EX-SAINT Chris Wilder has emerged as one of the favourites to become Sunderland manager under the new chairmanship of Stewart Donald.

Subject to English Football League approval, ownership of the Black Cats will pass to an international consortium of investors led by Donald, who is relinquishing control of non-League Eastleigh to move to the Stadium of Light.

Wilder, who came through the youth ranks at Saints and will know Donald from his time managing Oxford United, is currently boss of Sheffield United and wants to remain at the club he supported as a boy.

But there is reported boardroom unrest at Bramall Lane and the 50-year-old has been quoted as saying: “You’ve always got a decision if you don’t agree with what’s going on above you.”

Aside from his association with Eastleigh, Donald, whose company Bridle Insurance is based in Oxfordshire, has been a key behind-the-scenes presence at Oxford United over the last decade as an investor, shirt sponsor and supporters’ trust committee member.

He believes that that experience, coupled with transforming Eastleigh over the last six seasons, will serve him well as he attempts to breathe new life into fallen giants Sunderland.

The Black Cats now find themselves in League One after successive relegations from the Premier League and the Championship.

Donald said: “Eastleigh and Oxford are different cases to each other and, of course, smaller than Sunderland. The similarity, though, is that there is also a lot that needs to be addressed here, and it needs to be addressed with realism, focus and dedication.

“For a club with one of the best fan bases, stadiums and academies in the UK to find itself in League One is unacceptable.

“We have a carefully thoughtthrough plan to restructure the club, make it sustainable and, with the help of the fans, to restore its sense of pride and reconnect it with the local community.

“In short, we are rolling our sleeves up to do what needs to be done to ready this club to start competing again.

“All of us involved in this bid believe that Sunderland represents an extraordinary opportunity.

"We believe we have acquired the necessary skillsets to overcome the many challenges that will face us at this huge club.”