Sunderland season cards snapped up as Kristjaan Speakman and Steve Davison provide encouraging update

Davison met with Sunderland supporter groups, including Red and White Army, along with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman and head of supporter engagement Chris Waters on May 26.

The minutes of the meeting can now be read online and state: “SD is happy with how the season card campaign went, there are approximately 21,000 purchased for next season.

"Hospitality sales have gone very well. There has been less engagement with younger fans and this is in common with many other clubs and a hangover from the pandemic / streaming views.”

Despite Sunderland’s defeat by Lincoln in the play-offs, Speakman says the club are now trying to build a youthful and energetic team following several first-team departures

The minutes read: “KS believes the team has shown, at times, the type of football we want to play; that a long-term approach must also meet short term goals.

“The squad review has been completed. An analytical approach has been used to build a youthful energetic team for the future. Tough decisions have been made for the long-term future of the team.

"A player recruitment model has been developed. It is an evidence-based system that will build a bespoke analytical player recruitment model within five years.”

On the board’s representation, it was explained that as the main shareholder Kyril Louis-Dreyfus can make some decisions unilaterally, while other decisions require shareholder agreement

Davison confirmed Dave Jones, Tom Sloanes are non-executive board members.

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