Rob Hope

UEFA B, Sinnott Fellow in Education, supporter of Growth Mindset, Opening doors for players with potential who work hard, 20 years County U18 Head Coach

[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.”

[Wise Men Say Podcast @WiseMenSayPod]

Dead proud of Rory, he smashed it yesterday

[Cllr Scott Cameron @CllrScottC]

It would be a shame if this video was shared far and wide.

Do you really want these charlatans running the country?!

[Josh @Eddsyy]

Perfect video to sum up this journey.

What a club and what a time to be a #SAFC fan

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@ITVNewsPolitics @harry_horton I just hope this is fake news

[Just Dave now @justdavenow89]

If you want to see Michelle Mone kicked out of the House of Lords and arrested until she pays the £232,000,000 she owes give this a RT

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@Alan_Tonge @ChrisCasper1 @hotelfootballuk Fabulous insights and valuable advice as always 😉

[Cary Cooper @ProfCaryCooper]

The is how the Conservatives destroyed the NHS in 13 years!

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@tompenny06 Love this - the hard work starts now mate ⚽️👍

[Mike Galsworthy @mikegalsworthy]

🔥 Extraordinary moment.

Nigel Farage just said on Newsnight: “Brexit has failed”

He volunteered that himself. I also recall him once saying that if Brexit turned out to be a failure, he’d leave the country. I very much look forward to that.

[James English @jamesenglish0]

This is Keanu Reeves.

He was abandoned by his father
at 3 years old and grew up with 3 different stepfathers.
He is dyslexic. His dream of becoming a hockey player was shattered by a serious accident.
His daughter died at birth.
His wife died in a car accident. His best friend, River Phoenix, died of an overdose. His sister battled leukemia.

No bodyguards, no luxury houses. Keanu lives in an ordinary apartment and likes wandering around town and often seen riding a subway in NYC When he was filming the movie "The Lake House," he overheard the conversation of two costume assistants,
one crying as he would lose his house if he did not pay $20,000 - On the same day, Keanu deposited the necessary amount in his bank account. In his career, he has donated large sums to hospitals including $75 million of his earnings from "The Matrix" to charities.

In 2010, on his birthday, Keanu walked into a bakery & bought a brioche with a single candle, ate it in front of the bakery, and offered coffee to people who stopped to talk to him.
In 1997 some paparazzi found him walking one morning in the company of a homeless man in Los Angeles, listening to him and sharing his life for a few hours.

In life, sometimes the ones most broken from inside are the ones who are willing to help others who need it as they no what true pain and hurt feels like.

This man could buy everything, and instead every day he gets up and chooses one thing that cannot be bought: to be real.

Keanu Reeves. The One ❤️

[Fans Museum @FansMuseum]

We can't wait to see you all today from 12.00 at the @FireStationSun 🙌🏻⚽️

And please check our online store, we've some amazing Limited Edition pieces all relating to this amazing day 50 years ago 🙌🏻⚽️❤️

#50Years

[Jason Pedlow 💙 @JasonPedlow]

Be like Jimmy Saville, vote conservative.

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@PaulLockey2 Know the feeling - Ryan is in California and Ben is in London - but so content that they are smashing it in their own way as I know you all feel the same with Joe ⚽️🥊

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@FansMuseum @FootballMuseum @SunderlandUK RESULT! 🥊

[Fans Museum @FansMuseum]

😳😳😳😳 not only did @BristolCity pinch a late winner, but some of there fans decided to #Loan our @FIFAWorldCup come one you 4 guys who come in at 8.10pm staying up the road, do the right please, or pickles will hound you out, well the CCTV will, not the smoothest of steals 😂

[Gabriels @___gabriels]

A COLORS SHOW - 'Offering' out now, a billion thanks to @colorsxstudios for having us 😘

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

🤔🤔🤔

[Rob Hope @roberthope10]

@ChrisReay92 @AlanShearerFndn @TinyLivesTrust I ran a couple projects with St Joseph’s sixth form students to help with this back in the day mate ❤️