The Academy of Light, SR6 7 UW

Whilst we are having a break from playing in the top two divisions for a few years, our Academy is fantastic. It cost £13 million to build and it boasts the much sought after Category 1 Status. Gooch and Hume have been 2 of the better players this season, both are a product of the Academy.

The Model…….

The facilities are amazing, being in League 1 is not conducive to having top level players, that said developing quality players can only be a good thing….

• Gooch and Hume as aforementioned are key players, ultimately they both command a market value. So we benefit from them on the pitch and if the go, we benefit financially. SAFCBlog verdict ✅

Jordan Henderson has just inspired an average Liverpool team to the title, he came through the academy, starred for a few years, then moved on for almost £20 million

• Jordan Pickford, similar to Henderson, played for us then went for £30 million

How not to do it……

Our owners are full of shit, they took a punt and lost. If we’d gone up, they’d have flipped the club, we didn’t and they are stuck with something that is haemorrhaging money, no one likes them, everything is for sale obviously…..

Having briefly looked at how an Academy can work effectively to the benefit of the club, both on the pitch and in financial terms, sadly our ownership are now just effectively asset stripping….

When Wolves signed the 16 old lad with the bad haircut from Rochdale, it cost them in excess of £1.2 million. The Mumba deal is almost a carbon copy in terms of age, pedigree, potential….. and we got £350’00. SAFCBlog verdict❌

Being in division 3 is shite, I totally accept the football pyramid, but the neglect of our Academy is unforgivable and goes against everything that it should represent….. the following have all left SAFC Academy in recent times, prior to signing a professional contract with Sunderland……

• Logan Pye to Man Utd
• Sam Greenwood to Arsenal
• Luca Stephenson to Liverpool

SAFCBlog verdict❌❌❌

Is it the fault of the ownership?

It would be wrong to blame them solely for this, but…..as a club, we are a disjointed mess, devoid of any direction. That Gobshite Methven was getting column inches again last week – just do one Charlie. Some people fell for it, but they have now seen right through you…. let’s remember you and your pal were backed militantly by the majority of the fanbase, you paid nothing for our club and now you’re trying to cash in…..

Methven showed contempt for the region and it people whilst his crown was wobbling, now it’s slipped completely and fallen off, I can only imagine he is even more patronising and dismissive?

Stewart Donald breezed into Sunderland, it was pints, selfies, promises galore…… he thought we’d go up, I thought we would too, he needed us to go up….. therein lies the problem. Whilst there’s been plenty of false promises – he just looks out of his depth?  

Juan Satori has probably said goodbye to his £1 investment, but I suspect he couldn’t give a shit and is sat on a beach with a cold beer and a big fat lemon bifta?

I’m of the firm belief that there are potential owner’s aplenty. I suspect the deal cited in October is still there in some capacity? Come on Stewart, you said when you were no longer wanted, you’d be gone? The time has come to let it go…..

Lots of different ways to say let it go, nows the time Stewart…..