Sunderland fans have been unhappy for a while now, and rightly so. The club, since Phil Parkinson took over, have won just four games. Granted, two of those wins have come in the last three games, but the overall performance of the team hasn’t been good enough (WhoScored.com).
This week the club released a statement acknowledging the fan’s discontent with the situation. In the statement Stuart Donald, the club owner, condemned the fans for continuing their protests, despite having been on a good run of games. He demanded that the supporters back their team and insist that the group will come good. When supporters read the statement, many of them were shocked. They couldn’t believe how the club could issue such a statement, with many calling the whole thing embarrassing and pathetic.
What an absolutely disgusting statement.
— Sess (@FPL_Sess) January 7, 2020
Pathetic #DonaldOut
— Peter Hewett (@WestSussexSAFC) January 7, 2020
Pathetic.
— hannah (@brownh1989) January 7, 2020
This statement is an embarrassment. You’ve been trying to sell the club for months. It’s further confirmation that you aren’t capable to running this club.
— David Wright (@DavidWright1802) January 7, 2020
We were taken over by a 12 year old boy. Had a tantrum and stormed off and everyone elses fault
— peter cooper (@sunlunpete) January 7, 2020
Does Stuart Donald have a right to condemn the fans like he did?
Yes
No
Another fan said that they would have been ashamed if their eight-year-old child had published a statement like that. They insist that it isn’t just the first-team that fans are concerned about. The whole state of the club is a mess.
I would be embarrassed if my 8 year old child had wrote this. It’s not just the results last month Stewart, it’s the Academy imploding, the jobs for the boys, the rudderless ship, I could go on and on, the job is to big for you, leave quietly whilst you have some dignity please.
— rocketal (@rocketal) January 7, 2020
What do we think?
Just when things started to look somewhat positive for Sunderland fans, this happened. Hopefully, for the fans, this doesn’t have a negative effect on the players who seem to be playing more confidently now, with them going undefeated in their last five games as a result (WhoScored.com).