Alex Neil is in no doubt that Ross Stewart will get goals in the Championship - and has challenged his players to provide the Scot with the ammunition. Stewart was the Black Cats' 26-goal top scorer last season in his first full campaign in England, and his goals powered the club to a play-off place and, ultimately, to promotion from League One, as well as earning him international recognition with Scotland.
The Championship is the next level for Stewart, but Neil is confident the 26-year-old will make the step up. Asked whether Stewart can repeat last season's feats, Neil said: "I think to replicate 26 goals at Championship level would be an incredible achievement because there are not many strikers who are capable of that.
"Equally, we need to create enough chances for Ross to get his goals. He had a phenomenal year last year, he will be really looking forward to this season - and rightly so.
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"Ross will want to score as many goals as he can. What he is is really mobile, he's 6ft 4in, he's very good in the air, his link-up is getting better and better all the time, and his movement in the box is great. I'm sure that if we can provide chances for Ross, he'll score goals."
Stewart came up the hard way north of the Border, rising through the ranks of non-league football with Ardeer Thistle and Kilwinning Rangers before being handed a chance in senior football with Albion Rovers. He went on to spend time at St Mirren and Ross County before moving to Wearside in January 2021.
And Neil says the route that Stewart has taken has turned him into the 'gritty' character that has succeeded with the Black Cats. He said: "Ross is now a full international, which is great, and he has come up the hard way in that he spent time in non-league and then worked his way up through the divisions to get to where he is.
"Those kind of stories are great, aren't they? I think there's a grittiness about those players. If you get handed anything and it's easy, where does that desire come from?
"Don't get me wrong, there are some players who are unbelievably motivated, but I do think there are some players who, when they've had a bit of rejection along the way and they have fought to get where they are, there is a grittiness to those kind of people that I like.
"When you see somebody who has worked that hard to get where he is, and hopefully he will get all the rewards that he deserves and I'm very hopeful that he will have a really good year."
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