If you could wish for one thing for Sunderland this Christmas, what would it be and why?

Gav says...

I want a Director of Football, hand-delivered with a big red bow tied around his head.

Sunderland lack direction both on and off the field, yet I can’t help but think that the reason our transfer business, playing style and thus league results come as a direct result of our current owner running the club in the way you might have back in the 1980s.

There are clubs far smaller than Sunderland who are ran more efficiently that us.

Hiring a Director of Football would tell the fans that we have a plan. It’d give us confidence going into transfer windows. It would mean that there is accountability; someone above our manager and chief scout that is constantly asking questions of them and maintains our standards and footballing philosophy. It would mean that people like Stewart Donald aren’t involving themselves in the footballing side of the club, something he’s not qualified to do.

That’s all I want for Christmas - some semblance of sanity from my football club.

Is that too much to ask for?

Photo by Ian Horrocks - Sunderland AFC/Getty Images

Graham Falk says...

There are so many things that it’s actually quite hard to pin one down.

I think essentially I want the spark to return, somehow. Supporting Sunderland feels like complete apathy at the moment, and I’ve only ever really felt like that under Moyes.

I thought we were past the days of apathy, even if we were facing League One football, but we’re not and it’s more apparent than ever under Parky. As we all know though, all that would fix it is wins and more wins, starting with Bolton on Boxing Day.

If I could choose one thing to happen for Sunderland, it would be a new manager that will take us on a run similar to Roy Keane in the second part of his first year, because those were some of the most exciting times of my life.

We were 12th under Keano going into the new year, and we put together a run that seemed to invigorate the whole of Sunderland. I’d love us to do the same, and bring players in January that will have an impact akin to that of Carlos Edwards and Jonny Evans.

It doesn’t take much to get Sunderland going, so if I could have one wish, it would just be to change the landscape a little.

Photo by Alex Dodd - CameraSport via Getty Images

Paul Fletcher asks...

I wish for positivity. It’s a lot to ask for, given how poor the last few months have been - there’s certainly plenty to be negative about. But there’s nothing to be gained from being negative.

When I say positivity, I’m not talking about making delusional comments or pretending everything is great when it isn’t. Nor am I talking about positivity as a PR exercise. I want to see positive attitudes reflected in positive, constructive actions, at all levels of the club.

Supporters - turn up in big numbers on Boxing Day and get behind the team for the full 90 minutes and resist all temptation to groan or boo.

Players - play with no fear and high intensity from minute one. If the opportunity presents itself, take the riskier, more positive option and back yourself to succeed.

Phil Parkinson - focus on winning and only winning. Play to win, set the team up in an attacking formation and select the players most likely to create chances and convert those chances.

Stewart Donald - get your message out to fans quickly on your own terms and let people make up their own minds. Even if the message is to say that there’ll be no more messages - just leave no room for speculation. Acknowledge the problems but don’t dwell on them and most importantly, lay out a blueprint of the positive actions you intend to take to get us back on track.