---
title: "Sunderland: Stewart Donald urged to follow Sir Bob Murray’s example"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-stewart-donald-urged-follow-sir-bob-murray/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ben Crump"
section: "League One News"
published: "2020-07-23T20:40:19Z"
modified: "2020-07-23T20:40:19Z"
---

# Sunderland: Stewart Donald urged to follow Sir Bob Murray’s example

**Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has been [urged](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stewart-donald-must-follow-sir-18644462) to follow the example set by Sir Bob Murray as he looks to sell the club.**

With the 2019/20 season now over for League One teams, the Black Cats are facing a summer of question marks, with current owner Stewart Donald keen to sell the club.

The controversial owner has been [looking to sell up for some time](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/latest-sunderland-afc-news/stewart-donald-sell-sunderland-what-we-know-major-questions-and-what-comes-next-1352136), having [taken over from Ellis Short](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44198581) in 2018.

A number of potential owners have emerged recently in media reports, with Chinese businessman [Sammy Yu](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/sammy-yu-confirms-takeover-interest-why-hes-unlikely-take-charge-sunderland-2911778), [Mark Campbell](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/mark-campbell-monitoring-sunderland-situation-no-takeover-deal-close-2913537) and former Sunderland defender [Michael Gray](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/nostalgia/micky-gray-lifts-lid-his-failed-sunderland-takeover-attempts-and-reveals-whether-he-could-help-buy-club-stewart-donald-2890000) all seemingly interested.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

With speculation continuing to mount, [Sunderland Echo](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stewart-donald-must-follow-sir-18644462) writer James Hunter has now penned an article urging Donald to follow the example set by Sir Bob Murray.

Hunter wrote: *“Sir Bob Murray spent two decades at the helm of Sunderland but always described himself as the ‘custodian’ of the club rather than its owner.*

*“As a lifelong Sunderland supporter, he recognised that his legal status was overshadowed by his moral obligation to the club as an institution, and to its supporters both present and future.*

*“It was not a business like any other.* *It was – and is – much, much, more than that.*

*“As current owner Stewart Donald looks for a way out of Wearside, he would do well to heed Murray’s words.”*

When Murray sold the club in 2006, a fee of £10m proved enough to acquire the then-Championship club, with the [Drumavilla consortium led by Niall Quinn](https://web.archive.org/web/20081210040529/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20060725/ai_n16640036) taking over.

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

It remains to be seen if Donald will lower his asking price for Sunderland, which has been set at [£37.6m](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53457685), but Hunter has sent a very clear message which will likely resonate with many Black Cats fans who are [unhappy with the current owners’ stewardship](https://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/football/sunderland-afc/fed-and-angry-sunderland-fans-deliver-damning-verdict-stewart-donalds-reign-our-big-survey-91-urge-him-sell-club-2921940).

Whether or not a potential new owner wants to take on the mammoth task of arresting the [club’s decline of recent years](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/afc-sunderland/platzierungen/verein/289), though, is another matter.

***Do you think Sunderland will be sold this summer? Let us know in the comments section below…***