Stewart Donald explains why the Championship's financial changes are good news for Sunderland

The Black Cats Chairman believes the EFL’s increasingly strict stance on Financial Fair Play is beginning to have a major impact on the Championship, with wage bills and transfer spending for the majority of clubs coming down accordingly.

Birmingham City were last season docked nine points for breaching the rules.

Donald remains in talks over long-term investment that would allow the club to financially compete should they win promotion, with parachute payments still a significant advantage for most clubs dropping out of the Premier League.

Nevertheless, he told supporters at a Q&A with the Wise Men Say podcast that a drive to make clubs live within their own means is good news for the Black Cats, whatever division they are in.

Answering a question on the club’s wage bill, he said: “We've budgeted for this season, we're about on line with what we financially expect for this season.

“Next season, we'll tackle it depending on where we are. We're fine.

“The challenge for us is, I don't know how much has been made of it, but it's good news for Sunderland, there's not been a lot of activity in the Championship.

“There's here's been a lot of conversation, and rightly so when you look at the condition of Bury and Bolton, about financial fair play.

“More than half the clubs in the league above in a very interesting position whereby they're going to have to bring their wage bills down drastically,” he added.

“This is good for us because if we get this right and we maximise the potential of Sunderland, get people enthused, buying shirts and everything else, then our turnover naturally is going to be the biggest in the league along with Leeds.

“Everything is shaping up for us to really be able to compete.

“Teams [in the Championship] are slashing seven, ten, fifteen million off their budgets,” he later added.

“One, I don’t think they can afford it and two, they’re just not allowed.

“A lot of the teams are not really signing players, behind the scenes a lot of clubs are having to have a huge rethink.”