Sunderland fans deliver Tony Mowbray verdict after Francesco Farioli reports and play-off campaign

Sunderland fans have shown their support towards Tony Mowbray following reports the club may choose to change their head coach.

Mowbray took charge of the Black Cats at the end of August, after Alex Neil left for Stoke City, and guided them into the play-offs despite several injury setbacks.

Following claims Italian coach Francesco Farioli was being lined up for the Sunderland job, similar reports then resurfaced following the club’s play-off defeat against Luton.

Yet Black Cats supporters have recognised the excellent job Mowbray has done on Wearside, and emphatically voted they want him to stay at the club in our Sunderland Echo end of season survey.

Over 1,000 fans took part in the survey, with 98.7% voting they would be happy for Mowbray to stay in charge for the 2023/24 campaign.

A significant majority of 98.3% also voted that Sunderland had exceeded their expectations this season, with 64.4% stating Mowbray had done an outstanding job since taking charge at the Stadium of Light last year.

Sunderland’s sixth-place finish in their first season back in the Championship will understandably raise expectations for the next campaign, though.

More than half of fans who voted in our survey said next season’s aim should be automatic promotion from the Championship, while 33.4% said play-offs should be the Black Cats’ goal.

EFL fixtures for the 2023/24 season will be released on Thursday, June 22 at 9am, while the season will begin on the weekend starting Saturday, August 5.