MICHAEL Bridges has gone from pariah to promotion winner in the last 12 months and, after celebrating his third title win with Sunderland last week, the striker is determined to prove a point in the Premiership.

The 26-year-old found himself on the footballing scrapheap last August, despite making a much-publicised move from Newcastle to Bolton two months earlier.

With Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce leaving him out of his first-team squad, Bridges was facing up to yet another season of limited opportunities and limitless frustration.

But, just as his options looked to have disappeared, Mick McCarthy offered the North Shields-born striker the olive branch that could yet see him rebuild his reputation in the top-flight.

A move to Sunderland took him back to the club where he had already celebrated two promotions in the 1990s and, just eight months after returning to Wearside, he was celebrating a hat-trick of title triumphs.

He was not as involved as he would have liked to have been - five league starts hardly constitutes regular first-team football - but, after his improved fitness earned a one-year contract extension, the fans' favourite is desperate to make the most of his latest lifeline.

"I know this is a great opportunity for me now and I'm relishing it," said Bridges, who missed almost two full seasons at Leeds because of a succession of serious injury problems.

"I've got some happy memories of playing in the Premiership, but I want to make sure I create some new ones. I know chances like don't come around too often.

"I thought I would be having another crack at the Premiership when I spent last pre-season with Bolton but, unfortunately, it didn't work out.

"Fortunately, Mick took a gamble and brought me back to Sunderland. I know I've been given a second chance here and I'm desperate to take it.

"I've always wanted another opportunity to show what I can do in the Premiership. I've still got immense belief in myself and it was a major boost when Mick showed the same belief."

Bridges' first spell at Sunderland saw the club win the First Division title in 1996, drop back out of the top-flight the following season, and then return to the Premiership with a record points haul in 1999.

The striker left for Elland Road at that stage but, in his absence, the Black Cats went on to finish in seventh place under the tutelage of Peter Reid.

The growing financial gulf between the top two divisions means a similarly lofty finish is much harder to achieve today.

But despite the struggles of Norwich, West Brom and Crystal Palace this season, Bridges is confident the current Sunderland side can go some way towards emulating what the likes of Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn achieved six seasons ago.

"Sunderland have gone up and stayed there before," he explained. "So there's no reason why this team can't do it again.

"The last promotion side I was in achieved so much. They stabilised in the Premiership and, although they maybe got a bit complacent in the last year or so, they proved you can make the step up and survive.

"We've done it in the past and I don't see why we can't do it again.

"I was at Bolton at the start of the season. They survived their first season in the Premiership and then started pushing for Europe.

"It can be done and we know it can be done. It's going to be a massive task - we know it's not going to be easy - but we've got a lot of things on our side.

"We've got a lot of hungry players and we've got a fantastic team spirit. That's what it's all about at any level of the game, and that's a superb combination for the Premiership."

* Sunderland have been linked with a £400,000 move for Cardiff City striker Cameron Jerome.

Sources in Wales suggest Black Cats officials have been in contact with their Cardiff counterparts to declare their interest in the 19-year-old.

Jerome, who has also been watched by Newcastle scouts in recent weeks, started the season in Cardiff's youth team.

But, after being promoted to the first team, he underlined his potential by grabbing seven goals in 22 appearances for the Bluebirds.

Cardiff chairman Sam Hammam is under pressure to sell a number of his main assets this summer to reduce a monthly wage bill of around £750,000.

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