Independent Sunderland AFC podcast

Stephen and Rick met Chris when they did that YouTube thing in London. The former Love Islander is always spotted watching the lads and as you'll find out, he's done the hard yards! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Weatherspoon... sorry that's The Athletic's finance writer, Chris Weatherspoon is back and we're finally letting him do a full pod on the finances. What does the 7th placed finish and European football mean for the books? Do we have to sell? Lots to discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen, Richard and Eleanor are back to talk over some more thoughts from over the last season, including some listener observations.That's all from us for the 2025/26 season, we'll be back at some point over the summer. Keep checking out our Patreon feed for some extra bonus content - see you next season! Thanks for all your support on what has been a quite incredible year supporting Sunderland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen, Rick and Eleanor have a nice chat about some of the things they've reflected on throughout the course of the season. There'll be another part next week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth are back (we'd say for the last time this season but who knows while we're still in this bubble) and they round off that weekend. How has it got this and how nice it that to be framed in a positive way? Phil Smith from the Sunderland Echo joins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe is joined by Jimmy Reay, Rory Fallow and Michael Hamflett as we celebrate Sunderland finishing seventh in the Premier League to secure Europa League qualification! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor, Richard and Micky react as Sunderland achieve qualification for the Europa League with a 2-1 win over ten-man Chelsea at the Stadium of Light! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rick and Stephen are joined by Lee Howey to discuss this massive game. Let's do it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, well, a game away from Europe if results fall right. Stephen and Gareth talk more about the win at Everton and whether Europe is a possibility. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Jimmy Reay react as Sunderland take a huge step towards European qualification with a 3-1 win at Everton! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Goldsmith and Gareth Barker reflect further on the goalless draw between Sunderland and Manchester United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Richard Easterbrook discuss the goalless draw between Sunderland and Manchester United! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Stephen Goldsmith and Jon Ellenor as Sunderland host Manchester United at the Stadium of Light in the Premier League this weekend.There's also a trip back in time to a historical match between this weekend's opponents, while we field your listener questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Relive the glorious month of May 2025 through the words of WMS pods. Coventry arrogance, Hjelde's can heist, Trafalgar Square antics, it's all here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who'd have thought a draw at an already relegated side would throw up so many talking points? Treacherous journeys, home fans-only pubs and a debatable red card. Few involved in this one, Stephen, Eleanor, Mick and Lambo. Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jimmy Reay and Jon Ellenor as we look forward to the third instalment of the Midlands Trilogy that has so far seen Sunderland lose twice, conceding nine goals in the process. Can they end that run at Molineux?There's also a trip back in time to a previous trip to Wolves, and we make those all-important predictions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phil Smith joins us to put the Forest debacle in the bin. Let's try not to let it distract us from what's been a great season. Then we answer some of your questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Richard Easterbrook react as Sunderland suffer their heaviest home defeat in Premier League history as Nottingham Forest take a huge step towards safety with a 5-0 win on Wearside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jimmy Reay and Jonathan Ellenor as we look forward to Sunderland's Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light on Friday night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth reflect on a Premier League classic that went the way of Aston Villa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jimmy Reay and Jonathan Ellenor to look ahead to Sunderland's trip to Aston Villa on Sunday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth return to talk about another Premier League win for Sunderland. Spurs are in all sorts of trouble, how is it to be on the other end of this? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe brings you all of the reaction from the Stadium of Light, joined by Micky Lough and Richard Easterbrook as Sunderland see off Tottenham with a 1-0 victory to send them 10th in the Premier League table. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Stephen Goldsmith as we look ahead to Sunderland's home encounter against relegation-threatened Tottenham at the Stadium of Light. We get the latest Spurs news from journalist and broadcaster Kate Mason and there's a trip back in time to a classic outing against Sunday's visitors! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three of the top names on our 2025-26 leaderboard battle it out to be crowned winner of the inaugural Regis Le Quiz Grand Final. Who's your winner? Glen, Paul or Jordan? Let's find out who knows their Haas from their Ellborg. