Sunderland AFC – the team built on youth  

The main aim for any football team is obviously to finish in their desired position in the league that they are in, whether that be staying up, going up, winning the title or a comfortable season in mid-table. Either way, while the main focus is the present, the future is also vital to a football clubs' success and longevity. Whether that be players from their own academy, young players signed from elsewhere or on loan from elsewhere, young players are very much sought after in football. 

For Sunderland this season, they have focused a lot on youth with the oldest players to represent them this season being Danny Batth and Corry Evans, both 32 and the only players over 30 in the team. On the other hand, Sunderland have had 15 year old Chris Rigg play for the first team on multiple occasions, in the FA Cup third and fourth rounds against Shrewsbury and Fulham respectively, actually putting the ball in the back of the net away at Fulham in extra time only for it to be ruled out for offside on Abdoullah Ba, another youngster who at only 19 has looked promising when he has played for the team. 

Tony Mowbray has done an incredible job at Sunderland, bringing an injury riddled young team who had just got promoted, to potentially a double promotion, 5 years after they got double relegated with an aging team of players who cared more about the money than the football team they were playing for.  

Whether Sunderland get to the playoffs or not, it is safe to say that the team have already performed incredibly this season and the future is very bright.