Micky Gray reveals his verdict on Kyril Louis-Dreyfus after meeting Sunderland's new owner

Sunderland legend Micky Gray says he believes Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is in it ‘for the long haul’ at the Stadium of Light – having briefly met the new club chairman.
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Gray, who himself was looking to assemble a consortium to purchase the club from Stewart Donald last summer, was introduced to the 23-year-old prior to the Black Cats’ win over Fleetwood Town.

And while the conversation between the pair was only brief, the former full-back was left enthused by his encounter with the new majority shareholder – particularly given he had clearly done his homework on the history of the club.

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Indeed, their dialogue led Gray to conclude that Louis-Dreyfus will be sticking around on Wearside for the long-term.

But the 46-year-old has urged patience among supporters in the coming months and years.

Speaking about the takeover to Betfred’s Football Show, Gray said: "It's good times.

“He's a very wealthy young man and he has a good head on his shoulders.

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“I had a five minute conversation with him and he was kind of telling me what he wanted from the football club. He knew the history of the club, which I was really impressed about, he knew when we'd moved from Roker Park to the Stadium of Light.

Micky Gray reveals his verdict on Kyril Louis-Dreyfus after meeting Sunderland's new ownerMicky Gray reveals his verdict on Kyril Louis-Dreyfus after meeting Sunderland's new owner
Micky Gray reveals his verdict on Kyril Louis-Dreyfus after meeting Sunderland's new owner

“He was an impressive young man.

“He's paying for a half a million pound pitch, they're just starting to look after the academy. They've brought in three or four fresh faces to bring the talent that we have in the North East, and actually keep them in the North East.

“Over the last ten years we've been losing all the young talent that we've got, and that's what the club has been built on - giving young players an opportunity to break through into the first team.

“I think that's important to him.

Sunderland fans have got to be patient. It's not going to be jump out of League One, into the Championship and straight into the Premier League. It's going to take at least five to ten years.

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“But this guy sounded like he wanted to be there for the long haul, and let's hope it's a successful one.”

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