Roker Roundup: Sunderland set to smash Accrington attendance record & Netflix series 2 confirmed

Wham Stadium set for record attendance

Accrington Stanley are set to break the record attendance for the Wham Stadium when they face Sunderland on Saturday.

Stanley’s chairman Andy Holt appeared on the Roker Rapport Xtra podcast this week - which will be out later today - and revealed that the Sunderland will have almost half the attendance.

According to Holt, Sunderland will take 2,600 and the home side will have 2,800 in attendance, and that attendance will be the first time Accrington’s home will host a game that will have an attendance of over 5,000.

The Wham Stadium’s previous record attendance was set earlier this season when Barnsley were the visitors.

Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images

Stokes update

We mentioned in yesterday’s Roker Roundup how former Sunderland striker Anthony Stokes had left Iranian outfit Tractor Sazi during the last international break, as the Irish forward terminated his contract with the club.

The Persian Pro Gulf League side have clarified what happened with Stokes, with their managing director Alireza Asadi saying Stokes departed due to family issues.

Scottish striker Lee Erwin also left the club but Asadi cast scorn on Erwin’s claim of depression:

They are separate issues.

Stokes has a family problem and Irwin was depressed but that’s no excuse for telling lies and the matter is with the legal department of FIFA.

Stokes has a major problem with his family and it’s a personal matter for him.

We even offered to allow his mother, father and sister to come and live in Tabriz, but he said he could not focus on playing for us. We tried to help him as a friend but his mind was not ready for training and playing for us.

Erwin said he was depressed and could not play, but interestingly was able to come to our training camp in Turkey two days after we wrote a letter to him.

It’s an excuse from him of course, but Stokes does have a family problem.

We want to make clear we have acted professionally at all times. For us, both players have nothing to do with us now.

Photo by Patrick Bolger/Getty Images

Sunderland Til I Die screening

Sunderland AFC and Fulwell 73 hosted a screening for the upcoming Netflix show ‘Sunderland ‘Til I Die’ at the Empire last night, and during the screening they confirmed the second series by showing a teaser trailer.

200 season card holders were lucky enough to attend the exclusive, invite only screening ahead of the series launching on Netflix on December 14.