League One

JIMMY FLOYD HASSELBAINK watched on in horror from the stands as his new Burton side conceded three goals within a disastrous first half an hour against Oxford.
The Dutchman, 48, was appointed manager at the Pirelli Stadium on Friday – five years after leaving the club to take over at QPR.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, right, watched on from the stands as his new Burton side got smashed at home by OxfordCredit: Rex Features

But not even 24 hours later, he realised the magnitude of the task at hand trying to keep the Brewers in League One this season.
Coach Chris Beardsley and physio Nick Fenton took charge of the game on Saturday afternoon when Karl Robinson’s O’s visited.
Just nine minutes were on the clock when Matty Taylor opened the scoring for the away side with a lob.
And it was 2-0 after 18 when Olamide Shodipo fired into the top corner.

Then Shodipo tucked home again on 31 minutes to take things from bad to worse for Burton, who started the day bottom of League One despite no team playing more matches than the Brewers this season.
Hasselbaink was given something to smile about when Burton’s Kane Hemmings tapped in a rebound just before half-time.
But normal service resumed ten minutes after the break when Josh Ruffels smashed in from 25 yards to make it 4-1 to Oxford – then the same player added a fifth just after the hour mark to complete the rout.
The new manager will be desperate to get to work with his squad as they try and survive relegation into the fourth tier.

Hasselbaink, who replaced Nigel Clough’s successor Jake Buxton, joined with the Midlanders six points from safety and with just two wins all season.
The former Leeds United, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea striker enjoyed a successful 13-month spell at Burton between November 2014 and December 2015.
He guided the club to the League Two title and left with a win percentage of 61 per cent and his side top of League One before taking the QPR job.
After a year at Loftus Road and most of the 2017-18 season with Northampton, he had been out of management for nearly three years before returning to work under Burton chairman Ben Robinson.
Hasselbaink said: “Burton Albion is a club which is very close to my heart and a really special club for me and my family.
“The job is totally different from the first time, but we are coming in to try as quickly as possible to get us up the league and keep ourselves in League One.
“There is enough quality in the playing squad but that’s not reflected in where we are in the table so there is a lot of hard work to be done.”

Oxford ran riot in a dominant first half at the Pirelli StadiumCredit: Rex Features

Olamide Shodipo made it 3-0 to the visitors with just 31 minutes on the clockCredit: Rex Features

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SUNDERLAND have confirmed a takeover by 22-year-old Kyril Louis-Dreyfus whose parents are worth £4.2BILLION.
Mackems owner Stewart Donald has been searching for a buyer for months and has finally agreed a deal to sell.

Sunderland have confirmed an agreement has been reached for 22-year-old Kyril Louis-Dreyfus to takeover the clubCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Makems owner Stewart Donald has agreed to sell his controlling stakeCredit: PA:Press Association

Documents have been submitted to the EFL who still need to ratify the deal.
But if they rubber stamp the sale, Dreyfus will become chairman of the Weirsiders – who are 11th in League One – early in January.
Dreyfus is the son of Robert Louis-Dreyfus – former CEO at Adidas and majority shareholder Marseille.
And the family’s vast wealth originates from Kyril’s great-great grandfather Leopold – who starting selling wheat in France before the family business diversified into oil and shipping.

Donald said: “It’s been no secret that I have been looking for some time to find the right person to take Sunderland forward and during the course of the last year there have been a lot of different people wanting to take over.
“However, even though it is a matter of public record that some of those bidders offered me more money, I felt that they offered less to the club and to the community.
“Whereas from the early meetings with Kyril, his family and advisers, I have been greatly impressed with their knowledge and understanding, learned over a long period as owners of major football clubs in Belgium and France.
“I believe that experience, combined with a good plan, will provide a platform for the club to progress and I look forward to watching that progress from afar.”

Louis-Dreyfus said: “First, I would like to thank Stewart Donald for his integrity and reasonableness over the last three months, which has led to me having the opportunity to take a controlling stake in Sunderland AFC.
“I am fully aware of the efforts undertaken by the current ownership and board to protect the viability of the club and respect the difficulty of this task, given Sunderland’s recent past and the current economic climate.
“We respectfully await the EFL’s approval for this transaction.
“Nonetheless it would be remiss of me at this stage not to emphasise what an enormous honour it would be for me to become involved with such a historic club, in a city renowned for its rich football culture going back to 1879.
“Many will be aware of my family connections to the industry and, in acquiring Sunderland AFC, I understand the responsibility that’s placed upon me as the custodian of the club’s future.
“Moving forward, we have a long-term strategy which integrates Sunderland’s proud traditions with a modern structure and approach.
“We will seek to be at the frontier of research and innovation in all performance domains and place great emphasis on player development and the team’s style of play.
“We want to create a team that is entertaining to watch and that embodies the spirit and the culture of those who attend, thereby reconnecting the team with its fanbase, whose support will be so vital to our success.
“In the midst of a global pandemic, we should all be aware of the difficult situation the club is currently in and the challenges we face in the months to come.
“However, through hard work, a diligent plan and togetherness from the board of directors, staff, players and supporters we can between us create a brighter future at the Stadium of Light.
“If we all play our parts, I firmly believe we can restore Sunderland AFC to the top tier of English football and I can’t wait to get started.”

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SUNDERLAND have announced their training ground has shut for ten days with the next THREE games postponed after being hit by a coronavirus outbreak.
The Black Cats were without EIGHT first-team stars for last night’s 1-1 draw with AFC Wimbledon.

