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Dear Roker Report,
Well, it’s that time again! I’m talking about it being humble pie time for me — in huge dollops.
Over the past few months, I’ve had a bit of a go at Luke O’Nien. I was being honest in my own assessments of the player and I said that his level was as a Championship player. Oh boy, did I get proved wrong against Everton or what?
The boy was simply superb, with none of the rash challenges or over-enthusiastic lunging in, and his tackle in the box was beautifully timed and executed. He’s thirty one years
old with the grit of a twenty-year-old. One swallow doesn’t make a summer but he’s set a level for himself now and he definitely has a strong shout to be in the starting lineup against Chelsea.
I don’t mind eating spoon after spoon next season if he can persist with the excellent standards he played to last week. It was quite possibly one of the best — if not the best — performances I’ve seen in a Sunderland shirt all season. Well done, Mr. Sunderland.
Peter Milton
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Peter. Thank you for your letter.
Was Luke O’Nien’s performance at Goodison Park after coming on to replace the brilliant Omar Alderete a surprise? Given how often this remarkable footballer has defied the doubters and constantly proven himself capable of stepping up a level during eight years at Sunderland, I’d have to say the answer is “No”, because that’s just the mark of the man.
He’s easily the most driven player I’ve ever seen at Sunderland and the fact he’s now proven himself to be a genuine Premier League-class player is as much a reflection on O’Nien as it is on Régis Le Bris’ ongoing faith in him.
Players like the are worth their weight in gold, in my opinion.
Dear Roker Report,
It’s time for everyone to unite on Sunday for the greater good. No negativity is needed at all — just relentless positivity from the minute we all open our eyes on matchday, until the minute we step back through the front door.
Even if we don’t win or we don’t get into Europe, the Lads have earned our backing this season and every single fan needs to stay inside the ground at full time to celebrate with the players what has been one of the most unbelievable seasons in the club’s history.
So this is a call to my fellow fans attending the game: don’t leave early. When the players do their lap of appreciation, let’s send them a message of our gratitude and show them how much we’ll be with them next season, come what may.
Ian Hughes
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Ian. Thank you for getting in touch.
I fully agree that looking at the season as a whole, the Lads have done an exceptional job to keep Sunderland around the top ten, and the fact that we’re heading into the final game with a chance of securing European football just shows how well they’ve done during what’s been a gruelling and thrilling season.
Even if we fall short and don’t make it into European competition for 2026/2027, that won’t take the shine off what’s been a hugely successful season, and this really needs to be the platform we can use to continue to progress in the years to come.
Dear Roker Report,
May 2025 was a special time to be a Sunderland supporter.
In over fifty years of going to the match, I’d never felt the same sense of unity between the club, players, staff, fans and region — or as Régis Le Bris would say, “connection.”
There was such a feeling of excitement and joy that Sunderland AFC was on its way to greater things, with the supporters finally being rewarded after the suffering of the recent past. On the train back from Wembley, I remember thinking about the players that had got us to the Premier League and how much they meant to many of us, yet I knew, sadly, that there would have to be changes if we were to compete in the top flight.
Twelve months later, I’m trying to stay grounded as we prepare for another massive game against Chelsea.
What’s been achieved in the past year is nothing short of remarkable. I now feel that same bond with the current squad and the recruitment team and Le Bris deserve enormous credit for moulding a group of players who understand what it is to represent Sunderland.
The club has remained true to its roots and while we’re aware that revenues need to grow, it’s vital that the club retains its values and its role in the community. As Granit Xhaka reminds us, we must stay humble and remember where we come from.
Let’s hope his leadership inspires us to further success, and that May 2026 is another step on that upward path.
David Elliott
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, David. Thank you for your letter.
I think the strengthening of the bond between the club and the fanbase (something that began a few years ago but has definitely kicked into a higher gear this season) is one of the best things that we’ve witnessed and it’s absolutely vital that as we chase further progress and to establish ourselves within the top ten, we don’t lose that.
Ensuring that the grassroots supporters, those who kept the club’s heart beating during the wilderness years, are respected and kept in the fold without being priced out in favour of deep-pocketed supporters who may not have as strong a connection, is absolutely vital and I really hope that it’s at the forefront of their minds as they continue to go about their business.
Time will tell.
