With Sunderland three matches away from automatic promotion to the English
Premiership, club chairman Niall Quinn has promised manager Roy Keane money
to spend this summer, whether the club win promotion to the Premiership or
not.
 The
Black Cats have agreed a four-year sponsorship deal with Irish bookmakers
Boylesports, which could be worth in excess of £10m.
Sunderland are top of the Championship with four games left.
But Quinn said: "If we are unfortunate enough to miss out this year, we have
a massive injection to add to the team."
He explained: "Coming in we have the money from this deal, the money from
the extra Sky parachute payment if we stay down, Drumaville (the consortium
behind Quinn) are going match that extra payment from Sky and we also hope
to have increased revenue next year in terms of the crowds.
"All that will go to Roy to improve the football team. That is me being a
chairman ensuring Roy has all the structures he needs.
"If all goes well in the next four games and we manage to get into the
Premiership the mindset is the same, but the figures will be different."
In any case, striker Stern John and his teammates are placing all their
focus on maintaining their lead atop the table and move up into the top
flight.
Substitute Grant Leadbitter
fired Sunderland closer to automatic promotion with another match-winning
goal against a plucky Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, reported
sunderland-mad.co.uk
The local youngster, who hit the winner at Southampton on Monday, duly
obliged again 15 minutes after replacing Dwight Yorke with the leaders
struggling to break down the visitors.
Sunderland forged ahead after just six minutes with a well-worked goal
superbly finished by Dean Whitehead. Nyron Nosworthy surged forward to find
David Connolly who released Whitehead and the Black Cats skipper confidently
beat Lee Camp.
 The
home side should have been further ahead in the 20th minute only for both
Whitehead and Daryl Murphy fail to make connect to an inswinging Carlos
Edwards corner when well placed in front of goal.
The bumper Stadium of Light crowd however, was stunned in the 23rd minute
with a surprise equaliser. Dexter Blackstock surged into the penalty area
and when he went down under the challenge of goalkeeper Darren Ward, referee
Michael Jones had no hesitation in awarding a penalty, Martin Rowlands
converting easily.
Stunned into action, Sunderland surged forward with Jonny Evans failing to
make contact in front of goal from a Ross Wallace free-kick and then Damion
Stewart was only inches away from turning an Edwards cross into his own
goal.
Murphy wasted a great chance when going clear only to shoot past the post
and in a frantic finish to the first half, Rangers had Danny Culip and Adam
Bolder booked for rash fouls.
Sunderland were forced to reshuffle for the second half when winger Ross
Wallace failed to re-appear and after the lively Edwards had twice gone
close, the winger played his part in the 76th minute winner.
Substitute Paul Furlong was booked for a challenge on Edwards who played the
free-kick square for Leadbitter to shoot through a crowd of players.
Sunderland, unbeaten in 17 matches, can afford to lose one of their three
remaining matches and still gain automatic promotion to the Premiership.
Keane considers new
contract
Although
Roy Keane still has 2 years remaining on his current Sunderland deal, the
Irishman has entered talks with Niall Quinn about extending his stay on
Wearside.
The Sunderland manager has guided the Black Cats to a remarkable turn
around. The Wearside outfit were rock-bottom of the Championship before
Keane's arrival and now with only 3 games to go in the league, they sit
proudly at the top of the table.
"There have been initial talks. I signed a three-year deal initially because
I was quite comfortable with that," he explained in the News of the World.
"It was the same when I was a player. I didn't believe in signing too many
contract extensions when I had a couple of years to go.
"I am very happy here. I could stay for ten years - but if we lose ten games
I'm sure I won't be here."
Chairman Niall Quinn is working as hard as possible to keep Keane on
Wearside for the forseeable future and he expects a number of clubs will be
sniffing around his, and the Sunderland fans' prized possession.
"Roy is in place for two more years - regardless of whether we win promotion
or not," he said.
"Although now is not the time to be thinking about his future, a new deal
will be on the agenda."
He declared: "My job as a chairman will come to a point where the vision of
the future of the football club is something our manager won't want to leave
for someone else.
"We know if we are not looking after Roy properly and we are not providing
world-class back-up for him and someone else comes in, then I haven't done
my job properly." (photos courtesy sunderland-mad.co.uk)
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