Sunderland academy manager Ged McNamee says Jack Colback's emergence last season was a great boost for the club.
McNamee has helped to nurture Colback since he joined the Academy of the age of 11 and has seen him rise to prominence on Wearside via two loan spells at Ipswich.
"Sometimes injuries at the first team level open doors for some of the younger players, and it's been good to see a lot of Academy players involved in and around the first team," McNamee told safc.com.
"The icing on the cake has been how Jack Colback has stepped up to the plate and finished the season really strongly in the first team.
"He's shown people he can handle playing at the top level, which is a big plus for the Academy.
"I've always believed Jack had what it takes."
