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Dear Roker Report,
At seventy five years of age and with my first Sunderland match being in January 1961, aged ten years old, I’ve seen many false dawns.
The 1960’s team promised so much but managerial changes proved costly
and our stay in the first division was short. The 1970’s team also promised more after a FA Cup final win but again, it fizzled out — and Peter Reid’s team of the 1990’s and a new stadium promised so much but again was doomed to fail.
So here we are again — perhaps at the start of something big.
My head tells me “We’ve been here before so don’t get carried away”, but my heart tells me “At my age, this is the last time, for me, for Sunderland to get it right”, so I’m determined to get carried away and enjoy the excitement of the Stadium Of Light and the players who currently represent our club The owner, management team and players deserve every credit so far, and I expect they’re all driven to take us to the highest level.
Perhaps — and hopefully — we’ve all seen the final false dawn.
Billy Fisher
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Billy. Thank you for your letter.
As a Sunderland fan of thirty years, I can honestly say that the current era is as exciting as any I can remember — including the Peter Reid-led renaissance of the 1990s and the famous “magic carpet ride” era overseen by Niall Quinn and Roy Keane.
If we can continue to build on the foundations that are in place, continue to improve as a team and be unrelenting in our quest for the highest possible standards, the potential that could be unlocked is frightening and I’m very excited about what could be in store for the remainder of 2025/2026 and beyond.
Here’s hoping for more excitement and memorable results!
Dear Roker Report,
I may be wrong but as far as I can find, we’re the only club with “land” in our name.
So with that in mind, I think a new song for the manager and especially when we end up winning could be on the cards. This song is based on Vindaloo by Fat Les — and I can imagine this being blasted on the PA system at full time, or sung at the away end of another ground.
Where do you bide? We’re from Wearside — where do you come from?
We are Sunderland….na na naaaa, na na naaa, na na na, na na na. And we all love Sunderland…. We’re Sunderland — we’re gonna score one more than you……Sunderland!
Can I introduce you please, to our manager, Régis Le Bris?
PHD, he’s got one. Masterplan, he’s got the bomb…. Régis Le Bris, Régis Le Bris, Régis Le Bris, Régis Le Bris, na naaaaa Régis Le Bris (bonjour) Régis Le Bris Bris (monsieur), Régis Le Bris, Régis Le Bris na naaaa.
And we all love Sunderland!
We’re Sunderland — we’re gonna score one more than you…….Sunderland!
Me and me Mam and me Dad and me Gran….with Bally, Quinn and Philips. Me and me Mam and me Dad and me Gran…and a bucket of cheesy chips!
(Alternative last chorus) Me and me Mam and me Dad and me Gran, we’re off to watch the Lads. Me and me Mam and me Dad and me Gran, they’re gonna stuff the Mags!
Haway the lads, Haway the lads, Haway the lads, Haway the lads, na naa.
David Whiston
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, David. Thanks for getting in touch.
Not a bad effort, but I’m afraid I can’t see this version of an all-time classic England song catching on in Sunderland circles, and I don’t expect Keith Allen to be tracking you down and seeking royalties, either!
Dear Roker Report,
I wanted to comment on the vast improvement of our fans’ willingness to stay until the final whistle and beyond. ‘Til the End isn’t just on the pitch, but in the stands as well.
In my opinion, it makes the whole matchday experience so much better. It remains to be seen if this will continue even if we are 0-2 down with ten minutes to go, but I hope so.
I know it’s been commented on here before that our fans don’t always do this, and as a fan who’s never left a game early, it’s great to see.
In some of the dark days, it felt like staying until the end was the best way to beat the rush.
Colin Skinner
Ed’s Note [Phil]: Hi, Colin. Thank you for your letter.
I fully agree with your views on the belief that now fills the Stadium of Light from the first whistle until the last, and as my Roker Report colleague James Nickels wrote recently, those three words are now an integral part of the club’s DNA — and everyone has bought into this new ethos, without a doubt.
The Stadium of Light is both a positive place for Sunderland fans to be and a daunting one for opposition supporters and players, and that’s exactly how it should be. We’ve already made ourselves very hard to beat at home this season, and I’m confident that we can give any visiting side a very tough game by the banks of the Wear.
