Sunderland AFC news: £13k raised for ex-Academy of Light starlet following brain bleed

Almond, who came up through the youth ranks at the Academy of Light, remains under observation as specialists make a decision on whether to operate following a bleed on the brain.

The 20-year-old was rushed to hospital with a suspected concussion while playing for Darlington in an FA Trophy match at Southend earlier this month, before being transferred to a specialist hospital in London. Darlington later confirmed Almond had suffered a bleed on the brain.

A fundraiser was set up to support Almond and his family with expenses, which has now raised just over £13,000, with the consent of Paddy and his family.

Sunderland director Maurice, the brother of majority shareholder Kyril Louis Dreyfus, generously donated £1,000 to the GoFundMe page set up to help Almond’s family with medical costs. That amount was matched by Sunderland as a club, taking the total raised to over £13,000.

Newcastle United player Isacc Hayden also donated £1,000 of his own money in a classy gesture, with current Sunderland youngster Ellis Taylor also giving £300 to help the Almond family.

The former Sunderland youngster was involved in a serious road traffic collision back in June as a rear passenger in a car in Manchester. The defender was taken to hospital with serious head injuries but thankfully pulled through to make a full recovery.

Almond returned to the pitch for the first time since the crash late last year. The ex-Blyth Spartans loanee returned for Shildon AFC in the Northern Premier League Division One East before moving on to Darlington.

Almond is a product of Sunderland's academy system and joined the club when he was just 11, cementing himself as a regular starter in the club’s youth teams.

The defender was in and around Sunderland’s first team for the Papa John’s Trophy and was an unused first-team substitute for the games against Fleetwood Town and Lincoln City.

After being an unused substitute the week before in the same competition, Almond made his senior professional debut in the Papa John’s Trophy in the 2-1 win over Manchester United under-23s at the Stadium of Light.