The Sunderland academy star has impressed whilst on loan in non-league.
The Black Cats have managed an emphatic start to the 2024/25 Championship campaign, and many of it is down to the ability of Regis Le Bris being able to get the best out of his side.
Sunderland currently sit first in the Championship and they show no signs of slowing down as they look to face Plymouth Argyle after the international break.
Le Bris’ side have conceded just one so far this season and part of that can go down to midfield pairing Chris Rigg and Dan Neil, who have worked so doggedly in the midfield for Sunderland.
The duo in the centre-of-the-park both came through the Academy of Light and have proven to be an inspiration for those coming through the ranks.
One Sunderland academy star Ben Middlemas has spoken about his first-team ambitions, whilst also highlighting one ‘unbelievable’ youth product that he is aspiring to be like.
Sunderland’s Ben Middlemas highlights Chris Rigg as his inspiration as he eyes first-team football
Middlemas is currently enduring a loan spell in the National League North with South Shields, who surprisingly beat Le Bris’ in pre-season.
He is looking ahead to hopefully breaking into the first-team and has noted Rigg for achieving a permanent step up to the Championship side.
Speaking to Sunderland Echo, Middlemas said: “It will be tough to impress the manager but that is my main aim coming here [South Shields], to try and show him what I can do in senior football.
“That’s what any young player coming out on loan has to do. It’s a challenge where the manager might watch the games here or talk to staff that have done so and you can get a chance from that.
“There’s a few lads that have been given chances in the first team. Obviously, there’s Chris Rigg, he’s been unbelievable so far and it shows the manager has not been scared to put young lads in.
“I’ve just got to be brave, get on the ball, try to impress and show him what I can do.”
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Regis Le Bris is the perfect manager that will help youngsters thrive
When Kristjaan Speakman highlighted Le Bris as an option to bring to the club as head coach, it certainly would have been noted that the French boss had a wealth of experience involved in youth coaching with Lorient, where he spent over a decade in their set-up.
He has already shown to have got the best out of the likes of Rigg, and the fact that Eliezer Mayenda’s game as well has been massively developed only backs up the Frenchman’s ability to help youngsters thrive.
Whilst South Shields loanee Middlemas is unlikely in the short-term to go from notching appearances in the sixth tier of English football to the Championship, there is no doubt that under Le Bris he could be given opportunities in the future as the Sunderland boss will most certainly be looking towards the academy for potential options for his squad.