Nepotism exists in all walks of life and all trades,its the way of the world and im not sure how you counter it!In shearers case he is a pundit and probably the best English striker of the past 50 years so putting my bias away i can see why his opinion is sought out for TV work.
Match Day Thread Sunderland AFC v Chelsea FC – Sunday 24th May 2026 - KO 16:00
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Yes, it is widespread.
But in normal businesses, they can't bully you by trying to tell you that you are legally forced to pay for their product.
That's what the BBC does. Don't pay it. They can't make you
As for his opinions, I've never heard him utter an original thought, and he can barely ger his words out without stumbling over them.
Yep but if you watch it you should pay for it!I dont see the problem tbh ..the only criticism i have is that it was set up as a monopoly during one of the most turbulent political times in our history and the state wanted control of the message and was fearful of the new medium of radio.With a cold hard analytical brain its was a state organization setup to have the "right people"controlling the message and has worked wonderfully for decades and decades ,it just is looking a tad tired and out of time in this modern communication world.
Sensational Sunderland qualify for Europa League after 10-man Chelsea fall apart
Louise Taylor at the Stadium of Light...(Sensational Sunderland, love it!)
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...premier-league-match-report#comment-174723759
Some comments from the bottom of the match report:
Tahitikaina
24 May 2026 19.10
As a Lorient fan, I keep an eye on how our boy regis is doing there.. Glad he found a club with the same values..Since Lorient is a small city, we all know someone who knows him and it's certain he loves it there.. the great part of this love story beetween him and sunderland is that even if Liverpool comes knoking on the door .. he won't leave.. he is the humble type, who wants to be given time to developp a project.. hope it continues as long as fergie and arsene
Markear
22 hours ago
As an aged Pompey fan, I’m delighted for Sunderland; we’ve been bumping around the same territory for some years, albeit they never financially imploded as we did.
The reason I’m delighted is the fans. Proper nailed-on fans, any Wembley game they camp out the night before at Trafalgar Square. Lunatics, said as a compliment, from a fellow lunatic.
Good on yer! Enjoy the ride mush, go drink some foreign town dry like we did in Wolfsburg. It’s a blast.
thebigfeller
23 hours ago
Absolutely delighted about this. Thrilled for every Sunderland fan. Including Louise too!
The length of time they'd gone without European football was ridiculous, absurd. As I've said before, Sunderland are a huge club whose 'natural' size should leave them always in the top flight and pushing for the top 10.
Football - especially with wealthy benefactors - doesn't work like that of course, so Sunderland fans have been through the mill... and then some. But even when they were stuck in the third tier, even when they were a national laughing stock, I always thought they'd be back in the Prem before long. Those fans are too loyal and passionate and their club too plain big (but it's only big because of those fans) for it not to have happened.
This season, though? Wow! They've defied absolutely everyone, and have done so with a team which any fan of any club would love to have represent them. They've given everything, absolutely everything. Look at Sunderland; then look at Chelsea or especially Tottenham. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work as hard.
That's not to say Sunderland are without talent; they've got plenty of it! But the attitude of the side and their incredible manager epitomises the ethos of the club. I was so disappointed for Sunderland when, under Peter Reid, astonishing, even title-challenging first halves of the season faded away into missing out on Europe. Now, at last, they have a fantastic adventure to look forward to, and lifelong memories to make.
Enjoy it Sunderland! You couldn't deserve it more.
IDFKGothenburg
24 May 2026 18.48
From one former shipbuilding city on the North Sea to another, AMAZING job Sunderland AFC. Composed, tough and tenacious. A team and a club that embody, for me, what football is all about. It's life affirming to watch, honestly.
johnkaysleftleg2
24 May 2026 18.37
I truly never thought I’d see the day the Lads qualified for Europe, I’m still in shock if I’m honest. Today should have been easier than it was as we were comfortably the better side before the game broke up and became a bit of a mess in the last 20 minutes. But who cares, we did our job and the results fell for us.
I’m off to look at the table again just to make sure….
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It does, but the BBC acts at times as though it's untouchable, particularly when it's covering up its own scandals. When you put the two together it creates something dangerous. Companies are held accountable by shareholders, investors and customers, politicians by the electorate, musicians and other performers by the audience. The BBC acts as if it's only accountable to itself. That's why it's nepotism and cronyism seems worse. You can get away with stuff if no one can call you out about it.
