Away from the first team, watching Graeme Murty’s under-21s play is very enjoyable with the youth side playing Europe this campaign and reaching the Premier League 2 play-off final last season.
The pathway at the Academy of Light has produced the likes of Dan Neil, Anthony Patterson, Tommy Watson and Chris Rigg in recent seasons, and we’re always on the lookout for the next cab of the rank.
Here, though, we profile 11 of Sunderland’s brightest stars and analyse who could follow Watson and Rigg into Régis Le Bris’ first-team set-up in the coming seasons:
1. Matty Young
The highly-rated goalkeeper is currently out on loan at Salford City in League Two but has been tipped to one day succeed Anthony Patterson as Sunderland's number one. Photo: Ben Cuthbertson
2. Finn Geragusian
The 17-year-old's form for the 21s and the 18s this season has been electric and he could be one for the future in terms of first-team involvement at some point in the future. | Finn Geragusian by Ben Cuthbertson
3. Trey Ogunsuyi
The striker has been included on Le Bris' bench several times this season and came on as a sub against Stoke City in the FA Cup. The highly-rated striker has everything you need to become a regular at Sunderland one day. | Frank Reid
4. Luke Bell
The centre-back has impressed for Myrty's U21s this season and is usually the first choice defender for Premier League 2 games. | Sunderland's Luke Bell - Photo by Ben Cuthbertson Photo: Sunderland's Luke Bell - Photo by Ben Cuthbertson