It was a truly remarkable season for our Under-21s in the newly reformed Premier League 2 - a top 10 finish, a Play-Off final and qualification for the International Cup.
This is how the 2023-24 season played out...
August
The newly reformed Premier League 2 kicked off in August with the previous Division One and Division Two merging to form one league. The PL2 confirmed no relegations but those that finish in the top 16 will enter an end-of-season Play-Offs and those that place in the top 12 will qualify for the 2024-25 International Cup.
Graeme Murty’s side took four points from four games with a victory against Norwich City on the opening day. Ellis Taylor started as he meant to go on with a double against the Canaries.
Despite defeats against two of the league favourites West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, the Lads gained a valuable point on the road at West Bromwich Albion with a goalless draw despite a dominant performance.
September
It was September success for the U21s with two wins and a draw from three. The most dramatic game of the season award was rightly held by the 5-5 home tie against Manchester United.
Despite the Lads being 5-0 down after 50 minutes, goals from Harry Gardiner, Michael Spellman, Harrison Jones, Tom Chiabi and Jewison Bennette ensured the side went into the international break with a point on the board.
Following a convincing home victory against Derby County, the comeback trend continued with a trip to the Midlands to face Aston Villa.
Despite going 2-0 down, the Lads left with all three points as Gardiner continued his fine goalscoring form with a double and a late-winner from debutant Tom Lavery.
Lavery called up from the U18s also claimed an assist, in a season which resulted in the 17-year-old full-back also being named on the first-team bench in the latter stages of the campaign.
In other news, defender Zak Johnson joined National League side, Hartlepool United on loan after signing a new long-term deal at the Academy of Light. Tommy Watson also put pen-to-paper to commit his future on Wearside.
October
October saw the start of our Premier League Cup journey with an opening group game against Peterborough.
The Black Cats left it late once again with Henry Fieldson heading home the winner and his only goal of the season. Taylor once again got in on the act with a brilliant free-kick to slot away his fourth goal in all competitions.
November
The PL Cup continued and so did Taylor’s goalscoring run. A 1-0 win on the road against Bristol City put the Lads in a firm position to qualify out of Group E.
There was another late goal and another late comeback with a 2-1 win at Southampton. Despite former forward, Ross Stewart grabbing the opener, Gardiner and an own goal confirmed the three points returned back to the North East.
Two from two in the penultimate month of 2023, putting the Black Cats in the top 10 of the PL2 heading into the Christmas period.
December
However, there was a momentum shift in the final month of the year as two defeats to the two North London sides followed.
Spurs topped the PL Cup group stage with a 2-1 victory and the same followed a week later against Arsenal despite Nazariy Rusyn’s opener.
January
2024 started in fine fashion for the young Black Cats as it was another month with two wins from two on the road.
Nottingham Forest were first up at Meadow Lane and it was a five-star, five-goal performance from the visitors. Eliezer Mayenda with a brace, Watson, Spellman and Caden Kelly also in the goals in Nottingham.
The U21s quickly followed that up with another impressive away performance with a 3-1 win at Leeds United.
February
Highly-rated Matty Young headed for Darlington on loan while progress was made on the pitch in the Premier League Cup.
Luis Hemir started and scored the only goal of the home clash against Bristol City to secure a place in the knockout stages.
March
A jam-packed March included five fixtures, one win, two defeats and two draws.
An impressive performance at the mini-Etihad saw the Black Cats seal a point with a 2-2 draw which was quickly followed up by a convincing 4-2 victory over Leicester City.
Jones, who spent the whole of the 2022-23 season sidelined, took over the captaincy in Taylor’s absence whilst also grabbing two goals against the Foxes.
The league table started to take shape with a top 16 spot very much in sight and one eye on the Play-Offs.
April
The final month of the regular PL2 season ended up being the most successful for those in red and white.
Three victories from four games confirmed a place in the Play-Offs and a place in the 2024-25 International Cup.
A win on the road at Wolverhampton Wanderers kicked off April. Marshall Burke returned from injury to fire home the winner at Aggborough Stadium. Wolves would end up being the first opponent in the Play-Offs Round of 16.
The penultimate game of the season welcomed a Liverpool side that featured Champions League starlets with Premier League appearances in abundance. Despite Lewis Koumas opening the scoring, Murty described it as ‘the performance of the season’ as the comeback unfolded with Jones and Timur Tutierov striking.
Full of confidence, the Lads headed to Blackburn Rovers with a win confirming eighth place and a home tie in the Play-Offs.
With a spring in their step, the regular season ended in a convincing 4-0 victory at the Lancashire FA. More of the same in the Play-Offs was the message emphasised by the coaching staff.
May
The Play-Offs kicked off with a home tie against Wolves. The visitors started the stronger going ahead through Nathan Fraser before the comeback confirmed a place in the quarter-finals.
Another home tie followed with West Ham making the journey from the capital. Under-21s booked their place in the Premier League 2 Play-Off semi-finals following an extraordinary 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory against the Hammers after the game ended 3-3 draw after extra time.
West Ham entered the interval with a one-goal advantage thanks to Gideon Kodua close-range strike before captain Taylor expertly levelled proceedings with a powerful strike inside normal time.
Patrick Kelly and Callum Marshall put the Hammers ahead twice inside extra time, but a moment of brilliance from Kelly and a Watson tap-in took the two sides to penalties.
Five perfectly placed penalties later and an Adam Richardson save sent Eppleton into a frenzy as the Black Cats booked their spot in the PL2 semi-finals.
The semi-finals against Reading were just as dramatic and following the narrative of the season, late-winners continued. A superb Taylor hat-trick and a Trey Ogunsuyi strike in Berkshire was enough to claim victory and confirm a spot in the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
A truly wonderful season came to an end despite defeat in the final. Tottenham who finished the season top of the pile, claimed victory after taking a three-goal lead within 70 minutes. Tutierov pulled back a consolation in the final moments.
“I have never been prouder of these lads”, explained Murty.
“We will take the highs and lows of this season, enjoy the break, regroup and look to go one better next campaign”.