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We don't usually do Friday shows, but with no match for another fortnight and the good feeling from Sunday's 2-1 win at Newcastle still knocking about the place, we thought we'd break with tradition. Stephen is joined by Richard and Jimmy to talk us through their own experiences of Sunday, both inside St James' Park and back in Sunderland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth talk even more about our latest Derby victory over Newcastle United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Stephen Goldsmith react as Sunderland completed the double over Newcastle United with a 2-1 victory at St James' Park! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth is joined by Danny Collins and Chris Weatherspoon at The Fire Station following Sunderland's 2-1 win over Newcastle United! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first part of a series of post-match reaction pods today, we caught Lee Howey after the final whistle at The Fire Station to get his thoughts, alongside Richard Easterbrook, Micky Lough and WTF Sunderland's Ross Black! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Stephen Goldsmith and former Sunderland defender Danny Collins as we gear up to the Tyne-Wear Derby at St James' Park! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth and Eleanor discuss Sunderland's third consecutive home defeat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jimmy Reay and Jonathan Ellenor as the lads look ahead to Sunderland's fixture against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Stadium of Light! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen, Gareth and Eleanor discuss Sunderland's cup disaster at Port Vale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special episode, Eleanor McCabe is joined by Melissa, Sophie and Kelly-Leigh to have a conversation about what it's like being supporters of the greatest football team the world has ever seen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jimmy Reay and Michael Lough to react to Sunderland's 1-0 win at Leeds United as the Black Cats reach 40 points in the Premier League. There's also a bit of chat about the impending FA Cup tie at Port Vale at the weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A draw at Bournemouth and a decent display. A shocking and disgraceful refereeing/VAR performance is an unavoidable topic. So Stephen, Gareth and Jonathan discuss it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook and Jimmy Reay look ahead at Sunderland's trip to Bournemouth where Regis Le Bris has a raft of injuries to contend with. There's a trip back in time to a previous trip to the south coast, while the lads field some listener questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth are joined by Journalist James Hunter to reflect further on the defeat to Fulham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Richard Easterbrook react to a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Fulham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Jonathan Ellenor as the lads look ahead to Sunday's visit of Fulham to the Stadium of Light. There's also a Cottagers' input from Elizabeth from Fulhamish. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A nice little routine win for Sunderland in the 4th round of the cup. Oxford were crap, frankly, and tried their best to bully and disrupt. But the lads got through it with relative ease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Goldsmith, Gareth Barker and Jonathan Ellenor react to the departure of Kristjaan Speakman, discuss the Liverpool defeat and preview the FA Cup tie away at Oxford United. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Goldsmith, Richard Easterbrook and Eleanor McCabe look ahead to Sunderland's Premier League fixture against Liverpool at the Stadium of Light while there's reaction to the Black Cats' 3-0 defeat at Arsenal at the weekend. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eleanor McCabe and Stephen Goldsmith react as Sunderland were beaten 3-0 at Arsenal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earlier this week, we sat down with Kieron Brady, who has been digging into achidden Sunderland story.Most of us know the name Raich Carter, the local lad lifting trophies and leading the side out at Wembley in 1937. But that same year, another captain from Wearside was leading a very different mission. Captain Frederick Robinson.While the team chased cup glory, Robinson was sailing towards the Spanish Civil War, carrying aid to those resisting fascism. Yet even then, he and the other volunteers crowded around a ship's radio to listen to Sunderland's result. For a few brief hours, football was their escape. A reminder of home. Of normality. Of who they were fighting for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Stephen Goldsmith and Jimmy Reay as the lads look ahead to Sunderland's trip to the Emirates to face league leaders Arsenal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen, Gareth and Eleanor met in the pub to talk about the comfortable 3-0 against Burnley. They were joined by ex player Kieron Brady as they also evaluated the latest transfer window. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new feature launches with memories of another home against Burnley. Who can forget Carlos Edwards with one of the most iconic goals the Stadium of Light has ever seen? Well equally as iconic is the commentary of Simon Crabtree on the radio, alongside the great Lord Gary Rowell. He reminisces with Stephen over that night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Easterbrook is joined by Matthew Keeling (remember him?!) as the lads look ahead to the Monday Night Football encounter against Burnley at the Stadium of Light. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen and Gareth discuss the 3-1 defeat to West Ham. How key was Xhaka's absence? Was the starting eleven right? Some players are linked with the exit door. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.