MIKE DODDS admits the Sunderland hierarchy, coaching staff and players all have to take responsibility for a season that has “not been good enough”.

The Black Cats’ bitterly-disappointing campaign ended in a fittingly depressing fashion this afternoon as the club’s final home game resulted in a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

Having been in touching distance of the play-off places in eighth position when Tony Mowbray was controversially dismissed in early December, Sunderland ended the season 16th, just six points clear of the relegation positions.

The second half of the campaign has been a complete write-off, with Dodds admitting that mistakes have been made in all areas of the club.

“There's three parts to what's happened this season,” said the interim boss, who is set to return to his former role as a first-team coach this summer. “The club need to reflect on some of the decisions and I'm of course part of that.

“I need to reflect because I've taken the team for this period and it hasn't gone as well as I would have liked.

“And I've said to the players that they have to reflect as well, because if we're brutally honest some of the performances from this season to last - there's been a stark contrast.

“I just addressed the team there in terms of us all having to take responsibility, we can't have the highs of last year and take all the pats on the back, and then start pointing fingers (when it's gone wrong).

“I just said that we deserve to be where we are in the table - it hasn't been good enough. The table doesn't lie so there's some real learnings to be had from everyone and I think the group are clear that there are certain things next season that have to be non-negotiables. As players and staff, we won't accept another season like that.”

Dodds conceded Sunderland deserved to finish in the bottom half of the table, such was the scale of their regression over the course of the season.

“I've said to the group that we are where we are in the table and we deserve it,” he said. “To be brutally honest, I don't think the table lies. We haven't given the fans enough to cheer about, not just in my tenure across the entire season.

“There have been too many games this season where we haven't lost the game, I feel like we've handed it to the opposition. I felt that today in terms of two goals that were so avoidable and then in front of goal, it's been a real consistent theme across the season that we've been really snatchy in front of goal and not looked comfortable.”