Mark Robinson

Just know that something good is gonna happen

[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

[Real Betis Balompié @RealBetis_en]

Legends say that every time Real Betis and Sunderland face each other in pre-season, both teams go on to qualify for European competition.

Congratulations, @SunderlandAFC! 🤝

[HMac123 @HarryMa66695169]

Is this the way to Lithuania
Fuck Bayern Munich were going Albania
Thursday nights in Transylvania
Europa league awaits for me
#SAFC

[Everton @Everton]

15' Everyone inside Hill Dickinson Stadium sings the name of Bradley Lowery, on what would have been his 15th birthday.

There's only one Bradley Lowery. 💙❤️ @Bradleysfight

[Football Away Days @FBAwayDays]

Today would have been Bradley Lowery’s 15th birthday.

Rest In Peace young man. ❤️🕊️

[Will Hutton @williamnhutton]

This is a brilliant investigative piece on Farage, the dark millions behind him and the double standards of so much British journalism. Read and retweet! Nigel Farage pocketing £5m from a donor shows he’s unfit for power https://t.co/zHuVfDV8dh

[James Copley @JamesCopley_]

🥹❤️

#SAFC

📹: @DanyalHKhan

[Mark Robinson @robo_mark]

@JoanneYougson A

[Mark Robinson @robo_mark]

@eurofootcom Sunderland AFC - the 13th club.

[Rock'n Roll of All @rocknrollofall]

A father playing and making duet on The Beatles' Don't Let Me Down with his child might be the best video you'll watch today.

[Larry the Cat @Number10cat]

Tunnocks got the sponsorship deal again I see

[JL. @JL_1872]

Someone has created a database cataloguing 33,000 bricks from the Stadium of Light's wall of fame for those who have lost the location of their brick, never been able to find it or never been able to get there to search.

What an incredible resource.

https://t.co/NZcmPLRpUN

[John Ridley @Ridderz86]

This is class to be fair #safc

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

👊💥

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

GOOOD MORNING, WEARSIDE ❤️

[Harris Hound 🌈ScotlandBannedGreyhoundRacing 🙌🏻 @Jura_Harris]

Wales has tonight become the first country in the UK to #BanGreyhoundRacing. Congratulations to you all. A fantastic campaign and victory. History has been made! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿💚❤️🤍

[Luke O'Nien @LukeONien]

To any young kid reading this…

I’ve doubted myself in every league I’ve ever played in.

Ryman Prem.
Conference South.
League Two.
League One.
Championship…

And even right before my first Premier League start last night.

That’s not weakness.
That’s being human.

That’s being alive.

When I was growing up, I thought Premier League players were superhuman.

Like they never felt doubt.
Like they never felt nerves.

The truth is…. it’s often the opposite.

Social media won’t tell you that sometimes you step out there with no confidence. That’s normal. That’s ok!

You now have to then step out there with courage.

Confidence feels good.
Courage doesn’t.

But you do it anyway. Show courage enough times…. You build confidence.

Here’s the mindset that’s carried me for 31 years.

When it goes well:

I worked for it.
I earned it.
Well done.
Watch it back.
Get better.

When it doesn’t:

I know I prepared the best I could.
It didn’t go exactly to plan. That’s football.

But Well done.
Watch it back.
Get better.

That simple recipe gave me a special moment last night.

Leading the team out.
Playing alongside a group that fights for every ball.
Celebrates tackles.
Gives everything for the city of Sunderland.

And sharing it with supporters who never gave up, even after four tough seasons in League One.

So if you’re a young player feeling doubt…
Low confidence…
Or like you don’t believe in yourself…

You’re not alone.

Every player feels it.

Confidence isn’t something you’re given.

It’s something you build.

Bit by bit.
Day by day.
With courage.
With work.
With learning.

Anything worth building takes time.

But that’s what makes it so worthwhile!

Thank you @SunderlandAFC ❤️🤍

[marion¹ @pitlanelando]

as a Spaniard, i'm utterly devastated to hear Trump wants to cut ties with Spain. how will we survive without lectures on freedom from a man who thinks paella needs ketchup? we'll try to cope with universal healthcare and 30 days of paid vacation. thoughts and tapas y'all 🇪🇸

[Jon Burke 🌍 @jonburkeUK]

That ‘special relationship’ in which Britain sends the flower of its youth off to be killed in U.S resource wars only for their memory to be rubbished by your rotten Draft Dodger President?

The term you’re thinking of is ‘abusive relationship’.