Sunderland AFC fans have their say on Phil Parkinson's sacking - and who should be next in the SoL hotseat

The former Bradford and Bolton boss paid the price for a disappointing run of results at the weekend, after a 1-1 draw at Fleetwood Town on Friday night saw the club drop out of the League One play-off places.

Parkinson becomes the fifth manager in less than four years to be dismissed from the Stadium of Light hotseat, in the wake of David Moyes, Simon Grayson, Chris Coleman and Jack Ross.

Former manager Gus Poyet is the bookies’ favourite to take over in the Stadium of Light dugout.

But what do the fans themselves think about Parkinson’s departure – and who would they like to see succeed him?

Mary Ramshwaw, 74, has been a Sunderland fan since the 1960s: "The first match I went to, we won 7-1,” she said.

"Nicky Sharkey scored five – and I have been hooked since then.

“My late husband was at the Cup final in 1973, and I did not see him for four days.”

Mary, from Silksworth, believes the board had little choice but to show Parkinson the door.

“I think it was time – he had to go,” she said.

"It just seemed as if he had no passion. When we got beaten by MK Dons, I could not believe the score.”

The P-word is the key for Mary: “I think Peter Reid should come back, or Kevin Phillips,” she said.

"We want somebody at the club who has got passion for the club. We need somebody who has got passion for the fans and for the town.”

Seventy-five-year-old Raymond Jefferson has been less than impressed by Phil Parkinson’s attitude: “When it comes to his post-match comments, he has been a bit blase about it, ‘You win or you lose and that is it, really’.

Raymond, from Humbledon, is unsure about a Poyet return and thinks Sam Allardyce might be a better bet if a former manager is the preferred option.

Season card holder John Smith is in no doubt the decision to part company with Parkinson was the right one: “There was just no motivation for the players – his football was just dire,” he said.

He ruled out one former fans’ favourite for the job: “I wouldn’t go for Kevin Phillips,” said John, from Hall Farm.

"He has been out of work for two years now – he’s not management material, but I would have him as a coach.

"They are talking about Gus Poyet – he kept us up the first time and got us to Wembley, so maybe he will be good this time.”

Paul Burdis believes Parkinson paid the price for failing to address a chronic Sunderland problem – failing to hold onto a lead.

"It has always been Sunderland’s problem. It is all about points at the end of the day,” said Paul, from Monkweamouth.

He would like to see the man who has twice been caretaker given the chance to have a crack at the job full-time: “I would take Kevin Ball,” said Paul, 53.

"He is passionate and his heart is in Sunderland. You would have to work for your place under Kevin Ball.”

Season ticket holder Susan Perry said Sunderland’s league standing showed the club was under-performing under Phil Parkinson, though the manager was not solely to blame.

"We should not be eighth – we should be at the top end of the table,” she said. “We have not won enough.

"I think the players are the problem – we keep getting rid of managers but we should not really.

"They are talking about Gus Poyet – he was a good manager and he wants to come back,” said Susan, 69.

Thirty-seven-year-old James Campbell believes the club has been too hasty to sack its managers in the past and the team has paid the price for playing behind closed doors during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I think they should have kept him,” he said.

"It will be good for the team to get back to a full Stadium of Light.”

The club needed to show more faith in the next manager: “Whoever it is needs to be backed,” he said.

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