SUNDERLAND 10 YEARS AGO: Niall Quinn - SAFC backers have faith in us!

BACKERS HAVE FAITH IN US!

Quinn: More players will be signed

Niall Quinn has revealed that every member of his Drumaville group were independently advised NOT to join the new consortium this summer!

The Black Cats chairman was able to put together a group of eight investors who were solidly behind the idea of trying to restore Sunderland Football Club to its former glory.

But each member had to be prepared to go against the advice of their financial advisers in order to make it happen.

Quinn was able to persuade them to sign up to the “passionate sporting investment” and join the Drumaville dream, even though the Irish contingent were self-confessed ‘sports fans’ rather than ‘football fans.’

The chairman said: “Every one of the financial advisors to the eight of us in the Drumaville investment team told us not to do it.

“So that just gives fans an idea of what they have agreed to do, and that they all went against their financial advice. But they’re smart people, they’ve made money and they were in a position to buy players.

“We’ve identified the kind of players that are required and we hope to compete above our weight, be the leading instigators, if you like, in player transfers in this division.”

Quinn was speaking in his first in-depth interview since the appointment of Roy Keane as club manager in August.

He has fought shy of giving interviews since Keane’s appointment, although the Echo hopes to have an in-depth talk with him next month.

The chairman does not feel comfortable about talking freely unless there are accomplishments to talk about. But he does appreciate the fans desire to know what is happening at the club as far as he and his consortium are concerned and has taken part in a question and answer session with fans which is being screened on SAFC World – the audio and video subscription service of safc.com – all this week.

In the interviews Quinn also confirms that Sunderland offered one Premiership club – believed to be Spurs – more than £5 for two players in the summer, believed to be Andy Reid and Callum Davenport.

MILLER SET TO JOIN LIST OF PLAYERS OUT ON LOAN

Roy Keane says Tommy Miller could leave Sunderland soon.

While not saying specifically that the midfielder is nor surplus to requirements, the Black Cats’ boss admits he is happy with the additions he has made to his squad in departments where Miller can operate.

Ipswich are keen to take the 27-year-old back to Portman Road and the decision on whether he stays or goes now rest with Miller, whose wife has recently given birth to twins.

Keane said: “Tommy was out when I first came in with an illness. I’ve gone down the road of bringing in one or two experienced midfielders and I think we’re strong in that department. I know Tommy can play up front too, but we’re strong in that sense, too.

“Clubs have been in touch about taking him on loan and there might be a bit of movement in the next few weeks. We’ll see how it goes. Tommy might want to go and get some games. I think he will do well wherever he goes. He will probably score goals.”

Keane signed six new players at the end of August and Miller has not featured in the Sunderland first team since the Irishman took over. Fellow midfielders Arnau and William Mocquet – signed by Niall Quinn when he was acting manager at the start of the season – have also failed to make an impression under Keane and Sunderland may make efforts to move them on in the January transfer window.

But Miller is most likely to be the first to go.

He struggled for form in his debut season on Wearside last term, but was not the only one, after joining on a Bosman transfer from Ipswich.