ROSS: FANS A BIG PART OF BLACK CATS

Sunderland Bradford League One, kick-off 3pm

v JACK ROSS says Sunderland are a “monster” club – after they sold more than 40,000 tickets for today’s game against Bradford.

The Wearsiders will have the biggest thirdtier crowd since the 1979 Sheffield derby, which attracted 49,309 fans.

The club suffered a promotion setback, losing to top-of-the table rivals Portsmouth on Saturday, and will now have to rise to the Boxing Day occasion.

Boss Ross (above) said: “It’s what keeps me going. I am privileged to be the manager of Sunderland because it is a monster of a football club and the fans have backed the club remarkably well during this downturn.

“I’ve got a lot of players who have played in front of a crowd of that size and a lot bigger and I’ve got a lot of players who have shown that they rise to the big occasion time after time this season. I know my players will thrive on the huge backing. There’s a huge responsibility on my shoulders and the drive is to reward the crowd.”

The Black Cats’ average gate is already bigger than both Leeds and Manchester City pulled in when they were playing at the same level.

And with around 44,000 expected at the Stadium of Light today, Ross wants a show. “There is a responsibility on me to make sure there is a team befitting of that crowd, that show of loyalty and commitment,” said Ross. “Most of the time we have done that this season, and there is an onus on us to do that again on Boxing Day, as we don’t want to disappoint those that have come.

“We want to make sure that those who have come for the first time in a while, that we have encouraged them to come back again.

“It’s often said but it is very much the case for everybody – you want to put things right in football as quickly as you can.”