Sunderland’s teen sensation Chris Rigg rewrote the record books again with his landmark goal against Southampton. The 16-year-old academy graduate has been steadily marking off the milestones, becoming the club’s youngest-ever outfielder in January, its youngest-ever goalscorer last month, and now making his mark as the Black Cats’ youngest-ever league goalscorer.
Rigg popped up in the fifth minute of added time at the Stadium of Light to head home the final goal in Sunderland’s 5-0 demolition of the Saints, with the other goals coming from Pierre Ekwah (2), Jack Clarke, and Bradley Dack. Ekwah’s first goal was the first of his senior career while Dack’s strike was his first for the club but, even though the game was long since won, it was Rigg’s contribution that made history.
At the age of 16 years and 76 days, he is now the club’s youngest-ever league goalscorer – eclipsing a record that had stood for more than half-a-century. Jimmy Hamilton was the previous holder of that record, with the Scottish midfielder aged 16 years and 103 days when he came off the bench to score the winner on his debut in a 4-3 victory over Preston North End at Roker Park in the second tier on September 25, 1971.
Hamilton’s goal had also made him Sunderland’s youngest-ever goalscorer, but Rigg took that record from him last month when he was on target in his first senior start, which came in the Carabao Cup first round tie against Crewe Alexandra at the Stadium of Light, aged 16 years and 51 days. Rigg’s goal also made him the youngest-ever scorer in the 63-year history of the League Cup – currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship purposes.
He took that record from Connor Wickham – who later went on to play for Sunderland – who was aged 16 years and 133 days when he scored twice in Ipswich Town’s 3-3 first round draw against Shrewsbury in August 2009. Rigg is also Sunderland’s youngest-ever outfielder – and the second-youngest player in the club’s history – having made his debut as a substitute aged 15 years and 203 days in last season’s FA Cup third round win at Shrewsbury Town in January.
Again, Hamilton’s debut had previously made him Sunderland’s youngest-ever outfielder. Goalkeeper Derek Forster remains Sunderland’s youngest-ever player, when an injury to Jimmy Montgomery meant he made his debut against Leicester City at Roker Park in August 1964 at the age of just 15 years and 185 days.