EIGHT more points will guarantee Sunderland's place in the Premiership but, for Mick McCarthy, three successive wins would also banish the memory of the worst run of his managerial career.

Tuesday night's success at Wigan took the Black Cats eight points clear of the play-off places and also extended the club's winning run to eight games.

Such a sequence is quite an achievement at such a crucial stage of the campaign but, for McCarthy, an 11-game stretch would carry even greater significance.

Sunderland had already lost six on the bounce when he was appointed to replace Howard Wilkinson in March 2003.

But, after that, McCarthy led them to 11 more defeats before he finally tasted success at Preston.

The Black Cats boss has always maintained that he was put into in an impossible position when he arrived at the Stadium of Light.

But, while he refuses to take personal responsibility for the mistakes of previous regimes, he would still take great personal pride from seeing his side beat Reading, Ipswich and Leicester to book their return ticket to the top-flight in direct contrast to the way they left it.

"It's been an enjoyable run," said McCarthy, who has promised to guard against complacency when Reading visit Wearside this lunch-time.

"In terms of winning games, I think it is probably my best run as a manager. I can't remember having eight wins on the trot before.

"But it's not quite as good as a certain previous run was bad. We lost 11 - nine in the Premiership which unfortunately get tagged along to my name and two in the First Division. It would be nice to put that to bed and try to emulate that in wins.

"It's all about getting the club promoted though. It's not about my personal record or anybody else's - it's about getting Sunderland back into the Premier League. We need to get promoted and I'm sure that will erase a lot of bad memories."

Most of those memories involve the calamitous manner in which Sunderland dropped out of the Premiership.

A dramatic loss of both confidence and cohesion resulted in the lowest points total in top-flight history, and left McCarthy picking up the pieces with a squad decimated by the exit of more than 20 senior professionals.

Times will be tough again should Sunderland win promotion in the next four weeks but, after witnessing the club's previous meltdown at first hand, the former Republic of Ireland boss is confident he has identified the factors needed to prosper in the Premiership.

"When I came in, I had to walk the walk and talk the talk about keeping us up," said McCarthy. "It was absolutely impossible.

"But, it was a very important exercise in seeing the players that were around the club at the time and understanding what we would need.

"Experiences like that affect you, change you and mould your personality. That's true throughout playing and managing.

"Sometimes, the harder side of the game and the disappointments make you tougher and help you, even if it doesn't feel like that at the time.

"I had nine games in the Premiership and they showed what it takes. It takes a committed bunch of players who want to be at the club and want to play, instead of looking over their shoulders wanting to be out of the place because they know they're going to be relegated. Unfortunately, that's what I inherited."

There can be no doubting the commitment of the current crop, with Tuesday night's resolute display underlining the hunger and harmony that has taken the club to within a whisker of promotion.

The likes of Dean Whitehead and Liam Lawrence have imbued McCarthy's squad with a youthful enthusiasm that was perhaps lacking in the latter stages of last season, while Thomas Myhre, Gary Breen and Marcus Stewart have ensured everybody's feet are remaining firmly on the ground.

"(Joachim) Bjorklund, (Phil) Babb and (Jason) McAteer were all desperate to get this club promoted," argued McCarthy. "As were the other lads who were here.

"But they were of a different ilk. They'd all had great careers with World Cups and championships between them.

"What we have got now is younger, fresher players with a different kind of ambition."

Most of the younger players will be back in action this afternoon, with McCarthy set to make just one change from the side that beat Wigan on Tuesday.

Kevin Kyle is not in contention despite scoring five goals for the reserves on Wednesday night, but Stephen Elliott is likely to replace Chris Brown in attack.

Liam Lawrence should shake off a minor groin problem to continue in midfield - Jeff Whitley will miss out again after failing to even make the bench at the JJB Stadium - while Stephen Wright will overcome a dead leg to start at right back.

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