'Put your ego aside and use mistakes as learnings' - O'Nienpublished at 09:34 BST 2 April
09:34 BST 2 April
Media caption,
Sunderland defender Luke O'Nien sat down with BBC Radio Newcastle to look back over his eight years with the club.
Reflecting on the highs and lows of his time, he discussed how he has grown from his debut to now.
He explained: "The thing I'm most proud of is, I've made many mistakes between my debut and now and there was the one on derby day. But if you look at the reaction and the work I have done since then, I didn't just manage to help steer the ship that game but we limited them to very few chances at all.
"Those are examples of how I was as a human being then, then fast forward seven or eight years and I have had to dig deep on one of the toughest days, in one of the toughest environments, to turn it around when really needed.
"As human beings we make mistakes and it is important we face them head on, put your ego aside and use them as learnings to keep moving forward."
Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds here or by pressing play on the clip above
'Be Sunderland' - Ghisolfi's simple demandpublished at 17:41 BST 1 April
17:41 BST 1 April
Media caption,
Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi has revealed a simple instruction for staff and players during a return season to the Premier League - "be Sunderland".
The 41-year-old left a role as sporting director at AS Roma last summer before he joined the Black Cats in July as they prepared for their Premier League return.
Speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle about why he came to Sunderland, Ghisolfi said: "The potential of the club. I'm a builder, I like to build.
"It's not only build, here it was to reinforce - the identity, the foundations - continue to build and I like that.
"The potential of the club [I liked] because of the facilities, the fan base, the atmosphere, the identity and the culture. I was very optimistic in the capacity we had to stay in the league and for the retention was not an easy challenge."
As part of the preparations for their return to the top flight, Ghisolfi oversaw an overhaul of the squad in a summer transfer window that had 15 new arrivals at the Stadium of Light.
It has proved successful so far with Regis le Bris' side sitting 11th in the table and comfortably away from relegation, having been one of the favourites to go down at the beginning of the campaign.
Asked about the goals of the club, he said: "I don't like to speak about ambition. I'm always asking to everyone in the club let's be focused on who we are. To be the best version of ourselves, the best version of Sunderland and this is the most important.
"The first words to the team and to the staff was 'no objective'. We didn't ask for retention [in the league], top 10. No objective, just be the best version of Sunderland.
"It means every day what we are, who we are, how we are working all together. This is the big focus we have - be Sunderland.
"We don't care about the result. Be Sunderland, and after that, we'll be proud."
Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds here or by clicking play on the clip above
'You can't succeed alone - it is impossible'published at 15:25 BST 1 April
15:25 BST 1 April
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Sunderland boss Regis le Bris says he is "really proud" of the work of everyone at the club and the success they have achieved while he has been in charge.
The 50-year-old has been at the helm since the summer of 2024 and has taken charge of 86 matches, winning 36, drawing 24 and losing 26, which gives him an overall win percentage of 42%.
In less than two years, Le Bris has taken Sunderland from the Championship to the Premier League, keeping them away from relegation threat this season and guiding them to a memorable league double over Wear-Tyne derby rivals Newcastle.
"This job is never finished," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"You always have something to do, to improve, so you can spend 24 hours per day and it's not done.
"I'm proud about not only the results, it's the way we work together. I think it's a massive collective work, and as a manager I'm really proud of that because you can't succeed alone. It is impossible.
"Here in Sunderland, we have a really good team. I speak about the players, of course, but also about people around the team in the building. So it's a big achievement so far. We want to get better, but it's not too bad."
With Le Bris the 21st permanent manager since Peter Reid 31 years ago - with 11 caretaker managers also during that time - the Frenchman was asked about the pressure of this managerial position at Sunderland.
"Probably the job is a bit unpredictable because you can't control everything," he said.
"When you are lucky you find the right environment for your own style, to find the right place, and when it's done you have to work hard. Sometimes it's not aligned and you can work hard but it won't work, but in this situation it worked well."
Listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds and by clicking play on the clip above
'It feels crucial we don't waste opportunity to kick on'published at 12:28 BST 31 March
12:28 BST 31 March
Gavin Henderson Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
It has been one week since Sunderland beat Newcastle and what a week it has been.
