about?What was it like moving from Celtic to Sunderland, and how much convincing did Ross need to make the move?How was playing under notorious mackem lover - Mr Joey Barton - at Fleetwood?The Keano era; What did Roy bring to the role of Manager, and does Ross think he should still be in the game?Topless pics; Just how fond of wearing a top is Ross, and how did Roy react to the trouble he'd get in just celebrating a winner?What were his favourite memories of his time at Sunderland, how did he feel about leaving the club and how close did he come to signing for us under Jack Ross?What are his plans for the future, does he still feel the buzz back home in Scotland, and how fit is he feeling at the moment?Stories from behind the s

Gav was joined last week in his studio/kitchen for a chat/drink with Tom Atkinson, Neil Graney (and a bottle of rum) over the state of affairs at SAFC currently.What are we talking about?Gav starts drinking...The mystery of Sunderland finances, and the spectre of Charlie Methven and Co;Fan engagement; The lads wax lyrical about the performance in that area, particularly since the pandemic began and the disillusionment fans feel regarding all things Sunderland.The club sales pitch and specifically marketing policies; Do they have any, and if so... what are they exactly?Gav continues drinking...What do those in charge of the club expect from the fans, and should they be offering more in return than mere soundbites and endless statements apologising for not understanding our point the first few dozen times?What should the club be looking at in order to win fans back, regardless of who the owners are;How does everyone feel about the season to come, how much pressure should be put on people like Dave Jones and Tom

Ruben joined our Gav for a chat about his experiences as a young player trying to break through at Sunderland and remaining positive in the increasingly unpredictable footballing world. You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in!What are we talking about?Spending a year at the Academy of Light after signing from Chelsea under Jack Ross, how does Ruben feel about his time at Sunderland?As an Academy, with his experience coming up as a Chelsea youth player, is there that much difference between methods at Sunderland in League One compared to Chelsea in the Premier League?What were his plans upon joining Sunderland in 2019, what are his thoughts on the situation the older youth sides found themselves in this past season, and how seriously do the U23 players take the leagues and games they perform in?Which players in the U23s stand out from some others and look to have a bright future in football?Maintaining discipline and drive regardless of knoc

A tale of two podcasts...We've been joined a couple of times down the line by Chris and unfortunately for all parties both attempts at recording encountered some significant "Pod killing" problems. After numerous attempts to fix the unfixable, we've decided to only fix what we can, any way we can.The first ten minutes from our original conversation smoothly (ahem) transitions into the last thirty minutes or so of our last, covering his time at the helm of Sunderland during the fateful relegation season, his lack of contact with any Sunderland owners..ever.. and his opinion on the situation and where it all went wrong, as well as talk about his playing career, Eric Cantona's attempt at Kung Fu, the sad loss of a great man and friend of Chris' in Gary Speed, how difficult it was to take his dream job under those circumstances, and where he goes from here.Sorry for the long wait since announcing the pod and as always, thanks for listening Lads and Lasses.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out

Charlie Methven said Charlie Methven things on the record (again) in an interview which emerged yesterday. Craig was joined by Rich and Chris to react to the Sunderland AFC shareholder's witty opinions, while trying not to call Charlie a ____ every ____ing five ____ing minutes. Actually succeeded... On the record anyway.What are we talking about?Charles Methven; What's the point?Other bits and pieces about the club... Aye.Enjoy?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Wynn had the opportunity to speak with lifelong MLF and former Sunderland Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman Mr John Fickling about his 62 years actively following the Lads and his time at the club from 1995 to 2006! You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in!What are we talking about?What are John’s first memories of Roker Park and following the Lads?How has Sunderland evolved as a club since the late 1950s both on and off the pitch?Who were the best players John’s ever seen in the red and white stripes, and what are his standout moments of the last sixty-plus years?How did John come to meet Sir Bob Murray, and what were his initial thoughts on the planned move from Roker to the banks of the Wear?The epic story of the race to build the Stadium of Light and the Academy, the lengths they went to in order to get it done in time, and the inspiration they sought from across the continent;The golden years of Reidy and the unfortunate a

