Ian Harte sparks fresh Sunderland fan backlash with 13-word Tommy Watson tweet after Brighton transfer

Ian Harte has prompted another backlash from Sunderland fans after Tommy Watson’s move to Brighton was announced.

Sunderland have agreed a deal to sell Tommy Watson to Brighton & Hove Albion. The deal will conclude when the transfer window opens on July 1st and brings an end to a long-running transfer saga, with the Premier League club attempting to sign the 18-year-old on the last two transfer windows.

Watson will remain available for selection between now and the end of the season before the deal goes through in the summer. The winger had 18 months left on his current professional contract and with an extension deemed highly unlikely, the Black Cats have decided to do business now.

The Echo understands that the structured deal could eventually secure the Black Cats in excess of £10 million, while the club have also secured a sell-on clause in the region of 20%.

Watson is not represented by Harte, though there is a family connection between the two. Watson is actually represented by former Sunderland man Danny Graham. On social media, Harte posted: “Congratulations Tommy fantastic move! Will miss seeing both of you at ours x.” Ian Harte also posted on Instagram, describing some Sunderland fans as “fickle”.

Ian Harte’s history with Sunderland fans

Harte, who played for the Republic of Ireland, Reading and Bournemouth as well as the Black Cats and the Whites during his career, is involved with the representation of former Sunderland winger Jack Clarke, who left Wearside in a big-money move to Ipswich Town last summer.

During his time at Sunderland, Clarke became a fan favourite but the club’s hierarchy and the player’s management team failed to agree on a new contract at the Academy of Light. With his contract running down, the tricky attacker was sold. Before the sale, Harte came in for heavy criticism from Sunderland fans after comments made on the Tippy Tappy podcast while Clarke was still with the Black Cats.

Harte stated to Sam Allardyce that he “hoped” to see his client move in the summer, which was taken by Sunderland fans as a clear indication that the former left-back was trying to engineer a move for his client away from Wearside.

Harte later moved to clarify his comments following significant backlash from Sunderland fans after the podcast was released to the public, but the damage was already done in the eyes of supporters. Indeed, Clarke did eventually leave the club, and Harte was perceived to be the main reason behind the departure.

However, Harte - who is also involved with Sunderland defender Niall Huggins and has a family connection with young winger Tommy Watson - sparked fresh annoyance from Black Cats fans on social media after Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium on Sunday night.

Harte, who worked with Magpies boss Eddie Howe at Bournemouth previously, wrote following the game: “EDDIE HOWE’S TOON ARMY!!! So happy for him, the TEAM and Newcastle United.” The post prompted an angry backlash from Sunderland fans, with many seeing it as a deliberate dig given the recent history with Clarke and Harte having played for Sunderland, albeit briefly.

In response to Sunderland fans, Harte later posted again, saying: “Listen some clowns on here Eddie was my manager at Bournemouth and I have the utmost respect for him. He has done a fantastic job at Newcastle!!! How is this a dig at Sunderland? Because it’s not at all and they are having a brilliant season.”

Sunderland supporter Jack explained his annoyance on X in response to Harte, saying: “It's a dig because you're putting it public, knowing 99% of your followers on here from the northeast are Sunderland fans, who obviously can't stand them lot up the road. If it was a message for Eddie Howe, you'd have just WhatsApped him.”

What exactly did Ian Harte say while Jack Clarke was at Sunderland?

Harte previously told the Tippy Tappy Podcast, which was hosted by former Sunderland manager Allardyce: "Hopefully this summer we'll probably see Jack moving. Where it may be, we don't know just yet, but he's in a good place."

Harte later moved to clarify his comments following significant backlash from Sunderland fans after the podcast was released to the public.

“To be honest, Jack loves it at Sunderland," Harte responded when asked by The Echo about his comments. "I go to a hell of a lot of the home games. It is a fantastic club with a great fanbase. He is happy there. Unfortunately what I said came out wrong and I upset certain people but that was never my intention."

Read your next Sunderland story here: Transfer details revealed as Kristjaan Speakman confirms Tommy Watson will join Brighton this summer