Fan Letters: An idea for how Sunderland supporters could TAKE OVER the club from Ellis Short

Dear Roker Report,

I have supported Sunderland AFC since I was nine years old - and I am now 82 years old.

As a retired consulting engineer and the engineer who designed the Roker Park floodlights for the 1966 World Cup, I love my club and it hurts me to see the state of them!

I wish to be positive and offer the following idea for consideration.

1. Supporters buy club! Is the club worth the value of a cup of coffee per day? And assuming they are, we ask the 46000 supporters to offer £18 pounds per week to club funds raising £42 million per year.

2. We ask Ellis Short to do a deal over three years for a basic offer of £40 million.

3. This allows us as supporters to own club outright in three years.

4. We would then have money to run club and invest limited funds in new players acquired on a wage cap basis.

5. We would be at liberty to raise extra funds from concerts, food etc.

The above is a first pitch all based on a supposed fan-base that is loyal and prepared to save the club from non-Sunderland people and chancers.

Action now is what is needed, not wringing hands in despair - the supporters need to be tested as to their real love of club, lead by the supporters association.

I wish all supporters to respond to this action - please be positive and show your support.

Various ideas as to their reward as part owners of the club can be considered and they would at least control the club’s destiny.

Never be beaten - we have the chance to be the only club 100% owned by supporters in Football League!

Freddie Pearson

Ed’s note: I’ve no idea how that would even work, but the idea of fan-led ownership does interest me greatly. One thing that has been sorely missing throughout Short’s Chairmanship is the lack of genuine Sunderland people behind the scenes, making big decisions. I’d hazard we wouldn’t be in this mess if more knowledgeable people had been in a position to influence over recent years.

Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Dear Roker Report,

This is Adarsh again, all the way from India. Last week I happened to meet a Leeds United fan on my way to work in one of the trains. He was so excited listening that I was a proud Sunderland fan. I had a long discussion with him about the plight we finds ourselves in.

He founded things much similar to the relegation circumstances that Leeds faced. The fans crying out for new owners, players under-performing, low attendances at games, etc are things that are very normal to a club relegated from the richest league in the world.

I personally think that we should give everyone surrounding the club some breathing space, i.e. the owner and chief executive. It is not always possible for a club to bounce back at the first attempt and a relegation to League One is not the worst scenario.

We already have fantastic manager in Mr Coleman and a fine group of youngsters coming up. I beg everyone surrounding the club to be patient and get behind the lads.

WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS!

Adarsh Dinesh

Ed’s note: Hi Adarsh - thanks for keeping the faith and flying the flag for the Lads over in India. There can’t be many of you doing that at the minute!

I think people struggle to be patient because they’ve been patient for years now and, eventually, something has got to give. This has been the culmination of six years of utter mismanagement and with the club teetering on the edge, it’s difficult to remain positive.