Sunderland fans love a home-grown player, and in Jack Colback they’ve got one of their best for years.

Flame-haired Jack is quiet and unassuming off the pitch but he takes no prisoners in the middle of the park.

Economical in possession with a superb tackle and range of passing, Colback has added a goal threat to his game and is rounding into a complete midfielder.

Jack, from Killingworth, joined Sunderland at just 10 years of age and rose through the ranks.

A key member of a successful youth team, Colback made his full debut on the final day of 2009-10 and followed up with two loan spells at Ipswich Town.

Jack was so good during a season at Portman Road that he was named as the club’s players’ player of the year in May 2010.

He returned for a second spell down south at the start of the following season, playing 54 games combined and bagging five goals.

Having returned to the north east, the midfielder ended the 2010-11 campaign in the Sunderland team and didn’t give up his place.

Only Stephane Sessegnon played more games than Jack’s 40 in 2011-12 as he firmly established himself as a first-team regular.

Jack was rewarded with a new contract in January 2012 and is hungry to continue progressing in red and white.

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