Sunderland are in ‘crisis’ admits owner Ellis Short

Sunderland owner Ellis Short says the club is in crisis and understands fans want him out – but has revealed he is no longer looking for a buyer.

The absent American has broken his three-year silence following a week in which he instructed manager Simon Grayson to be sacked with the team third from bottom in the Championship.

Short – who bought the Black Cats in 2008 – tried to sell his 100 per cent stake earlier this year but says he pulled out of a deal with German investors as it was not right for the club.

Now he is looking to the future and has even set his sights on a top-seven finish in the Premier League.

First, though, he must appoint what will be Sunderland’s ninth manager in just six years.

‘We’ve obviously got a bit of a crisis to solve now,’ said Short, who will not attend Sunday’s Tees-Wear derby at Middlesbrough.

‘The first order of business is to get ourselves out of this problem, improve our performances and move up the table.

‘After that, this club, the size that it is, the fanbase that it has, belongs in the Premier League, and that’s where we want to be.

Simon Grayson was sacked this week after only 18 games in charge of the club

‘Then I’ll go back to what my original goal had been when we were in the Premier League, that we should be trying to finish seventh place every season. In a good season, maybe sixth or fifth.

‘To make that happen, I think the most important thing is that going forward we don’t repeat all the mistakes we made in the past of paying a lot of money for players which didn’t get us to where we wanted to be.’

Supporters have long since sang, ‘Are you watching Ellis Short’, to which he has responded: ‘It is true I’m not physically at as many games, which is really a function of me being more involved in my business life and my family spending more time in the US.

‘But to answer the question that you sing at me during the really bad games, “Yes, I’m watching”.

‘Also, I’m involved financially. I put a significant amount of new capital into the club this summer. 

‘Now, that didn’t go to buy new players, that went to cover losses related to our mistakes of the past.

Grayson was sacked after a 3-3 home draw with Bolton left the Black Cats in the bottom three

‘At that time, I was entertaining offers to buy the club. There was one group that we did have some advanced discussions with. 

‘I decided not to do that transaction. I’ve got the interests of the club at heart, and I’m not going to do anything that’s not good for the club. I do understand the fans want me out, but I am certain they would not have been happy with that transaction.

‘Now, the club’s not officially for sale. If there is a legitimate buyer, I’ll have a conversation.

‘But as long as I own it, I’m going to be focused on what’s good for the club and the immediate focus is getting ourselves out of the situation that we’re in now.’