Sunderland fans have endured their fair share of misery in recent seasons, with two relegations, double Wembley heartbreak and a season of nothingness behind them.
They’re firmly ensconced on League One with a conveyor belt of bad news for them to digest. Today’s doom and gloom is around young striker Cole Kiernan, who has left the club to sign for north east rivals Middlesbrough. Boro are not in such great shape themselves, staring a possible relegation to the third tier in the face, but they’ve attracted the former York striker from the Black Cats.
The Hartlepool-born youngster enjoyed aa exciting 2019/20 season, making his debut for the Republic of Ireland U18s which was quickly followed by his Sunderland debut in the EFL cup tie win over Grimsby. He also appeared 15 times for the Black Cats U18 side, bagging five goals.
“We’ve been following his progress and his development at Sunderland,” said Boro youth team boss Craig Liddle. “When the opportunity came about to sign him on a professional contract we were keen to do so.”
Losing one of their hottest prospects is not new to Sunderland fans. Josh Maja and Joel Osorio both left before their full benefit could be felt, so whilst the Academy of Light does produce talent, it isn’t having the impact on the first team fans might like.
Even though few will have seen Kiernan play, the general feeling is that today’s news is just another nail in the coffin of a one-time Premier League side.
Kiernan signed as a scholar in 2016. Contract expired June but appeared on #SAFC's Retained List as a new one had been offered. Presumably to ensure compensation is received.
Four years at a Cat 1 academy banks #SAFC c.£160k. That's what these owners have reduced our club to.
— Chris (@christoph_21) July 3, 2020
Other clubs now know they can get our players for pennies, it’s a quick fire sale before the talent pools gone and to ‘safeguard’ and cost cut it’ll be closed, undoing decades of good and hard work. It’ll also take decades to recover from these charlatans
— Chris Johnson (@utter_shambles) July 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/sunlunmackem197/status/1279040432480100352
https://twitter.com/sunlunmackem197/status/1279039742466830337
Important to note #SAFC haven't chosen to sell Kiernan. Boro were able to offer him a contract because of his age and he has chosen Boro over SAFC. They're due a small amount of compensation for it. 1/2
— Craig Johns (@craig_johns) July 3, 2020
We’re an absolute joke. Ruining this club from bottom to top.
— Andrew Calcutt (@Calla1977) July 3, 2020
Thanks. It's not so much losing a player to a NE rival it's more that we're losing young players to clubs towards the bottom of the championship now. The club have had 2 years to tie him down to a pro contract so this belated offering of contract is probably done to get compo.
— Sven (@sven_safc) July 3, 2020
This is beyond a joke now, absolutely disgraceful. The lad looked like the one shinning light coming from the u18's and i was hoping we'd build a new u23 team around him. Why even bother with an academy if we're just going to sell every one of them at the 1st sniff of a fee? 😡🤬
— Stu B (@StuBColeshill) July 3, 2020
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