Sunderland AFC Under-21s are back in Central League action on Tuesday as Lincoln City are the visitors 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."
Opposition
Lincoln City U21s compete in group A of the Central League with one win against Derby County from their previous four fixtures.
The development side are currently led by Sam Tillen.
Tillen made over 200 senior career appearances for the likes of Chelsea, Brentford and Icelandic side Fram.
The 38-year-old started coaching in 2014 during a spell with another Icelandic side, FH before combining roles of youth development coach and U18 lead coach at Lincoln City in January 2024.
Team news
Timur Tutierov misses out due to international duty with Ukraine U19s.
Ben Crompton and Michael Spellman continue their spell on the sidelines. Ellis Taylor is back on the grass following a recent injury.
Coverage
Updates can be found on the official X page- @AcademyofLight