Stewart Donald resigns as chairman

Sunderland AFC today announced that Stewart Donald has resigned from his position as Chairman of the club.

Speaking about the decision, Donald said: “Holding this position has been a privilege, and not one I have given up lightly. Results and performances on the pitch have simply not been at a level befitting of Sunderland’s history and potential. I fully recognise that has caused immense hurt and, ultimately, the buck for the club starting a third successive season in League One stops with me.

“To give the club the best chance of achieving its goals, I have made the judgement that it is right for me to step back from the chairmanship. In recent months, we have assembled a strong board with relevant experience and skill-sets. As the majority stakeholder, my remaining responsibility is to ensure that the club has the requisite financial backing to achieve its primary objective of promotion, and I can assure supporters that the club will continue to have the highest playing budget in this division.

“Otherwise, my intention remains to sell SAFC to a suitable new owner, and I remain personally committed to that goal. I would like to place on record my gratitude for the wonderful support that I have received since my arrival at the Stadium of Light. Without that support, the club would currently be facing a very uncertain future, as so many others are. Instead, starting from a position of relative financial stability, I hope that this moment will provide a springboard to the success that we all crave and SAFC fans deserve.”

SAFC’s new chairman will be appointed following the club’s next board meeting.

https://www.safc.com/news/club-news/2020/july/stewart-donald-resigns-as-chairman

 

Going to be interesting in the next few weeks.

 

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So is this a result of the meeting the other day or something that's been in the pipeline?

 

Doesnt mean a lot really, Unfortunately he still holds all the cards

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Strange and wonderful. Never dull. Typical Sunderland.

 

Some people wont be happy until we are totally rudderless, I don't see how this will help the situation. Can anybody ?

 

If the club goes into administration on Monday he will not be listed?

 

RELEASE JOHN FEATHERSTONE!

Ask your dads.

 

I guess Jimmy Rodders will have his hands on the levers of control and will be making the footy decisions. Which makes sense to me with Hill and Coton both going and Don taking a back seat role. If it was Rodders that made that call, we might just have a half competent CEO in charge. Fancy that.

 

Just heard that is the case.

 

It's easy to identify people who need sacking. Recruiting well is a different matter. Fingers crossed.

 

There are a few fossils posting on here but boy that is going back a bit.

PS, just for clarification my great great granda used to speak fondly about him

 

Certainly hope so. Been our biggest failing for years imo, regardless of who owned us. Get some rock hard, nasty as **** ****ers who can play a bit of footy and ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK. H'way Rodders, bring in the brutes.

 

Don't think this changes much apart from the owner keeping out of the way..

 

Makes sense to me like, and is a good sign an all. The footy side of stuff has been a bit **** last two seasons so only right those responsible get the old P45 there. I'm actually quite buzzed off this tbh, bit of good news imo.

 

He’s still the owner

 

Absolutely no difference. Remains the owner so regardless of title what he says goes.

 

And is likely to remain so for at last another season imo. However, he is no longer chairman so he isn't making football decisions anymore, which I think is a good thing as he's been a bit **** at making them imo. Down to Rodders to make the football calls now and early signs like Coton and Hill going seem to me to be a positive indicator.