Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has hit back at recent reports claiming the club could lose their Category One academy status. The piece also reported that Sunderland's academy, the club’s 'crown jewel', was in danger of being downgraded, a claim which particularly frustrated Donald. "It's had a massive effect for us in the academy," Donald told BBC Newcastle radio show Total Sport when discussing the article. "But we have parents in the academy going, 'if you want to downgrade the academy we want our kids to leave', that's going to cost us money. "I may well have to give up some of my stake but I'm not leaving, I can't leave Sunderland Football Club not with how it is, I absolutely love it.

Source: BBC May 25, 2019 08:01 UTC