RELEGATION has been hard on Sunderland, but it could turn out to be perfect for some of the club’s younger generation intent on making a name for themselves in the Championship, like Lynden Gooch.

The American, who was attached to the Black Cats throughout their ten-year stay in the Premier League before it came to an end in May, felt the disappointment like the supporters did when they dropped out of the top-flight.

Now Simon Grayson has been tasked with trying to revive the fortunes of a club where there is very little money around, with owner Ellis Short still favouring a sale if a suitable offer came along.

Grayson has done his best on the recruitment front, bringing in 11 players on the cheap and altering the face of the squad. There is also a greater responsibility on some of the younger players at the Stadium of Light than there was before, with Grayson looking for them to kick on and become established in his team.

Gooch, at 21, is one of those. After the frustration of last season when he was ruled out for three months with ankle trouble sustained in November, he has been desperate from the outset in pre-season to prove himself at first team level.

“It was a frustrating time being injured,” said Gooch. “I was doing really well and it stopped my momentum. It was really hard getting back. I probably came back earlier than I should have, trying to push myself and help the team.

“It took me a while and I probably wasn’t back to normal, back to my best, until the end of the season. I just wanted to make sure that this season with the new manager I was ready to go. I had a little setback towards the end of pre-season, which halted me a bit, but it’s all come together now.”

Gooch had been one of Sunderland’s few highlights in the first half of last season before he sustained his ankle problem. Once he did return to action he found David Moyes preferred to overlook him for the likes of Fabio Borini and Adnan Januzaj.

Now, fully fit and after appearing five times already this season, his focus is on lifting Sunderland out of the doldrums and into a promotion fight.

“I definitely need a good break in the summer. Last season was up and down,” he said. “It started so well for me then everything crashed down around December time and the club going down was a huge disappointment.

"I definitely needed the summer to recharge the batteries and get back focused on helping the team as much as I could.”

Sunderland have endured something of a mixed bag under Grayson. A positive start of five points from three matches provided encouragement, but back-to-back Championship defeats to Leeds and Barnsley have raised concern slightly.

Given the number of changes that have taken place over the summer, perhaps inconsistency can be expected. Gooch is confident the players at the club know exactly what Grayson wants.

Gooch said: “He just demands hard work, togetherness. I think everyone can see that, and all the boys are pulling together. The gaffer said from day one we’re a family now and we stick together no matter what. I think you can see that. We’re picking up points and doing well and I think we’re on the right track.”

Grayson added Jonathan Williams, Marc Wilson and Callum McManaman to his Sunderland squad on deadline day, and the new recruits should provide a timely boost to those already around because of the ability they possess.

The Sunderland boss could still do without his squad suffering injury problems to key players, which is why he is being kept informed as to how serious the hamstring problem is that Aiden McGeady has picked up with the Republic of Ireland. He was ruled out of last night’s game with Serbia.

Lamine Kone was at least given the go-ahead to play after his own injury scare. He was missing from the Ivory Coast’s World Cup qualifier with Gabon over the weekend but passed himself fit to figure against the same team last night.

There was no sign of Didier Ndong in that game though. The Sunderland midfielder, who has had numerous disputes at international level, was due back on Wearside early after a bust-up over who would be Gabon captain for the qualifiers.