Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn says his close relationship with manager Roy Keane will help take the club forward.

Quinn said: "We have had great trust in each other from the start and I take at face value the way Roy feels. A contract is only a piece of paper. What's most important to both of us is the direction in which we're headed.

"I wouldn't dream of going in front of Roy and asking him to sign something if I wasn't sure about that. People may think I'm naïve and that I should be worried about him getting poached, but they have to remember our trust.

"The great thing about the relationship with Roy, myself and the investors is that there has never been any friction. We are both here for the same thing and we know the potential that there is, the club is on a lovely and exciting upward path and we're on the same road together."