Sunderland Academy

Sunderland FC runs a category 1 academy based in Tyne and Wear. They have a youth development program that nurtures young talent.

Opened in March 2003, the Academy of Light followed a training period at the Charlie Hurley Centre in Whitburn, with earlier training sites located in Cleadon and Hendon.

Since its opening, the Academy has become a strong foundation for developing talent.

For the 2025/26 season, a selection of Under-21 games are hosted at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground.

The Academy’s core philosophy is progression and development. Forty-eight players have made their first-team debuts, from the first under coach Jonjo Dickman to current rising stars like Tommy Watson and Chris Rigg.

The Academy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account is @AcademyOfLight.

A report by the CIES Football Observatory in 2025 ranked Sunderland as the 20th most youth-oriented club in world football, due to the fact that, over the past three years, 22.2% of their league minutes have been given to players under the age of 21.

In the 2024/25 season, Academy-developed players contributed 11,672 minutes of football, representing 26% of the club’s total league minutes, with on average three Academy graduates included in each matchday starting XI.

“We may be in the top flight now, but our philosophy remains unchanged. We’ll continue to trust in young talent, continue to demand the highest standards, and continue to guide our players as people as well as athletes.” – Robin Nicholls, Academy Manager.

Academy Competitions

Each season, the Academy competes across the standard slate of competitions for Category One clubs:

• U18 Premier League – split into North and South divisions; Sunderland’s Under-18s play in the North League.
• U17 & U18 Premier League Cup – introduced by the Premier League in 2017 (originally as the U16 Premier League Cup, renamed the U17 Premier League Cup in 2020); seven group winners plus the best runner-up (by points, goal difference, then head-to-head) progress to the quarter-finals.
• FA Youth Cup – the traditional nationwide knockout competition open to academy sides across English football.
• Durham ‘Frank Pattison’ Challenge Cup – began in 1883–84, with Sunderland winning the inaugural title, the first of their 23 triumphs. In recent years Sunderland’s Under-21s have also competed, and the Under-18s joined the competition for the first time in 2025/26.
• U21 Premier League Cup – introduced in the 2013/14 season to add a knockout tournament alongside the regular Professional Development Phase league schedule, featuring nine groups with the top team in each group plus the seven best runners-up advancing to the knockout stage.
• National League Cup – a 32-team midweek competition comprising 16 Under-21 sides from Premier League 2 and 16 National League club first teams.
• Premier League 2 – since 2023, all Category One academies play in a single Swiss-style league, with entry and removal governed by Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) accreditation criteria.
• Premier League International Cup – four groups of eight, each combining four UK-based Under-21 sides with four invited overseas development squads; the top two in each group advance to the knockout stage.

2025/26 Season

The 2024/25 season was a proud one for Sunderland Academy, with four academy graduates playing starring roles in Sunderland’s historic Championship Play-Off Final victory.

Tommy Watson scored a last-minute winner, while Chris Rigg became the youngest player to start a Play-Off final. Homegrown midfielder Dan Neil captained the side, while academy graduate Anthony Patterson was named Player of the Match.

The Academy enters the 2025/26 season under Academy Manager Robin Nicholls, PDP Coach Matt Craddock, Under-21 Head Coach Graeme Murty, Under-18 Head Coach Jordan Moore, and Under-18 Lead Coach Fin Lynch.

Full details of players retained, released, or returned from loan following the 2024/25 season can be found on the club’s official retained list.

Scholars 2025/26

The 2025 intake includes a mix of homegrown players along with new signings from both the UK and abroad: Joseph Cowan (Goalkeeper), Finley Robertson (Goalkeeper), Charlie Hamilton-Forsyth (Defender), Arron Bowman (Defender), Tom Proctor (Midfielder)

Jay Brown (Midfielder), Alex Lienard (Midfielder), Jay Matadeen (Midfielder), Matthew Burns (Midfielder), Robert Walton (Midfielder), Lewis Campbell (Forward), Harry Hunter (Forward), James Barker (Forward), Caleb Shakespeare (Forward) and Triziano Wilson (Forward).

Academy Players on Loan 2025/26

• Matty Young (Goalkeeper) – Salford City
• Rhys Walsh (Forward) – South Shields
• Tom Lavery (Defender) – Cliftonville
• Dan Cameron (Goalkeeper) – Hebburn Town
• Trey Ogunsuyi (Forward) – Falkirk; Shrewsbury Town
• Oliver Bainbridge (Defender) – South Shields
• Zak Johnson (Defender) – York City

Academy Players in the First Team 2025/26

Jenson Jones (Defender, #51), Timur Tuterov (Forward, #57), Jack Whittaker (Midfielder, #53), Harrison Jones (Midfielder, #50).

