Stewart Donald reacts as Charlie Methven resigns as director at Sunderland AFC

Methven has this morning announced that he will step down officially as a board member next Thursday.

He will retain his 6% stake in the club but will have a less active role in day-to-day affairs.

Juan Sartori is now set to step up his involvement after returning to the UK following his recent election as a senator in Uruguay.

Read Charlie Methven’s statement in full as he steps down from the Sunderland board

“This is a really difficult one for me, as Charlie and I have been working non-stop together on this for almost two years,” Donald said.

“He came and asked if he could resign a couple of months ago, as he was finding it very difficult to keep all the plates in his life spinning, but I asked him to stay on until the investment process was concluded and Juan was back in the UK.

“I am grateful that he did that, as it enabled me to take a breather and re-gather my energies for the next stage, but it will still feel odd without him, even if we still see each other on a social basis. I want to wish him and Helene all the best as they look to start their family.”

It will leave Donald, Sartori, Angela Lowes (finance director) and Neil Fox (director) as the club’s board members going forward.