But just how often has a Black Cats player – or Sunderland themselves - reaped the benefits of swapping reserve or junior team football on Wearside for a baptism in senior football elsewhere? Here are 11 Sunderland players for whom life after being borrowed was anything but blue. Scroll down click through the pages to find out who Ethan Robson can look to for some motivation:
5. Grant Leadbitter
A Sunderland boy through and through, Leadbitter impressed briefly on loan at Rotherham in 2005 before returning to the Stadium of Light and earning regular first-team football. After winning promotion under Roy Keane, Leadbitter became a Premier League first-team regular under the Irishman, and scored a memorable long-range goal against Arsenal, which he celebrated by running to the spot at the Stadium of Light where his late father’s ashes had recently been spread. Although a £2.6m move to Ipswich in 2009 was a wrench, Leadbitter became a fans’ favourite at Portman Road, before also impressing at Middlesbrough ahead of his return to Sunderland in January 2019. Photo: Frank Reid
6. Elliot Embleton
A hotly tipped product of Sunderland’s academy. Embleton starred for England’s age group sides before getting a first sustained taste of senior football at League Two Grimsby in a loan spell last season which was extended to last the entire campaign. Having impressed greatly at Blundell Park, Embleton returned to Sunderland, and signed a new two-year contract, with many fans hoping to see his creative talents feature regularly in League One this season. Photo: FRANK REID
7. Kevin Kyle
Kyle first broke into Sunderland’s first-team picture in 2000, but had to go on loan to Huddersfield Town, Darlington, and Rochdale before truly establishing himself on Wearside and breaking into the Scotland international squad. After 17 goals from 91 appearances – and one famous disallowed goal against Newcastle – the brawny Scot left for Coventry City, and then Wolves and Rangers among others, but only enjoyed real later career success at Kilmarnock. Photo: PAUL BARKER
8. Duncan Watmore
The development of the pacy former Altrincham winger following his arrival at Sunderland in 2013 was hastened by a decent temporary spell at Hibernian the following year. Watmore returned from Hibs with enough confidence to break into the first-team picture at the Stadium of Light and earn England U21 honours in 2015. But recent seasons have seen Watmore endure a nightmare run of injuries, including a repeat cruciate ligament tear, to stunt his progress. Photo: Frank Reid