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
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 7:00 PM
Comment #41If Short has sold the Mackems and written off the debts guess the club get the TV money and he hasn’t pocketed that to offset his losses.
Buying the club must be up there with knocking Ratners jewellers as one of the worst business decisions in history
ShirebrookToon
Apr 29, 2018 at 7:13 PM
Comment #42You laughed at us,
When we went down,
Who the fcuk is
Laughing now
Hahahahaha
ShirebrookToon
Apr 29, 2018 at 7:29 PM
Comment #43https://www.reddit.com/r/NUFC/comments/8fms5o/sunderland_the_album_bob_mortimer_athletico_mince/?st=JGL5FAHZ&sh=f32d26ac
Geordie-john
Apr 29, 2018 at 7:31 PM
Comment #44Sunderland Amateur Football Club ( SAFC ) was sold to the highest bidder on Ebay 0.99 subject to getting rid of
Coleman & Co,
The consortium of 100 members scraped together as much money as possible to buy the MASSIVE club
What next for the bungalow of light ? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !
jazzyp
Apr 29, 2018 at 8:20 PM
Comment #45.I’m glad mitro is going, was very unstable, possibly psychotic and ticking timebomb not suited for the premier league!”
Remind me what Slimani did again in the game yesterday ??
ShirebrookToon
Apr 29, 2018 at 8:51 PM
Comment #46Jazzy
He did the same as every other player wearing a black n white shirt. Not a great deal. Send him back to the foxes.
Tell you what though. Lejeune is class. His passing yesterday was amazing.
Would love us to sign Kenedy.
Over to you lard arse
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 8:56 PM
Comment #47Jazzy,
Slimani is toast. He’s nearly 30, Leicester will incredibly ask for 20M pounds or there abouts and after a couple of early signs of promise has hardly covered himself in glory. Even if he doesn’t get banned I can’t see him featuring much from now on.
Jail for Ashley
Apr 29, 2018 at 9:02 PM
Comment #48He wasn’t even originally on Rafa’s list, I don’t think we would have signed him for big money even if he had been a relative success.
jazzyp
Apr 29, 2018 at 9:11 PM
Comment #49Shirebrook
Evening mate
A perfect partner for Lascelles then eh mate ??. From what I saw on motd it looked very lacklustre throughout…Was that the case
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 29, 2018 at 9:24 PM
Comment #50Rafa needs to have access to funds that will allow him a group of players he can instill with the belief to push hard from start to finish for a Europa league spot next term. To me that’s a starting striker up top, two if we let Mitro leave, Kenedy, Dubravka or similar, another starting winger, and a DM to start. We will also need a fullback and a number 10, either to start or to compete to start, although Gayle and Joselu might prove ok as second striker cover for a season, and Manqillo, Hayden and Mbemba might provide sufficient cover at fullback for a season. That’s a minimum five of quality in to stop us being on our holidays in mid April, and to keep Rafa happy for the time being.
ShirebrookToon
Apr 29, 2018 at 9:26 PM
Comment #51Jazzy
Evening sunshine
I’d be happy carrying that CB partnership into next season mate without a doubt.
Yeah mate was a case of going through the motions yesterday. No urgency and a lot of sideways passing aswell as misplaced and misjudged passing. Lejeune was my MOTM his long range passing was sublime and you can see why Rafa wanted him.
We could have played til midnight and still wouldn’t have scored.
ShirebrookToon
Apr 29, 2018 at 9:28 PM
Comment #52If Mitro takes his form into the World Cup, we could get 25-30 mil easy
lochinvar
Apr 29, 2018 at 10:21 PM
Comment #53If our starting eleven next season is built on the core of the key players such as Dubrovka, Lascalles, Lejeune, Diame , Kennedy, Shelvey plus new faces then the level of success may be dependent on the quality of the bench compared to the bench players at the other top six clubs – that might be a good measure of our ambition.
