That will be a far cry from life at Sunderland under Di Canio who put focus on the first team above all else and enforced pretty much total separation between them and the rest at the Academy.
Kevin Ball: “Paolo Di Canio had nothing against the Under-21s – I think he just wanted to concentrate on the first team, and that was his prerogative as manager.
“Mine would always be, if I was in charge as manager, I would want a certain integration.
“My view is that the 18s needs to dovetail with the 21s and the 21s need to dovetail with the first team ,and if it means that they mix in at the right time then so be it.
“Obviously, you reserve the right to train separately.
“But I find it’s good to have the 18s training with the 21s at times because the 18s might think it’s easy and most quickly find that it’s not – that it’s a lot quicker. Then the 21s might train with the first team and find exactly the same themselves.
“On the other hand, you’ll see some of the Under-18s doing well enough to merit involvement with the 21s and some of the 21s doing well enough to merit involvement with the first team.
“And I think what the first team get out of it is the fantastic enthusiasm and energy that youngsters can bring to training.
“I’m mindful that the first team has the experience, the strength, the physicality and the greater skill levels but they can be energised by being up against younger players.
“I did it with practice matches to give squad players who have had little involvement in the first team some match practice,” he said.
“And I thought it worked well because it gave the 21s a view of the first team.
“They get to know each other and understand each other and it helps increase knowledge experience and competition within the group.”
Sunderland Fixtures
Saturday October 19
15:00 Premier League
Swansea City v Sunderland
Sunday October 27
13:30 Premier League
Sunderland v Newcastle United
Saturday November 2
15:00 Premier League
Hull City v Sunderland
Sunday November 10
14:05 Premier League
Sunderland v Manchester City
NEXT AWAY GAME - SWANSEA CITY
How To Get There By Car or Coach & Where To Park
Leave the M4 at Junction 45 and take the A4067 towards the City Centre (sign posted A4067 South). Stay on the A4067 for around two and half miles and you will reach the stadium on your left. Car parking at the stadium is for permit holders only and most of the immediate residential areas around the stadium now have 'residents only' parking schemes in place. However away mini buses and coaches can park behind the North Stand in a fenced compound, at a cost of £20 per coach and £10 per minibus. Don't be tempted to park on the nearby Retail Park as you may well end up with a ticket, or worse still, clamped for your trouble!
Away Fans Park & Ride Facility
Away supporters are being encouraged to use the Park & Ride facility located at the Felindre old steel works site, which is signposted off Junction 46, shortly after leaving the M4. The cost of parking there including transport by bus to and from the stadium is £6 per car. Away supporters have their own separate buses to and from the stadium, with the buses waiting outside the away stand at the end of the game to take supporters back to the car park. Simon Wright a visiting West Bromwich Albion fan adds; 'The park and ride is located in the middle of nowhere, but curiously has a high fence. Apparently the facility is also used as a park and ride for the DVLA so the fencing may be for the benefit of their staff. There are toilets on the site although they do look rather ancient. All the staff were friendly and the buses frequent. After the game has ended, the park and ride buses leave the compound with the away coaches for fairly obvious reasons. In my case, this meant a wait of around 20 minutes'.
There is also some street parking to be had. If coming from the M4, you pass the stadium on your left and continue straight on towards Swansea, then after going under a bridge, then there are a number of roads on the right, where on street parking is available. It is then around a 10-15 minute walk to the stadium. However, please note that after the game has ended the Police close the A4067 road running past the stadium, meaning that you can't go back up to the M4 that way. You need to instead go back up to the stadium and where the road is closed turn right at the roundabout onto the A4217. At the next roundabout turn left continuing away from Swansea City Centre. At the junction with the A48 turn right and this takes you up to Junction 44 of the M4.
Andrew Bartlett a visiting Southampton fan adds; 'I intended to use the park and ride and followed the signs but found the site to be desolate wasteland with flooded potholes, not very inviting at all. Instead I drove on to the stadium and despite the dire warnings found free on street parking only a few minute's walk away and almost traffic free after the match. The level of security and large Police presence was completely unnecessary for such a low key game'.
Post Code for SAT NAV: SA1 2FA
By Train
Swansea Railway Station is on the main line route from London Paddington. It is about two miles from the stadium. Regular local bus services (every ten minutes: routes 4, 4a, 120, 122, 125, 132) and taxis (around £6) are available from the train station to the stadium. Otherwise if you have time on your hands and wish to embark on the 25-30 minute walk, then as you come out of the station turn right and go up the High Street. At the traffic lights turn right into Neath Road. Proceed straight along Neath Road and you will eventually reach the stadium on your right. Thanks to Tom Evans for providing the directions.
Sunderland Squad
3.Dossena
4.Ki
5.Brown
6.Cabral
7.Larsson
8.Gardner
9.Fletcher
10.Wickham
11.Johnson A
12.Celustka
14.Colback
15.Vaughan
16.O'Shea
17.Altidore
18.Mandron
19.Moberg Karlsson
20.Westwood
21.Diakite
22.Ba
23.Giaccherini
24.Cuellar
25.Mannone
27.Ji
29.Roberge
31.Borini
33.Cattermole
35.Mavrias