Sunderland Supporters Association honours Xhaka and Roefs at end-of-season awards

Granit Xhaka has been named Player of the Year while Robin Roefs was named Young Player of the Year at the Sunderland Supporters Association end-of-season awards. The recognition comes as the supporters' body formally acknowledges the contributions of the two players during the campaign.

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini, speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle with Simon Pryde, commented on the winners during the broadcast. Gabbiadini, drawing on his own experience of winning similar awards, emphasised that player-of-the-season honours are really important for reflecting consistency and attitude over a long football season.

Regarding Xhaka, Gabbiadini described the midfielder's performance as absolutely brilliant. He expressed a hope that the player has a few more years in him, noting the high standards required to maintain such a level of output throughout the duration of the league campaign.

Gabbiadini also addressed the selection of Roefs for the Young Player of the Year title. He noted that while Chris Rigg had an impact on the season in the Premier League, Roefs played a significantly larger number of games, particularly early in the term.

The former striker characterised Roefs as a revelation who earned the trust of the manager and the rest of the team. This assessment underscores the qualitative impact Roefs made on the squad's dynamics during the first half of the season.

The awards were presented by the Sunderland Supporters Association, an institution dedicated to recognising on-field achievements through the eyes of the fanbase. Gabbiadini's remarks, aired on the BBC Radio Newcastle discussion, serve to contextualise the official results within the broader narrative of club history and player longevity.