SUNDERLAND FANS TURN FURY ON RODWELL

JACK RODWELL had been assured it was a fresh start, a new beginning. Sunderland supporters clearly had not received the memo and quickly turned on the man who has specialised in failure during his wretched spell on Wearside. Making a first senior start since May, Rodwell swiftly found himself in the eye of a storm of protest from the stands as Simon Grayson’s side slid to a third league defeat in a row. During their 138-year history, the Black Cats have never experienced back-to-back relegations, but after this shambles that is the only way they look like escaping the Championship. The hosts are without a victory at the Stadium of Light for 268 days. Sunderland’s goal — and their first effort on target — arrived in stoppage time when Callum McManaman’s free-kick was glanced home by Rodwell. His celebration was predictably muted. In the three years since joining from Manchester City, the midfielder has been on the winning side just once when starting a league game. ‘I don’t like to see individuals picked out like that,’ Grayson said of the fans’ treatment of Rodwell. ‘Jack cares about what happens to this club. For me this was his debut because I’d told him whatever has happened is in the past. This is a new start and hopefully people will give him a chance. ‘I’ve known right from when I came here what a big job it is to turn things around, but I’m a fighter. I could have stayed at Preston and enjoyed myself there but I wanted to make a success of this challenge.’ Visiting striker Clayton Donaldson outshone the hosts’ trio of debutants with his first goals since December in a stunning introduction after his deadline-day arrival from Birmingham City. Clinical finishes in each half rewarded the persistence of Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, who has tried doggedly to renew acquaintance with the 33-year-old forward with whom he first worked at Halifax more than a decade ago. ‘I’ve tried to sign him on about eight occasions and he binned me off every time,’ said Wilder. If Sunderland are in danger of successive relegations, the opposite is true for the Blades, who are up to fifth having won League One last season. ‘This club has that winning mentality,’ Donaldson said. ‘When you’ve got that, it’s hard to stop.’