In the wake of Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' takeover being confirmed by the EFL, Sunderland have announced the departure of CEO James Rodwell.

Rodwell was recruited in April 2020 from Scunthorpe United by then-owner Stewart Donald, who was in the process of finding a buyer for the Black Cats.

He professed great excitement at the time to be joining Sunderland, but the club website have stated that Rodwell was brought to the club by Donald to oversee the sale - which ended up taking 10 months.

However he was lambasted by many sections of the Black Cats fanbase for the season card fiasco in the summer that left fans waiting for refunds, which left a sour taste in the mouths of many.

Nevertheless with the sale of the club to 23-year-old Louis-Dreyfus now ratified by the EFL, Rodwell had completed his job and with Sporting Director Kristjaan Speakman in place and Steve Davison being appointed COO last month, Rodwell was no longer needed.

New owner Louis-Dreyfus has wished Rodwell well for the future, saying (per the official website): “I would like to thank Jim for the support that he has given me during the sale process.

"His integrity and professionalism have been much in evidence, and the good leadership he has displayed in maintaining the stability of the club during the Covid-19 pandemic should also be recognised."

Those well-wishes haven't been fully reciprocated by many Sunderland fans, who have been reacting to the news on social media.