Sunderland CEO resigns over Adam Johnson scandal

Sunderland CEO Margaret Byrne (left) and Adam Johnson

Sunderland CEO Margaret Byrne has resigned over the Adam Johnson sex scandal. Mrs Byrne has been under fire since the shamed footballer, 28, claimed she "knew everything" about his child sex admissions but allowed him to carry on playing for the club. Outraged fans have been demanding answers from the club as to why Johnson was allowed to return to the pitch just 16 days after he was arrested over grooming and sexually abusing a teenage fan. In a statement posted on Sunderland AFC's website on behalf of the board, the club said it had accepted Mrs Byrne's resignation as a result of her "serious error of judgement".
The club said: "Throughout this deeply regretful situation, we recognise that one devoted young fan and her family have been very badly let down, first and foremost by Mr Johnson and his despicable actions, but also by the club they support.
"We are so very sorry for this."
Johnson's legal team claimed during his trial that Mrs Byrne was told Johnson admitted meeting with the 15-year-old season ticket holder and kissing her in his Range Rover. She was also given a transcript of his police interviews and details of the 834 Whatsapp Johnson exchanged with the girl, they claimed.
In a separate statement, Mrs Byrne, from Armagh, stated she "recommended" Johnson's lawyer Orlando Pownall to him and was present at an "introductory" meeting. She admitted she also forwarded "a note" which made reference to Johnson's admissions to kissing and contacting the girl.
But, Mrs Byrne added, she "did not share this information with anybody including the board of Sunderland AFC."
Johnson was initially suspended by Sunderland following his arrest on March 2 last year. But, after negotiations between his legal team and the Professional Footballers Association (PFA), he was allowed to return to first team duties a few weeks later. Johnson was only sacked after pleading guilty to grooming and sexual activity with a child on the first day of his trial last month.
Mrs Byrne admitted: "I accept that Mr Johnson should not have been permitted to play again, irrespective of what he was going to plead.
It was a serious error of judgment and I accept full responsibility for this."