Lynden Gooch makes Sunderland contract admission and issues message to Cats’ young squad after Hull City draw

The 27-year-old has been at the club for over a decade and signed a new two-year deal when his contract expired last summer.

Gooch ended last season playing at right-back, but has started the side’s last two fixtures at left-back after returning from a knee injury.

“Ultimately I think that’s why I’m still at the football club,” admitted Gooch following Sunderland’s thrilling 4-4 draw against Hull City. “I’m able to adapt and play different positions.

“Last season under Alex Neil I took to the role that he wanted me to do and that helped me stay at the club.

“I’m just trying to play in those positions at full-back as best I can to help the team.”

“I think you have to be adaptable as a footballer. I think I’m a man who can take things onboard and adapt and do things for the best of the team.

“Ultimately I think that’s helped me be a Sunderland player.”

Despite being 27, Gooch is also embracing being one of the side’s senior players in a young squad.

He also believes the positive atmosphere around Sunderland, following the club’s return to the Championship, will help his team-mates progress.

“It is crazy. I’m 27 and feel like I’m 37 with all the young lads,” Gooch added.

"It is a bit crazy but I’m enjoying it. I’ve played a lot of football so it’s nice to be an experienced player.

“It’s a much healthier place to come and play football for these lads compared to when I was younger.

“It was a lot more difficult and things were going on behind the scenes, we’ve had three different ownerships so that kind of says it all.

“It’s been topsy-turvy a lot of the time and these lads have come into a really good environment where they can just focus on their football.”

Still, after conceding a last-gasp penalty against Hull and letting two points slip, Gooch admits Sunderland will have to learn quickly as the club target a return to the Premier League.

“We have a really young side, lads are learning a lot at the minute, but you have to learn quickly especially the size of this club,” he said.

“Ultimately the club is going to expect to compete at the top level. That’s what the club wants and as a senior player that’s what I want as well. You want to compete at the top and try and get back to the Premier League.

“Overall it’s been a brilliant season and young players have done really, really well so we just need to keep going and finish strong.”

Asked about passing on advice to younger members of the squad, Gooch replied: “I think you do that when you get older and help the players around you.

“We have a really young side and there is a lot of expectation at the football club so it’s not always easy. I’ve been through that myself over the years.

“It’s good to help the younger players in that respect.”