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 29, 2018 at 10:31 PM
Comment #54I think we have a few starting that would strengthen our bench considerably should we upgrade. For example players like Ritchie, Diame, Perez, Yedlin and Dummett, , even Gayle or Mitro, would be great options off the bench. I hope we can keep these players even if we can’t give them as much playing time.
RobLeenio
Apr 29, 2018 at 10:49 PM
Comment #55Totally agree Nicky, those players mentioned have traits that Rafa likes and that suit his team ethic. Some are better suited to the top half of the table than others and some still have the ability to improve and grow under Rafa’s care. I think all will be valuable squad members next season and some will continue to be regular starters. Rafa will be looking for upgrades in all positions – just because he likes Shelvey, for eg, doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t take Dzeko or Hazard if they miraculously became available – but certain positions will be priorities. Striker, number 10, right wing are three I would like to see extra cover for.
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 29, 2018 at 11:20 PM
Comment #56Yeah, I’m a big Perez fan though, so I’m hoping he continues his progress, and adds a bit of muscle and a few more goals to his game to nail down that second striker starting role in a better side next year.
Munster Mag
Apr 29, 2018 at 11:52 PM
Comment #57Good on you nicky. As much as I like Perez, I’d be happy if we upgraded to a faster player, although 10 doesn’t have to be about pace, it just helps. In terms of expectations, without strong additions, we may find 10th hard to come by next year. But given a total budget of 40-70 million the logical outlay is on 3-4 quality additions at striker, right wing and right back. If teams continue to sit on shelvey we will won’t move an inch without creative and pacey additions elsewhere
RobLeenio
Apr 29, 2018 at 11:57 PM
Comment #58Munster, interesting – Shelvey is being marked, so let’s give them something else to worry about. Since Kenedy arrived, the other midfielders seemed to be giving Shelvey more space, but maybe they have worked us out again at this point.
griff
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:16 AM
Comment #59The primary issue is that we do not have the creativity to break down a packed defence. Shelvey has been marked whenever the opposing team plays a defensive setup. Hence the instruction for Lejeune to distribute to the flanks. We still manage to get the ball upfield but not with the same speed as when Shelvey lobs a long one. Kenedy has the ability to carry the ball but Ritchie and both fullbacks aren’t ball carriers. Perez thinks he can dribble but I think most of us are thinking different.
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:18 AM
Comment #60I wonder if a Merino Shelvey central mid might be an option once we add a bit more quality in attack. Diame is a power house defensively, but he also gives and gets it back too, and sprays it around, so perhaps in a better attacking side, Shelvey and Merino might also work. I like the three of them but I think we need one more quality holding mid in addition.
Munster Mag
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:36 AM
Comment #61Nicky I was glad when Rafa put shelvey with merino because I thought he was too conservative to do so. He also surprised me with 442 at old Trafford but that made no sense when in reality he should have been using 442 (with mitro) to batter lesser teams last year. It clearly worked when he used it (eg Norwich and qpr) but I think he prefers a more defensive set up and that’s fine by me in the prem. What he needs now is money, and pacey powerful players ( he commented this season re bigger teams than us) who know (or can be trained) to close down and high press or sit back and soak pressure before countering with pace. These players don’t need to be premiership experienced as he said himself (thankfully as it’s an overrated league)
Munster Mag
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:39 AM
Comment #62Rob, fat sam stifled us for much of the game and whilst we Slag him off (rightly), his team sat on shelvey and played football that was broadly similar to ours, despite all the abuse we give him (the arrogant tool)
Nicky the ball tosser
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:41 AM
Comment #63Two players I’d really like would be Arnartovic and Shaqiri, maybe not quite good enough to regularly start for a senior club, but they’d certainly improve us. Pace, power, great movement and skill and they’d relish playing in a Benitez side on the up. We wouldn’t prize Arnautovic from West Ham, but we might entice Shaqiri away from Stoke.