I am not really sure when the buzz will end, but I am still not bored with watching all the content surrounding the game - it is all still absolutely brilliant.
That length of time that both clubs have had to wait for the next game will be crucial, I imagine, to where our respective seasons go from here. The fortunes of Sunderland and Newcastle are unavoidably linked. We are both basically in the same position in the table and have ambitions to finish in the top eight.
Hopefully, the knock of confidence that Newcastle will have undoubtedly suffered will lead to their league form spiralling, as that can only be a good thing for us, while I would like to think that winning such a massive game will galvanise our squad.
We need to get the Stadium of Light back to being the fortress that it was earlier in the campaign, as that will be key to where we go from here. That means the fans must do their part and back the team until the end.
The good feeling that is coursing through our veins right now needs to be harnessed. This is the type of result that should really breathe new life into our season and, with a raft of important players returning to the squad after the international break, it feels crucial that we don't waste the opportunity to kick on.
There is a top-10 finish and potential European football firmly within our grasp and, together with these players, we cannot waste the opportunity to make even more history. We know we are good enough, but it is about having belief and growing our momentum to get us over the finish line.
It's time to knuckle down and do something special.
The former Linfield and Ballymena defender has risen from League One to the Premier League with the Black Cats.
The 24-year-old will call upon his experience with pressure whilst preparing for Northern Ireland's 2026 Fifa World Cup play-off semi-final with Italy in Bergamo tonight.
"It was definitely different," Hume said.
"The emotion going into the game and the pressure and what it meant. Playing in that game and getting promoted to the Premier League is life-changing, for your career, financially for your family, it changes everything.
"I think going through that experience, it was nervous and exciting, but you learn from that and you gain that experience and all the games after that come that little bit easier."
'Rigg has already got it all there' - Gabbiadinipublished at 17:57 GMT 25 March
17:57 GMT 25 March
Image source, Getty Images
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini says 18-year-old midfielder Chris Rigg has shown he has a "special football brain" since making the step up to Premier League football this season.
Gabbiadini praised the Black Cats academy graduate on BBC Radio Newcastle: "His touch and his composure is great. He is very aggressive for a lad who isn't of huge physical build. He isn't afraid and he doesn't take a backwards step ever.
"The thing that makes him special is his football brain: he sees passes, he sees space, he knows when to close down and when to drop off.
"You're still learning from those around you and trying to get as much help as you can from your team-mates at his age, but he has already got it all there really.
"He still has a little bit more growing and maturing to do as an athlete, which will only make him an even better player. He is going to be some prospect."
Le Bris 'at his brilliant best' to mastermind derby winpublished at 08:20 GMT 25 March
08:20 GMT 25 March
Gavin Henderson Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
Leading up to Sunday's derby at Newcastle, all the talk centred around which of our injured players might be available and it ended up becoming a bit of a distraction from what was actually important - the players who were definitely fit to play their part.
While I'm sure Regis le Bris would have loved a fully fit squad, he is not daft enough to get too distracted by the possibilities of having several of his walking wounded involved at the last minute.
Instead, he had to work on a gameplan that did not involve any of them so, in most cases, the lads who did pass late fitness tests were only ever destined for a spot on the bench.
That was absolutely crucial. It meant that while Newcastle were distracted by European football, we were on the training ground figuring out how we were going to walk away from St James' Park with three points.
What we saw was, yet again, Le Bris at his brilliant best. He got it spot on once more. His counterpart in the opposition dugout had no answers to what Sunderland had to offer and the longer the game went on, there was only one team capable of winning it.
Sunderland's players were outstanding. They all played their part.
Despite the massive early setback he and we suffered, Luke O'Nien was absolutely fantastic. The fact he got on with his job when others probably would have wilted spoke volumes of the type of man he is.
Granit Xhaka was back to his best and ran the midfield, ably flanked by Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra.
Wingers Chemsdine Talbi and Chris Rigg did not put a foot wrong. Talbi was a goal threat throughout, while Rigg kept Lewis Hall quiet, which many others have been unable to do this season.
