George Honeyman sets sights on silverware as Sunderland captain praises side's strong start to the season

Honeyman, 24, has been at the club since the age of 10, and is relishing the chance to lead his boyhood team in League One.

Even so, the attacking midfielder, who was handed the armband at the start of the campaign, insists there’s still a long way to go before he can fully achieve his goals.

“It’s been a bit surreal but I’m loving it,” Honeyman told SAFC.com.

“There’s a lot of different responsibilities that you're not always aware of when you’re just a player but for me to get the captaincy so early in my career I’m delighted.

“But it’s only half the dream at the minute, I want to be lifting some silverware for Sunderland at the end of the year so I’d die happy if I got that.”

The Black Cats experienced wholesale changes over the summer, with 12 new signings arriving at the Stadium of Light, while 14 players left.

Honeyman, who has played the full 90 minutes in all seven league games this campaign, admits it has been challenging at times, but has been impressed with how the new arrivals have settled.

“We’ve had a great start, the amount of changes we’ve had at the club it’s never easy,” added Honeyman.

“We’ve had a whole new squad of players, a new manager, new ideas, new owners, it all takes getting used to.”

The Black Cats are fourth in League One with 15 points after seven games, a position Honeyman would have signed up for at the start of the campaign.

“For us to be unbeaten seven games into the league, it’s a great start and we would have definitely taken this at the start of the year.

“You can’t win the league in September, October but you can definitely lose it, in and amongst it at this time is perfect, exactly where we want to be.

“We know we’re just going to get stronger as the season goes, with more players coming back, getting more experience in the league, learning how to win games again, so I’m delighted with how we’ve started the season.”