Non-league chairman in consortium talks

Eastleigh chairman Stewart Donald has revealed he has been asked to be an investor in a consortium looking to take over at Sunderland.

Donald says he ‘won’t rule it out’ but admits it is unlikely anything would happen and it would take an “absolutely sensational” deal for him to get involved.

Sunderland owner Ellis Short is looking to sell the club, with the Black Cats relegated to the third tier.

Short is actively trying to sell, with the uncertainty over future ownership having an impact on Chris Coleman’s rebuilding plans.

Oxfordshire-based businessman Donald has revealed he has been approached by a consortium to be involved as an investor.

Donald told BBC Radio Solent: “If I’m honest I am not that heavily involved.

“What has basically happened, it is common knowledge the club is for sale and there are a few consortiums and whenever there are consortiums there is generally a shortage of money somewhere along the line and I always get asked if I’d be an investor.

“I always say yes because it gets me knowledge of lots of things that happen at different clubs and I can take that away and it helps me here.

“That is the situation at Sunderland, there is a lead investor and they have asked me would I be involved and I have said ‘look, I won’t rule it out but it needs to make sense’.

“Quite where exactly it is, I don’t know, I think there is quite a few people interested in Sunderland at this time.”

Asked what would happen regarding owning Eastleigh if he was to be involved at Sunderland, Donald added: “It is extremely unlikely anything will happen but if remotely something did happen it would mean I would have to let Eastleigh go but it would have to be an absolutely sensational deal for that to be the case.”