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Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images
Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images

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Sunderland fans split as Phil Parkinson replaces Jack Ross as manager

Jay Williams
Jay Williams

Sunderland have appointed Phil Parkinson as their new manager, .

Parkinson pens a two-and-a-half-year deal at Sunderland and brings Steve Parkin as his assistant. The former Bolton Wanderers boss replaces Jack Ross at the helm.

Most recently with Bolton, Parkinson has experience of winning promotion from League One. He has also spent time with Bradford City, Charlton Athletic, Hull City and Colchester United.

Was Parkinson first choice?

(Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images)

Other names were mentioned, such as Gareth Ainsworth. But the Wycombe Wanderers manager has since revealed that he turned it down (). Meanwhile, Mark Robins signed a new deal with Coventry City and Paul Cook remained at Wigan Athletic.

Sunderland chairman Stewart Donald was pleased to get Parkinson on board. He told : “Phil has a proven track record when it comes to achieving promotion and I’m delighted to welcome him to Sunderland. During a rigorous recruitment process, it gradually became clear that he was the prime candidate to take the club forward.”

There was a mixed reaction to Parkinson’s appointment. Here are some tweets from Sunderland fans as the opinion was split down the middle on Twitter.