Born on this day in 1995, in Santa Cruz, California, was future Sunderland youth product Lynden Gooch.
From an early age, it was clear Gooch had a lot of potential – and his talent was clear. Whilst still at school, Lynden joined the U.S. Soccer Development Academy club at the Santa Cruz County Breakers Academy, providing him with the much needed push required at such a young and impressionable age.
Gooch's talent attracted the attention of several European scouts , earning him a trial and eventual spot with Sunderland's youth academy, the place where his career started, and ultimate blossomed…
From the age of 10, Gooch travelled to Sunderland regularly - during school holidays and would train before finally moving to England and subsequently joining full-time at the age of 16, after signing a two-year scholarship.
Since joining the Sunderland U-16 side, Gooch worked his way through the U-18 and U-21 sides. And, because of this, he signed a professional contract with the club, keeping him until 2017.
Before being loaned to Doncaster, the winger made his professional debut for Sunderland, on August the 26th, 2015. This was in the League Cup second round match against Exeter city. Gooch stepped onto the pitch as a substitute in the 58th minute, walking off at full time after a successful 6-3 win.
On April the 21st , 2016, Gooch signed a three-year contract with Sunderland, keeping him on Wearside until 2019. On August the 13th he made his Premier League debut, starting away against Manchester City in Sunderland's first match of the season which unsurprisingly ended in a 2–1 defeat. After making his debut, the Sunderland Echo commented on his performance, describing him as having "Energy, fearlessness and endeavour".
Gooch continued to appear in the first team despite being on the substitutes bench on numerous occasions, This was all before suffering an ankle injury in the November of 2016. It was this injury that kept him out between two and three months, until being fit again by February 2017.
Controversially, Gooch was frozen out of the team by manager David Moyes who preferred Adnan Januzaj and Fabio Borini in midfield... it was this season that ended in Sunderland’s relegation; Quite rightfully casting heavy doubts upon the managers judgement.
Gooch scored his momentous first goal for the Black Cats on August the 22nd , 2017 in a League Cup match away to Carlisle United. It was the youngster that scored the winning goal in a 2–1 victory at Brunton Park. He said post–match that he had “dreamt of the moment since the age of 10”, a true reminder of the childhood dedication he showed the club he loved most.
It was just a month later Gooch recorded his first league goal, a penalty that he won himself to equalise in a 2–1 home loss to Cardiff City.
Sunderland suffered a second consecutive relegation into the 2018-19 season – leaving them ever hopeful for a swift promotion back to the championship and beyond.. a story us Sunderland fans know all too well.
On August the 4th, in their first game of the season, Gooch headed an added-time winner in a 2–1 home victory over Charlton Athletic – This match being the Black Cats' first opening win for eleven years - in what would have been the last season of his contract.
Despite the clubs challenges, it was this year Gooch decided to sign a three-year extension on – doing so on New Year’s Eve of 2018.
Fast forwarding a couple more seasons in League One, Gooch continues to play a large role in Sunderland’s weekly starting 11’s, with a current 20 goals in 161 appearances for the club.
And, more notably, it was Lynden Gooch himself that scored the only goal against Tranmere Rovers in the 2021 EFL Trophy Final on March 14, 2021, providing both fans and faculty with a much needed boost, In a time of darkness, many will not forget.
Happy Birthday to Wearside’s Californian Messi...
