Welcome back to Last Word on Football’s Sunderland weekly roundup. This week’s edition looks back on the latest news, rumours and matches from all teams associated with the Black Cats. Sunderland and their fans have endured a torrid time of late. They saw their club drop to their lowest ever league position. However, a victory away at Doncaster Rovers saw Sunderland end the year giving their fans something to cheer about, no matter how small.
Some fans will also be delighted to hear the news that owner Stewart Donald has decided to put the club up for sale. We also take a look at the latest transfer rumours ahead of a very important January for the Black Cats.
Sunderland End The Year Giving Fans A Little Festive Cheer
Victory at Doncaster Rovers Ends Year and Decade
Boxing day’s disappointment against Bolton Wanderers had fans wondering where the next three points would come from. Going into the game at Doncaster on Sunday, the Black Cats had not won since the first weekend of November. However, fans, including the four thousand who travelled to Yorkshire to watch their team were treated to a little festive cheer.
Sunderland began the game brightly and deservedly took a sixth-minute lead. Lynden Gooch curling the ball into the top corner. The Black Cats were the better team in the first half; however, as is the norm this season, an equaliser was gifted to Doncaster just before the break. A feeling of ‘here we go again’ was the general consensus amongst fans.
Sunderland were not to be denied. Chris Maguire finished off a Denver Hume cross on 61 minutes to put his team back into the lead. It was an end to end game but the Red and Whites held on to end the year and the decade with a much-needed win.
Parkinson Praises Team And Has Confidence as Sunderland End The Year With a Win
Manager Phil Parkinson was delighted with his team as they ended their winless run. Parkinson has come under increasing pressure due to poor performances and results. However, he is confident that his players will get better and better.
Speaking after the game, Parkinson said:
“We deservedly got the victory and we’re so pleased for the lads. They put a lot of effort in today and they deserve their reward. The lads are buoyant, and I’m so pleased for them. You have bad runs – even in promotion-winning seasons, I’ve been involved in a lot of them and you have dips.”
“You have to find solutions to them, and today is the start of that. Obviously you’ve got to win games of football, but I’m confident we’re going in the right direction in terms of the shape of the team and the work ethic in the team. I feel we’ll get better and better in the second half of the season.”
Stewart Donald Decides to Sell Club
Monday brought the news that owner Stewart Donald was actively seeking to sell the club. Fans groups penned a joint statement following the Boxing Day draw with Bolton Wanderers requesting that Donald stepped aside for the good of the club. With pressure mounting after a string of poor results, Donald has decided to take notice of the fans groups and will look to sell.
It is understood that no deal has been agreed with any potential buyer. With an important transfer window looming, this may not be the best time for the ownership to be changing hands. Unless a deal can be done before the window closes.
Transfer News
Sunderland are about to embark on one of the club’s most important transfer windows. With the team currently in midtable, fans are hoping that Phil Parkinson can attract players to improve the first-team squad. At present, the Black Cats are five points adrift of the play-off places and eight off the automatic promotion places. Several new faces could be the difference between a promotion push and poor midtable finish. Here is a look at the latest players to be linked with a move to Wearside.
Ben Alnwick
Phil Parkinson revealed to the Sunderland Echo that goalkeeper Ben Alnwick had been training with the club. Alnwick came through the ranks at Sunderland before moving to Tottenham Hotspur. He had several loan spells while at Spurs and was recently released by Bolton. While the goalkeeping department is not one that is a priority, should Alnwick join, he would provide competition for current first-team keepers Jon McLaughlin and Lee Burge.
Antoine Semenyo
Parkinson also confirmed that Bristol City’s 19-year-old striker Antoine Semenyo is a player he is interested in. A loan move could happen in January as Parkinson attempts to add goals to his misfiring forward line. Semenyo is inexperienced in League One; however, he does have pace and power, attributes that Sunderland are in need of.
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