Sunderland’s next three games have been postponed due to a coronavirus outbreakCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The Academy of Light has been closed for ten days after a total of five positive casesCredit: Getty – Contributor

And the Academy of Light training ground has now been closed with immediate effect to prevent the virus from spreading further.
It means games against Shrewsbury, Blackpool and Hull City will not be going ahead this month.
But Sunderland are aiming to face Accrington Stanley on December 29 after returning to training two days before.
An official statement read: “Sunderland AFC has today informed the EFL that it will not be able to play its next three Sky Bet League One fixtures following an outbreak of Covid-19 at the Academy of Light.

“After one senior player tested positive for coronavirus on Monday, selected players and staff undertook additional testing and a further four cases of coronavirus have now been confirmed.
“The individuals that have tested positive – and those that have come into close contact with them – are now observing a period of self-isolation at home.
“Following extensive dialogue and clear guidance from Public Health England, SAFC has taken the decision to close the Academy of Light with immediate effect for a 10-day period in order to protect its players and staff and to prevent the further spread of the virus.”
Chief Executive Officer James Rodwell added: “It is with a heavy heart that I have informed the EFL that we are unable to play our next three league fixtures. 

“The welfare of our players, staff and opponents remains the number one priority and following detailed conversations with the relevant authorities, we have also taken the responsible decision to close the Academy of Light for a 10-day period. 
“On behalf of everyone at the club, I wish all of those affected a swift and complete recovery.”
Sunderland’s decision came after Black Cats boss Lee Johnson blasted the EFL for ‘dangerously’ forcing his Covid-hit side to play against Wimbledon on Tuesday.
He was forced to make five changes to his side and name four youngsters on the bench who had played 24 hours earlier for the U23s.
Johnson, who only took charge of Sunderland ten days ago, said: “That game should have been called off, no doubt in my mind. That was dangerous for those two sets of players.
“I can’t help but feel angry, frustrated, at the moment I am not sure who I am angry at. I had to control the controllables. We didn’t get any help with clarity.
“We asked the EFL for permission to postpone the game, and were told ‘If you postpone the game you will be up for sanction and you will be investigated’.
“There was then a lack of clarity on exactly what that investigation entails, and the threat of having to potentially forsake the game and give the three points up to Wimbledon, we weren’t willing to take.
“Don’t forget, it was all very quick and rushed. We’ve got our players’ safety to think of, and the safety of the players from Wimbledon as well as the staff. There should be much better protocols in place.

Boss Lee Johnson was furious the EFL didn’t postpone last night’s game with AFC WimbledonCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Johnson had to call up a number of kids who had played for the U23s just a day earlierCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“If the Bristol Rovers one is the same circumstance, then if they get off scot free, somehow we’ve been tucked up.
“If they get deducted the points, then this becomes a good point because we’ve played the game and hustled with players who aren’t fit.
“The EFL won’t give you the funding to do the testing, but then at the same time, they won’t help you out when there’s a circumstance that happens. It’s almost like we’ve been punished for doing the right protocols.”
But the EFL fired back, saying: “The safety and well-being of players is a priority and the protocols that have been developed are designed to protect individuals and, if followed, will help prevent the spread of infection.
“All EFL Clubs are aware of the processes and steps needed to take in the event of positive cases of COVID-19 and the impact this could have on their wider playing squads.
“Throughout our extensive discussions on Tuesday it was made clear to the management of Sunderland that the option existed for them to inform the League they were unable to fulfil the fixture, but this would result in the circumstances being investigated as a result of the Club being required to fulfil their fixture obligations in accordance with the regulations.
“This is consistent with the approach taken with other Clubs who have been faced with similar situation and the requirement to self-isolate players and staff in line with EFL and Government guidance.
“As Sunderland has confirmed they opted not to do this for the reasons they have identified and to play in the fixture.
“That decision rested with the Club as only they can make the determination on whether they had sufficient players available from their squad to fulfil the fixture.”

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WIGAN ATHLETIC’S future is in jeopardy after their proposed takeover was blocked by the EFL because the new owners ‘failed to satisfy the league’s requirements’.
Spanish bidder Jose Miguel Garrido Cristo was hoping to close out a deal to purchase the Latics.

Wigan hit another stumbling block with their prospective new owners failing the Owners and Directors test from the EFLCredit: EPA

But as revealed by SunSport, the EFL wanted to ask more questions about his business as part of the Owners and Directors test.
And after ‘significant due diligence’ from the Football League, they have concluded the Spanish consortium do not pass the requirements.
The EFL said: “The EFL has in recent weeks undertaken significant due diligence on the relevant parties in accordance with its regulations and, based on the information that has been made available, the board confirmed it was not in a position to agree to an application to transfer membership in the EFL to the proposed purchasers as the League’s requirements have not been satisfied.
“The board reiterated its commitment to working with the administrators to secure a successful and sustainable future for the club and will meet with them to discuss the implications of this decision at the earliest opportunity.”

Garrido Cristo – the former Albacete and Castellon owner – was planning to put up around £1million from his Eolus Capital group into buying and then running the League One strugglers.
The EFL demanded bank statements about where Eolus Capital got their funds from.
Their last accounts showed they have £8.5m.
Leganes owner Felipe Moreno would have been a major shareholder along with Garrido Cristo’s brother Papadopaulo as the official partner.

Moreno was passed by the EFL but it is Garrido Cristo who was rejected, leaving Wigan – who will receive £375,000 from the Premier League rescue package – in the dark.
The club were placed in administration, relegated into League One, lost a number of key players in the summer transfer window and now sit bottom of the table without a manager.
But with the exclusivity period over the Spanish-backed takeover talks coming to an end, that could open the door for another offer.
Deal broker Ray Ranson has a rival bid, backed by long-term friend and financier Jonathan Rowland.

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