Championship: Sunderland AFC sold to investors grouped around Britain's Stewart Donald

"Ellis Short (USA), owner of Sunderland AFC (Sky Bet Championship), has agreed to sell the club to an international consortium of football investors. The deal, which is subject only to English Football League approval, will see ownership pass to a group led by Stewart Donald (UK), chairman of Eastleigh FC (National, English 5^th division)," announced the club of the North-East of England, on 29/04/2018.

"It is no secret that I have been trying to sell Sunderland, but I have waited until the right group came along that have the experience, finances and plan to take this great club back to where it deserves to be," said Ellis Short, who acquired all the shares of the club in 2009.

"All of us (in the consortium) involved in this bid believe that Sunderland represents an extraordinary opportunity. Our group have all been involved in building - or re-building - football clubs to reach their potential and we believe that over the last decade we have acquired the necessary skillsets to overcome the many challenges that will face us at this huge club," said Stewart Donald, who is…