Simon

SAP Business Analyst -GRC,SLCM,Fiori Qualified Football Coach - given a chance you will be surprised what people can achieve

[EPL Bible @EPLBible]

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

[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

[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 ❤️🤍

[Sky Sports Premier League @SkySportsPL]

🗣️ ''It's a clear push in the back, it's a penalty all day''

Mike Dean believes Sunderland should have had a penalty in the early stages at Bournemouth with referee Jarred Gillett and VAR thinking otherwise.

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

Stadium of Delight. What a performance from Sunderland, a statement win in the Derby, another sign of their belief they belong in the Premier League. A victory rooted in old-school qualities - heart, teamwork, commitment and concentration, embodied by Dan Ballard. #SAFC #SUNNEW

[World Vintage Colours @WVintageColours]

@SunderlandAFC @SunderlandAFC last league champions 1935/36

https://t.co/NW8EXvA77v

[𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 @thecasualultra]

Sunderland’s Remembrance Day tribute before the Arsenal match this afternoon was incredible. 🌹

[Football Away Days @AwayDays_]

The Remembrance Day display by Sunderland at home to Arsenal tonight is a beauty 😍👏

[Football on TNT Sports @footballontnt]

Sunderland have donated a box at the Stadium of Light to the Bradley Lowry foundation during this Premier League season. It will be used to allow other sick and underprivileged children to matches free of charge ❤️👏

[FanHub @FanHub]

The Premier League returns this weekend - which means, for the first time this season, all of English football is back! 🙌

Here's a look at the most supported clubs in the top flight on FanHub...

Promoted #SAFC go straight into the top five, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 sit above rivals #NUFC! 🚀

[Second Tier podcast @secondtierpod]

Trafalgar Square belongs to Sunderland now.

#SAFC

[Dean @DeanoCummings85]

Sensational

[A LOVE SUPREME @ALS_Fanzine]

Any chance to watch this again…

[Wilson Isidor @IsidorWilson]

🚨 🅹🅴🆁🆂🅴🆈 🅶🅸🆅🅴🅰🆆🅰🆈 🚨

To celebrate the New Year, I'm offering you my jersey. To enter, that’s easy: just RT + Follow !

The winner will be announced on January 10.

[ukcasuals @ukcasuals2]

Great display @ the stadium of light by Sunderland n o white poppy shite here!!!!!

[Simon @simonrod01]

So where was the foul ??? If you have played football at any level there was not a foul !!!!!!!!

[Sky Sports Premier League @SkySportsPL]

Chaos at The Emirates 😲

[Sky Sports Premier League @SkySportsPL]

Chaos at The Emirates 😲

[Simon @simonrod01]

Anthony Taylor is the worst and most biased ref in the premier league yet he gets the big games @FA_PGMOL move on

[Pie Sports Booze 🔞 PARODY @piesportsbooze]

Say no more…

[SGM News @Sunderland_GM]

The new SAFC away kit has sold out in half an hour.

Here were the lines this morning #SAFC #Sunderland