Sunderland's cloak and dagger shareholdings a new low for Black Cats

"Sunderland AFC today received approval from the English Football League for Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to acquire a controlling interest in the club, signalling the start of a new era on Wearside."

That was the statement pedalled out to Sunderland supporters on February 18, 2021.

'A new era' was all Wearsiders' hoped for after the worst years of the clubs' history.

Relegation to League One, combined with the manner in which they did it, was a historic low for many Sunderland supporters.

But now, after the recent reveal in breakdown of shareholdings at the Stadium of Light, fans have been let down once more.

Madrox remain a combined majority shareholder in the club, with Louis-Dreyfus owning the remaining 41 per cent.

While there may be some truth in a 'controlling interest', to which Louis-Dreyfus does indeed own the largest share at the club, it is not a majority, which red and white supporters had hoped for.

The fact it's taken almost 12 months into the 25-year-old's tenure on Wearside to find out this information, speaks volumes.

They've ducked and dodged the local press in that time, leaving questions unanswered.

The club remain adamant that it does not affect the day-to-day running of things at the Stadium of Light, but the cloak and dagger approach does nothing to maintain rapport with supporters.

Things have at least appeared better since the arrival of Louis-Dreyfus, but with the club going through a rough patch on the field, questions were always going to resurface about who was running the club. Fans had every right to ask.

In an interview with BBC Radio Newcastle in 2020, former owner Stewart Donald said: "I know they [the fans] want me out, and I am desperately trying to get out."

Donald may well have disappeared