‘Coming on for Sunderland, number 31, Chris Rigg.’
It’s approximately 4:40pm on January 7 at Montgomery Waters Meadow, home of Shrewsbury Town, where Sunderland have just gone a goal down to Steve Cotterill’s buoyant League One hosts in the Emirates FA Cup third round.
Matthew Pennington – once a Merseyside derby goalscorer – has just broken the deadlock, rolling back to when he burst onto the scene in an Everton shirt in the Premier League. He was 22 when he struck at Anfield, that day in 2017. A starlet, with his career ahead of him.
To put things into perspective, whilst that game was broadcast worldwide, a boy called Christopher Rigg was at home in the North East. He might have been watching, or playing a game of his own. It was less than six years ago; Rigg was only nine.
We return to the present day. In the past year, Rigg has become the Premier League 2’s youngest-ever player at U21 level – just three months after lifting the U15 Floodlit Cup – and played for the England Under-17 side.
Having trained regularly in Tony Mowbray’s first-team fold – dovetailing with his completion of Year 11 and his GCSE studies – the central midfielder was named amongst the substitutes in our draw at Blackpool on New Year’s Day.
His debut was not quite to come that day at Bloomfield Road – and with the Lads just having gone a goal behind late on in Shropshire six days later – could that have scuppered Rigg’s chances of making his bow and stamping an influence on the game?
Certainly not. Rigg, 15 years and 203 days of age, is introduced by Mowbray – ‘he’s there because he’s good enough,’ affirms the Head Coach after the game – for the final nine minutes. Sunderland's youngest-ever outfield player, and second only to goalkeeper Derek Forster overall. He replaces fellow midfield man Edouard Michut – the combined age of the two is just 34. He links the play. Barks orders to men his senior. Wins a corner. We equalise.
Ross Stewart salvages the tie with a bullet header, before Luke O’Nien sweeps home a stunning finish to dramatically snatch the place in round four from under Shrewsbury’s noses. The tide all turns when Rigg is on the pitch, and now we bring in the man (boy) himself. It’s his first-ever interview, but he speaks candidly and with purpose.
“I was about to come on, and then we went 1-0 down – I thought ‘no way’. I was in a blanket on the bench, but then the gaffer said ‘Riggy, go and get ready’. The whole moment was surreal,” Rigg reflects.
“Straight away he called me over. He was talking to me about tactics, and I remember just trying to keep my head level as I was thinking ‘wow, this is actually happening’.
“The craziest thing when I came on was that the first person I spotted in the crowd was my dad. All the noise was amazing, but then Dan Neil gave me the ball – it felt so much more comfortable after my first touch.”
Around 15 minutes later, the dramatic comeback is complete, setting up a tie at Craven Cottage against Premier League outfit Fulham in round four which we focus on this weekend.
Rigg and his teammates soak up the applause from a jubilant away crowd, whose emotions have been put to the test throughout a remarkable period of injury time.
After he embraces with his family – including his Lads-mad younger brother – matchwinner O’Nien joins him in leaving the pitch.
‘What a player,’ he exclaims of a beaming Rigg as the duo pass the club media cameras.
“To get the win and progress to the next round just topped it off. I remember my dad pointing out to me that not many 15-year-olds would take on their man down the wing to win the corner for the equaliser,” recalls the youngster.
“After the game was a whirlwind – the moment between myself and Luke O’Nien was immense, which is on video. It gave me so much confidence – Luke has messaged me since and told me he’s there for anything I need.
“I went to see my dad and my little brother in the crowd – he’s a big Sunderland fan. He was trying to start chants with my name, and to see all the fans after the game, I felt like I was dreaming. All the players were making sure I knew what a moment it was, and the gaffer said after the game that I’ll be 35 and telling people I came on and won us the game… I probably will be.”
A considerable clutch of players from the region have kickstarted their fledgling careers on Wearside in recent years, having progressed through the ranks at the Academy of Light – Elliot Embleton, Dan Neil and Anthony Patterson the latest to become first-team regulars.
