Former Sunderland forward wants to help Black Cats youngsters learn from his mistakes

One former Sunderland youngster is hoping to help some Black Cats youngsters in the early stages of their careers.
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Craig Lynch had a brief glimpse of the big time with Sunderland.

After breaking through the Black Cats academy, the Chester-le-Street-born forward forced his way into Steve Bruce’s first-team squad before making two substitute appearances against Fulham and Wolves in the final month of the 2010/11 season.

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Those appearances equated to just under half an hour of game-time and would be the sum total of Lynch’s senior Black Cats career. A loan spell with Hartlepool United during the first half of the 2012/13 campaign failed to find a spark and a short stint at Rochdale following his release from Sunderland brought a similar outcome.

Injuries plagued Lynch’s attempts to revitalise his career, despite showing some positive signs during his time in non-league with Spennymoor Town and Blyth Spartans. Eventually, Ebac Northern League club Seaham Red Star would become his home and that was where he rediscovered his love for the game.

He told The Echo: “It all came together at last at Seaham. I was still a bit disillusioned with the injuries and what happened at Sunderland. I really wanted it to work at Spennymoor but it didn’t come off and I went to Blyth but it was just the wrong time. I wasn’t fully fit, I loved my time there and it just didn’t happen.

“Seaham had a great set of lads, Mark Collingwood was their manager and then Chris McCabe. I was flying, I could have gone higher, but I was loving it so I stayed. I ended up as manager and the love of the game came back for me.

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“In a professional environment, you’re in a bubble, and you’re sheltered from the outside world. When I went to Seaham, I saw what it was like for lads at non-league level and just how good the level was. There were great lads in and around the club, the clubhouse was always welcoming and I got a rapport with people. I enjoyed that, I loved it and I learnt to love football again.”

Lynch has already spoken of becoming one of the youngest managers in the history of the Northern League when he took over at Seaham at the age of just 25 in February 2018. He moved up the non-league pyramid months later when he joined Morpeth Town as assistant manager and stepped into the lead role in the dugout with the Northern Premier League club in September 2021. During that time, he has come into contact with several young players that have fallen out of the professional game and believes they need to embrace non-league football and avoid the mistakes he made during his own playing career.

“I was fortunate to play in the Premier League, I should have done better at Hartlepool United too and I had an opportunity to go to Gateshead, but I believed I was better than that. It was something I’d never known.

“I would urge young lads in the pro game to come and see what non-league is about, try and get a loan move to non-league clubs and get that introduction. It’s something I wish I had done because when it came for me, it came too late.”

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Morpeth have endured a challenging season and head into the final month of the campaign sat just above the relegation zone in the Northern Premier League’s top tier.

But there are positive signs for Lynch after his side claimed a crucial 3-2 home win against fellow strugglers Stalybridge Celtic last weekend before following that up by reaching the Northumberland Senior Cup Final with a 5-0 demolition of Whitley Bay in midweek.

The likes of Sunderland academy duo Connor Pye and Tom Chiabi, Carlisle United youngster Sam Fishburn and Middlesbrough’s highly-rated midfielder Fenton John have all played a part in both wins - and Lynch is hoping to help the young quartet make the most of what he described as ‘an eye-opener’ during their time on loan in non-league.

The Highwaymen manager Craig Lynch is confident Morpeth Town will avoid relegation. Picture: George DavidsonThe Highwaymen manager Craig Lynch is confident Morpeth Town will avoid relegation. Picture: George Davidson
The Highwaymen manager Craig Lynch is confident Morpeth Town will avoid relegation. Picture: George Davidson

“We have taken young lads on loan and given them a chance with Tom and Connor from Sunderland, Sam Fishburn from Carlisle and Fenton John from Middlesbrough,” he explained.

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“They’ve had an eye-opener already. I think someone like Fenton has relished it. He’s probably around four stone, but he’s battling with big players and going back to Middlesbrough’s Under-23s playing that academy football and will be thinking he can do both sides.

“I would love to think my experience in football, even though I think I’m still young as a manager, would help them. I know what it’s like as a young player, I want to help them learn at this level because it can benefit them if we give them a positive experience. I hope I can pass on knowledge from where I’ve been and help them on their journey as footballers.”

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