In Shearer's case, he might have been a great striker, but he's an awful pundit. Nothing interesting or insightful, a managerial failure and openly biased towards or against certain clubs, massively unprofessional. He's there purely on his name and because of his mates. But as the BBC can be massively self congratulatory they're probably oblivious to how people feel. They think it's a joke and funny, rather than see how people can get angry about it.
Aye that one forgot they moved and I have the damn thing
Harry Kane is the best striker over the last 50 years, no question or doubts. Shearer was a great striker, Kane is elite
That is a very generous description for an organisation which has been mired in huge scandal after scandal for decades .
And the problem is this. If you only want to watch say the football on Sky, you have to pay the TV Tax. Even if you never ever watch the BBC, like me, they say that to watch anything else on live TV, you have to pay the BBC a fee to allow you to do so. It is insane, and I for one won't pay it and millions are saying and doing the same.
From my seat in the SWC, I noticed towards the end of the game, Gerty went to collect the ball for the corner and he was pumped up and patting the badge. That didn't look like someone who knew he was playing his last 2 minutes for the club and wanted to leave.
I guess it must be, because when we played in the League cup final, we were told by Newcastle Fans that it was a Mickey Mouse trophy.
I doubt its millions mate but its your choice ...at one time there was only the bbc as in the state gave a license to the bbc to broadcast in our country ..it was a monopoly and the people wishing to watch had to pay the government to watch.The monopoly was broken in the 1950's with ITV but we the people didn't have to pay extra as it was funded by advertising but in truth your licence covered all the subsequent channels.
If you break it down we are paying for the licence to watch several channels and im happy with that!Your not and that is your right !I firmly believe that despite its nefarious inception as a way to control the message to the masses it has been a force for good in this country and throughout the world and i for one would miss it if it goes......The BBC is a huge organisation and its being tarnished by the behaviour of some odious people ,but thats what they do they inveigle themselves throughout society in positions of trust to carry out the vile acts,police,nurses,doctors dentist teachers priests ,counsellors ,MP's and on and on. The BBC is no different to the police the nhs and any other large organisation its just that for political reasons appears to be the easiest to bash!
Really hope we keep Geertruida, he's a quality versatile player and whether he's a starter or not he'd get plenty of minutes next season. He really stepped up when it counted, put in a series of great performances at the back end of the season.
Exactly. Look at Chris Sutton on the BBC. According to his weekly predictions Arsenal would have finished top with 109 points and Manchester City second with 101. Them lot up the road would’ve ended up eighth with 56 points above Manchester United who would finish ninth with 47 points. We would’ve finished sixteenth on 37. They’re all clueless man.
Don't think this has been mentioned and I never saw any on the video clips but the fans remained in the stands when it seems invading the pitch to celebrate is creeping back into football.
I wasn't there and would be unhappy if this wasn't the case..if I'm right just shows how classy our fans are.
I wasn't there and would be unhappy if this wasn't the case..if I'm right just shows how classy our fans are.
Yeah, they’re both ****. Can’t stand Gabby, Kelly is just a bit dull and obvious. All so scripted.I get her and Kelly mixed up story of my life.
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@henrywinter
Sunderland’s starting XI in their joyous, season-ending 2-1 victory over listless Chelsea cost the same as £106m Enzo Fernandez. This is no slight on a world champion, an elite attacking midfielder, full of craft and craftiness, if moody at times. This is simply a celebration of Sunderland’s exceptional recruitment, finding gems who can see - and seize - the opportunity at the Stadium of Light.
This is also a celebration of Regis Le Bris’ remarkable team-building, blending and bonding qualities which have guided a side promoted via the play-offs into seventh and Europe. For those of us who thought Sunderland would go straight back down, apologies and enjoy Europe. You deserve it. A well-run football operation deserves it. That backing from stands to boardroom deserves it. Football also deserves it: a reminder that the status quo can be challenged with shrewd planning and investment and hard work.
