Sunderland get major boost after Premier League make big Academy decision

Sunderland have retained their Category One Academy status after a successful recent audit by the Premier League.

The Black Cats retained their status last year but only for an initial year period, and so the news this morning comes as a major boost for the club.

Category One status reflects the highest of standards within an academy, and comes with significant privileges in terms of funding and recruitment.

Academy Manager Robin Nicholls, who joined the club from Southampton earlier this season, said it gave the club's young players access to the 'very best programme'.

It has been another successful year for the club's academy, with youngsters Chris Rigg and Tom Watson amongst those making their senior debuts.

There has been another coup for the academy this weekend, with Anthony Patterson making his England U21 debut and Zak Johnson captaining England U18s to a win over Australia.

"This is fantastic news for the Academy and evidence of the great work that has been put in by the staff over the past few seasons," Nicholls said.

"Youth development has long been part of this Club's history. From six of the starting 11 in the 1973 FA Cup final winning team being from our own youth system, all the way back to local products Bobby Gurney to Raich Carter being joint top scorers with 31 league goals each during the 1936 League title winning team, we have a proud tradition of producing players from within. 

"Our Academy are twice FA Youth Cup winners and have enjoyed more recent success with both Jordan Henderson and Jordan Pickford playing pivotal roles in the current success of the England National Team.

"In the current crop of Academy players for the 2022-23 season, along with the four first-team debuts we have also had eight players chosen to represent their national countries at youth level. Retaining EPPP Category One status ensures our place as one of the top youth development enviornments across the country and retains the opportunity for our staff and players to have access to the very best programme that is on offer from the Premier and EFL."