Sunderland’s old owners were paying staggering £1,000-a-month to rotate plastic PLANTS around Stadium of Light
Bizarre decisions of previous regime at League One club revealed with cash-strapped club also suffering £9.9 million losses
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THE true state of affairs under Sunderland’s previous owners has been revealed, including the club spending an incredible £1,000 a month to move fake plants around the stadium.
Back in April Stewart Donald struck a deal with previous owner Ellis Short to buy the North East club and wipe £152 million worth of debt.
But details of the previous regime have been revealed this week, including the club spending an eye-watering £30k on a report into how it was perceived – only to be told it was ‘an old-fashioned football club.’
According to the , there was also the staggering four-figure sum-a-month to rotate plastic plants around various rooms and close to a £10 million pound loss for the last financial year.
Not a single person was selling sponsorship for the Black Cats and in total 15 people were working in marketing and PR but only one in commercial sales.
The club also employed ‘just over twice as many people as Newcastle United.’
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It does not make for pretty reading for Sunderland fans who have watched their club plummet from the Premier League to League One in successive seasons.
The latest club accounts, which cover the year from August 1 2016 to July 31 2017 showed a loss before tax of £9.9 million for the financial year.
This period includes David Moyes replacing Sam Allardyce as manager and relegation from the Premier League.
Speaking at the launch of the Black Cats’ new business club at the Stadium of Light, new chief executive Charlie Methven said: “The previous regime has spent money trying to be something they weren’t. They had forgotten what Sunderland is.
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“It is the people, it is the history, it is the culture – that is what a proper football club is and we need to get back to that, being proud of that.
Sunderland, who take on Scunthorpe United on Sunday, have begun their season with victory over Charlton and a 1-1 draw against Luton Town.