Chris Rigg, 17, reveals the jibes he gets from Championship opponents and talks about those Newcastle allegiance rumours.
Ahead of the playoffs taking place over the next week, the Sunderland midfielder, born in Hebburn, took part in an interview with The Telegraph’s Luke Edwards.
He has drawn attention for his loyalty to the club despite interest from rivals Newcastle United, wanting to emulate the rise of Jordan Henderson, focusing on trying to get the Black Cats back in the Premier League, and also laughing off the stick he gets from players he comes up against.
A fascinating interview with Chris Rigg on Sunderland, promotion, dealing with Championship bullies, emulating Jordan Henderson and the truth about those Newcastle United rumours #safchttps://t.co/v11e8xYMeL
— Luke Edwards (@LukeEdwardsTele) May 7, 2025
Rigg said: “Teams try to bully me all the time. Every game, physically and mentally. You would, wouldn’t you? If you’re playing against a 17-year-old kid – ‘I’m not letting him get one over me’. But they have to put up with it, don’t they…?
“The verbal stuff is constant, but I enjoy it, I give it back. I’m not scared. There is a lot of it in the Championship. I’ve been told loads of things, people telling me they’re going to injure me, so I miss the play-offs, told I’m s—, stuff about my mum. People don’t see it, but it’s part of football.
“I laugh at it, you’ve got to enjoy it or football isn’t the game for you. There was this one time, we were playing Southampton and I was shoving one of their defenders. I was marking him and he just said: ‘You’re still getting breastfed, aren’t you?’ That was a good one, but it doesn’t knock me out of my stride. They are testing me mentally as well as physically.”
“I was so young I don’t really remember joining the club,” Rigg said, after he was spotted playing for a local boys club on Tyneside – in Newcastle United territory.
“I was just a little boy. I started playing football as soon as I could stand. My dad always says he used to roll the ball to me and get me to kick it with both feet. He’d shout to my mum: ‘He can do it, he can do it.’ I don’t think she really cared.
“Those are my earliest memories, playing with my dad [Chris] in the house. That and playing for my first team, Tyneside Pumas, with my mates.
“That is where Sunderland scouted me. I was five years old playing for the under-7s. This club has been as much a part of my life as my family, it’s all I’ve ever known. When I was in school, it was all I thought about, coming to training.
“The best decision I made was coming to Sunderland. For them to put me in the team at 15, I don’t think many would take that risk. It’s been so important for me. I could have signed for Premier League clubs and not played anywhere near the number of games.
“If you look at the England squad, virtually all of them have played in the EFL at some point, whether that was on loan or starting their career in the lower leagues. It’s sped up my progress undoubtedly.
“Sunderland are my club, I’ve been here my whole life. I come from a family of Newcastle fans, there is no point hiding that, but it changes when you play for Sunderland in front of those fans.
“My family being Newcastle fans has no impact on me, it doesn’t change the way I feel about Sunderland. The fans have been unbelievable. They could have thought, ‘Nah, he’s a Newcastle fan’ or whatever, but I think I’ve shown what this club means to me. It’s not really a debate.
“My dad gives me a little bit of stick, but he comes to all Sunderland’s games. I think he is a secret Mackem now. He puts his son above everything, he loves watching me and he absolutely loves coming to our games.”
Every summer transfer window, he gets linked to clubs in the top European leagues. In response to that, he says: “I don’t listen to any of the speculation. I’ve got far more important things to worry about, like trying to get Sunderland promoted.”
On trying to emulate those who have risen from Sunderland: “If you look at the career he has had, Jordan has captained Liverpool, he’s won the Premier League, the Champions League.
“He has played for England at the World Cup and the Euros. I’d love all those things. He has shown what is possible for someone who starts at Sunderland and he’s definitely a role model for me. I’ve never spoken to him, but I would love to.
“Then you have Jordan Pickford, too, lots of players have started at Sunderland and gone on to have amazing careers. They are an example for me to follow, just as I hope I can be a role model to the kids who are coming through the academy now.”
You can see more of his chat with the Telegraph HERE.
Twitter users reacted as Chris Rigg, 17, reveals the jibes he gets from opponents and talks rumours of a Newcastle allegiance…
@hawaysafc: CHRIS RIGG OLE OLE OLEEE HE FUCKING LOVES THE LADS HE WAS FORCED TO WATCH THE MAGS CHRIS RIGG OLE OLE OLEEE #safc
@Al_inDK: I guess until you’re in his position it’s impossible to say how he feels but this line will make little sense to your average fan. “I come from a family of Newcastle fans, there is no point hiding that, but it changes when you play for Sunderland in front of those fans”
@LREM93: He’s just trying to keep them happy ain’t he, defo a Newcastle fan
@ciffa17: Literally nobody cares if he’s a Newcastle fan. We have a statue of a Newcastle fan outside of our stadium. It’s only when they disrespect the club that we care.
@ThespenceUK: Newcastle United have tried to sign him many times over the years. He has stuck with Sunderland. Lad has huge balls to back himself because the last time he could’ve moved is before he signed his first professional contract, that has probably cost him £15k to £20k a week.
@IvXv: Wow I didn’t think he’d actually say he hates that he’s playing for the smallest club in the north east. Madness.
@philipbrydon: Hebburn lad…
