Fettis gets Black Cats role

Former Northern Ireland international Alan Fettis has joined Sunderland’s Academy staff.

The 38-year-old is the club’s new Academy goalkeeping coach after joining the Black Cats from Cheltenham, where he worked with the first-team keepers and was also chief scout.

Fettis played for Hull, West Brom, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn and York and made 25 appearances for his country.

He told the club’s official website, www.safc.com: “I’m very excited.

“It’s a wonderful place to work – you get that just from driving through the gates and seeing the facilities and meeting the staff.

“The youth team did really well last year and so did the reserves, and with the first-team staying in the Premier League, it just feels like a fabulous place to be at the moment. It’s exciting times for the club.”