Dear Roker Report,
I’m a very concerned Sunderland AFC supporter who is very worried about the running of our club. Donald and co. are not fit to be custodians of our once great football club and it appears they are getting off very lightly.
Following a recent discussion on the SMB fans forum about getting Donald out of our club, some points have been raised. I’ll paste those points below and I’d be grateful if Donald and co could be pressed on those points. For me the grievances are as follows and we need key, detailed responses:
- They have sold of a whole generation of talent that joined the club way before they did. We know we could have kept some of them but chose not to. They were the ones who mentioned the Dortmund model and are doing the opposite. So this needs constantly pushing their way - how much have they made, where has that money gone, what is their strategy for future young talent coming into the first team? We will suffer from this tragic short-termism long after they have gone.
- They used the parachute payments to buy the club - there needs to be complete transparency on this - not just Donald whining that ‘he’s not a chancer’. They say they will/are paying this back - again there needs to transparency and explanation why it was taken out of the accounts.
- The U18’s/U23’s were an utter embarrassment last year - the Head of the Academy is a previous employee of theirs as are many in the club. He is badly failing in his job - what are his targets? Are their consequences for his poor performance.
- Methven, who bizarrely is a PR Professional, has repeatedly slagged off the fans - they same fans who created records for attendance in support of the regime.
- Their handling of Season Tickets/Refunds has been appalling and is the final straw for many
Scott Purvis
Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Scott, hope you’re safe and well. I think the points you have raised are excellent ones that we’ve also raised on this site over the course of the last year or more. The third point was resolved somewhat yesterday as Paul Reid left the club, but the other points you have made are all more than pertinent and the fans deserve answers.
Dear Roker Report,
That football authorities like the government seem to be waiting for things to happen rather than being proactive. Why has it taken our European cousins to show us the way? Why hasn’t the whole of the EFL board been pressurised to resign in disgrace for their craven submission to the capitalist machine. Playing the play offs only smacks of self absorption and self interest only and nothing whatsoever to do with player safety does it?
Supporters need to be allowed back now en masse or the risk to the game will undoubtedly be terminal.
Jeff Davison
Ed’s Note [Tom]: Hi Jeff, I think it’s worth noting that European sides haven’t allowed fans into games. That being said, the footballing authorities and the government have been poor in their approach. A lack of planning, policies, and data-led decision making have been key in our failures. Something needs to change.