Sunderland’s academy has been something of a mixed bag in recent years.
Sunderland’s Stadium of Light
Whilst Sunderland opened their five-star Academy of Light in 2003, the returns in terms of top youth products have been minimal to say the least.
Jordan Pickford is currently starring in the Sunderland first team, whilst former academy graduates Jordan Henderson, Grant Leadbitter and Jack Colback are featuring for Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Newcastle respectively.
With that in mind, here are five former Sunderland youth products featuring elsewhere, with varying levels of success among the group…
Ben Alnwick
Goalkeeper Alnwick emerged as a top young goalkeeper with Sunderland, and made a big move to Tottenham Hotspur after just 19 appearances for the Black Cats. An England youth international from Under-16 right up to Under-21 level, Alnwick made just one appearance for Spurs, and spent most of his time out on loan away from White Hart Lane. After spells with Barnsley, Charlton Athletic, Leyton Orient and Peterborough United, Alnwick – now 30 – is currently in League One with Bolton Wanderers, where he has made 31 appearances this season as the Trotters look to win promotion to the Championship. A solid if unspectacular goalkeeper, Alnwick hasn’t quite lived up to his potential from his Sunderland days, but has carved out a decent career in the Football League.
Jordan Cook
Once a promising winger coming up through the Sunderland ranks, Cook actually made three Premier League appearances for the Black Cats before being released in 2012. Some felt Cook had potential, but he has drifted around League One and League Two since leaving Sunderland, turning out for Charlton Athletic, Yeovil Town, Walsall and now Luton Town. The 27-year-old has scored four times in 40 appearances for Luton this term, and will be hoping to win promotion to League One with the Hatters this term.
Conor Hourihane
Brought over from Ireland at the age of 16, Hourihane featured in Sunderland’s youth team before moving on to Ipswich Town with Roy Keane in 2010. After a failed spell at Portman Road, Hourihane joined Plymouth Agyle and Barnsley, where his combined record of 48 goals in 273 games from midfield has seen him earn a move to Aston Villa alongside his former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce. Now one of the Championship’s top midfielders and a Republic of Ireland international, Hourihane has proven Sunderland wrong for not giving him a chance – and how David Moyes would love him in this Sunderland side now.
Rangers’ Martin Waghorn in action with Celtic’s Erik Sviatchenko
Martyn Waghorn
On the books at Sunderland from the age of just eight, Waghorn showed real promise in his six Premier League appearances for the Black Cats, before he was sold on to Leicester in 2009. Since that move, Waghorn has bounced around with Hull City, Wigan Athletic, Millwall and now Rangers, where he scored 28 goals in 36 appearances last season. At 27, Waghorn appears to be playing his best football having also hit 15 goals in 31 games this term, with the Daily Mail reporting last week that Sunderland are in fact interested in re-signing Waghorn. The attacker may not have lived up to his early billing, but he could return to provide a boost for the Sunderland attack having impressed in Scotland.
Ryan Noble
Once touted as one for the future, striker Noble made five Premier League appearances for Sunderland and turned out for both England Under-17’s and Under-19’s. After an uneventful spell with Burnley in 2013, the former Derby County loanee has turned out for a host of non-league clubs, featuring for Gateshead, Darlington 1883, Durham City, Sunderland RCA, South Shields, Seaham Red Star, Esh Winning, Whitley Bay, Easington Colliery and now Bishop Auckland, with Noble struggling to settle since leaving Sunderland in a major fall from Premier League to non-league obscurity.
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