PHIL PARKINSON has praised Sunderland’s under-fire owner Stewart Donald for sticking by his word to support the recruitment drive in the January transfer window despite a desire to sell the club.

The Black Cats, who allowed Dylan McGeouch to join Aberdeen this week, have had talks with numerous clubs and targets already and Parkinson confirmed yesterday that Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty had been at the Academy of Light to discuss a deal.

Donald has assured the Sunderland manager that he will continue to back the recruitment process, even though his intention is to sell and find a suitable buyer to take the Wearside outfit forward.

The owner issued a statement earlier in the week confirming his stance following the four main supporters’ groups of the club uniting to ask him to sell up at the end of last month.

A Love Supreme, the Red & White Army, Roker Report and the Wise Men Say Podcast also issued a fresh statement yesterday welcoming Donald’s decision, while outlining they remain in dialogue with him about the state of play.

In the latest statement they also urged for fans to unite behind the team, which would seriously help the promotion bid after an unbeaten five match run that has lifted them in touch with the top six again ahead of Saturday’s visit of leaders Wycombe.

Parkinson said: “I know this division there are so many ups and downs, any team I have managed which has been successful in it has seen periods where you have struggled a bit. I have always known where I wanted to get the team and squad to. Clearly in terms of the squad, January is important and that is why we are trying to address that.

“I have to give the owner credit because we were wondering what would happen when he made the statement about selling, but he is putting the plans in place to make sure that everything is behind us in terms of making signings.

“What he has said publicly, he has said he is 100 per cent behind us improving the squad in this window. He is fully committed to doing the work he has done. He has said he is willing to sell the club, but while he is here he will do what he can to help us.”

Asked specifically about the latest fans’ statement, Parkinson added: “I have heard about that, that’s key. The supporters have said what they have had to say, the chairman has responded, nothing will be done overnight but we need everyone to pull together to make sure this run continues.”

Since feeling the wrath of the Stadium of Light crowd on Boxing Day when there were calls for Parkinson to be sacked, the former Bolton boss has taken seven points from the last nine available, including two impressive wins over Lincoln and Doncaster.

While the signs are encouraging on the pitch, he is keen for those to continue and he wants to capitalise by making sure that there are a number of new signings brought into help sustain the improvements.

“The squad is light in certain areas, there are positions where we need to rectify problems so we are having to look at that and we are making progress,” said Parkinson.

Lafferty is the leading striker target at this stage. The experienced front-man is also wanted by his former club Hearts after becoming a free agent following the end of his contract in Norway with Sarpsborg 08.

He had suggested earlier this week that a return to Tynecastle was his priority but the prospect of a move to Sunderland has since emerged and Parkinson has confirmed the chase.

“We have had talks with Kyle,” he said. “We have a long list of players and if we get a deal over the line we will let everyone know. We have targets in mind and if we don’t get our first one then we will make sure we get one from our targets.  “I would rather leave it at like that. He is a player we have spoken to and we will continue to talk to him along with many others.”

Sunderland also remain keen on Burton striker Liam Boyce, but Parkinson was more reluctant to talk about the because the player is under contract. He did admit he liked him and rated him.

Sunderland face leaders Wycombe without fresh injuries but there has been a bug around the training ground. Parkinson said: “There’s nothing major. There has been a bit of illness around the building. Joel Lynch missed loads last week, Luke O’Nien has been off the early part of this week. There is quite a bit going around.”

And Parkinson insists that he has not been surprised by Sunderland’s recent improvements in form and feels it can continue.

He said: “If you go back to the first few games we did play the way we were playing now, even if it was a different formation, like Tranmere at home, Shrewsbury away, we completely dominated. We then lost our way a bit with the cup games, changed the team, call-ups, lost our cohesion and we feel we are starting to get that back.”