Sunderland fans' anger as club confirm redundancies

Staff are facing redundancies at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats released a statement on Tuesday saying that a number of roles and departments will be “consolidated” - leading to a “reduction of the club’s workforce”.

While the exact figure and the threatened roles have not been identified, followers of the Echo's social media pages believe that chief executive Martin Bain and manager David Moyes would have been more fitting targets for the chop.

They also question the wisdom of taking the squad, currently bottom of the Premier League, to New York on a bonding trip last week if other employees were to be made redundant so soon after. Writing on Facebook, Matty King said: "Might want to think about taking the squad to Skegness instead of New York, people's jobs should come before a luxury trip away."

Keith Coundon added: "Mr Bain ....how many of the salaries of those facing redundancies could have been paid for instead of sending highly over payed players on a 'team bonding trip' to New York?"

Graeme Wright said: "Absolutely slack behaviour from a club that took team of underachievers to New York for training and bonding.

"The bond of any club is the day to day people that run it and the fans. Not players, managers and people like Martin Bain."

Alison Pinkney remarked: "Instead of letting these staff go why not hand them a shirt and give them a game they can't do any worse. Betty from the burger kiosk would make a great partner up front with Defoe."

Scott Paul Bemment said: "So SAFC can afford to take a load of overpaid under-performing prima donnas to New York last week yet sack someone who needs a behind the scenes job just to pay their mortgage or rent, makes me sick."

Others were frustrated at the timing given the success of the club's open day on Monday in which pupils on half-term holiday were allowed to meet players at training.

Colin Lynch lamented: "How to engage with a club one day .......then disengage with it the next. "Bit like winning the performance of the week one week then handing it over to the opposition team the week after."

Liam Mccready added: "Shame Martin Bain's not amongst the those been made redundant. Nothing but doom and gloom comes out of his mouth."

Click here for more on this story