Ellis Taylor faces important pre-season as Alex Neil prepares Sunderland for Championship

Ellis Taylor will be one of the Sunderland players vying to make a good impression on Alex Neil in pre-season as the Black Cats gear up for life back in the Championship. The 19-year-old burst onto the scene last summer with a number of impressive performances in pre-season, grabbing a number of goals to boot.

The Black Cats midfielder has been on the fringes of the first team since signing his first professional contract last summer and is highly regarded at the Academy of Light. However, this summer feels like an important stage of his Sunderland career.

Taylor played four times for the first team last season, three times in the Papa John's Trophy and once in the Carabao Cup, notching an assist in the former competition. He made 13 appearances in Premier League 2 Division 2 for the Black Cats U23's side, scoring four times and registering two assists.

The youngster was pictured alongside Alex Pritchard as the first team returned to training, but he's yet to feature under Neil. You can't really lay any blame at the door of the Black Cats head coach, with promotion back to the Championship the main objective last season.

Nonetheless, with two years remaining on his deal, Taylor must show he has what it takes to step up to the second tier of English football. Unlike recent years, the Black Cats have developed a decent pathway for their upcoming talents, with Dan Neil the best example.

Anthony Patterson and Elliot Embleton have had loans away from the club to continue their development, while a number of other youngsters have head out on loan. So what next for Taylor?

It's clear that the youngster has a bright future. Speaking after Taylor signed his first professional contract with the club, Kristjaan Speakman said: