12 AMAZING MONTHS FOR STEWART DONALD
This week marks the oneyear anniversary since Stewart Donald took charge at Sunderland AFC following a £40million takeover from Ellis Short after the club’s relegation to the third tier.
Donald and executive director Charlie Methven were unveiled at the Stadium of Light on May 21, 2018, and it has been an eventful 12 months since, with the Black Cats gearing up for their second visit to Wembley in a matter of months.
Sunderland were beaten on penalties by Portsmouth in the Checkatrade Trophy final at the end of March but there is a far bigger prize at stake for the Black Cats on Sunday when they take on Charlton Athletic in the League One play-off final.
Here, we look back at some of some of Donald’s most memorable moments in his first year at the helm. as Sunderland’s new chairman, taking over from Ellis Short in a £40million deal, with Short wiping the club’s debt to allow the Black Cats to rebuild in the third tier.
Following the departure of Chris Coleman, Sunderland appointed St. Mirren manager Jack Ross on a twoyear deal.
It was a brave move by the new owners given Ross had no experience of managing in England but despite missing out on automatic promotion the Scot has impressed, leading the club to two Wembley finals this season.
Uruguayan businessman Juan Sartori bought a 20 per cent stake in the club and was present for the Black Cats’ opening game of the season against Charlton.
Donald watched from the directors box as Sunderland came from behind to beat Charlton on the opening day of the League One season.
It was a dramatic win, Lynden Gooch scoring a lastminute winner, and it set the tone for a lively start to the season.
Donald has travelled to many games this season and sat with the away supporters at Burton, when Sunderland suffer their first defeat of the season.
Donald has been in with the away fans on several occasions including at Coventry City and Blackpool.
Donald revealed he’d given Josh Maja and the player’s agent time to consider a new deal at Sunderland but he would later exit to Bordeaux later that month.
The Sunderland owner also said the long-running saga would prompt a change in the club’s contract approach.
After Maja’s departure to Bordeaux, Donald told fans he was confident Sunderland would sign two new strikers. It went down to the wire on transfer deadline day as the Black Cats brought in Kaz Sterling and Will Grigg.
It was a statement of intent from Donald but Grigg is yet to fire as had been hoped.
Donald promised to learn from the bad deal Sunderland felt they had to strike for Maja after the club’s top scorer left for France.
The SAFC owner lessons had been learned for the future.
Donald confirmed that Short would sit with him in the royal box for the Checkatrade Trophy final with Portsmouth. Ahead of the game, Donald attended Trafalgar Square along with thousands of Sunderland fans.
The Sunderland owner said the club’s youth players won’t play for the club unless they signed the contracts they’d been offered. “I don’t want another Josh Maja scenario at this football club.” said Donald.
Following a flurry of takeover speculation, Donald clarified he is looking for fresh investment ahead of next season. However, he insisted he will still remain part of the club in some capacity.