Former Sunderland majority owner Stewart Donald has opened up on his desire to return to National League side Eastleigh after selling more of his shares in the Black Cats. It comes after Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and Juan Sartori both increased their stakes in the club to 58 percent and 33 per cent respectively.
Donald - who has reduced his shares in the club from 19 percent to nine percent - claims he has no further intention to sell more of his stake in the club in the short to medium term. The former Black Cats owner says he still loves the club and admits he got it wrong in the eyes of supporters.
With Donald now owning less that a ten per cent stake - it allows him to take up a more hands on role elsewhere, with the co-owner addressing a possible return to former club Eastleigh. Donald has insisted he has no saying in the day to day running of the Wearsiders having taken a step back after selling the club.
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"It means that under the rules that if there's a deal to be done, I can go to another club," Donald told BBC Radio Solent Sport when asked about reducing his shares. "It was part of the thinking, I had a chat with Kyril and Juan and they're really enjoying it I think - they've been great for the club.
"They're really enjoying it and it's been a gradual thing, Kyril has had a look at it and we've had a couple of conversations, as he's enjoying it more he wants to take more and get more involved and that works for me.
"I like being involved in a football club but the roles changed at Sunderland to just writing a cheque if needed, it's just a minority investor role. I talk to Kyril but they make all the decisions, as they should.
"We discussed it recently, it's all happened quite quickly - I'd like to retain 9% at Sunderland because I just love it, it's the most infectious place because they love it [football]. I can't think for any reason why if you could have a share of a club like that, you wouldn't want. It's a nice arrangement, the guys are good people and they have the best interests of the club at heart.
"I came in and it was a bit of a mess, I didn't quite get it the way the fans wanted it and I got a bit of flak for that - and that's all fair enough. Ultimately I've passed it on to what I hope fans will be pleased with, good honest people that are well funded to look after the club.
"My role is a much lesser one so it frees me up to do something else. I'll always have an affection for them, I think I'm probably far more fond of Sunderland than they are of me but the reality is I've made some friends there and it's a special place but I'd like to be involved with Kyril and Juan, so we've kept it at 9%.
"But I'd like to be involved like I was at Sunderland or Eastleigh before that, in the day-to-day running of a football club."
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