Up front, Brian Brobbey was absolutely outstanding and fully deserved his moment at the end. He ragdolled the Newcastle defence throughout and then when we needed him to be sharp, his movement in the box was fantastic and he scored the winner.
This win was all about these players and this coach. They have given us so many unbelievable memories over the past 12 months. This is the best time I have known to be a Sunderland supporter and the best part is that the journey is not over yet.
After the international break, we have got a run of games that could mean we are talking about a top-half finish if we can raise our levels again. Wouldn't that just be sweet?
Derby win over Newcastle 'means the world to me' - Riggpublished at 10:31 GMT 24 March
10:31 GMT 24 March
Image source, Getty Images
Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg says helping his boyhood club secure a Premier League double after arch-rivals Newcastle "means the world" to him.
The 18-year-old helped the Black Cats come back from a goal down to win 2-1 at St James' Park on Sunday, having been an unused substitute for the 1-0 home victory against the Magpies in December.
"I was thinking about it all week, all the different scenarios in my head, as you would because I'm human," he said post-match.
"That was the best one. It means the world to me. I got a bit emotional after the game and I got a bit emotional before the game.
"I wasn't in tears, I just got a bit emotional in the changing room."
Rigg progressed through Sunderland's academy to make his senior debut as a 15-year-old in January 2023 and, like experienced defender Luke O'Nien, has been with the club on the journey from League One to the Premier League.
"Me and Luke had a bit of a moment because we've played a lot of seasons here and obviously Luke's been here for how many years," Rigg added.
"He just gave me a hug and said: 'Wow'.
"Walking on to the pitch, it was still quite surreal, obviously. Being a local lad and walking out at St James' Park, it's still a big achievement for me personally and I think it is for most of the lads because those are the games you dream of playing when you're a kid.
"That's what Granit [Xhaka] said before the game, you dream to play in these games. Obviously when we went 1-0 down, I thought we kept our heads really well because it could have gone one, two, three.
'To win both derby games is massive'published at 07:00 GMT 24 March
07:00 GMT 24 March
Image source, PA Media
Former England captain Wayne Rooney, speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show about Sunderland completing a Premier League double over neighbours Newcastle United: "To win both derby games is massive. Newcastle fans pride themselves on those two games as well, so to lose both games will be hard for them.
"But for Sunderland to come up, win the two derbies and be in the position they are in the league, is an unbelievable season."
Is Regis Le Bris in contention for Premier League manager of the season? "He has to be, although I think if Arsenal win [the title] then you have to give it to Mikel Arteta."
How commentators reacted to Tyne-Wear derbypublished at 12:24 GMT 23 March
12:24 GMT 23 March
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Have a look inside the BBC Radio Newcastle commentary box at full-time of Sunday's Tyne-Wear Derby from the perspective of the Sunderland and Newcastle commentary teams.
Time to start thinking about Europe again?published at 11:16 GMT 23 March
11:16 GMT 23 March
Image source, Getty Images
Former Sunderland defender Gary Bennett spoke to BBC Radio Newcastle after Sunday's victory agaist Newcastle: "For me, the two key players were [Brian] Brobbey and [Omar] Alderete, I thought they were outstanding. In terms of centre forward displays, and Brobbey deserved his goal.
"What a display, especially in that second half. Newcastle cannot complain; they were the better team in the first 45 minutes, but in the second half we grew in to the game. Credit to the manager, he's got it right again.
"Before the game, Newcastle fans were talking about trying to get in to Europe if they won this match. We win the game and go above them - where do we go from here?"
Geoff: Short and sweet - bunch of losers. Yet again we were in the lead only to give it away. It's bad enough losing to Sunderland! We're the laughing stock of the North East. Season over with nothing to look forward to for next year.
Jonathon: This all stems from a terrible overspend in the summer window on players not fit for purpose. Malick Thiaw is the only bright spark. We need a new backbone to the team and a big window shifting dead weight that's only in the starting line-up because of injuries.
