Halloween fright night for Grayson
SUNDERLAND manager Simon Grayson faces the axe if his struggling side fail to beat Bolton at the Stadium of Light tomorrow.
The Black Cats have not won since August and Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Bristol City keeps them entrenched in the drop zone.
Grayson became the club’s eighth manager in six years when David Moyes quit following relegation from the Premier League last season but has failed to arrest the club’s slump.
Since beating Norwich in August, Sunderland have picked up just four points from a possible 36 and are without a home win.
Grayson knows failure to win the bottom-of-the-table Halloween clash could spell the end of his five months in charge.
As for fourth-placed City, they remain on a UNDER FIRE: Simon Grayson needs to secure a victory over Bolton tomorrow high in a week they knocked Premier League side Crystal Palace out of the Carabao Cup.
The Robins won with 17 minutes left, with Milan Djuric scoring the winner. They had led through Bobby Reid before Lewis Grabban equalised just before the break.
Manager Lee Johnson revealed the strategy he had to use at the interval. “It was probably one of the most aggressive half-time talks I’ve had to give,” said Johnson.
“We had to rile them up and go old school. It was almost like Wacko from Mike Bassett when he hit the wall!
“I’m delighted with the second half. Their goal was a wake-up call. It was about grit and determination, and the inches.”
Reading’s Sone Aluko does not want Jaap Stam to become the latest managerial casualty and says the Dutchman still has the dressing room.
The striker told fans demanding change to be careful what they wish for as out-of-form
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Middlesbrough strolled to three points with a 2-0 win at the Madejski Stadium.
Grant Leadbitter converted a first-half penalty before Britt Assombalonga’s goal sealed victory.
A fourth defeat in five leaves Reading, last season’s play-off finalists, two points above the drop zone. They were booed off and are at home again tomorrow against Nottingham Forest.
“Sacking managers after a few bad results is always the knee-jerk reaction,” said Aluko. “You can see the players are still playing for him. We’re working hard and very much behind him and believe in what he is doing.” Florian Jozefzoon