TONY Mowbray has suggested Chris Rigg could have a major role to play in the coming Championship season, with the teenage midfielder "pushing hard for a starting place in the team".

After scoring a late winner against South Shields last weekend, Rigg was handed a start against San Antonio FC overnight and got the opening goal in a 3-1 win for the Black Cats.

Rigg only turned 16 last month and agreed a new scholarship deal with Sunderland earlier this summer amid interest from Newcastle United and Manchester United.

The midfielder made history last season when he became Sunderland's youngest ever outfield player, and after getting a taste of first team football last term, he's very much part of Mowbray's plans for the coming campaign.

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"Chris Rigg is pushing really hard for a starting place in our team and I don't say that lightly, he's a 16-year-old boy," the head coach told Sunderland's website overnight after the San Antonio win.

"He knows where the goal is, he wants to run forward, he has energy to burn and can keep running all day, he looks you in the eye and wants to please and to do what you want him to do. He should have scored again to be honest, if he trusted his right foot he'd have scored again. Rigg is doing really well. He's a real positive for our football club

"Listen I'm eulogising about him there. I shouldn't overly build him up, he's still a very young boy, but he has wonderful qualities and attributes."

Rigg is yet to make his Championship debut for Sunderland. He was named on the bench for the game at Blackpool in the league last season but his three appearances for the Black Cats came in the FA Cup.

The 16-year-old's opener overnight was cancelled out by San Antonio but Hemir put Sunderland back in front before Jewison Bennette wrapped up the win late on.