Sunderland now have a reputation for being a club that are unafraid to give young gems a go, even if they're not quite the polished finished product.
This is seen in the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Dan Neil starring in the middle of the park at just 18 and 22 years of age respectively for the promotion-chasing side, when other teams would prefer more experience and steel.
It's no surprise to see the Black Cats top many a list of the youngest squads in the Championship as a direct result therefore, especially with new recruits Romaine Mundle and Leo Hjelde further fitting the budding mould once more.
Yet, even with multiple new recruits in the door including Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles strengthening the squad and fitting this philosophy, Sunderland could well have had the best starlet of the bunch already at the club all along in this teenage prodigy.
Chris Rigg at youth level
Chris Rigg is a name that will already be familiar to the Stadium of Light masses, handed his senior debut rather remarkably whilst still only being 15 years of age in January last year.
Catapulting the now 16-year-old up to play amongst senior players such as Luke O'Nien might well have looked like a rash call at the time from the outside looking in, but Rigg's performances at youth level meant this wasn't a great shock to those associated with the Black Cats.
Before this whirlwind landmark appearance against Shrewsbury Town – which saw him become Sunderland's youngest-ever player after Tony Mowbray boasted about the "impressive" nature of Rigg – the wide-eyed midfielder was excelling in the U18 set-up.
From 18 total appearances in the age bracket, Rigg would amass three goals and four assists which would then lead to the Sunderland number 31 being eventually bumped up to the U21 team.
Rigg has even made more waves in the senior side since making his debut in the FA Cup last year, cementing himself into Sunderland folklore even more in the Championship this campaign.
Over time, the teenage sensation could even usurp Dan Neil who underwent a similar journey through the age brackets to become a key first-teamer under Beale after being nurtured successfully under Mowbray.
Chris Rigg could become a key player for Sunderland
Sunderland won't hesitate to throw Rigg into the deep end again in the first-team if necessary, with Rigg even scoring against Southampton during the infancy of this season.
That resulted in the 16-year-old becoming the Wearside outfit's youngest-ever goalscorer in league action, the homegrown talent netting Sunderland's fifth of the day against the Saints in a mammoth 5-0 win.
With new signing Callum Styles ruled out for the time being after having surgery on his appendix, Rigg could be utilised sooner rather than later through the middle of the park in the senior side.
Neil will be looking over his shoulder precariously if his performance levels drop also, the usually reliable number 24 quiet in the draw at the Riverside Stadium last time out.
Failing to register a single shot on the Boro goal, on top of only winning 50% of his duels, Beale will be assured that he could switch things up drastically if needed in starting Rigg over Neil.
Sunderland will pray that giving raw gems a platform to express themselves pays off in their pursuit of promotion, with Rigg having the potential to be a Premier League player next season if everything goes to plan.