Jordan Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Elliot Embleton, Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson.

They're just some of the finest players to have come through the Academy of Light over the last two decades.

Sunderland supporters had very little to cheer about when it comes to homegrown talent, with the club stripped back to the bare bones under previous ownership regime.

However, since the arrival of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus the tide has started to change.

Significant investment into the academy set-up, a restructure and the arrival of new coaches under Kristjaan Speakman's watch has seen the Black Cats begin to re-establish themselves in the world of youth football.

Tommy Watson (17), Chris Rigg (16) and Matty Young (17) look like the latest trio set to come off the Academy of Light conveyor belt of talent.

Rigg has arguably already done so, having made his first-team debut for the club at just 15-years-old and scored his first senior goal for the club in the win over Southampton earlier this season.

An Under-15 Floodlit Cup winner with Sunderland, the young midfielder caught the eye of a number of Premier League clubs and continues to do so to this day. However, where the red and white faithful once feared losing their highly rated youngsters - Joe Hugill and Bali Mumba are two who spring to mind - they now hold the ace card in any negotiations.

Tony Mowbray's decision to play Rigg in the first-team - a testament to the youngster's ability and professionalism despite his tender age - a clear sign of the new pathway instilled at the club.

Watson is another who's enjoyed a taste of first-team action and dazzled in the Black Cats FA Youth Cup win over Middlesbrough, with Young also impressive in between the sticks.

Although the club have been keen to temper expectations of all three, the trio are rightly making waves in youth football and look to have outgrown the Under-18s set-up, despite still comfortably fitting into that age group.

The trio have been regulars in Sunderland's U21s side over the past few seasons, but 'dropped down' to play in the FA Youth Cup, a competition the Wearsiders have won on two occasions back in 1967 and 1969.

Sunderland came through a Wear-Tees derby in the Third Round of the competition last month, with a 5-2 win over local rivals Middlesbrough.

We Are Sunderland: Sunderland youngsters celebrate their win over Middlesbrough in the FA Youth Cup.Sunderland youngsters celebrate their win over Middlesbrough in the FA Youth Cup. (Image: Ian Horrocks)

The Black Cats turned in an emphatic first-half display to lead 3-0 at the break, before the Teessiders fought their way back into the tie at 3-2. However, a late flurry of goals saw Fin Lynch's side progress through to the next round.

Lynch, who is part of the Player Development Programme at the Academy of Light, has watched the likes of Patterson, Neil and Embleton all come through the youth ranks and become first-team players.

"We've got a lot of good quality within the academy and what we always say for any kid coming through, from Under-9s when we're looking after them, to try and talk about a pathway," he told WeAreSunderland.

"We have a clear pathway for individuals here at Sunderland. It's not just at younger age groups, we want to make sure it continues from Under-9s, to the first-team and you've seen that with Chris Rigg being a prime example of that.

"Started at the club at Under-9s, coming right through, first-team appearances. Tommy Watson the exact same.

"Even in the Under-18s, we were quite comfortable to play two 15-year-olds in the group. We could have just changed it but we knew what quality the two lads had.

"We trust them which is massively important but we know we have quality and we've shown that."

We Are Sunderland: Sunderland U18s coach Fin Lynch talks with his players ahead of the FA Youth Cup clash with Middlesbrough FC.Sunderland U18s coach Fin Lynch talks with his players ahead of the FA Youth Cup clash with Middlesbrough FC. (Image: Ian Horrocks)

Fin Geragusian was one of the 15-year-olds referenced by Lynch, coming off the bench for the final few minutes of the game and scoring Sunderland's fifth to put the result beyond any doubt.

The Black Cats new look academy has a air of confidence around the place, with there no shortage of talent coming through the ranks.

Although not every player will make it at the Stadium of Light, the Player Development Programme is just as much about preparing youngsters for life after leaving the club, as it is in challenging those tipped to break into the first-team.

"It's brilliant," Lynch said when asked about players like Rigg and Watson stepping up and dropping down the age groups to face different challenges.

"What we've done within the Player Development Programme, between 18s and 21s, we have a flow where we'll just mix-and-match players up. It's not saying you're 21s and that's it.

"It's an individual programme so if we feel it's right for that individual to go and play in U18s, they'll go and play in U18s, if we feel 21s is right at that moment in time we'll do the same.

"We get on really well as a collective of staff and trust each other, we always have good meetings regarding players development and how we're going to have to challenge.

"For example Riggy, we're challenging Riggy to be the best player. That's a different type of challenge to the first-team where he's coming off for the last ten minutes and the message is go and enjoy it.

"No here, 'Riggy you need to go and show [what you're capable of].' The same with Tommy Watson. 'You two have to go and dominate today.' Which they can do."

We Are Sunderland: Sunderland's rising talents Tommy Watson (left) and Chris Rigg (right).Sunderland's rising talents Tommy Watson (left) and Chris Rigg (right). (Image: Ian Horrocks)

The emergence of Rigg and Watson is a clear sign of the academy's plans coming to fruition but the club know they can't rest on their laurels.

"We always say we've got to trust the process, and we do! Lynch added. "We make sure it's clear to all parents, 'this is what we're going to do for your son.'

"You can see regarding players coming through from the Under-15s, Riggy dropping down, then playing back up again next week with the Under-21s, it's great to be around.

"Staff just have a great environment which we all love working in."

There'll be more tough tests that lay in wait for Sunderland's young group in their FA Youth Cup campaign, but a good run in the competition would only strengthen their future first-team claims.

After all, it's been 65 years since their last FA Youth Cup triumph, but right now they're taking it one game as it comes.

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Lynch said: "Listen, we're delighted. We knew the game against Boro would be a tricky tie and it could have gone either way.

"We still believed we had more quality than them to progress. Even going to Gillingham, Oxford, whoever it's going to be, it's going to be a different type of challenge again.

"That's the great thing about this cup, it's different challenges and we're not sure what to expect. For us, we've just got to make sure we keep preparing the boys."

Sunderland will face Gillingham in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup on Tuesday, January 16th.