Promising Sunderland forward reveals loan ambitions

The 19-year-old, a striker by trade but also comfortable out wide, has been a regular under Simon Weaver at Town with 17 appearances already under his belt having joined the club in September on loan.

His initial three-month loan soon converted into a season-long one.

And the promising Sunderland academy product is enjoying his loan stint away from Wearside and the chance to play regular, first team football in a competitive division.

Promotion-chasing Harrogate Town are seventh in the fifth tier as they target promotion to the Football League.

Diamond said: “I'm enjoying it, I'm enjoying it a lot.

"It was easy to settle in. I knew Becky [Mark Beck], he's from my end and it was easy enough to get to know the lads, they're all sound.

"It's competitive and much different from under-23s football, but it's good to be playing games.

"It's one of the biggest things for my development. Men's football is where I want to be, it's first-team football, and under-23s games, nobody really looks at them.

"Last year I went to Spennymoor on loan, which was good, but it obviously wasn't as competitive as this league.

"The standard is good. I'd watched a few games, so I knew it was going to be competitive, but being in and around it you see that anyone can win it [the division]," he told the Harrogate Advertiser.