Short, the owner, has placed a £100 million asking price on Sunderland

The sense of crisis at Sunderland has increased with the departures of two of the men who had been entrusted with implementing a long-term strategy at the troubled Wearside club.

Simon Wilson and Mick Doherty, who joined in the past 12 months as chief football officer and chief scout respectively, were regarded as appointments that would sustain the club far beyond an anticipated change of ownership.

Wilson, whose work at Southampton and Manchester City was highly regarded, joined less than six months ago with a long-term brief but he and Doherty, formerly of Everton, have both chosen to leave following Sunderland’s relegation from the Premier League and the uncertainty over a potential takeover.

Sunderland failed in their attempt to hire McInnes ANDREW MILLIGAN/PA WIRE

It means Sunderland are without a chief football officer and a chief