Roker Rapport

Happy Easter everyone! Joining us in the studio to talk all things Sunderland, past and present, are BBC Radio Newcastle’s Nick Barnes and author David Snowdon! You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in.What are we talking about?Sunderland’s win over Doncaster;Defending - how did Ozturk do?Are we optimistic about promotion?David runs us through the ups and downs of Alan Durban’s era as Sunderland manager;All this and much more!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining us to preview Sunderland’s huge Friday night clash with Donny is Doncaster Free Press’ sports writer Paul Goodwin (who is also a massive Lads fan!) You can listen for FREE on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in. What are we talking about this week?Our first opposition expert who actually supports Sunderland... How did that happen?How much of John Marquis’ success is down to the support he has around him, and has January speculation affected his form?How is the mood at the Keepmoat Stadium as the season draws to a close?Just how good is the emerging talent that is on-loan Liverpool starlet Herbie Kane?As a Sunderland fan, covering Donny and living in Yorkshire - how is he feeling about the Lads chances of promotion?How will Doncaster Rovers likely line-up in front of the SkyTV cameras?This, and much more. Enjoy the show!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Well. That was a somewhat insane game Saturday gone. We haven't really recovered but luckily the lads spirits were a little lifted by the presence of Danny Collins, joining us to help analyse and try make sense of that result, as well as looking ahead to our last few games. You can listen in for free as usual on iTunes, Acast, Spotify, and of course YouTube. Get stuck in!What are we on about?One of the strangest games we've witnessed so far at the Stadium of Light; What the bloody hell went on there eh?Player analysis; Who performed well, who didn't, and how badly do we need at least one consistent CB?Tactical analysis; Should Jack Ross have changed the formation at half time to protect our back line? Was there anything he could have done to prevent that result?How brilliant were those flags though; What more can be done to improve the atmosphere at the SoL? A few drums maybe? Or simply more wins...Looking ahead; Can we still clinch automatic promotion, or are we heading back to Wembley in May?All this and mu

Before yesterday's match, The Don returned to the studio to give us an update on all things Sunderland AFC, from player contracts to stadium naming rights, and what the board's (and ultimately Stewart's) plans are for the future! You can catch us free on iTunes, Acast, Spotify and of course YouTube. Get stuck in!What are we talking about?Wembley; Stewart shares his reaction and experience of that weekend in LondonLooking towards next season; What are the clubs plans looking ahead when it comes to transfers, and current player contracts?Transfer targets; Will Jack Ross be given the funds to bolster the squad in the summer, if so how much can we expect him to be given, and how will the funds be raised?Commitment; Stewart outlines Sunderland's new contract policy, and explains why he's made this decision.Sartori; How much of a role is he likely to play in the immediate future?The gauntlet has been thrown down; Stewart challenges Charlie to the halftime challenge.. No rules.. Pint optional...All this and much, mu

Coventry are on way to the Stadium of Light... Sunderland's stadium... That we own... And so our Graham had a chat with Coventry fan George Baker to see how things are going down... Wherever they are now. Aye.What are we talking about?How class it is having a home.Sorry it's late. Been toying with it for a few days, but got tired and sort of.. Kicked it about for a bit instead Listen In!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mike Clegg spent twelve years behind the scenes at Sunderland before leaving in the summer. We caught up with him back in February to discuss his experiences, insights, injury prone players, different managerial styles and systems, and more. You can catch us on iTunes, Acast, Spotify,and of course YouTube. Get Stuck in.What are we talking about?How did the move to Sunderland come about, and what was the plan under Roy Keane when Mike first joined?How do you handle the fitness of players with consistent injury issues like Kirchhoff, Wes Brown, Jonny Williams, Kenwyne Jones, Duncan Watmore and co?How hard was it for the coaching and fitness staff going from manager to manager in such short periods of time?Why is it some players come back almost brand new from long injuries, but someone else can come back just that bit slower? Is it general wear and tear, or are there other factors to consider?Who were Mike's favourite players, managers and staff to work with, and what decisions did the club make that the medica

The Lads won again at the weekend - and joining us on the Podcast to talk all about the performance and more are ex-Sunderland defender Darren Williams & ITV’s Simon O’Rourke! You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in.What are we on about this week?The post-Wembley comedown; The lads talk taking over London, the performance in the final itself, and the overall impact of that weekend on the fanbase.Accrington; We discuss the team's response to that final defeat, as they put Stanley to the sword and regained full focus on promotion.Rochdale; Again, we analyse the performance down at Spotland, and talk about what changes (if any) are necessary moving forward.Darren talks about his time at Sunderland, the effect that their Wembley defeat in '98 had on that squad, and his experiences of the push for promotion.Looking forward to the end of the season.. How do we think this will all pan out?All this and, much, much more. It's a biggun! Tune In!  See acast.com/priva

