Keith Strong

Please Come Back. I Will Listen, I Will Behave, I Will Toe The Line

[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

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

Special ❤️

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@simon_schama We have just watched your very moving documentary -which we did not know about, until the BAFTA’S. We visited Poland & Auschwitz II-Birkenau. My mind is blown about the history BEFORE the massacres there. I hope your award helps to inform the world on what happened

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@MrJamesMay What an honest, straight talking, proper lovely man you are. The sheer delight on that engine will resonate with all lads and their passions !

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

David - you don’t happen to be ex-Nissan ???

[David Bambrough @djbambi67]

I’ve put together a fan-made site where you can search all of the Stadium of Light Wall of Fame bricks.

All 30,000+ are on there now, each with an image.

Mainly for anyone who can’t get to the ground or isn’t sure where theirs is.

https://t.co/fh3lL5bkmz
@RokerReport

[David Bambrough @djbambi67]

I’ve put together a fan-made site where you can search all of the Stadium of Light Wall of Fame bricks.

All 30,000+ are on there now, each with an image.

Mainly for anyone who can’t get to the ground or isn’t sure where theirs is.

https://t.co/fh3lL5bkmz
@RokerReport

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@TobyBuckland You are a breath of fresh air on BBC. Not blowing smoke up yer arse - but you make watching gardening so easy. Any chance of an allotment programme on the BBC ??

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

#gardenersworld Joe wants to try growing plants in NE England - at the coast - not in the farthest southerly point of the UK with their bloody hedges to protect plants from the warm wind. This show gets more pompous and high brow every week - get on a bloody allotment man !!

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@LizKershawDJ Used to enjoy his World Music programme on Radio 1

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@virginmedia May i also add that your app is meant to be sending me an authentication email to my alternative / seperate provider email address and that hasn’t arrived either

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@keithrobbo1968 @LambRonny10486 Served him at customer services once, with his mother 😎

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@RoyalMail @JonathanBrash Hello - can you advise why we in TS24 do not appear to have received any post for +2wks. I also know for a fact the post is piling up in the sorting office. Achieving targets? Have copied in our MP,as I presume he may not be aware and is getting his post

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

Every week I do The National Lottery Euromillions with some pals. We win relatively nowt. Last night, out of seven numbers drawn (including stars) I excitedly saw I had FOUR in the bag (3 numbers and 1 star).Guess what life changing amount this delivered ?? £7.90 - Utter disgrace

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

….still stand by this @DavidJonesSky

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@DavidJonesSky David - VAR. Why don’t they have a cut off time - if they can’t make up their mind in xx secs or xx mins the goal is awarded. If it is taking so long, the on field prevailing decision should stand.

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@OfficialHuey Thanks for the entertainment and enlightenment over the last god knows how many years at 6 Music. I hope you will continue elsewhere, eventually….

[Hartlepool Rovers @HpoolRovers]

Merry Christmas #Pitchero
https://t.co/oKkV6tvnVV

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@OfficialHuey Thanks for the entertainment and enlightenment over the last god knows how many years at 6 Music. I hope you will continue elsewhere, eventually….

[Hartlepool Rovers @HpoolRovers]

Volunteer of the month #Pitchero
https://t.co/daXXUZrYcA

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@Mikehomeseller Daru Jones

[Keith Strong @keithstrong]

@DavidJonesSky David - VAR. Why don’t they have a cut off time - if they can’t make up their mind in xx secs or xx mins the goal is awarded. If it is taking so long, the on field prevailing decision should stand.