The Sunderland Echo journalist James Copley has been left thrilled by the appointment of Robin Nicholls as Sunderland's new Academy Manager.

The Lowdown: Nicholls appointed

It was confirmed by the Stadium of Light outfit on Tuesday that Nicholls has been appointed as Academy Manager, after leaving Premier League Southampton.

He was at with Saints for seven years, holding a number of roles that included Head of Academy Operations and Assistant Academy Manager.

Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman expressed his delight at the appointment, praising Nicholls' 'excellent experience' and 'proven track record in nurturing young talent'.

The Latest: Copley thrilled

Taking to Twitter after the announcement, Copley claimed that it was 'great news' that the Academy position had been filled alongside the appointment of Graeme Murty as U21s manager earlier this month, adding that it is 'positive' in terms of getting infrastructure in place:

"Think it is great news that this position has been filled alongside the permanent U21 manager position. The club had rightly taken some flak for leaving them vacant for so long. Positive news to see that infrastructure is now being built properly."

The Verdict: Another step forward

Appointing Nicholls as Academy Manager is certainly another step forward for the Black Cats, after bringing in Murty as U21s boss.

The club will now be hoping that they have all of the tools in place to grow now in terms of bringing through local young talent, and giving those in the community an opportunity.

Nonetheless, the appointments have been needed for a long time, and filling in both positions this month should give supporters a sense of encouragement.