SUNDERLAND last night dismissed reports that Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson is in line for a shock link-up with Peter Reid at the Stadium of Light.

It was claimed Robson, stepping down as Boro manager after seven years to make way for the arrival of Manchester United assistant boss Steve McClaren, could form a high-powered partnership with close friend Reid.

But a top-level Sunderland source insisted: "It's not going to happen. Bobby Saxton is Peter Reid's No 2.''

Robson's future with Boro remains unclear, but it is widely felt he will be forced to accept a peripheral role if he remains at the Riverside, where he still has two years left on his contract.

McClaren is bringing in his own backroom team and Aston Villa's assistant manager Steve Harrison and goalkeeping coach Paul Barron have been tipped for posts.

Meanwhile, Steve Vickers is backing Boro's thirty-something defenders to lay the foundation for a fresh start.

Vickers, 33, played a key role in Boro's successful fight for Premiership survival and believes the men at the back should take a bow.

Despite their problems last season, Boro conceded only 44 goals in 38 League games.

That was as many as they scored to finish 14th with only the top five, as well as Sunderland in seventh and eighth-placed Villa, better off in terms of goals against.

Along with Vickers, Colin Cooper, 34, and Gianluca Festa and Curtis Fleming, both 32, also featured prominently throughout the season.

And Vickers said: ''Collectively, the defence's record was pretty good. If you look at the bottom half of the table, you'll see that our goal difference was better than most teams down there.

''That was largely down to the defence and I think it's about time we got a bit of credit at the back. Hopefully, we'll just get stronger next season.''

Vickers, who underwent surgery for a hernia days after the season ended, admitted that the influence of head coach Terry Venables had been vital in the battle against the drop.

''He was a big factor in the way we picked our season up, there's no doubt about that,'' said Vickers. ''You just have to look at the results after he joined and that speaks for itself.''

l Boro are reported to be interested in FC Utrecht defender Stijn Vreven, who is also being linked with Derby, Bolton and Nottingham Forest.

l Niall Quinn is fit to spearhead the Republic of Ireland's World Cup bid against Portugal on Saturday, writes JACK LESLIE.

The Sunderland striker won't let a persistent back complaint stop his bid to become his country's record scorer saying: "I'm desperate to play. I love playing for Ireland and we have two important games."

The Irishman also has his eye on beating the 20-goal record he shares with Frank Stapleton.