HOWARD WILKINSON'S controversial policy of sacrificing possible FA Cup glory for Sunderland's No1 priority of Premiership safety last night received the unequivocal support of Wearside legend Kevin Ball.

As Wilkinson made it clear ahead of today's Cup trip to Blackburn Rovers that maintaining Sunderland's top-flight status casts a giant shadow over any knock-out glory, Ball claimed survival was still a realistic prospect for the club - even though he confessed "most people" expect them to be relegated.

Fans turned their backs on Sunderland's scratch side in their thousands 11 days ago as a crowd of just 14,550 - the club's second lowest gate since they moved to the Stadium of Light in 1997 - watched the third round replay with Bolton Wanderers.

However, Sunderland are expected to take around 3,000 supporters to Ewood Park today as Wilkinson again fields a depleted line-up.

Ball, who made 389 appearances in almost ten years at Sunderland, reckons the decision to give first-team debuts to Sean Thornton and Nicolas Medina against Bolton was a shrewd one.

He said: "The League has got to take precedence over the Cup. Staying in the Premiership is the most important thing for the club.

"The League is the bread and butter, and I think a lot of Sunderland fans understand what Howard is trying to do.

"I would love to see Sunderland go to Ewood Park, beat Blackburn and get a place in the fifth round. But you have to look at the bigger picture.

"I refuse to think about what relegation would mean to Sunderland.

"I'm keen to look at the positives in every situation and, at the minute, my thinking is that the club can still get out of this.

"Most people don't agree. Most people are saying the club will definitely be relegated. I'm not saying it will be easy but it is still possible."

The emergence of Thornton as a star in the making was the major plus point from the home game with Bolton, who also picked a shadow side as they put the onus on Premiership survival.

Patrick Collins, 17, is likely to figure at Blackburn as Wilkinson faces up to a nightmare casualty list that has deprived him of four potential right-backs.

The chance to blood youngsters in competitive senior fixtures is one that Ball, still without a club after leaving Burnley last summer, believes could prove invaluable in Sunderland's fight against relegation.

The 38-year-old said: "I have no doubts that Howard will use this game as an opportunity to give some of his squad players a chance to show what they can do.

"The second Bolton game didn't get great coverage but I really enjoyed it.

"We finally got to see Nicolas Medina, Michael Gray played as well as he has for a long time, and we saw the emergence of Sean Thornton.

"He showed us that he can handle himself and, as a result, he has now found himself in the club's Premiership plans.

"I went to Everton to watch him and, bearing in mind it was his Premiership debut, I thought he played very well and looked comfortable.

"Had Howard not changed things around for the Cup game, we still wouldn't know about Sean, so there are obvious benefits in that respect.

"I can fully understand how the fans feel.

"I have been fortunate enough to play in an FA Cup final and I know how special it is to go on a good cup run.

"I heard a guy on the radio before the Bolton game saying he had paid £20 for a ticket but he wouldn't be going because of the team Howard was putting out.

"I couldn't understand that.

"The fans who went to the game enjoyed it."

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