Sunderland owner Ellis Short has agreed to sell the club to a group led by Stewart Donald, who is the Chairman of the National League side Eastleigh, located just outside of Southampton.
Sunderland AFC have just issued the news and that came after the news was leaked earlier that Sunderland have sacked Chris Coleman as their manager
Ellis Short – former owner of Sunderland
In the last two seasons, Sunderland have suffered successive relegations and next season will be in League One after they will finish bottom of the Championship this season.
This is the statement Sunderland put out on Chris Coleman:
“Sunderland AFC announces that manager Chris Coleman and his assistant Kit Symons have been released from their contracts,”
“The club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Chris and Kit for their tireless efforts in what has been a hugely disappointing season for everyone involved with the club.”
“The club is unable to make further comment at this time.”
This is what Ellis Short has said on the sale of Sunderland:
“It is no secret that I have been trying to sell Sunderland but I have waited until the right group came along that have the experience, finances and plan to take this great club back to where it deserves to be.”
“Overall, my Chairmanship has not gone the way I would have wished; the many high points of a decade in the Premier League have been overshadowed by the low points of the last two terrible seasons.”
“I was, therefore, determined to ensure that I leave Sunderland in the best possible hands and in the best possible state to turn the corner.”
“To achieve this, higher offers from less qualified buyers were rejected and I have paid off all the debts owed by the club to leave it financially strong and debt free.”
This is what Donald, Chairman of Eastleigh said:
“Our group have all been involved in building – or rebuilding – football clubs to reach their potential.”
“And we believe over the last decade we have acquired the necessary skill sets to overcome the many challenges that will face us at this huge club.”
Sunderland fans will be pleased that American Ellis Short has finally gone and hope the new owner will be able to help them put a decent team together to come straight back up from League One next season.
Comments welcome.
82 comments so far
jazzyp
Apr 29, 2018 at 1:51 PM
Comment #1Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Pottsclock
Apr 29, 2018 at 1:59 PM
Comment #2If anyone is wondering where Eastleigh is…it’s basically a suburb of Southampton. LOL
So yes, Mr Donald does have a record of rebuilding National League/Conference sides, for example. Maybe that’s the level that Sunderland now see themselves.
I look forward to the appointment of Mr Duck as manager of Sunderland.
G
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:10 PM
Comment #3So lets get this straight, some non league blokes have clubbed together to asset strip the bungalow of plight. The mackems seem to believe this is a positive thing?
Ron Knee
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:25 PM
Comment #4Good to see WHam taking the attack to Citeh!
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:35 PM
Comment #5The two red bull cars have had a coming together
JDdubai
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:37 PM
Comment #6If he has paid off the debt on his way out that is a pretty good thing to do. Can’t see Mikey doing that if/when that day comes….
switch365
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:51 PM
Comment #7{Quote}…the experience, finances and plan to take this great club back to where it deserves to be.” {/quote}
Wouldn’t that be non league football?
I think the guy has done a sterling job, even if misfortune has kept them up until recent times.
You will be sorely missed by us Mags Ellis!
Munster Mag
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:52 PM
Comment #8Hibbitt Ashley is a tool but in simple terms Sunderland is a basket case with a double relegation and disastrous finances, managerial appointments and awful player recruitment. Whilst we are fortunate to have Rafa, and by rights we could still easily be a championship club, we are solvent and have a capacity to grow. I’m sure most of the unwashed would gladly swap situations. This is not to praise Fats by the way.
JohnJ
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:53 PM
Comment #9Those from over the water never gave Chris Coleman a fair crack of the whip! What on earth did they expect? The club was in freefall before he was even appointed. They say the impossible takes a while but miracles take a lot longer!!!
Just to keep things right I’m a die hard Toon supporter but I do feel some empathy towards Sunderland it could have so easily been us had Rafa the Gafa not been appointed!
DaveD1000
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:56 PM
Comment #10Eastleigh were promoted to the National League for the first time in their history in 2014 but have been unable to reach the English Football League – despite Donald’s attempts to “buy his way out” of the division.
finished 14th
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:56 PM
Comment #11There will be a fire sale to end all fire sales
I think I’ll go and buy John O’Shea and keep
him in the garden shed for the kids to play
with at the weekends.
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 2:58 PM
Comment #12Lewis Hamilton has more jam than Hartleys
ha ha ha
posada
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:20 PM
Comment #13Slimani – another nut job. No thanks.
Kenedy – quality in some respects. Will never be top class due to not having the legs/stamina.
Dubravka – ok for 3.5 million.
Gayle and Mitro need to be sold. Two top strikers brought in.
We are lucky in that we will get good money for both. Mitro 20 million. Would have been 8 if he was still not playing, so thank you Fulham.
Average_Contents
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:20 PM
Comment #14Hahahahahahaha
Ha
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:32 PM
Comment #15He’s paid off the debt? Shame Mikey couldn’t write off the money he’s put in to bail us out of the messes he’s created and sell us for a reasonable 250M.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:45 PM
Comment #16West Ham aren’t out of the clarts yet, Soton with a much better GD, their only saving grace is they’ve got Leicester next whose players seem determined to get rid of Puel, they’ll eventually get relegated as well if the players keep deciding who the manager will be.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:47 PM
Comment #17I didn’t realise Toure was still there, I thought he rapped over that Birthday cake?
