Roker Roundup: Former Director Tony Davison finds new role after leaving Sunderland AFC

New role for Davison

Sunderland’s former Managing Director Tony Davison left the club back in October, after 18 months in his role.

He initially worked for the club in the 1990s, including donning the ‘Samson the Cat’ costume and had re-joined the club from Tottenham Hotspur to head the commercial department following Stewart Donald’s takeover at the club.

Following his departure, Charlie Methven thanked Davison for his tireless work but said that it was the right time to part ways:

We have all thoroughly enjoyed working alongside Tony throughout the last 18 months.

It’s been extremely hard graft on his part and the club’s success came at immense personal sacrifice, with long hours and long weeks spent away from his home and family.

As such, we all felt that it was the right time to part ways. We look forward to welcoming Tony back to the Stadium of Light as a guest on many future occasions, and he remains a close friend.

Davison has now been appointed the Commercial Director of Premiership Rugby side Northampton Saints, with it’s Chief Executive Mark Darbon welcoming him to the club:

I am very pleased to welcome Tony to Saints at an exciting time for the Club.

We are in the middle of a five-year strategic plan to bring the Club back to profitability and Tony will play a key role in realising this ambition.

He brings with him a huge wealth of knowledge and experience, and we look forward to having him apply his extensive industry expertise at Saints.

Former manager joins League One rivals

Former Sunderland player and manager Terry Butcher has joined League One rivals Ipswich Town as a part-time coach.

Town manager Paul Lambert asked Butcher to assist coaching the club’s under-18 and under-23 sides as well as acting as a mentor to the team’s first team squad.

The former England international played 271 times for the Tractor Boys and, talking to the East Anglian Daily Times, he was delighted to return to the club where he started his football career:

I feel like I’ve come full circle, I first joined the club in ‘76, left in ‘86, moved back to Suffolk in 2014 and I’ve always remained a fan.

I spoke to Paul and said that if there was anything I could do to help I would love to do it. He went away and spoke to Lee [O’Neill, general manager of football operations] and then came back to me with an offer of this tailor made position.

I can’t describe the feeling when I pulled on the badge again for the first time. Blue is my colour, this is my club, it means so much to me, When I drive through the gates, every time it’s like ‘wow’.

I watched the Under-23s game on Monday, I watched the Under-18s on Tuesday and Thursday, the more I see the more I can help. It’s felt so good being back on the training field again. I love being up Playford Road, you can feel the vibrancy around the place.

They’ve obviously got good coaches up there, and I’m not looking to tread on anyone’s toes, but hopefully my knowledge and experience can add to what they are already doing. I’m just delighted to be playing a little part.

Photo by Neal Simpson/EMPICS via Getty Images

Vergini returns to San Lorenzo

Santiago Vergini has been given a reprieve by Argentine side San Lorenzo, according to Ole.

The former Sunderland defender had been out of favour with the club, playing only one game since September. He signed a three-year deal for the Primera División club back in June but quickly found himself on the sidelines, not even training with the club in recent weeks.

The club had other options at their disposal and Vergini’s high wages saw him banished from the first team, however injuries have struck and with doubts over the future of former Newcastle United defender Fabricio Coloccini, Vergini rejoined training yesterday morning.

The 31-year-old also had to renegotiate his current contract, taking a 50% pay cut, before being integrated back into the squad.

Photo by Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images