International Players 2025/26

• Alex Lienard (Midfielder) – New Zealand U17
• Christopher Rigg (Midfielder) – England U19
• Ivan Struk (Midfielder) – Latvia U19
• Matthew Burns (Midfielder) – Northern Ireland U19
• Matthew Young (Goalkeeper) – England U21
• Finn Geragusian (Forward) – Armenia U21

2025/26 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-17s were drawn in Group F against Under-17 sides from Leeds, Middlesbrough and Newcastle.

In the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group E against Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town and West Ham.

For the FA Youth Cup, the Under-18s were drawn at home against Nottingham Forest in the third round proper, before progressing to be drawn against West Brom in the fourth round proper and at home against Brighton in the fifth round proper.

In the Durham ‘Frank Pattison’ Challenge Cup first round, the Under-18s were drawn away against Dunston UTS.

Also in the U21 Premier League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-21s were drawn in Group H against Bromley, Colchester United and Norwich City, before progressing through the round of 16 against Nottingham Forest, the quarter-final against Watford, and the semi-final against Blackburn Rovers.

In the National League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-21s were placed in Group D of the competition’s second edition, drawn against Boston United, FC Halifax Town, Gateshead and Scunthorpe United, with all matches played away from home.

In the Premier League International Cup, Sunderland were drawn in Group D against Athletic Club, Borussia Dortmund, Anderlecht and Sporting CP, alongside fellow UK sides Manchester United, Leeds United and West Ham.

Charlie Dinsdale was nominated for Player of the Month for March 2026 in the Premier League 2

Season Timeline

June 2025

• Ben Kindon, Ben Metcalf, Jack Whittaker, and Jaydon Jones were all offered their first professional contracts with the club.
• Sunderland AFC’s Under-21s were confirmed to participate in the National League Cup and Premier League International Cup for the 2025/26 season.

July 2025

• Jack Whittaker and Jaydon Jones both signed new deals, with central defender Ben Kindon and goalkeeper Ben Metcalf also committing their futures to the Club.
• Ben Middlemas, Timur Tutierov, and Ethan Moore all signed new contracts with the Club.
• Sunderland AFC signed 18-year-old goalkeeper Isaac Allan from Lincoln City on a professional contract; he was set to join Graeme Murty’s Under-21 squad on Wearside ahead of the 2025/26 season.

August 2025

• 18-year-old Trey Ogunsuyi committed his future to Sunderland by signing a new long-term contract that runs until 2028; the Belgian youth international first joined the club’s academy at the age of 10.

October 2025

• First-year scholar Alex Lienard was named captain of New Zealand for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar the following month.

November 2025

• Former Premier League forward Leroy Kita joined the Academy of Light as a Professional Development Phase coach.

December 2025

• Sunderland’s Under-18s booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, following their tie against Nottingham Forest; they were set to face either West Brom or AFC Bournemouth next.
• Sunderland AFC Academy Manager Robin Nicholls was set to depart the Club in May 2026; after the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, he will move to the United States to take up the role of Academy Director at New York City Football Club.

January 2026

• Ben Middlemas completed a permanent move from Sunderland to Swindon Town, subject to EFL approval; the midfielder signed a two-and-a-half-year deal that runs until the end of the 2027/28 season.
• Sixteen-year-old winger Triziano Wilson joined the club as a first-year scholar and was set to link up with Fin Lynch and Jordan Moore’s Under-18 squad.

2024/25 Season

Based in Tyne and Wear, Sunderland FC ran a Category One academy.

Scholars 2024/25

The club announced the new group of scholars for the Professional Development Phase for the 2024/25 season, joining the club ready to compete in the Under-18 Premier League:

Ivan Struk (Midfielder), Marcus Neill (Forward), Joe Nield (Forward), Liam Hunt (Midfielder), Bayley Hester (Defender), Felix Scott (Forward), Charlie Dinsdale (Midfielder)

Finlay Holcroft (Defender), Finn Geragusian (Forward), George Bell (Defender) and Archie Lightfoot (Midfielder).

