What does future hold for Martin Bain and what's the situation with Sunderland's parachute payments?

New Sunderland owner Stewart Donald refused to be drawn on the future of Martin Bain and said it isn't fair to talk publicly about any of the club's staff.
Sunderland chief executive Martin Bain.Sunderland chief executive Martin Bain.
Sunderland chief executive Martin Bain.

Bain's future at the Stadium of Light remains unclear under the Donald regime, the takeover being officially confirmed on Monday.

Donald was asked what the future held for the club's chief executive, he said: "At this stage it isn’t really fair to talk about any of the staff.

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"I know there are going to be questions about Jack Rodwell – every two seconds I get a message about Jack Rodwell – or Martin Bain, or the laundry lady, or whoever.

"We just have to get in very quickly and assess the football club.

"If we are going to do anything with the staff, whether it is playing staff or non-playing staff, I think the staff need to know first."

Majority shareholder Donald was unveiled at the Stadium of Light alongside Charlie Methven, a minority shareholder and director under the new regime.

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Sunderland, relegated to League One last season, will be due their second Premier League parachute payment this year - around £33million - and there had been reports in the national press that Ellis Short was taking that as part of the deal.

Methven confirmed that is not the case. But he did add that the £40million that Donald is paying Short for the sale of the club, in installments over a maximum of two years, is secured against the parachute payments.

The club's new owners will also have to fork out substantial transfer legacy payments in excess of £20million this summer.

Methven added: "Just to be quite clear on that, this summer people who follow the Sunderland situation closely will understand that there’s a considerable cash requirement this summer.

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"The discussion with Ellis was that we would be able to pay him over a period of time because he knew that we were going to have quite a lot of investment that needed to be made this summer.

"As Stewart said the price was £40million and Sunderland are debt free."

Short agreed to wipe the £125million debt as part of the sale.