Sunderland AFC’s official matchday programme Red and White is back for the 2018-19 campaign - and now, from this season, we here at Roker Report will be a part of it.
As ever, R&W will be jam-packed with everything you need to know ahead of each game, including columns from chairman Stewart Donald, Charlie Methven and Jack Ross.
A rotating player column will also give readers an exclusive look within the camp, with feature-length interviews, quickfire features and a Twitter Q&A providing an unrivaled insight into everything at the club - but that’s not all.
Ourselves and the fine fellas over at A Love Supreme will be contributing to each and every single edition, whilst fellow fan-site Salut! Sunderland will also be penning their own thoughts throughout the campaign.
The intention is that, through our own respective platforms, we’ll be able to give a different voice within the glossy magazine - a fan-inspired flavour and break from tradition that some would argue has been missing from Sunderland’s matchday programmes ever since their inception.
Our ‘Roker Report Meets...’ series has been a regular feature here on the site for many years now, and through Red & White we’ll be able to bring even more of our in-depth chats to supporters, quizzing them on things that only fans would get away with asking!
Speaking about the revamped publication, Charlie Methven said:
Matchday programmes can be dreary things – it’s almost as if someone, somewhere, around 1980 decided that they should be a certain way and that’s where they have remained ever since.
The rise of the fanzines demonstrated that people wanted more engaging content, so I decided to ask SAFC’s wonderful fanzines to contribute a little to the programme.
Hopefully, as a result, we’re going to show that the mould can be broken, and that matchday programmes don’t have to be dull.
The first edition of Red & White will be available at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, as the Lads kick-off the 2018-19 campaign at home to Charlton Athletic - make sure you pick up your copy and read our interview with Sunderland cult hero Darren Williams!