"I've learnt a lot this summer" - Bob

Now that the summer transfer window's closed, SAFC chairman Bob Murray has spoken publicly about the club's strategy for reducing costs, including selling some crowd favourite players.

"It’s been very tough at times, but I’ve learnt a lot over the summer", Murray said in a statement tonight.

"There were four main areas where we had to act quickly and decisively. Firstly, we had to cut costs across the whole business and secondly we had to go through a painful redundancy programme to cut staff numbers.

“After this, our focus shifted to the playing squad because we knew we would have to cut the number of players as well as reducing the wage bill."

Murray acknowledged that some players have been sold whom supporters would rather have seen retained, but said sales were made simply for the good of the club. "I accept that many supporters wanted the club to retain some players, or only to sell other individuals at a certain price.

"Sadly, we didn’t have the luxury of holding on to some of our higher wage earners. It wasn’t a matter of choice."

But as a result of moving on a total of 23 players, the wage bill at SAFC has been halved - and he said that EVERY Sunderland player agreed to the wage deferral scheme, despite rumours that some players had refused to agree to the PFA-negotiated scheme.

And the chairman said everyone at the club was now looking forward to moving on positively through the season, with uncertainty over player movements temporarily not a factor. "It’s really important for Mick and the players because they now know who is here to stay and can concentrate solely on getting results.

"Mick has been very understanding of the situation and what he inherited since he arrived. We hope his influence is becoming more apparent with a settled team.

"We’ve also brought three new players in, and the only player to figure in the last three victories that has had to leave was Kevin Kilbane who had only 10 months left on his contract.

"We’ve made considerable progress over the summer and achieved everything we set out to do.

"We all hope the last three games were the seeds of long-term recovery – but no one is complacent. We know there is still a way to go."

Gray: I'll forfeit £1m testimonial for a permanent deal

Celtic new-boy Mickey Gray has revealed that he'd willingly forego his overdue Sunderland testimonial if it meant he could secure a permanent deal at Parkhead.

Sunderland announced as long ago as January 2001 that Gray was to be given a testimonial match and ironically the opposition were to be Celtic - but time went on and no testimonial materialised despite Niall Quinn's highly publicised benefit game taking place in the meantime.

Now, though, Gray says he'd forego his testimonial in favour of a permanent contract at Celtic if he impresses Martin O'Neill during his four month loan spell.

"I had a match arranged against Celtic, though that won't happen now if this loan deal becomes permanent," the player told the Daily Record.

"Martin O'Neill was nice enough to say yes at the time and those kind of things stick in your mind so I have appreciated him ever since. We didn't really have a date (for the testimonial) because Celtic were in Europe at the time.

Gray says he still harbours hopes of adding to his three England caps, and has his fingers crossed that European football with Celtic will give him the chance he needs to impress Sven Goran Eriksson.

"I obviously still have ambitions to add to the three caps that I have already got which is going to be difficult, but if I have a chance to be seen playing well then Celtic is the place to be. If you're in the Champions League, it's a great platform to show people what you can do.

"I have played for my country three times and that was an unbelievable experience for myself and something I am very proud of.

Gray told the Evening Times in Scotland, "I'm not about to start telling Mr Eriksson how to pick his team - I just hope, if I'm in the spotlight up here, it might do my chances some good."

"Niall Quinn's hotel rooms are the best...."!

Retired Sunderland legend Niall Quinn is combining his football know-how with business acumen to make the most of a new investment.

Quinny moved back to his native Ireland after retiring from professional football, and it's been reported today that he's bought shares in the exclusive Killashee Hotel in his homeland, with a view to having some input into forthcoming refurbishments aimed at attracting sporting clientele.

Quinny hopes to market the venue as somewhere for footballers to go and get away from the pressures of top flight football. "It's nicely secluded, offering privacy, and we have ambitious plans to provide top-class training facilities," said Ireland's all-time top scorer. He and his new partners hope to add three state-of-the-art football pitches and a health spa to the four-star hotel - a night in which will set you back from €215 to €415.

Quinny will also apparently be runing fitness sessions from the hotel three times a week, for members of its leisure club.

But this isn't Big Niall's first sortie into the world of commerce - he also owns shares in pubs in Carlow and Clonmel, and is hoping to set up a horse breeding operation at his farm near Kildare.