" SUNDERLAND'S CHIEF RESIGNS OVER ADAM JOHNSON "

Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne has resigned following the Adam Johnson child abuse case.

Johnson, 28, faces a jail sentence after being found guilty of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl.

Sunderland have been criticised for allowing the England international to continue playing after his arrest.

Byrne said she recognised the decision to allow Johnson to continue to play for the club "was a serious mistake".

In a statement Sunderland said Johnson's victim had been "very badly let down first and foremost by Mr Johnson and his despicable actions, but also by the club they support".

The club added: "We are so very sorry for this."

The Premier League club initially suspended Johnson in March 2015 but lifted that ban after just 16 days.

They eventually sacked him on the eve of his trial last month, when he admitted grooming the girl and one charge of sexual activity.

In those intervening 10 months, he played 28 times for the Black Cats.

hmmm tough one, i dont really think the club can be blamed here, they would have made their decision under advisement from lawyers and the fact that he was telling them he was innocent.

Agree with you paul he was in theory innocent until proven guilty think the club done nothing wrong there and immediately sacked him once he changed his plea to guilty

He obviously knew he was quilt, just told the club he was innocent to keep the money rolling in because he knew his big pay days were about to come to an end

hmmm tough one, i dont really think the club can be blamed here, they would have made their decision under advisement from lawyers and the fact that he was telling them he was innocent.

With you on this ...its a toughie...he wasn't convicted,but I'm sure that the club knew that any media attention would not be good given the type of offence.....I think they should have sidelined him.....but as I say at the time he was guilty of nothing...

Don't think she had any reason to resign.

Heads should roll.

He should have been suspended until the guilty plea and then sacked.

Had he been a less important player I'm sure this would have been the case.

hmmm tough one, i dont really think the club can be blamed here, they would have made their decision under advisement from lawyers and the fact that he was telling them he was innocent.

I agree with you it would be a tough call. When you listen to those who have been accused and later found innocent they complain that they were treated as guilty from the moment of arrest even though as pointed out they are innocent until proven guilty.

I fully understand the victim feeling hurt by the clubs decision but the one at fault here is that scheming nonce Adam Johnson not Sunderland FC who are also an innocent party due to being misled by that pervert.

He told her what happened and showed her the texts. That should have been a sacking right then