Newcastle fans red-faced as Regis Le Bris comments resurface after Sunderland’s Europa League success
Newcastle United fans’ past verdicts on Regis Le Bris are being laughed at by Sunderland supporters after they qualified for the Europa League ahead of their fierce rivals.
Le Bris has masterminded Sunderland’s rise from the Championship to Europa League qualification since he was appointed as their new boss in June 2024.
The Frenchman arrived at the Stadium of Light just a month after being relegated from Ligue 1 with Lorient, with fans and neutrals alike questioning his surprise appointment.
He proved the doubters wrong by leading the Black Cats to promotion through the play-offs, and has taken the club to new heights over the last 12 months.
Newcastle’s poor form has seen them miss out on European football as their rivals came seventh in the top flight, meaning many Magpies fans have egg on their faces considering their reactions to Le Bris’ appointment nearly two years ago.
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Newcastle fans’ jokes about Regis Le Bris resurface following Sunderland milestone
Newcastle were riding high in the summer of 2024 after competing in the Champions League for the first time since 2004 and finishing seventh in the Premier League.
Sunderland had just finished 16th in the Championship after going through three different managers in the season prior and regressing from a sixth-placed finish in 2022-23.
Two years on and the outlook in the north east could not be more different, with the Black Cats now preparing for Europe after coming five places above their biggest rivals.
Many Sunderland fans have now taken it upon themselves to look back on some X comments from Newcastle supporters in 2024 on Le Bris’ appointment.
After he was confirmed as the new Black Cats manager, one said: “He’s just come from Ligue 1, it’s where he’s taking Sunderland next season,” with several laughing emojis.
While another wrote: Hahhahahahahahahahahahaha he will fit right in, got relegated last season, what a belta.”
And one Magpies fan replied: “He’ll be forever known as ….’REGGIE DEBRIS’ with a career win rate of 30% (to match Steve Bruce) & his last run at Lorient in a poor French league of: P76 W24 D18 L34…what could possibly go wrong?” with laughing and fishing emojis.
What is the latest on Eddie Howe’s future at Newcastle?
Le Bris has still faced question marks at Sunderland this season, but much less than Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, who has been under fire for several months.
The Magpies won just two of their last eight league matches in 2025-26, with sources telling Football Insider last month that Howe was set for “serious” talks with PIF amid increasing doubts around his position.
Despite his struggles, there is an ever-increasing likelihood that he is still in charge of Newcastle when next season starts after those discussions went well.
Howe himself has reiterated his desire to fight on and lead his side back to glory in 2026-27, but results will clearly need to improve for him to keep his job at the start of the new campaign.
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The post Newcastle fans red-faced as Regis Le Bris comments resurface after Sunderland’s Europa League success appeared first on Football Insider.
