Young Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson is one of a long line of Academy graduates to have been involved with the first team.
The 19-year-old was named as a substitute for the Black Cats' League match at Walsall in November 2018 following an injury to back-up goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter.
And he is now expected to be around the first team a lot more, with Jack Ross name-checking the youngster as someone who could be around the first team picture a lot more next season.
Ross said of Patterson: "I want to push Anthony Patterson more this year also, who is part of the U23s, and I think he has a great opportunity to have a really good career in the game and will be involved on a first team basis with us regularly."
The club released both Ruiter and Max Stryjek in the summer of 2019 and Patterson is expected to step-up to be third-choice shot-stopper behind Jon McLaughlin and new arrival Lee Burge.
Born on Tyneside, Patterson has been in the Sunderland academy for years and earned a scholarship and became a star performer for the U16s before moving through the ranks with the U18s and then U23s.
He is described as ‘a brave, committed and passionate goalkeeper’ on the club website.
He is contracted at the club until next summer and will likely be offered an extension if his progression continues throughout the 2019-20 campaign.
He was awarded the Special Recognition accolade at the club’s Academy Awards ceremony in May 2016.
Patterson doesn't have far to look for inspiration - with former Academy graduate Jordan Pickford now established as England's No 1 goalkeeper. The former Sunderland star was a regular for Gareth Southgate's side at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and after a £30m move to Everton has been talked about as a possible replacement for David de Gea, should he leave Manchester United.
Scouting experts working on Football Manager 2019 rated Patterson highly. He was given growth potential that would see him become considerably better than McLaughlin in the future.
