Sunderland appoint relative of legend Jimmy Montgomery to lead academy goalkeepers | OneFootball

James Montgomery has been appointed Sunderland’s Head of Academy Goalkeeping and under-21 lead, Sunderland Echo understands.

The former Gateshead goalkeeper had been assisting at the Academy of Light, and will now run the academy goalkeeping programme while taking responsibility for the under-21s.

His appointment forms part of a restructure led by first-team goalkeeping coach Neil Cutler, designed to create a clearer pathway from youth to senior level. Montgomery has worked alongside Pete Jameson, and further hires are being pursued across first-team and academy to meet the standards required in the Premier League and European competition.

Sunderland-born, Montgomery came through Middlesbrough’s academy, then joined AFC Telford United in 2015, making 66 league appearances before signing for Gateshead in January 2017. He played for Forest Green Rovers, where he made his professional debut in the EFL Cup in August 2018, and earned two England C caps.

He featured in back-to-back FA Trophy finals with Gateshead, losing to FC Halifax Town in 2023 then beating Solihull Moors on penalties in May 2024, saving one in a 5-4 shootout. He retired later that summer, having already begun youth coaching at Newcastle United while playing for Spennymoor.

Montgomery’s grandfather was a cousin of club legend Jimmy Montgomery, the club’s record appearance holder with 627 games. Sunderland have advertised for goalkeeping coaches from under-13s to under-21s, seeking a clear identity and easier transitions. Florent Ghisolfi is understood to be pushing higher standards, with owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus keen on a Premier League-level structure.

Source: Sunderland Echo