Carl Winchester, Jack Diamond, Ellis Taylor: How Sunderland's loan players are faring this season

Here’s how the Black Cats’ loanees have fared since leaving the Stadium of Light this season:

Carl Winchester

While Winchester predominantly played as a right-sided defender at Sunderland during the 2021/22 campaign, he has been moved back into a central midfield role at Shrewsbury.

The 29-year-old has featured four times in League One for The Shrews, making two appearances off the bench before back-to-back starts.

Winchester endured a disappointing full debut as Shrewsbury were beaten 2-1 by Port Vale on home turf, after starting the match as a right wing-back.

The side bounced back by beating Burton 2-1 on Saturday, though, as Winchester was singled out by manager Steve Cotterill for his performance in midfield.

“I think Carl Winchester was very good in there today so all round I think it was a really good win for us,” Cotterill said.

Sunderland have an option to recall Winchester in January.

Jack Diamond

After proving himself in League Two while on loan at Harrogate last season, Diamond has made an immediate impact at Lincoln in League One.

In his three league starts for The Imps the 22-year-old has scored four goals, including a hat-trick against Joey Barton’s Bristol Rovers in a 6-3 win.

Lincoln boss Mark Kennedy said after the match: “I don’t want to sound too harsh but I know the team can do a lot better and some of the performances showed what potential we’ve got and it helps that Jack was brilliant because he gave us a vital edge.”

After playing as a striker for Sunderland in pre-season, Diamond feels he is more suited to playing in his natural wide position at Lincoln.

When discussing the move, Diamond told the Echo: "With their record of where their loan players are now and kind of how the manager spoke and how all the club spoke about the way they played. They sold it across really well.”

Lincoln’s League One match against MK Dons was postponed due to international call-ups.

Ellis Taylor

The 19-year-old was one of Sunderland’s standout players for the under-23 side last season, and made a handful of senior appearances for the first team in the Papa John’s Trophy.

A loan move to Hartlepool has proved challenging so far, though, and Taylor hasn’t even been named in the squad for Pools’ last six league games, despite the club sitting bottom of League Two.

Taylor’s only league start for Pools came on the opening day of the season during a 4-0 defeat at Walsall, while he has made two more league appearances off the bench since.

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Michael Spellman

Following a red card against West Brom in an under-21s fixture, resulting in a three-match suspension, the 20-year-old winger agreed a month-long loan move to Northern Premier League side Whitby Town last week.

Spellman went straight into the starting XI and scored in a 2-0 win at Nantwich Town a day later, while playing the full 90 minutes.