John: Simply not good enough. Barcelona was bad, but at least that was against one of the best teams in Europe, if not the world. This was against a mediocre Sunderland! I believe that Eddie Howe is the best manager for Newcastle and he'll be putting himself under significant pressure to improve.
Lee: All season it's felt as though Eddie had taken us as far as he can - can't work out Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and is obsessed with playing Anthony Gordon at all costs even though his goalscoring record is bang average. Legend for winning us the cup, but his time is up now.
Sunderland fans
Merv: Till The End. It just sums up Sunderland's mentality and determination. Another positive outcome from such a spirited squad. Regis Le Bris deserves the manager of the year award because of the way he has got the team working for each other and believing in each other.
Lee: Totally deserved! Should have won by more. Kings of the North!
Martin: Absolutely perfect performance after a disastrous first half. I was worried when Dan Ballard was out, and it showed when Luke O'Nien gifted the Toon a goal. Second-half showing was much better as the lads turned up - even O'Nien, who never let his head drop. After the recent drop in form, this was great to see.
Ronnie: Sunderland were immense in the second half of that game. Chemsdine Talbi came alive and Brian Brobbey was an absolute nightmare for the Newcastle backline. Newcastle fans were talking about 'six easy points' pre-season. Didn't quite work out that way in the end!
Analysis: Another high point in an excellent seasonpublished at 21:16 GMT 22 March
21:16 GMT 22 March
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
After Regis le Bris' team won promotion from the Championship play-offs, the Tyne-Wear derby was back on for the first time since 2015-16.
Sunderland have had an excellent campaign, including a 1-0 win over Newcastle in December, but this may be the best moment of the season for the Black Cats fans.
Newcastle have now not won a league game against their bitter rivals in 13 attempts.
Despite going into the break a goal behind, Sunderland had shown they were dangerous when Chemsdine Talbi's superb curling effort from 25 yards was pushed over the bar by Aaron Ramsdale.
But with Brian Brobbey a constant handful for the Newcastle defence, the visitors piled on the pressure and got an equaliser.
The expected Newcastle response did not materalise, with Granit Xhaka having a shot deflected over, Sadiki seeing an effort saved and Brobbey having an attempt blocked by Malick Thiaw.
In the end, Sunderland got their rewards with a result that takes them up to 43 points, guaranteeing their Premier League survival.
However, with seven games to go, they will be wondering just how high could they end up. A push for European football, although unlikely, could still be on the cards in a wonderful season.
Newcastle 1-2 Sunderland: What Le Bris saidpublished at 14:47 GMT 22 March
14:47 GMT 22 March
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Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, speaking to Sky Sports on how they got the 2-1 win over Newcastle: "Through our identity. We didn't start well with an early mistake. We stayed composed, well-aligned with what we wanted to do. It's a tough place, they are intense with their crowd but the team reacted well. We were emotional at half-time because it matters, this game is important and we didn't want to lose. We stayed together, pushed together and the second half was good for that. We suffered at times but we enjoyed some opportunities and played good football."
On the emotion: "It was about the whole event. We want to win and to be proud of our club. I really appreciated the second half, even the way the team reacted after the goal we conceded, stayed calm, stayed composed and seize your opportunity when it comes."
On Brian Brobbey: "He is getting better day after day. He is impressive. We needed more time as a team to find the right connections. The way we can use his strength especially. Now he is becoming a big threat and it's big for the club."
On what Sunderland were trying to achieve by playing out from the back for the Newcastle goal: "I don't know. You can make mistakes. It's a hard phase when we start from a dead ball. I know the intention, but the execution wasn't good."
On what this result does for the team going forward: "We started this game with six or seven players injured. It means the others stepped up and it shows the quality of the group. Today they did really well, I am proud and really pleased."
On the reported abuse from the crowd towards Lutsharel Geertruida: "I don't really know what happened, but it's not acceptable. The referee acted well because he reported the problem which is the first step. He [Geertruida] seems ok, but we will see."
Did you know?
Regis Le Bris is just the second Sunderland manager to win each of his first two league games against Newcastle, after Gus Poyet during the 2013-14 season.
