Goalkeeper Simon Moore became the first signing of the 2024-25 summer window to be announced by Sunderland last week – even though this was the type of deal many supporters expected to have taken place a couple of years sooner.
When the Lads returned to the Championship Anthony Patterson was always expected to be the first choice stopper, but with only half a season of Football League action behind him there was an assumption that a wise head would be brought in to provide a bit of backup. John Ruddy was one of the names linked at the time and would have supplied plenty of ‘know how’, but in the end it was Alex Bass that came to Wearside, despite the fact he hadn’t played higher than League One at that stage in his career.
Nathan Bishop then arrived last summer but he too was seen as a prospect rather than a mentor, and whilst it hasn’t been too much of an issue given Patterson’s form during the intervening period, the change of tack could point to a slight change in how the club’s hierarchy wish to do things going forward.
The Academy of Light graduate has been ultra reliable and would appear to have the potential to play even higher up the pyramid, yet now that his run of over 100 consecutive league appearances has recently come to an end has a decision been made that he could do with somebody a little older to try and help push him on?
There is certainly a case for saying that the squad as a whole needs a few more players who have been there and done it before. With 15 years as a professional and a few decent-sized clubs on his CV Moore seems to fit into that mould, although ironically, he has actually played fewer games at this level than Patterson – and at previous side Coventry City was rarely involved in the match day squad after losing his spot in the side during 2022. Putting his spare time to good use though, he attained a UEFA B coaching license last year and has spoken in the past about using sports psychology.
This might not be something Patterson needs to look at necessarily, but there were will definitely be some younger faces that would benefit from Moore’s example, even if they are outfield players. There is also the influence he has had elsewhere to draw upon, with a couple of Premier League appearances under his belt for Sheffield United, both against Manchester United during 2019-20, and his selection for the PFA League One Team of the Year when the Blades were promoted from League One in 2017.
The Sandown stopper, whose brother is also a professional goalkeeper, played for the Isle of Wight during the 2009 Island Games and a few weeks later returned to full time football with Brentford, having earlier been released by Southampton when a youngster. The desire shown to work back up through the pyramid could be another aspect of his character that stood out to SAFC as they look to improve standards then, especially with the side starting to show a tendency to struggle once they’ve fallen behind in matches.
Even if Moore has primarily been brought along for his presence around the training ground and changing rooms, his arrival does still open opportunities for others. Bass has already joined Notts County, whereas Bishop will now be aware that he needs to show more just to retain a place on the bench. A goalkeeping unit of three seniors also means Matty Young and Adam Richardson are free to go somewhere on loan – the pair are both highley regarded and as local lads need look no further than Patterson and Jordan Pickford for examples of how a suitable temporary switch would help them mature.
Time will tell whether Moore will be joined by more players with a similar age and profile. There is of course the possibility that he is being primed to join the coaching staff in time, with rumours floating around that the impending appointment of Régis Le Bris will kick start a reshuffle of the backroom staff.
Current Head of Goalkeeping Alessandro Barcherini is very well thought of, and with his colleague Mark Prudhoe having worked with Ben Wilson previously the current Coventry man may have put a word in with his old coach to suggest that Moore is worth bringing into the fold now that he is qualified.
Wilson is one of Prudhoe’s many protégés and has now featured over 100 times for the Sky Blues. Fellow goalkeeper Lee Burge, who has also played on over a century of occasions for the Midlands outfit, once lined up for the Lads against Moore when they took on Sheffield United in the Carabao (League) Cup in 2019, when at Bramall Lane a Max Power screamer was the only effort to beat our new signing.
It will have no doubt been a disappointing evening for Moore – this was technically a cup upset given Sunderland were in League One at the time – but here’s hoping that he is ready for a more positive impact with this set of red and whites.
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