A mixture of Sunderland AFC Under-21s and Under-18s will face Derby County on Wednesday afternoon in Central League action at the Academy of Light.
The Central League
Two divisions were allocated to the North East and North West, with Sunderland joined by Notts County, Mansfield Town, Lincoln City, Huddersfield Town and Derby County.
The league was formed in 1911 and in its early years consisted of a mix of senior teams and reserve teams. It gives development sides across the country the opportunity to compete in extra fixtures.
Alongside Premier League 2 and the Premier League Cup, the U21s gain the experience of playing between 30-40 games in the campaign.
Academy Manager, Robin Nicholls added: "We’re delighted to be involved in the Central League. The division is a great establishment, which allows our development sides to gain exposure from competing in extra fixtures. The Lads face a different set of challenges as they continue to develop across all aspects of their game."
The Black Cats currently have three wins from three with victories against Notts County, Lincoln City and Huddersfield Town.
Opposition
Derby County also sit with nine points in the group with three wins and one defeat from four.
The Rams compete in the Premier League 2 alongside the Lads but finish the 2023-24 campaign bottom with five wins, one draw and fourteen defeats.
Jake Buxton was appointed U21 lead coach during the summer following a season in charge of the U18 Rams. Buxton made nearly 500 senior career appearances including a seven-year spell at Pride Park.
The former defender started his coaching career after being appointed player-manager at Burton Albion replacing Nigel Clough in May 2020. Since October 2022, the 38-year-old has overseen development across several age groups but now has a focus on the U21s.
Coverage
Live updates can be found on the official X page- @AcademyofLight