Sunderland head for their first ever league fixture at Rochdale - and joining Jimmy on this week’s match preview Podcast is massive Dale fan Alex! You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in.What are we on about?With Rochdale in the midst of a battle for survival at the foot of the table, how do their fans see the remaining games playing out?Former Dale player Barry-Murphy has replaced Keith Hill on a permanent basis; How's he been performing so far?What should our away support be expecting as they prepare for our visit to Spotland?Injuries, lineups, predictions and much more! Listen in!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The man himself, Alex F*CKIN Rae, joined us in the studio on Friday to tell some tales about his time playing for the lads, his thoughts on our season so far, and what he's getting up to at the moment. You can listen, for free as usual, on Acast, iTunes, Spotify and of course YouTube. Get stuck in!What are we talking about?Alex talks how he came to join Sunderland, and turns the tables on our Jonny;His favourite memories from his time here, and some of the funnier incidents to occur with that squad;Chasing down Bellamy, picking fights with Keano, and generally making a nuisance of himself on and off the pitch;The importance of stability and patience; Giving managers time to do a job...Derby games; He's played in some of the biggest, so how do they rank? Did he want to get stuck into the mags as badly as he wanted to get stuck into Celtic?Jack Ross; Alex's thoughts on the man who replaced him at St Mirren.All this and much, much more. Parental guidance required.. He's not one to hold back and we love him for i

As the fanbase is currently distracted and on the p*ss/road/train, we've decided to sneakily release some Pods we've had lurking in the Rapport archives. Their original releases were cancelled due to audio issues, but the content itself is too good to keep buried. So why not? The first of these Pods is our interview with former Sunderland RB, and SAFC cult hero - Chris Makin! After repeated attempts at recording the show the usual way, the lads decided the only way to do this was via the phone..For an hour and twenty minutes of laughs, great memories, and many stories from Chris' time on wearside! (If you've drunk enough by now, just pretend you're chatting away to him yourself) Enjoy!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining us to preview our Wembley weekend, and to chat all about the XG and Excel spread sheets, is George Elek from the NTT20 Podcast. You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in! What are we talking about?Guess and win a prize*Seems we had a few recording issues as you might hear. Any complaints will be ignored as I'll be busy eating cans and drinking cheesy chips down Covent Square.. Or Trafalgar Garden.. *Prize (and lucky winner) TBA after Brexit  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join the Lads as they look ahead to the EFL Trophy final and answer some truly strange questions put to them by our Twitter followers on this week’s Podcast. You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube - get stuck in! What are we talking about?We react to the other results around League One this past weekend;The EFL Trophy Final - what do we think might happen?What team would we start v Pompey?We launch into a Q&A, answering some truly odd questions put to our glorious listeners... find out all about what conspiracy theories we believe to be true, our thoughts on the mullet, and what our Ellis Short era 5-a-side teams would be...Predictions, likely lineups, and much more. Listen In!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Following the SAFC Ladies victory over League leaders Blackburn Rovers on Sunday, we had the pleasure of Captain Keira Ramshaw's company in the studio to talk recent performances, her love of all things Sunderland, and how the squad is feeling heading into our next game. You can listen for free on iTunes, Acast, Spotify, and of course YouTube. Get Stuck In!What are we talking about?When did Keira know she wanted to play for the Lasses, and how proud is she of her role as Captain?The last win was a big one; How did it feel to exact revenge on Blackburn for earlier defeats, and how are the team feeling heading into the next game?How has the squad been coping since demotion (through no fault of their own) to the National League from the FAWSL, and how has it impacted on their day to day lives?Keira talks about her love for all things SAFC, her favourite games, experiences, and her favourite players;All this and more! Listen In!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What is there to say really? We finally got the interview we've been chasing since the Rapport began, and here it is! A lovely chat with the absolute legend that is Super Kevin Phillips! Joining us to talk about his career at Sunderland, the many goals, the highs and the lows, and how it feels to be as revered as he is still to this day. You can catch us on iTunes, Acast, Spotify, and of course Youtube. Get stuck in!What are we talking about?By the time he left us, Super Kev had become a Club legend, but how did the move come about?Has he ever been approached about a move back to the club, have any of the rumours been true, and should the opportunity arise in the future.. Would he return?Did he feel he got a fair crack of the whip for England under Kevin Keegan, and does he feel a move away from Wearside at the time would have improved his chances at international level?What are his fondest memories of the club and it's fans, and how did he feel about not getting a chance to say goodbye properly before his mo

