Sunderland AFC's business chief David Bruce returns to former school to inspire new generation of success stories

He was joined by fellow alumni and award winning filmmaker and cameraman Darren Reichard.

Between 2012 and 2024 David, who grew up in Seaburn Dene, worked as the chief marketing officer for the MLS (Major League Soccer) and played a pivotal role in the growth of the league including helping to attract the then world’s best player, Lionel Messi, and signing a commercial deal with tech giant Apple.

This year (2024) he was lured home by his hometown club and is now set to play a crucial role in developing SAFC’s off-field growth and customer services.

David was a pupil at Monkwearmouth between 1991 and 1996 and after revealing his plaque he said: “It’s quite a thrill to be thought of in such illustrious company as those former pupils who have already unveiled their plaques.

“It was quite overwhelming walking in this morning and brought back a lot of memories. This part of the world has given me so much and so it’s nice to be able to give something back.”

On his new position at SAFC, David added: “I’ve loved being back in Sunderland and at SAFC and it’s such a thrill to be able to make a real difference at my hometown club.

“I’d enjoyed my time in the U.S, but when Sunderland came calling, I had to go. The club has amazing fans and this role is the greatest of responsibilities.”

Darren left Monkwearmouth in 1988 and after moving to Australia has gone on to have a stellar career in filmmaking and working as a sports cameraman with ESPN, specialising in tennis coverage, including all the Grand Slams.

In 2018 he won a coveted Emmy Award for his work on the US Open.

On being invited back to his former school to unveil his plaque, Darren said: “It was actually quite an emotional feeling to walk back through the doors and I actually face timed my wife back in Australia to show her my old school.

“I have lots of good feelings about this school and seeing the badge brought back so many memories and I’m proud to have been a pupil at Monkwearmouth.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to bits to unveil this plaque. I’ve been lucky enough to win a number of awards and this is right up there with all of them.”

Monkwearmouth’s leadership team decided to launch the alumni plaque initiative to help inspire the school’s next generation of success stories, raise aspirations and provide a visual reminder of what people from Sunderland can go on to achieve.

David said: “I think a lot of young people in Sunderland think there is a ceiling to what they can achieve, but there is no ceiling.

“Hopefully this helps to inspire young people to be the best versions of themselves and to believe that you can be what you want to be in the world.”

It’s a sentiment shared by Darren who added: “I initially worked in a glass factory, but I knew this wasn’t what I wanted to do.

“I’m about to start work on my 40th Grand Slam at Wimbledon and my message to Sunderland’s young people is to never give up.

“If you aspire to do something then just go for it. If you don’t give something a try then you will never know whether you will enjoy it.”

David and Darren join an impressive list of alumni who have also unveiled plaques at the school including England lioness Jill Scott, actor Melanie Hill, Horrible Histories author Terry Deary and former BBC Look North anchor-man Jeff Brown.

Executive headteacher Mike Collier said: “Our job as educators is to inspire and motivate our young people to find and fulfil their full potential in life.

“The purple plaque initiative is the perfect vehicle to engage with our famous alumni to enable our students to realise that the sky really is the limit when it comes to life ambitions. 

“With the addition of Darren and David today, there are now 10 plaques in the school with more planned for the Autumn.”