The executive director offered plenty of insight into the behind the scenes running of the Black Cats during his time at the club, and plenty of memorable quotes, too. Here, we take a look at the 11 quotes – brilliant and baffling – that helped to define Methven’s spell with the Black Cats:
5. Methven regularly pointed out the bleak financial picture he and Donald inherited - and managed to turn around
"It was a frightening picture that had scared off a wide range of credible purchasers who had initially been attracted by the scale of the opportunity." Photo: Jpress
6. These comments - from an interview with the BBC - weren't quickly forgotten
"If you’re a fanatic of your football club and you decide that actually what you’re going to do is you’re going to spend your money on a few pints of lager and watch an illegal stream of the match rather than contributing that money to trying to help your club to be the best it possibly can, you’re not a fan, you’re a parasite.” Photo: JPI Media
7. But Methven quickly moved to clarify what he really meant by the comments
"It was the word wasn’t it, really? Which was ill-chosen and also misapplied. My real vitriol is for the local businesses who take a hike off our back, that was what the ‘parasite’ comment was really meant to be about. Going back, would I use that word again? No." Photo: Frank Reid
8. The shareholder regularly offered insightful updates on Sunderland's financial picture
We have probably sorted out 60 to 70 per cent of the mess we inherited and while we would need an extra oomph in our financial petrol tank if we were promoted to the Championship, there are quite a few investors who want to join us. Photo: TY