Sunderland won again at the weekend, and with a cup final to look forward to, the Rapport Lads are in a jovial mood, discussing not only this week’s results but the cup final that awaits us. You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube - get stuck in!What are we on about?Alex, Chris and Graham pick through the Lads victory over Walsall in detail, as well as our performance against Barnsley earlier in the week;London calling; Cheesy chips down Wembley way.. How excited are we for the final?As performances begin to improve from certain areas, do we know now with absolute certainty who our best XI are?The promotion charge; With results going our way in the league, what do the lads think of our chances, and which players are likely to successfully make that jump to the next level?All this and much, much more. Craic, sh*t craic, and actual crack. Tune In!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

So once again we come face to face with the Saddlers, and we've drafted in our now regular guest/RR Walsall special correspondent Joe Masi, to go through what's been happening since our last meeting, and what we might expect this time around. You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, and YouTube - get stuck in!What are we talking about?So.. How are things lately down at The Bescot?Has morale been damaged by the interest in some of their players during the January transfer window; Have heads been turned?The Russell Martin fiasco; What the bloody hell went on there?What do the Walsall fans think about being our apparent nemesis this season?B*stardry v Sh*thousery; The fans just love it don't they, but it's been waning recently...Andy Cook is a mag who loves scoring goals, so naturally a threat to us, but with Ismail back in form recently; Who's the most dangerous of the pair?How important a game is this for both sides on Saturday?Predictions, likely lineups, and much more. Listen In!  See aca

A few weeks ago we managed to get to chat with Sunderland Academy product - Andrew Nelson, to see how he was settling in at Dundee following his January transfer, and how he was feeling overall about his move away to Scotland, as well as his experiences growing up in the Academy of Light. You can listen in, for free as usual, on iTunes, Acast, Spotify, and of course YouTube. Get stuck In!What are we talking about?At the time of recording, Andrew had hit the ground running at his new club Dundee; How are they treating him up there?How does he feel about his move away, and would he have preferred to stay and do a job in League One?What's it like to grow up in the Academy, and does he think he was given enough of an opportunity to prove himself at a higher level?Andrew talks about his experiences with the coaching staff, senior players, and the lads he came up with;Watching fellow youth players fall out of love with the game, and why he never will;Ultimately, does he think this move was the best for his career,

After a week of drama, following our victory over Bristol Rovers to reach Wembley, and a crazy draw against Wycombe Wanderers in the league, the lads gather in the studio to discuss all things SAFC - Joined this time by the Echo's Richard Mennear! You can listen, for free as usual, on iTunes, Acast, Spotify, and of course YouTube. Get stuck in!What are we talking about?Wembley; The lads analyse the victory over Bristol, the aftermath, and #TicketgateWycombe; We look at the events as they unfolded on Saturday in a turbulent game with Ainsworth's menWe look at the issues we've been having at the back, and wonder what Jack Ross could actually do to rectify the situation;Honeyman; So what happened there then, and who will take the Captains armband when we come to face Portsmouth in the final?With every single game left now being of vital importance to our promotion hopes, how do the lads think we'll approach them, and do they believe we've got enough left to get us over the line?There's a ridiculous amount t

Joining us to preview Sunderland's league clash with Wycombe Wanderers - discussing everything from loving Luke O'Nien to the thread of Akinfenwa - is journalist Nick Tunney! You can catch us, for free as usual, on iTunes, Acast, Spotify and of course YouTube. Get stuck in!What are we talking about?How have Wycombe been doing since last the two sides met?Gareth Ainsworth; Just how vital has he been to the Wanderers for many years, and how high a regard is he held in by their fans?Akinfenwa; Will we get to see the star attraction tomorrow?Sweet Luke; Bit of a lovefest going on here as we discuss his passion, commitment to a cause, and devastating likeability...Players to watch, predictions, and much more. Even the wind puts an appearance in.. Aye. Listen in!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Joining us to run down the win over Plymouth are former Sunderland AFC midfielder Kieron Brady and RR’s junior reporter Finlay Anderson! You can listen for free on Acast, iTunes, Spotify, & YouTube - get stuck in.What's on the agenda this week?We examine our latest win at home, and who stood out as star performers on the day;The Catts/Leadbitter midfield partnership; Do they compliment each other more than we may have foreseen?Maguire; Is he as big a miss as we think at this stage of the season?Defensively (and of course offensively) how are we looking as we prepare for the sprint to the end of season, and possible promotion;With our Cup Semi coming up, who do you think deserves to keep their place in the side should we reach Wembley?Kieron talks about his love for the club, and how his playing career was unfortunately cut short;Young Finlay tells us about his aspirations and dreams for the future!All this and much more! Listen in!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.