Stewart Donald reveals Jack Ross turned down 'lucrative offers' to become Sunderland boss

The new club chairman also said that the Scot had turned down 'more lucrative offers' to move to Wearside.

Ross and assistant James Fowler have been given two-year deals and will be charged with lifting Sunderland out of League One.

Donald said: "We are absolutely delighted to have secured Jack as our new manager. Jack is excited to be a part of the future we are building here, and the fact he turned down lucrative offers from elsewhere, including clubs currently in a higher division than ourselves, is testament to his commitment and desire to succeed at this club and his belief in our vision for the future.

“He joins us following an excellent start to his managerial career, including a memorable 2017-18 campaign with St Mirren, and was deeply impressive throughout the recruitment process. We have acted swiftly and the hard work now continues in earnest as we look towards the ultimate goal of getting Sunderland AFC back to where it should be."

On Monday, Donald said the new manager would be tasked with leading a cultural change at the club.

He said: "The manager will recruit the players – that will be his call. We have a recruitment team and there will still be a recruitment team who works with him, but there will be no interference from Charlie [Methven] or I.

“It needs a cultural change. The standards have got to be really high when you go round the Academy of Light.

“If you’re a young footballer, or any kind of footballer, and you wander in there as a League One footballer, we’ve got to make sure people don’t think they’ve arrived and all their hard work is done.

“The standards that the football club should set, should be absolutely top drawer, it should be 100 per cent effort.

“They’ve got to get the culture, they’ve got to work hard, they’ve got to do everything right, and the manager has to set the tone for that.

“He cannot be somebody that will let them off with anything.

“If we want to win anything, especially now in League One, this will be the place where everybody, as soon as the fixtures are drawn out, (will ask) when are we playing Sunderland?

“They will come up here and, when we go there, it will be a big game.

“You are going to have to be strong and, if you are going to be that, the manager has to set the tone, so I am expecting to bring someone in who sets the standard right at the top and then make sure that the players understand what is expected of them, and get the right type of characters here.”