The 17 highly-rated Sunderland academy graduates now shining outside the Premier League
By Mark Donnelly
Published 2nd Aug 2020, 10:00 BST
Updated 2nd Aug 2020, 10:07 BST
Sunderland’s academy has long been renowned for producing some talented players - with Jordan Pickford and Jordan Henderson the most notable recent examples.
But a glance outside the Premier League shows a host of players who spent their formative years at the Academy of Light - showing how the Black Cats’ impact stretches throughout the footballing pyramid.
Earlier this week, the Echo ran a series of articles investigating the current state of the Black Cats’ famed academy. You can read each part by clicking below:
Here, we cast an eye over 17 highly-rated players who progressed through the Sunderland youth system and now play elsewhere. How many can you remember?
Another who will need little introduction given he scored twice against the Black Cats last season. The French striker has become a proven quantity in the EFL and has recently signed for Crewe Alexandra. Photo: Nick Taylor
After a single Premier League appearance for Sunderland, Laing departed in 2014 for Nottingham Forest. He plied his trade in the EFL and Scottish Premier League before dropping into non-league, where he now represents Darlington. Photo: Jeff Holmes
The stopper spent a number of years on Wearside but, having found first-team football hard to come by, departed in 2013. He is now playing for Coventry City in League One. Photo: Paul Thomas
Thomas joined Sunderland from Newcastle United before graduating through the Academy of Light. He’s become a regular fixture in the EFL, and was on the books of Premier League side Sheffield United before being released in the summer. Photo: Pete Norton