Oxford fan aiming for Cats U-turn

IT’S all change at the Stadium of Light with Sunderland AFC announcing they have sacked their manager and found a new owner.

Millionaire Stewart Donald is taking over at the Stadium of Light, subject to approval from the English Football League. The Black Cats have also revealed manager Chris Coleman has left the club.

Mr Donald is involved with both non-league Eastleigh FC as owner and has invested in League One Oxford United.

Sunderland AFC say Mr Donald will relinquish Easteligh, upon the EFL approving a takeover bid by the group he is leading.

So who is Stewart Donald?

The 43-year-old is a millionaire businessman who owns Bridle Insurance, a brokers which specialises in the civil engineering and construction industries. The company is based in Witney, Oxfordshire.

Is Donald a Sunderland fan?

Mr Donald grew up in Oxfordshire has supported Oxford United all his life.

How rich is he?

Although he’s nowhere near Man City Sheikh level, Mr Donald is a multi-millionaire. He is said to have invested around £7m in Eastleigh, and left them debt free.

According to Companies Check, he is director at 17 companies with a current net worth of £8.4m.

Mr Donald will lead an “international consortium” of football investors, so it is not just Mr Donald stumping up the money.

Has Donald been involved in football?

Mr Donald has owned Eastleigh for six years. In that time, the club has been promoted from the Conference South to the National League. Their ground was also extensively redeveloped.

The Oxford United fan has pumped money into the U’s as an investor, shirt sponsor and supporters trust committee member.

How experienced is he?

During six years at Eastleigh, Mr Donald says he has learned a lot about running a football club. He had ambitions to see the club rise to the Championship, but confessed to BBC this year that he naively tried to “buy” his way out of the National League.

“I thought I could buy my way out of the league before,” Mr Donald told BBC.

“But, the reality is you just can’t and it’s just not sustainable in the long term.”