John Boddy

Well I’m a bit busy …. Always get through it #manageyourtime

[EPL Bible @EPLBible]

Newcastle United’s home shirt is easily the worst shirt in Premier League history.

[Football Away Days @FBAwayDays]

Just my opinion, but I think Newcastle’s new home shirt is possibly the most hideous football shirt I’ve ever seen.

🫣

[John Boddy @Bodders444]

@lee_hogan @NUFC 🤣

[Ian Greenfield @igfield73]

@FBAwayDays Dead easy to run through the till mind.

[Matthew Powell @Powell_Matthew]

The present is only possible because of the past… and then there were two 🥲 #SAFC

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Sunderland’s starting XI in their joyous, season-ending 2-1 victory over listless Chelsea cost the same as £106m Enzo Fernandez. This is no slight on a world champion, an elite attacking midfielder, full of craft and craftiness, if moody at times. This is simply a celebration of Sunderland’s exceptional recruitment, finding gems who can see - and seize - the opportunity at the Stadium of Light.

This is also a celebration of Regis Le Bris’ remarkable team-building, blending and bonding qualities which have guided a side promoted via the play-offs into seventh and Europe. For those of us who thought Sunderland would go straight back down, apologies and enjoy Europe. You deserve it. A well-run football operation deserves it. That backing from stands to boardroom deserves it. Football also deserves it: a reminder that the status quo can be challenged with shrewd planning and investment and hard work.

Of Le Bris’ starting XI against Chelsea, eight joined on the eve of the season and one in the winter window: Roefs a reported £9m from Nijmegen; Mukiele £9.5m from PS-G; Reinaldo free from Atletico Madrid; Geertruida loan from RB Leipzig; Le Fee £19.3m, loan made permanent from Roma; Xhaka £13m from Bayer Leverkusen; Sadiki £15m from Union St-Gilloise; Angulo £17.5m from Anderlecht (in February); and seven-goal Brobbey £21.6m from Ajax. Two 2025 arrivals came off the bench: Diarra £30m from Strasbourg; and Isidor £5m loan made permanent from Zenit St-Petersburg (in February 2025).

Three of the 14 involved were already at the club. The starting pair of: Hume £200,000 from Linfield in 2022; and O’Nien undisclosed but reported as £200,000 to £300,000 from Wycombe Wanderers in 2018. And the sub: Rigg from Sunderland’s academy. (The £105.5m total does not include the undisclosed loan fees).

When Sunderland won 2-1 at the Bridge in October, Le Bris’ starting XI cost only £75m (and also had the important Ballard, £2m from Arsenal in 2022). Chelsea’s starting XI was £433m.

Four miles from the Bridge, on Park Lane this evening, the League Managers Association celebrates its members’ many achievements this season. Le Bris certainly deserves a mention. Mixing old and many new players, and getting new signings to settle quickly, requires real people skills. Le Bris and his staff clearly have them.

It’s also a reflection on Sunderland’s family club reputation that so many newcomers are welcomed and assimilated so quickly. Some will move on, some will be moved on but what a journey this is across England - and soon Europe. #SAFC

[Roker Report @RokerReport]

What a moment this is! ❤️🤍

Lynden Gooch - Scored the winning goal in our first win at Wembley since 1973.

Dan Neil - Captained us back to the Premier League.

Luke O’Nien - League One to the Europa League.

#SAFC | #TilTheEnd

[Luke O'Nien @LukeONien]

EUROPA LEAGUE was never the dream.

Not because I didn’t want it.

Because if I’m being honest, I never thought it was possible.

What kid would?

Especially when 12 years ago I was playing non league football in the Ryman Premier and Conference South, just trying to stay alive in the game.

What kid dreams about Europe when, two weeks into the off season, his dad has to tell him he’s been released by Watford F.C. over the phone?

I was heartbroken.

My dad looked at me and said:

“What are we doing tomorrow?”

To which I replied with the words he’d drilled into me my whole life:

“We’re training, Dad.”

So we trained.

Every single day.

My dad emailed every EFL club asking for an opportunity.

One club replied.

One.

That was all I needed.

An opportunity.

@WealdstoneFC and @wwfcofficial , I’ll always be indebted to you.

Then came the move to @SunderlandAFC .

A massive club.

A massive opportunity.

And I couldn’t wait to prove myself.

But 45 minutes into my debut… hooked.

“Rabbit caught in headlights. Waste of money. Get rid.”

Then came the Championship.

“He’s not good enough for this level.”

Then the Premier League.

“Let’s give him a debut and then get rid of him.”

I understood the doubt.

I’ve faced it my whole career.

And truthfully, you doubt yourself too at times.

But I’ve always tried to live by one mindset:

Outwork your doubt.

You don’t always need to see the full journey.

You just need to take the next step.

Then the next one.

And then another.

Even when social media tells you you’re not good enough.

Even when the voice inside your own head whispers the same thing.

Keep working.

Keep learning.

Keep showing up.

Because sometimes the places you end up are bigger than anything your younger self could’ve ever imagined.

To any young player reading this, don’t put a ceiling on yourself too early.

You genuinely have no idea where this game and life can take you.

And to the boys… thank you.

You removed the glass ceiling I’d placed on myself.

What a team.

What a club.

What a fanbase.

Sunderland… rocking all over Europe ❤️🤍

And in the words of Granit Xhaka:

“This is just the beginning.”

[Premier League @premierleague]

🗓️ 24 May 2025 - @SunderlandAFC seal Premier League promotion
🗓️ 24 May 2026 - @SunderlandAFC seal European qualification

What dreams are made of 😍

[Rejected Manager @RejectedBook]

For the final time this season . . .

At the end of the season . . .

We can say -

MIND THE GAP NEWCASTLE UNITED . . .

We’re going to Europe.

EUROPA LEAGUE MACKEMS . . .

#SAFC @ALS_Fanzine @RokerReport

[Ian Darke @IanDarke]

Regis Le Bris is Manager of the Year, taking a Sunderland team tipped for relegation by everyone into Europe. Astonishing.

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

And on this day in 2026, we qualified for the EUROPA LEAGUE 🤯

[Stan Collymore @StanCollymore]

Potential cool Europa League groups for English clubs next season.

AC Milan/Benfica/Juventus
Marseille
Sunderland
Hearts

AC Milan/Benfica/Juventus
Bournemouth
Celta Vigo
Hearts

AC Milan/Benfica/Juventus
Marseille
Crystal Palace (dependant on UCL win)
Hearts

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

WE'RE ALL GOING ON A EUROPEAN TOUR 🌍

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

IT'S ALL OVER AT THE STADIUM OF LIGHT...

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

EUROPA LEAGUE FOOTBALL IS COMING TO SUNDERLAND!

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

Two days to go... ⏳

[Paddy Power @paddypower]

Alright Thomas, joke’s over. Tell us the real squad now.

[John Boddy @Bodders444]

So many players in here don’t deserve to be going to the World Cup

Sometimes you do have to pick the big player, because in big games they produce

Sometimes you do have to pick the ones than have never let you down on the international stage

[England @England]

It’s official. Your #ThreeLions players heading to the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆

[Paul Widger @widger123]

I told people to be careful what you wish for when they wanted Southgate gone… 😂🤦🏻‍♂️