The Black Cats may have fallen on hard times, but they could be learning an important lesson from their time in League One.

Gone are the days of paying millions of pounds on the likes of Ndong and Djilobodji. Instead, they've been recruiting from their level, snapping up Jack Baldwin and Charlie Wyke.

Whereas the top of League One is a step change from the strugglers in League Two, there's little to separate the bottom half of the table and those chasing promotion from the division below. League Two is awash with sides desperate to get a shot at whichever big club has fallen on hard times.

This season, Accrington face the mighty Sunderland, but who is to say it won't be Hull City and Lincoln next year, or Newport County and Stoke?

Football is a game of such tight margins and players plying their trade in League Two are only a few goals or assists away from catching the eye of a big club. With the Black Cats in amongst the lower reaches, they'd do well to scout the following for players in preparation for the winter window.

Aneke has sprung into life at MK Dons, but he's one who maybe should be playing at a higher level.

He's found himself in League Two following their relegation, but all of the attributes are there to play much higher after his Arsenal upbringing.

He's strong and quick, can score goals and lead a line with his feet or his head.

Sunderland should be scouting him right now.

21-year-old Kennedy isn't a name that rolls off the tongue, even for the most hardened League Two analysts, but he's been wonderful for Stevenage and has amassed over 100 games already.

He's capped for Northern Ireland up to Under 21 level and could do a job in the middle of the park for Sunderland.

More importantly, he's young enough to learn from the likes of Lee Cattermole and Max Power.

Surridge is on loan at Oldham from Bournemouth and has previously spent a season with Yeovil too.

He can play up front, which he has done to devastating effect for Oldham this season, but he has been seen out wide for Yeovil as well.

He's clearly looking for regular football and if that came away from the south coast, so be it.

Ng is a Liverpool-born centre-back emerging at Crewe Alexandra this season and Sunderland might want to take a look at him as a long-term replacement for Adam Matthews.

He's only 22 but has impressed this season after breaking through in 2017/18. He's a right back that can operate at centre back, who looks comfortable in possession.