Jonathan Wake

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

🤩 Our first opponent has been revealed!

The Mackems in Milan.

[Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 @DefenceHQ]

Norway may row. But England roars 🦁🦁🦁

Good luck tonight team, from our Armed Forces around the world! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

@England

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

The moment Europa League football was confirmed...

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

A key date for your diary 🏆😍

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

Thank you for writing us off...

[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.”

[N O R D I @NordiMukiele]

Sunderland Relegated, Sunderland will be up and down. the best answer: 👇🏾👇🏾
HAWAY THE LADSSSSSS EUROPE IS FOR US GUYS ❤️

[Sunderland AFC @SunderlandAFC]

EUROPA LEAGUE FOOTBALL IS COMING TO SUNDERLAND!

[Andy Burnham @andyburnham]

Not the result we wanted. But thanks to everyone who came up to speak to me today.

Appreciate all the advice and agree with the main consensus: “Get new running shorts.”

The one bit that sticks most in my mind? “You need to be clearer that Labour left us. We didn’t leave Labour.”

I agree. From here on, I will say it more clearly: mine is a campaign to change Labour back to the party people used to know. A party solidly on the side of working class people. Make no mistake about that.

Despite what happened on the pitch, Everton FC once again excelled off it. It gave me hope that, despite everything, we can re-build more unity in our country. 🙌🏻

#bradleylowery @Bradleysfight

[Charlie Sutton @CharlieSutton33]

Stuart Attwell will be pleased Man United escaped with a point. Did everything to stop Sunderland winning. How can we keep going on with this level of corruption

[Football Away Days @AwayDaysFB]

Just seen Dan Ballard was sent off for this accidental hair pull. What on earth has football become. You now have an advantage if you have long hair 🤦🏻‍♂️

[Adam @AdamFulwell_]

Dan Ballard sent off for an unintentional hair pull.

It’s now an advantage to have long hair which goes down your back with the amount of shirt pulling etc.

Essentially every forward now needs long hair to get their man sent off. Boring shit sport.

[Jonathan Wake @Wakey_88]

@swainy997 @Anth_Hughes few having this issue

[Jonathan Wake @Wakey_88]

@swainy997 I’ve had three goes and get different seats each time yet same error, unable to buy them

[Jonathan Wake @Wakey_88]

@StevePop78 £400 more this year even though his Dad is 70 & can get and adult & OAP ticket in the exact same seat in the West stand for less than £900. £1500 more to have access to a bar or lose your season ticket & be treated like a new fan even though you have been in the SoL since 1997.

[Roker Report @RokerReport]

Nick Woltemade | Premier League Highlights | Newcastle Vs. Sunderland | 4K

[Keith Downie @SkySports_Keith]

🐈‍⬛ And Brobbey, scores! He’s been terrific all game.
Tino Livramento goes to sleep and the big striker forces home from close range.
That goal had also been coming…
Sunderland lead 2-1 here…
#NUFC #SAFC