Of Le Bris’ starting XI against Chelsea, eight joined on the eve of the season and one in the winter window: Roefs a reported £9m from Nijmegen; Mukiele £9.5m from PS-G; Reinaldo free from Atletico Madrid; Geertruida loan from RB Leipzig; Le Fee £19.3m, loan made permanent from Roma; Xhaka £13m from Bayer Leverkusen; Sadiki £15m from Union St-Gilloise; Angulo £17.5m from Anderlecht (in February); and seven-goal Brobbey £21.6m from Ajax. Two 2025 arrivals came off the bench: Diarra £30m from Strasbourg; and Isidor £5m loan made permanent from Zenit St-Petersburg (in February 2025).
Three of the 14 involved were already at the club. The starting pair of: Hume £200,000 from Linfield in 2022; and O’Nien undisclosed but reported as £200,000 to £300,000 from Wycombe Wanderers in 2018. And the sub: Rigg from Sunderland’s academy. (The £105.5m total does not include the undisclosed loan fees).
When Sunderland won 2-1 at the Bridge in October, Le Bris’ starting XI cost only £75m (and also had the important Ballard, £2m from Arsenal in 2022). Chelsea’s starting XI was £433m.
Four miles from the Bridge, on Park Lane this evening, the League Managers Association celebrates its members’ many achievements this season. Le Bris certainly deserves a mention. Mixing old and many new players, and getting new signings to settle quickly, requires real people skills. Le Bris and his staff clearly have them.
It’s also a reflection on Sunderland’s family club reputation that so many newcomers are welcomed and assimilated so quickly. Some will move on, some will be moved on but what a journey this is across England - and soon Europe. #SAFC
Sunderland’s starting XI in their joyous, season-ending 2-1 victory over listless Chelsea cost the same as £106m Enzo Fernandez. This is no slight on a world champion, an elite attacking midfielder, full of craft and craftiness, if moody at times. This is simply a celebration of Sunderland’s exceptional recruitment, finding gems who can see - and seize - the opportunity at the Stadium of Light.
This is also a celebration of Regis Le Bris’ remarkable team-building, blending and bonding qualities which have guided a side promoted via the play-offs into seventh and Europe. For those of us who thought Sunderland would go straight back down, apologies and enjoy Europe. You deserve it. A well-run football operation deserves it. That backing from stands to boardroom deserves it. Football also deserves it: a reminder that the status quo can be challenged with shrewd planning and investment and hard work.
Of Le Bris’ starting XI against Chelsea, eight joined on the eve of the season and one in the winter window: Roefs a reported £9m from Nijmegen; Mukiele £9.5m from PS-G; Reinaldo free from Atletico Madrid; Geertruida loan from RB Leipzig; Le Fee £19.3m, loan made permanent from Roma; Xhaka £13m from Bayer Leverkusen; Sadiki £15m from Union St-Gilloise; Angulo £17.5m from Anderlecht (in February); and seven-goal Brobbey £21.6m from Ajax. Two 2025 arrivals came off the bench: Diarra £30m from Strasbourg; and Isidor £5m loan made permanent from Zenit St-Petersburg (in February 2025).
Three of the 14 involved were already at the club. The starting pair of: Hume £200,000 from Linfield in 2022; and O’Nien undisclosed but reported as £200,000 to £300,000 from Wycombe Wanderers in 2018. And the sub: Rigg from Sunderland’s academy. (The £105.5m total does not include the undisclosed loan fees).
When Sunderland won 2-1 at the Bridge in October, Le Bris’ starting XI cost only £75m (and also had the important Ballard, £2m from Arsenal in 2022). Chelsea’s starting XI was £433m.
Four miles from the Bridge, on Park Lane this evening, the League Managers Association celebrates its members’ many achievements this season. Le Bris certainly deserves a mention. Mixing old and many new players, and getting new signings to settle quickly, requires real people skills. Le Bris and his staff clearly have them.
It’s also a reflection on Sunderland’s family club reputation that so many newcomers are welcomed and assimilated so quickly. Some will move on, some will be moved on but what a journey this is across England - and soon Europe. #SAFC
Thought there was no drinking allowed in view of a football pitch. Sheesh one rule for some.......
That did make me giggle when it happened like
But the mags keep saying we broke psr or whatever the **** its called, spent more than Real Madrid and are in the **** for it!
Well they have to clutch at summit. We spent absolute fortunes, for this club compared to what had been spent in the previous decade but **** all in terms.of premier league spends. Most clubs spend what we spent on 14 players on one or two players.