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 3:54 PM
Comment #18Jeez, Swansea have some nail biters coming up
posada
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:01 PM
Comment #19If Short writes off the debt, does that not add up to a breach of the financial fair play rules.
The club is supposed to be self financing, with only so much put in per year by the owner.
Charlie in the Gallowgate
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:13 PM
Comment #20relegation battle fixture
West Brom 28pts
Spuds home
Palace away
Stoke 30pts
Palace Home
Swansea Away
Southampton 32pts
Everton away
Swansea Away
Man City Home
Swansea 33pts
Bournemouth away
Southampton Home
Stoke Home
Huddersfield 35pts
Man City Away
Chelsea Home
Arsenal Home
West Ham 35pts
Leicester Away
Man Utd Home
Everton Home
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:19 PM
Comment #21posada
If Short writes off the debt, does that not add up
to a breach of the financial fair play rules.
He hasn’t written off debt
He’s settled debt
(one assumes some to the taxman)
to avoid administration and encourage a sale.
In which case FIFA will back right off
Ron Knee
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:29 PM
Comment #22Arsenal have not won at Old Trafford in the league for 10 years and Jose Mourinho has never lost a home league game against Wenger (W4 D3). (BBC)
Hugh Jorgan
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:30 PM
Comment #23Mark Hughes
Paul Lambert
Alan Pardew
One of those three will sure to be the new manager of The Mackems !
lesh
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:32 PM
Comment #24Joking aside
If Short’s words are accurately quoted, there’s an owner who’s done the right thing by his club.
“I was, therefore, determined to ensure that I leave Sunderland in the best possible hands and in the best possible state to turn the corner.”
“To achieve this, higher offers from less qualified buyers were rejected and I have paid off all the debts owed by the club to leave it financially strong and debt free.”
Compare his behaviour with Ashley’s so-called attempts at selling and it’s just a pity Ashley won’t see beyond his greed and think of Newcastle United and its fan’s for once.
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:42 PM
Comment #25lesh
Yours is an unsurprising view
Someone less hate driven might
say that Ellis Short and has proven
he was never a fit person to run
a footy club.
whereas
NUFC is financially solid and in a
much better position.
toonluvva
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:55 PM
Comment #26So Sun’lun has a new owner, the ex-chairman of Eastleigh.
Eastleigh are currently National League. In a few seasons Sun’lun could be playing them!
toonluvva
Apr 29, 2018 at 4:57 PM
Comment #27Another thing. Who will be picking up the “parachute payments”?
I wonder if Short has earmarked them to use toward paying off the debts.
posada
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:01 PM
Comment #28Not sure there is a difference between settling debt and writing off debt.
Think the word they use is securitising the debt.
In total it comes to about 200M. He wrote off 100M a while back.
However it goes that is 200M they have had put into the club by an owner.
Much of it wasted, but all spent on players and wages.
We could argue we went down because of money they had spent over and above the financial fair play rules.
Why have a limit that an owner can put in if you can simply say it was a loan and now I am writing it off.
All stinks if you ask me.
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:14 PM
Comment #29According to the Ronnie Gill
The Black Cats will receive £35m from the Premier League
this season and next, and then in the 2019-20 season they
will receive a further £14m.
So perhaps Ellis Short isn’t quite the philanthropist he’s making out
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:39 PM
Comment #30Don’t know why but with Keith Curle announcing he’s leaving Carlisle a few days before Coleman’s sacking you might think he’s lined up for the Sunderland job. He’s done a great job at Carlisle and is well respected and has ambition. His record is at the right level and they need a man manager not a brolly type manager.
2002–2004
Mansfield Town (player-manager)
2005–2006
Chester City
2007
Torquay United
2012–2013
Notts County
2014–2018
Carlisle United
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:42 PM
Comment #31Wonder how J Rodwell esquire is feeling about his clubs new owners. Doubt they’ll pay him £70k a week for doing nowt.
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:48 PM
Comment #32Andrew Cole, Former England, Sunderland and Manchester United striker on BBC MOTD2 Extra
“Everything is a short-term fix at Sunderland. I’m not sure what they expected of Chris Coleman when he took over before Christmas.
Cmon BBC Andy had seven appearances for the Mackems so hardly an inside expert
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:55 PM
Comment #33Remind me again
Lochinvar
How many PL appearances you’ve had
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:57 PM
Comment #34Andy had 426
toonluvva
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:58 PM
Comment #35Lochinvar @31
The new owners might want a manager who can pick up the phone and speak to another manager in the game.
Step forward Mr Joe Kinnear!
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 5:58 PM
Comment #36For 7 different clubs
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 6:29 PM
Comment #37Jiblets,
“Cmon BBC Andy had seven appearances for the Mackems so hardly an inside expert’
Read it again before making a fool of yourself for the umpteenth time. You really need to stop drinking during the day!
Jib
Apr 29, 2018 at 6:43 PM
Comment #38Jail for Ashley
So you have to have played for
a club more than 7 times before
offering an opinion ?
That’s you knackered then
😀
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 6:48 PM
Comment #39I wonder how much the mackems got sold for in the end.
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 6:56 PM
Comment #40Whoa – didn’t mean to startle the old folks ! Just thought Andy Cole’s time at Sunderland wouldn’t make him an expert on that club, other PL experience being recognised, not least of all at NUFC. Think a few of you spotted that.