Robin Nicholls bids farewell after Sunderland academy exit | OneFootball

Robin Nicholls has bid farewell after leaving his role as Sunderland’s academy manager, reflecting warmly on his time on Wearside.

According to Sunderland Echo, Nicholls arrived in October 2022 after work within Southampton’s academy, overseeing a significant spell at the Academy of Light.

During his tenure, academy graduates remained central to progress. Chris Rigg broke through as a key first-team figure, Tommy Watson scored the stoppage-time winner in last season’s Championship play-off final before joining Brighton, and others stepped up via the under-21s, loans and the senior pathway.

Results followed too, with two finals in three seasons under under-21s head coach Graeme Murty. This season the young Black Cats reached the Premier League Cup final at the Stadium of Light, losing to Burnley despite creating enough chances.

In a LinkedIn post, Nicholls wrote that “football has a funny way of becoming more than just a job”. He said working in the North East, where the game means so much to the city, made the chapter special.

He called it a privilege to support and develop young players and staff, and to see people grow on and off the pitch. He added that the academy’s role in helping to restore the club to the Premier League was a source of pride, and he thanked colleagues for their support.

Source: Sunderland Echo