Sunderland Echo were refused entry to a Supporters Group meeting with Sunderland owner Stewart Donald on Thursday afternoon, they have claimed.
After failing to gain promotion from League One to the Championship for a second successive season, pressure is now firmly mounted on the shoulders of owner Donald.
Taking over the Black Cats in April 2018 from previous owner Ellis Short, the much-discussed businessman made public his desire to sell the club after just 19 months in charge.
Two potential buyers have emerged in Chinese businessman Sammy Yu and Mark Campbell, however, further developments have seemingly hit a standstill.
With pressure firmly mounting on Donald’s shoulders, the owner held a meeting with Supporters group Red and White Army on Thursday to discuss the sale of the club and other club matters.
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Speaking after the meeting, Donald seemingly hit out at Sunderland Echo via BBC Radio Newcastle for a report on parachute payments that were used to purchase the club.
“There’s been lots of talks about parachute payments,” Donald said. “The Sunderland Echo have reported on it to show that money is going back in. Pre-sale, all that money will go back into the club.”
And that comment has now gone hand-in-hand with a refusal of entry for the Echo in to Thursday’s meeting.
The Echo claim that they ‘went to the Stadium of Light to request attendance or an interview, but the requests were declined.’
Has Stewart Donald made any friends on Wearside? Not allowing Sunderland Echo in to the stadium on Thursday could rub them up the wrong way and affect his chances of any positive local press.
It is hard to see exactly why Donald would not want to speak openly to the newspaper, or was he concerned that he would have to answer more questions?
Do you think Donald will sell Sunderland this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…