Pod manager Craig was joined by Niall and Roker Report managing editor Gav to quickly discuss the recent departures from the club, as well as those Rodwell statements, the ST renewal debacle and where we find ourselves as the rest of the footballing world takes it's first steps back into the light. You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in!(SPOILER ALERT)It's all a bit dark for (most of) us still. What are we talking about?The departure of Joel Lynch, Jack Baldwin, Alim Ozturk, Duncan Watmore and Ethan Robson; How do we feel about their time at the club?Contracts offered to McLaughlin, Maguire and Flanagan; A good idea?The ongoing anger surrounding the issue with renewals; A bit of a debate in the group...Jim Rodwell; Is he any good at any of this? Answers on a postcard.How we’re looking moving forward; With the future uncertain and players leaving en masse, how worried are the lads about investment in the squad and that wage cap coming in;Cr

Our Martin Wanless had the opportunity to chat with one of his favourite SAFC cult heroes - Mr Reuben Agboola - to go over his career in football and his memories of his time falling and rising again at Roker Park and beyond! You can listen for FREE on iTunes, Acast, Spotify and YouTube!What are we talking about?Reuben's beginnings in Highbury, his move to Southampton as a schoolboy and his early experiences with one Lawrie McMenemy;His surprise debut at Old Trafford, his time on the books with the Saints, and his experiences of playing alongside some of the biggest names in football at the time;How did his move to Sunderland come about under former manager Len Ashurst, and does he know to this day exactly how much the move was worth?His surprise at the ocean view, the difficulty with managing to navigate the country back in the days of no GPS, and the drinking capabilities of his new teammates;The fall of the club through the divisions while he himself was sidelined, the shock arrival of his former boss and

Well... That's that for this season Lads and Lasses. Joining us to celebrate the end of Sunderland's disastrous second consecutive season in the third tier and looking forward to our consecutive third in the 9th circle of football hell is Dave Rose from the Red and White Army and Phil Smith from the Sunderland Echo!What are we talking about?Hahahahahaha.. Ah man.. Guess.What went wrong, what went even more wrong, what we need to make it right and who is to blame for the absolute mess we find ourselves still in.Thoughts on the EFL voting system and how we'd have liked the decision to be made;Recruitment for next season; With the Pandemic creating a chaotic draft like scenario across the divisions, how do we think we'll do getting the players in we need and holding on to the players we have?The occasional joke about how mint everything is...Enjoy?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a temporary break (sorry about that Lads and Lasses) we're back with a story from a passionate Sunderland fan who just so happened to be good enough to play for his beloved club, Chris Wynn had the chance to catch up with former Sunderland forward - and the last man to score a hat trick at Roker Park - Mr Craig Russell!What are we talking about?Joining Sunderland as a schoolboy and his rise from the training pitch to the dugout;Craig's memories of those early years under Denis Smith and the coaches that brought him up;The joy and yet pressure of playing for your club, as well as his experiences on the terraces, his trips to the derbies and Wembley as a fan;Breaking into the first team and running to catch the bus home to tell his family he'd been picked;His favourite players and managers over his long association with the club, including the last decade as part of the backroom staff;The best goals, matches and seasons that he thinks defined his career;The pain of knowing Reid wasn't going to let him sta

We picked up exactly where we left off on his last appearance on the Pod, as our former SAFC Captain George joined us to talk about what's occurred since last we spoke, the love he has and always will have for the club that raised him, those run ins at the end of last season, the strength of Grant Leadbitter following his performance down Portsmouth, the insanity of the Luke O'Nien fan incident, his honest opinion on the dismissal of former manager Jack Ross, and his thoughts on having to leave the only club he ever really wanted to play for...Breaking from tradition, we'd like to up George's rating to a solid 10.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.