SUNDERLAND’S new board has urged fans to keep backing the regime change on Wearside by buying season tickets to boost new manager Jack Ross’ spending power.

More than 1,000 supporters took advantage of an extension of the early bird deadline over the Bank Holiday weekend to take the total number of those cards sold to a little over 17,000.

Owner Stewart Donald and his executive director Charlie Methven have won over supporters by what they have had to say, putting themselves up for interview with fans’ groups as well as the general media.

Their actions and plans have impressed fans sufficiently to buy season cards, and now Donald is keen to see the figure top the 20,000 mark before the June 22 deadline for the reduced prices expires.

Methven said: "Stewart and I would like to thank the hundreds and hundreds of people who answered our call to arms and bought season cards over the Bank Holiday weekend.

"It is a fantastic start, but we still have a way to go over the next few weeks if we are going to meet our ambition to sell over 20,000.

"All we can ask is that those who have stayed away will decide to join us in our quest to make this club great again – there is no clearer statement of that intent than buying a season card.

"For our part, we are determined that the money committed by fans will be treated with great care, and that as much of it as possible will go to enable Jack Ross to build as strong a squad as possible over the next few weeks.

"In short, more season cards sold will equal better players on the pitch.”

New boss Jack Ross will be paraded in front of the media by the end of the week on his return from holiday. The former St Mirren boss is believed to have been given control over signings and has already spent the last week contemplating changes.

Hibernian’s £3m-rated midfielder John McGinn is in his sights, while the only other two players to have been seriously linked have been St Mirren pair Kyle Magennis and Gavin Reilly.

it has also emerged that Sunderland will not just cave into interest from top-flight clubs, after rejecting a £2m offer from Brighton for Paddy McNair. 

The boost off the pitch following the change of ownership needs to be reflected on it at the start of the season in League One, with Ross looking to get things off on a positive note.

Given the size of the club, based on wage bill and number of supporters alone, compared to other clubs in the division, there will be an expectancy to go straight back up under the new manager.

Former Sunderland midfielder Alex Rae, who was also one of the names being linked with the job before Ross was handed the task, fully expects his compatriot to deliver.

Rae said: “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for Jack to go down south and get a promotion under his belt at the first time of asking.

“I expect them to win League One and come straight back up. I’m down in the North-East quite a bit and have an understanding of where the club were and what has changed.

“Sunderland was in serious debt until recently under previous owner Ellis Short but he has pretty much swallowed that debt now.

“My understanding is that the next two parachute payments may well offset some of his debt but it means the fella who has come in is taking control of a club that’s debt free.

“It’s a totally different situation from the one Derek (McInnes) knocked back. They’ve gone from one extreme to another resulting in back-to-back relegations but if Jack can get the club going in the right direction that can all change very quickly.”

And Rae thinks the supporters will keep buying more season cards if Ross is able to form a squad worthy of competing for promotion.

He said: “The chairman’s on-record saying they will have the biggest budget in the division which doesn’t surprise me with the fanbase they have.

“I have been round about that League One level when I was at MK Dons and within that period we had teams like Leeds, Southampton and Norwich who all bounced straight back up because they had the fanbase and revenue to do that.

“By last Friday Sunderland had sold 16,500 season tickets already – and I’d expect a lot more to come in once they start making signings.

“When you look at other runners and riders in that division, there will not be another one who has anything near that many season tickets – never mind reaching that figure two months before the season starts.”