Munster Mag
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:44 AM
Comment #64Kenedy, or two new wingers, are vital to us. Even with a new striker we need wingers and fullbacks (dummett will hold his place) who can create. If we don’t get them or if Rafa buys badly, we will be having similar conversations this time next year.
Munster Mag
Apr 30, 2018 at 12:44 AM
Comment #65Agree nicky nite all
lesh
Apr 30, 2018 at 1:54 AM
Comment #66Jiblets @25
You seemed to haven’t fully read my post @24 before criticising it. Might I suggest you reread Ellis Short’s words, and you might just see the point I was trying to make – albeit unsuccessfully in your case.
Extract from ES’s comments:
“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.”
Jail for Ashley
Apr 30, 2018 at 5:41 AM
Comment #67What a shame Rafa didn’t rip up the game plan that got us promoted as Champions with the most goals scored and the best defence to play the way Munster thought made the most sense. What a shame that again Munster is comparing our manager with Sam Allardyce again and already telling us what awaits next year if Rafa buys poorly in the transfer market. I’m so glad this guy doesn’t visit SJP anymore, put another 5K of him in the ground and the Rafa wouldn’t be here.
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 6:04 AM
Comment #68Ha ha ha – double hit
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 6:13 AM
Comment #69Jail
You do right to blindly trust in Rafa.
Your footy knowledge is minimal.
If you tried to discuss innovations
and tactical tweaks like Munster
and Nicky you’d just show yourself
up.
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:00 AM
Comment #70Apparently the squad went down to London
straight after the game to have a delayed
Xmas party in the West end.
Could that have had an influence on the
WBA match ?
posada
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:01 AM
Comment #71Things could be looking up for that lot just down the road a ways.
They now have their own KFC. The biggest sitty down Greggs in the North East and the best swimming baths.
It’s true they are a massive club.
posada
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:04 AM
Comment #72Jib hinted that perhaps the owner is going to keep all the parachute payments and dump the shell of the club on new owners.
Lets hope so.
The new owners will eventually realise they have 20 thousand supporters and 28 thousand band waggon jumpers.
The BWJs measure their entire existence on how well they are doing relative to NUFC.
posada
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:07 AM
Comment #73Oh, I do like to see all the North East teams doing well.
Up the Boro. A short trip next year instead of London or the South coast would be good.
Tsunki
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:21 AM
Comment #74Yesterday in one of his opportunities to use his appendage-based insults on an all-age blog (that’s his style folks) Jib tried to appoint me as Blog Rebuker. It’s take some going to unseat him from that position. 😐
Unfortunately this time he thinks he’s in a position of authority to chastise someone about their lack of tactical knowledge. He wouldn’t know a tactic if he fell over it in the back yard. Better Google irony and have a conference with Jesper.
Pointy thing.
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:35 AM
Comment #75Tsunki
Jib tried to appoint me
He thinks he’s in a position of authority
oh dear
rather than me Google
you have a look here
https://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-disorder-warning-signs#1
lochinvar
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:38 AM
Comment #76According to early reports why did the players go down to the smog for their belated Xmas party after the WBA game.
Surely they could have held that in and around Newcastle or Northumberland and supported local business, even held a charity event and raised some support for the SBR Foundation or other good causes.
Must have been the strikers who organised it – missed opportunities
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:51 AM
Comment #77Loch
Rafa doesn’t want them back training until
Tuesday – so they’re having a long weekend.
Maybe go to Wembley tonightto watch next
Saturdays opponents , Watford play Spurs
Tsunki
Apr 30, 2018 at 7:56 AM
Comment #78I very rarely check out your links jib. Perhaps i deserve a rebuke.
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 8:03 AM
Comment #79Tsunki
Jib. Perhaps i deserve a rebuke
nah
Just some lithium on your cornflakes
Jib
Apr 30, 2018 at 8:18 AM
Comment #80Who knows the squad may be spending some
time with big Mike
perhaps a curry ?