Academy Players on Loan 2024/25

• Oliver Bainbridge (Defender) – Kilmarnock
• Mathew Young (Goalkeeper) – Salford
• Caden Kelly (Midfielder) – Darlington FC
• Ben Tamworth (Defender) – Tamworth
• Ben Crompton (Defender) – Tamworth
• Ben Middlemas (Midfielder) – South Shields
• Zak Johnson (Defender) – Notts County
• Dan Cameron (Goalkeeper) – Hebburn Town

Academy Graduates in the First Team 2024/25

Christopher Rigg (Midfielder, #11), Harrison Jones (Midfielder, #50), Zak Johnson (Defender, #41), Tom Watson (Forward, #40), Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi (Forward, #47), Thomas Lavery (Defender, #49), Oliver Bainbridge (Defender, #51), Ben Middlemas (Midfielder, #55).

International Players 2024/25

• Charlie Forsythe (Defender) – England U16
• Alex Lienard (Defender) – New Zealand U17
• Marcus Neill (Forward) – Australia U18
• Christopher Rigg (Midfielder) – England U18, U19
• Matthew Young (Goalkeeper) – England U19; U20
• Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi (Forward) – Belgium U19
• Finn Geragusian (Midfielder) – Armenia U19
• Rhys Walsh (Forward) – Northern Ireland U19; U21
• Jobe Bellingham (Midfielder) – England U20
• Timur Tutierov (Forward) – Ukraine U20

2024/25 Tournament Groupings

In the U17 Premier League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-17s were drawn in Group E against Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Leeds United.

In the U18 Premier League Cup, the Under-18s were drawn in Group C against Reading, Blackburn and West Brom.

For the U21 Premier League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-21s were drawn in Group D against Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United and Wolves, before progressing to the round of 16 against Burnley.

In the National League Cup, Sunderland’s Under-21s were placed in Group C of the competition’s inaugural season, drawn against Boston United, Gateshead, FC Halifax Town and Tamworth, with all matches played away from home.

Also in Premier League 2, the Under-21s were drawn against West Ham in the round of 16.

In the Premier League International Cup, the Under-21s were drawn against Athletic Club, Benfica, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Lyon, alongside fellow UK sides Blackburn, Middlesbrough and West Ham.

Season Timeline

November 2024

• Daniel Cameron and Harrison Jones were both nominated for the PL2 Player of the Month award for October 2024.
• In the third round of the FA Youth Cup, Sunderland were drawn away to Derby County.
• Sunderland progressed to the quarter-finals of the U18 Premier League Cup.

December 2024

• The FA Youth Cup journey came to an end for Sunderland after their tie away to Derby.
• Le Bris praised SAFC’s player development pathway, with at least three Academy graduates included in every match squad that season.

January 2025

• Oli Bainbridge returned to Sunderland from his loan spell at Kilmarnock FC, where he made nine appearances.

March 2025

• As part of EFL Youth Development Week, celebrated across all 72 League clubs, Sunderland highlighted its strong track record of developing academy players.
• Names such as Jordan Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Dan Neil, Chris Rigg and Tommy Watson showcase the Academy as a hub for developing top talent, with many graduates going on to represent both the Club and their national teams.

April 2025

• Tommy Watson reached an agreement to leave Sunderland and join Brighton on undisclosed terms; the 18-year-old signed a contract until June 2029 and was set to officially join Albion when the summer transfer window opened.
• Chris Rigg was shortlisted by the LFE for the EFL Championship Apprentice of the Season awards for 2025, an award honouring exceptional young professionals at EFL clubs who have distinguished themselves both on and off the pitch throughout the 2024/25 season.
• In the Premier League 2 round of 16, Sunderland’s Under-21s were set to take on West Ham’s Under-21s, with the match scheduled for 26 April.
• Sunderland’s Under-21s were eliminated from the Premier League 2 knockout stage, following their tie away to West Ham’s Under-21s.

May 2025

• The End of Season Awards Night was held at the Stadium of Light to honour the achievements, commitment, and spirit of the Club’s young players from the Under-9s to Under-16s.
• The Jones brothers enjoyed a proud moment at the End of Season Awards, with Jaydon claiming the Under-18 Player of the Year title and Harrison securing the Under-21 equivalent. Liam Ogunsuyi was named Junior Player of the Season after an impressive campaign at the Academy of Light.

June 2025

• Marcus Neill recently earned his first start for Australia Under-18s in the UEFA Friendship Cup match against Argentina Under-18s.

Released Academy Players (end of 2024/25)

Under-21 Players Released: Ben Crompton, Cuba Mitchell, Caden Kelly, Kelechi Chibueze.

Second-Year Scholars Released: Aaron Chungh, Daniel Parker.