The evidence of the pathway is clear, and Rigg is not alone in enjoying a special moment as part of the first-team squad. He is joined on the bench at Shrewsbury by Ben Middlemas, 18, Tommy Watson, 16, and 16-year-old Mason Cotcher, by whose side he has consistently been throughout their football upbringing.
“To have the other lads there made it even more special – especially Mason. The two of us have been everywhere together – we both picked Sunderland because we thought it was the right place to develop, and it’s turned out well so far.
“Before the game we looked at each other, and we were like ‘wow’. It felt like last week we were nine years old, and now we’re on the bench together in a first-team game.
“It felt more comfortable with the other boys there as well, Ben and Tommy. They’ve done really well training with the first team. All the senior boys have been good with us young players – in training, I want to stand out, not just make up the numbers. On my first session with them I was looking to play the way I would with my own age group – throwing tackles in, dribbling past players and playing riskier passes. The first-team boys have advised me to keep doing what I’m doing, which is such a great push for me.”
Saturday, play for Sunderland. Monday, up for school.
This is the reality of Rigg’s life to date. As he heads in for his usual Monday morning at Hebburn Comprehensive, it soon becomes unusual – photos, autographs and a whole-school assembly, no less.
A kid who exudes humility even in his tender years, a mass gathering will never be something he asks for, but it is only fitting of such an achievement and demonstrates that the school’s pride in him matches that of the Academy.
And, in fairness, assembly is easier for a crash back down to Earth than PE for first period – one would hazard a guess that Rigg could be first pick.
“School? That’s been mad,” he laughs.
“On the Monday after Shrewsbury I walked into the hall, and there was a big assembly for me. Kids at school were asking for photos, it was surreal. At the end of the day, that mentality as a player… you want to give something back to the fans who pay to watch you and be entertained.
“All the teachers have asked me the same question, just generally about how it was. I’ve just told them it’s a dream come true.”
‘England goalscorer, number 16, Chris Rigg.’
It’s approximately 4:30pm on 25 April 2022 in Cesarolo, Italy. A 14-year-old Rigg marshals the midfield on his England Under-15 debut, in his first camp with the national side.
With their contest with Chile goalless, the teenager takes aim, and sends a rasping hit into the back of the net off the post to open the scoring. He would go on to provide a further assist in a 5-0 thrashing, before netting again just two days later in a 4-2 defeat by the hosting Italians.
What have followed are appearances for the Young Lions at U16 and U17 level – captaining the former back in August last year just after breaking the aforementioned PL2 age record. Alongside him in recent U17 camps has been Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, who in September became the Premier League’s first-ever 15-year-old.
“It’s been a very busy year, starting to get the England call-ups and playing for our U21s at club level, training with the first team. I don’t see that as surreal, though, because that’s my level. My standards are really high.
“I want to be at the top all the time, so whilst it’s been such a busy year, it’s been a really good one for me and my family.
“I would say that so far, my debut for the U15s has been my best moment in the England camps. I hit a screamer on my debut against Chile, which was a really good feeling, but then I feel like it started moving up for me from there, and I’ve since played for the U17 side. I’ll be working hard to make sure that keeps progressing.”
Rigg was born in June 2007, making him the first Sunderland player to have been born after the club last won promotion to the Premier League.
Running parallel to completing his GCSEs, he outlines clear and ambitious aims for the coming months – undoubtedly aims backed by the Black Cats’ fanbase, who crave that top-flight return once more, and the Academy staff who have been with him through every step so far.
Only four 15-year-old players have ever appeared in the Championship since its inception in 2004. He would become the fifth should he make a league appearance this season, and if he scores, he would be the first-ever Championship player to strike before turning 16.
“I want to be playing in the U21s more regularly, so that’s the next step to work towards,” declares Rigg.
“And I’m working to make a few more appearances for the first team. The ultimate aim is to get a goal, but that’s my high standards kicking in. To score a goal, make an assist, that would be the best day.
“I'm really grateful to all the staff here and I just want to keep working towards my standards – that’s always what I’m striving to do.”