Editor’s Choice [Sept 12 2021]: The very best of RokerReport.com from this week!

Gav’s pick:

On Monday, Chris went in-depth to talk about a story that I imagine most fans have never heard of - the time when a team from South Africa came across to the UK at the end of the 1800s to face Sunderland at Roker Park.

This wasn’t just a story of a game of football, though - the men from South Africa had endured horrendous racist abuse in their home country, and arrived on these shores amidst the breakout of the second Boer War, touring the country to face teams up and down the land.

This piece is well worth your time, and I particularly enjoyed reading the excerpts from the newspapers of the day - highlighting the difference in the way the world saw things back then to now.

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Rich’s pick:

It’s great that we get BBC Newcastle’s Sunderland commentator Nick Barnes writing a regular blog for Roker Report, and he never disappoints.

Nick’s a thoroughly lovely bloke and knows everything there is to know about the club. Everything he writes is spot on, his views on the transfer window and the development of the youngsters from the academy will chime with those of most fans, but he’s got a wonderful way with words - I love the way he described Corry Evans as “ozzing” class.

And, even as someone who’s no longer a meat-eater, that picture of Barnsey’s fully-loaded Sunday roast had me salivating!

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Martin’s pick:

My favourite article this week was just published today – Kelvin’s piece on John ‘Ralphy’ Goodchild, a homegrown player who turned out for the lads in the late 50s and early 60s, but puzzlingly was shipped out of the club after scoring a hat-trick away at Leeds. I’d heard the name but didn’t know much about the player, and it’s an intriguing tale that’s – as usual – superbly told by Mr Beattie.

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Chris’s pick:

Rich has covered the big issues off the pitch brilliantly recently and his most recent one discussion the recent decisions by the club on ticketing and going cashless was no exception Sunderland AFC risk letting down our loyalest fans with its digital agenda.

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