GARY BENNETT
in his day (below), insists it “galvanised’’ Denis Smith’s men to fix their sights on winning the old Third Division. And he is urging new Sunderland boss Jack Ross to do the same and concentrate on nothing else but leaving League One. The Stadium of Light meeting today will be only the second competitive time the sides have faced off in nearly 55 years. Bennett, 56, said of the ’87 humbling: “You can reflect now and say, ‘Was it a bad result or a good result?’ It was disappointing because, playing Scunthorpe, everybody expects you to win. “But we went on to win the division, so I think it was a wake-up call and it galvanised the players. “It happened early enough in the season and gave us time to gather our thoughts and focus on the main thing – promotion. “That was the No.1 aim then and it is for Sunderland now. It’s a long season and you have to make sure the players realise what the division is all about. “Sunderland are a big scalp – it’s a cup final every week for opponents – and that’s the pressure you have to deal with.’’ Bennett is impressed with Ross’ recruitment this summer since he quit St Mirren, after winning the Scottish Championship, to tackle the challenge on Wearside after a second successive relegation.
Under new owner Stewart Donald, Ross has brought in more than a whole team of players on a tight budget.
Bennett picked out those he reckons will help Sunderland make the promotion shake-up: goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin (Hearts, free); defender Jack Baldwin (Peterborough, £200,000); midfielders Dylan McGeouch (Hibs, free) and Max Power (Wigan, loan); and striker Charlie Wyke (Bradford, £600,000 rising to £1million).
Bennett said: “Baldwin looks decent and McLaughlin looks very comfortable.
“Power has experience and there’s McGeouch and Wyke to come back from injury. With the young players who were already here, there’s a good blend. They’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Ross, 42, visited Spanish giants Valencia to study their methods and said: “I’m always keen to adapt what I do, change what I do and get better at what I do.”