Former Sunderland chairman Sir Bob Murray's verdict on ex-owner Ellis Short

Former Sunderland chairman Sir Bob Murray has delivered his verdict on ex-owner Ellis Short.

Consett-born Murray owned Sunderland from 1986 before relinquishing control to Niall Quinn and the Drummavile consortium 20 years later in 2006.

American billionaire tycoon Ellis Short then purchased Sunderland in 2008 and kept the club for 10 years until 2018 before selling the Wearsiders to Stewart Donald, Charlie Methven and Juan Sartori after the club had suffered an infamous double relegation from the Premier League to League One.

Sunderland's fall from grace, however, was tough to watch for boyhood fan Murray with Donald and Methven's brand of ownership failing to bring success to the Stadium of Light before Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' eventual arrival.

"We got relegated (to the Championship) and Short gave the manager a million to spend and he took two lots of parachute payments and the money for Jordan Pickford. He then got them (Donald and Methven) to take the club on his terms," Murray claimed when asked about Short, Donald and Methven.

"So whatever issues were in the club at the time, they inherited and that suited Short."

Sir Bob Murray had also been very keen to ensure the future of the Foundation of Light was secure too, back when Short was owner, by keeping it separate from the club.

"We have some eminent trustees who were very concerned about the relationship between the club and the Foundation," Murray continued. "But now, we are joined at the hip. We are aware of what we are both doing and what each other's objectives are. It is the way it should be."