Sunderland's Academy of Light opened its doors in March 2003 and was immediately received with considerable acclaim.
The Academy of Light offers state-of-the-art training facilities and just like the Stadium of Light, houses more than can be imagined when viewed from the outside.
That is because the Academy's lower floor is sunken into the ground, so it is actually BELOW ground level! Sunderland's first-team players train on a day-to-day basis at the Academy but it is also there for Sunderland's future stars.
The SAFC Academy team, managed by Kevin Ball, have won the league for the past three successive seasons and made it to the play-off semi-finals.
In the 2008/09 season the team also progressed to the fifth round of the FA Youth cup, and played the tie in front of a 1,000 strong crowd at the Stadium of Light.
Current international players on the Academy's books include:
Liam Bagnall
Ryan Noble
Patrick McEleney
John Egan
Louis Laing
SAFC Academy players who have played for Sunderland's first team:
Holloway, Lumsden 97/98
Thirwell, Proctor, Maley 98/99
Butler 99/00
McCartneyMcGill, Clark, Kyle 00/01
Rossiter, Black, Dickman, Ryan 01/02
James, Leadbitter, Ramsden 03/04
Brown, Alnwick 04/05
Smith 05/06
Hartley 06/07
Waghorn, 07/08
Henderson, Kay, Luscombe 08/09
Other players who are still playing in the professional game:
Cliff Byrne - Scunthorpe
Neil Teggart - Hamilton
Davidson - Hamilton
Davidson - Raith
McLean - Dundee Utd
Mark Convery - York City
Patrick Collins - Darlington
David Duke - Darlington
Life after SAFC...
Following their time at SAFC, youngsters have went on to study at University or gained employment thanks to the skills they acquired during their two years at the Academy.
Richard Smith left the Academy to go on to study Sports Medicine at Harvard University.
Youmgster Gavin Donoghue has been working at Glenn Hoddle's Sports Academy in Spain and also has a place at Northumbria University to start a Sports Science degree in September 2009.
Defender Peter Hartley, who signed for Hartlepool United in summer 2009, also studied accountancy at City of Sunderland College in his own time
