HAWAY THE PODCAST
Have you heard about Haway The Podcast, the all-new, official Roker Report Podcast? We’d love for you to check it out and give it a listen!
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
A ‘smash and grab’? A classic example of a plucky underdog reaching the promised land and getting off the mark with a scratchy, fortuitous over a Premier League stalwart?
Not on your life.
For every Sunderland fan inside the Stadium of Light on Saturday, our first top flight game for eight years was — from the arrival of the team coach amid a cauldron of noise and pyro smoke to Wilson Isidor’s game-clinching goal — as close to footballing nirvana as we’ve got since, well, our last competitive game, that immortal playoff final at Wembley back in May.
Sunderland’s Spanish striker #12 Eliezer Mayenda (C) celebrates in front of their fans after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and West Ham United at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland in north east England on August 16, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Sunderland’s Spanish striker #12 Eliezer Mayenda (C) celebrates in front of their fans after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Sunderland and West Ham United at The Stadium of Light in Sunderland in north east England on August 16, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
From the magnificently left-field Lambton Worm-themed tifo to a performance that was as wholehearted and stirring as the racket generated by a packed crowd (I’ve seen Motörhead live on five occasions and this was as potent a sonic assault as I’ve ever experienced), we got it right on just about every level and perhaps the most exciting thing about the ninety minutes’ worth of football that formed the centerpiece of this event was that we looked like we genuinely belong at this level.
Picking up my copy of the matchday programme (which, incidentally, has gone up in terms of the quality of content if not in price — another tick in the box) and seeing names such as Lucas Paquetá, Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse in the opposition ranks was something of a shock in itself, but if as fans, we’re still getting used to our status as a Premier League side, the players showed that they’re already several steps ahead.
Much was made of the fact that the Sunderland starting eleven continued seven debutants and whether they’d all be on the same page, but if there’s one thing that Régis Le Bris has proven time and time again during his spell on Wearside, it’s that he’s a man of admirable convictions and confidence in his players — both of which paid dividends in spectacular fashion on Saturday.
Robin Roefs of Sunderland celebrates during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Ham United at the Stadium Of Light in Sunderland, United Kingdom, on August 16, 2025. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Robin Roefs of Sunderland celebrates during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Ham United at the Stadium Of Light in Sunderland, United Kingdom, on August 16, 2025. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Robin Roefs? Commanding, lively and authoritative. Reinildo? Classy and composed. Habib Diarra? Relentless. Noah Sadiki? Absolutely everywhere. Granit Xhaka? Superb. Chemsdine Talbi? Exciting. Simon Adingra? Promising.
Align that to quality displays from the club’s stalwarts — not to mention a cracking substitute appearance from Omar Alderete — and the end result was nothing short of spectacular. Did we believe it was possible? That depends on who you ask, but even though any kind of victory would’ve been a superb outcome, such a comprehensive defeat of a limited and strangely one-dimensional side was above and beyond the call of duty.
It was abundantly clear against the Hammers that not only are we building a skilful team with creativity all over the park, but that these lads are supremely fit and willing to put in the hard yards in pursuit of victory. The first twenty minutes was as frenetic as you’d expect and there was an adjustment period for those in red and white, but the speed at which we adapted was impressive and some of the crispness of our passing was noticeable — all very good signs!
Taking into account the eight-year gap and everything that’s happened in that time, the contrast between this game and our previous Premier League fixture was stark.
At Stamford Bridge in 2017, our ten-year stay in the top flight ended fittingly as the Blues stomped a mudhole in us, sending David Moyes packing and sparking an unprecedented plunge into the abyss in the process. At the time, days like Saturday felt like a distant dream as a succession of managers attempted to turn the red and white ship around, but this is the same Sunderland AFC in name only — revamped, reborn, and ready to progress.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Habib Diarra of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Ham United at Stadium of Light on August 16, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Habib Diarra of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and West Ham United at Stadium of Light on August 16, 2025 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Getty Images
All summer, it’s felt like a concept album is being recorded at our club as we take a radically different path in our quest to establish ourselves at the highest level.
In that sense, this was one hell of a punchy opening number; the perfect note on which to kick off what’ll hopefully be a memorable campaign, and by cranking the volume up to eleven, the red and white army sent an emphatic message to the footballing world: We’re back, and we’re going to make sure that our home stadium is a place where opposing teams are in for a real battle.
A day to remember indeed.