Sunderland staff fear for their jobs as cull begins

SUNDERLAND staff are braced for a major jobs cull, with new owners promising to cut back on the club’s running costs in League One. Incoming chairman Stewart Donald will take over the day-today running of the business and will make his first task trimming an annual wage bill of £35million which has contributed to losses of around £500,000 per week. There will be redundancies throughout the club and nonplaying staff fully expect their departments to be scaled back. Current chief executive Martin Bain laid off around 40 employees last year. There are also fears that the club will lose their category one academy status as every avenue is explored to absorb the financial impact of back-to-back relegations. Sources close to Chris Coleman have told Sportsmail he was taken completely by surprise when Bain delivered the news of his sacking and the takeover on Sunday morning. The 47-yearold wanted to remain in charge next season and is disappointed he has not been able to present his case to the new owners. Former Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy was spotted in the city yesterday, but sources insist he was there on personal business. Meanwhile, Islam Slimani will have cost Newcastle £2.5m for every 90 minutes played, with a retrospective ban set to end the loanee’s season. He was last night charged by the FA with violent conduct for kicking West Brom’s Craig Dawson. Slimani joined from Leicester for a £2m loan fee, plus coverage of his £80,000-per-week wages.