RELATIONS between Sunderland and Northern Ireland are touching the depths after the cash-strapped club were left with a £40,000 bill to cover Michael Ingham’s international debut as a substitute in goal. Ingham has signed for Wrexham but is technically a Sunderland player until his contract expires on June 30.
Club officials offered to pay out the player’s remaining time on his contract but had no response from his agent. Now that they have received an invoice relating to Ingham’s debut, they are said to be suspicious of the silence from the player’s camp and may demand an inquiry into why the goalkeeper was sent on in the last 14 minutes of the friendly against Germany this month. Under the terms of his contract and transfer agreement, Sunderland owed £40,000 to Cliftonville, Ingham’s first club, if he appeared for his country.
Based on the time he spent on the pitch against Germany, this equates to £2,857 per minute. Although back in the Premiership, Sunderland are watching every penny as they deal with debts totalling more than £30 million. Ingham made only two league appearances for the club last season and was told that he will be released at the end of his contract.
According to Sunderland sources, the affair has further soured the relationship with Lawrie Sanchez, the Northern Ireland manager. The club were already unhappy that George McCartney, their player of the season, returned from international duty with injury problems.