Short: 'No one who knows me or knows anything about me would say that I have no ambition for the club'

Writing in his programme notes for Saturday’s game against Swansea City, Short said he was ‘upset and angry’ with the start to the season which has seen Sunderland lose both games comprehensively, firstly to Leicester City, and then a 3-1 reverse at home to newly-promoted Norwich a week ago.

• Advocaat refuses to give guarantees over future and predicts dire consequences unless major signings arrive

Short also admitted that the responsibility for Sunderland’s current predicament rests on his shoulders – but denied that he lacked ambition.

“It goes without saying that no one is happy with our start to the season. We are upset and angry,” said Short.

“No one who knows me or knows anything about me would say that I have no ambition for the club. That ambition certainly has not been realised yet, but it does not mean that I don’t have it.

“The assertion that I have been unwilling to spend money to fulfil the ambitions of the club and its fans is completely wrong. Every penny that comes from TV income and other commercial activities is spent on operating the club – that is, buying players, wages and other associated costs.

“I have never taken money out of the club. In fact, I have funded significant shortfalls each and every season. The amount that I fund, every season, exceeds the collective total amount funded by every owner Sunderland has ever had since the club was formed in 1879. I have done this willingly as I want us to be more than a club that simply exists in the top flight.

“Negligible owner-funding during the Premier League era resulted in Sunderland not being in the top flight for 15 of the 22 years. Since I have been involved, the good news is that my investment has kept us in the Premier League for nine consecutive seasons. The bad news is, for that amount of money spent, we should be better than we are and no one knows that more than me. Has the money been spent effectively? No – that much is clear and ultimately that is my fault, but it is not a result of a lack of ambition or commitment.”

Head coach Dick Advocaat has met with Short and stressed the need for extra reinforcements, with Sunderland’s squad lacking defensively and creatively. And the Texan billionaire is confident there will be further movement in the transfer market.

Short added: “To date, this summer we have committed £21.5m in transfer fees (this includes the mandatory purchase of Santiago Vergini) and remain hopeful that there is still more business to be done before the window closes.”

Short also responded to former Black Cats left-back Michael Gray’s accusation that he had been lying to fans for five years.

Gray said in a talkSPORT interview earlier in the week: “The TV rights for the next three years are around £150million – Ellis Short needs to go and spend it. For the last five years he has been lying to the fans. He has promised players every single transfer window, they haven’t come in, and the players that have been brought in have been has-beens.”

But Short said: “Michael Gray made quite a serious accusation claiming that I have lied to supporters. I have not. Michael Gray should admit that he was wrong.

“At the club we are all focused on getting this season on track. We have 36 games remaining and the job now is to do the best we can to improve the situation. We have been in a lot worse situations with a lot fewer games to play.”