Sunderland fans have had their latest update about the takeover situation given by Martin Bain.

Supporting the club must have been a real trial in recent years and it remains tough with them dropping down to League One at the weekend.

Hope will surely grow once the club is sold and, in a positive development, Bain has said a number of parties are taking a serious look at buying out Ellis Short.

Of course, we've been here before with Sunderland and nothing came of it so fans won't get too excited about this news from James Hunter for Chronicle Live, but at least it is something.

Here's what Bain had to say:

"There are a few parties who are currently looking at the club in a meaningful way.

“We have an owner who is very actively trying to sell the club and that will be the game-changer for Sunderland AFC.

“We hope that a new owner comes in, will have a better financial backdrop than what there has been in recent years and will be able to provide that spark."

The Verdict

The sooner Short sells the club and leaves the better for all involved.

He and the club are bleeding money right now and their recent financial results have made for very poor reading.

Certainly, they need to sort things out quickly and it does seem as though they are still trying to get a takeover sorted.

Whether they actually get something over the line, though, remains to be seen.

Thoughts, Black Cats fans? Let us know below!