Sunderland chairman Ellis Short says the support of their fans will be crucial for their future.

Short says manager Martin O'Neill's arrival has had a noticeable impact on the supporters and has highlighted the importance of the fans' role in driving the club forward.

He told SAFC -TV: "It's very important for the fans to show their support.

"Since Martin has joined there has been a noticeable increase in the noise around the stadium and it certainly seems like the fans' support is stronger since he joined.

"That's the kind of support we want going forward. The better the support, the better chance we have on the pitch.

"That's one of the reason we froze ticket prices. We're not really interested about the amount of money we can make from the supporters.

"What we're really interested is getting the supporters there and getting them singing, cheering and fully behind the team.

"That's what helps us do better on the pitch."