JACK ROSS thinks the early signs of a positive relationship with Sunderland’s owner Stewart Donald bodes well for a club in transition with high expectations to succeed in League One this season.

Ross has had to work closely with Donald already to try to change the face of the Black Cats squad, having signed six new players and let a number leave.

The tinkering in terms of personnel will only continue and the Sunderland manager is known to have turned his striker search to Preston for Eoin Doyle in recent days, having stuttered so far to fill that particular role.

But the communication has been good between Ross and Donald and the man in the manager’s office at the Academy of Light can only see that getting better as they strive to achieve good things together at the Stadium of Light.

“Stewart and I get on well from a personality point of view,” said Ross. “Take away the relationship as an owner and a manager, and we got on well from the first time we met. I like him, so that helps. It’s a good starting point. He has an enthusiasm and passion for it, and I would rather that than somebody that didn’t have it.”

As well as the enthusiasm and passion there is also rising expectations on Wearside after recent years of decline under the ownership of Ellis Short.

Back-to-back relegations to the third tier of English football had everyone concerned before Donald moved in and he has impressed supporters with his vision and the work that has already been done to back Ross.

Even though Sunderland’s transfer business has not been concluded, hopes are already high that the aim to make a swift return to the Championship next season can be fulfilled.

That does not scare Ross, who believes he is well equipped for the challenge after his successful stint at St Mirren who he transformed into Scottish Championship winners.

The 42-year-old former Hartlepool defender said: “The expectation would be at this club anyway, regardless of whether it was ramped up or played down. I don’t really mind the expectation and ambition.

“I’ve always been prepared to meet that head on. It’s up to me to prove myself good enough to deal with it. I don’t think you should shy away from it, and if I wanted to shy away from it, I wouldn’t have taken this job on because I know there’s always going to be an expectation and a pressure on whoever is managing this club. No matter what division it is in.

“The supporters are that passionate about the club, they want it to win every week. As the season unravels, whether it’s on a good day or a bad day, I think you’ll get the same consistent answer from me. The expectation and pressure is always going to be there, it’s just about how you deal with it and use it in a positive way.”

Sunderland are looking to add to their attacking ranks after missing out on a couple of players recently, with Doyle known to be under serious consideration.

He has struggled to hold down a first team place at Preston since leaving Cardiff in 2016 but has enjoyed successful loans with Portsmouth and Oldham, scoring 13 goals in 19 appearances with the latter. Preston are willing to sell the player.

He also scored 21 goals in 26 League One games for Chesterfield in 2014-15 after an impressive spell at Hibernian, where Ross was first aware of him from.

Another Hibernian striker on the Sunderland radar is Nottingham Forest’s Jason Cummings.

He was a previous target of former Sunderland boss David Moyes last summer only to head for Forest instead, where Aitor Karanka is willing to let him go. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Rangers.