SEAN THORNTON has warned the rest of the First Division that new-boys Sunderland will not be affected by the club's current financial plight.

The Black Cats stars are expected to agree to a wage deferral plan in the next few days after talks between the club and the Professional Footballers' Association.

Debts of over £26m have left manager Mick McCarthy's hands tied in the transfer market - as he tries to offload prize assets Tore Andre Flo, Gavin McCann, Kevin Phillips and Thomas Sorensen.

Even midfielder Jeff Whitley, who has been training with the club and will not cost a penny in a transfer fee, has been forced to remain patient before he can officially become a Sunderland player.

But Thornton, who will not play alongside Whitley at Grimsby Town this afternoon because of a shoulder injury, is convinced the Sunderland squad will not be distracted when the season kicks-off on August 9.

"The wages thing is not really something that we all speak about because it doesn't affect me or the rest of the players," he said. "We want to just get on with training and hope it sorts its self out really.

"We have to put everything behind us and put last season behind us because our aim is now to get straight back into the Premiership.

"We have to focus on this season because everyone knows what a disappointing year we had last time." Thornton was one of the few Sunderland bright spots in the doomed 2002-03 campaign - despite only making his debut in January.

And the former Tranmere Rovers man is firmly focused on becoming a household name in the red and white shirt by putting plenty of extra work in on the training ground.

"I want to be playing week in and week out so I know that this is a big year for me," said the youngster, who scored a wonderful 25-yard volley in the 5-0 win at York on Wednesday night. "I know if I can put in good performances then I should be able to keep my place.

"I like to stay behind in training. If you do that then there is every chance you can pull spectacular efforts off in the games.

"Practice makes perfect and the more you do on the training ground the bigger chance they will come off on the pitch.

"I like to take free-kicks and I have already claimed them for next season. I suppose you could call it a speciality really."

McCarthy, meanwhile, is convinced that both Thornton and winger Thomas Butler can have a big say in Sunderland's first year in the Nationwide.

The former Republic of Ireland chief handed Butler his first international cap for his country, so McCarthy knows exactly what the player is capable of.

And the Sunderland boss is expecting big things from the Irish pair, he said: "Sean and Tommy can certainly play. Tommy Butler is a very talented lad and I think he, like a lot of the players in the team this year, has to deliver in a league which is sub-standard to the one they've been playing in.

"But the league will still be hugely competitive with good teams and good players. But if they want to go on and show what top professionals they are they have to go on and do that in this Division.

"They have the ability but they have to show the determination to do it."

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