Championship best for thrills and spills, Roy

6:02am Saturday 7th April 2007

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WITH his former club turning the Premiership title race into little more than a procession, Roy Keane has urged the nation's football fans to turn towards the Championship if they are on the look-out for excitement this Easter.

While the majority of the top-flight goes through the motions this weekend, Sunderland will be involved in back-to-back promotion blockbusters, with Mick McCarthy bringing his Wolves side to the Stadium of Light this afternoon before the Black Cats travel to play-off hopefuls Southampton on Monday.

With just ten points separating the top six teams in the table ahead of the Easter programme, this weekend's fixtures could prove crucial in determining who wins promotion to the Premiership next month.

And although the English top-flight likes to market itself as 'the most exciting league in the world', Keane feels the next three days will prove that the Championship serves up an even greater number of thrills and spills.

"What you get in the Championship is teams that are trying to win matches," said the Sunderland boss, who is hoping to extend his side's 14-game unbeaten run this afternoon.

"Sometimes in the Premiership, teams are more afraid to lose and may be happy with a draw. Certain managers of certain teams go to big grounds and are happy just to keep the score down.

"You don't get that in the Championship, teams are always looking to win matches. It's very rare that you see a manager using tactics where he's just trying to shut up shop.

"It's exciting, and it's tight, and I think that's why a lot of people enjoy it. It's great for the neutral because anything can happen, and I'm convinced there'll be more ups and downs between now and the end of the season."

McCarthy also knows plenty about the competitiveness of the Championship, of course, as he was Sunderland's manager when they last won promotion to the Premiership two seasons ago.

This afternoon's game marks the Yorkshireman's first return to the Stadium of Light since he was sacked by former chairman Bob Murray last March, and it will be interesting to see what reception he receives from a home support that remain scarred by the experience of last season's traumatic relegation from the top-flight.

Keane is a hardly a long-time admirer of McCarthy having labelled the former Republic of Ireland boss a "crap manager" during the pair's infamous pre-World Cup bust-up in Japan.

But having gained a different perspective by swapping the dressing room for the dug-out this season, the current Black Cats boss insists his predecessor's achievements on Wearside should not be under-estimated.

"Getting a team into the Premiership is no easy feat, so he deserves credit for that," said Keane, who is adamant that the pair "buried the hatchet" with their conciliatory handshake ahead of November's 1-1 draw at Molineux.

"Hopefully, he'll get a good reception when he comes back.

"He got Sunderland promoted, playing very well, and with an unbelievably high points total. Unfortunately it didn't work out too well in the Premiership, but I don't think Mick had too much money to spend and there's no doubt that you need a few bob.

"This is a difficult league to get out of, there's no doubt about that. I spoke to Dave Jones after Cardiff beat us up here (last October) and he said it was really hard to get out of this division.

"There are an awful lot of games, and there are lots of teams that are capable of beating each other.

"That makes promotion a really tough task."

Keane's attitude towards McCarthy is part of a wider mellowing that appears to have accompanied his move into management.

The Irishman's touchline explosions have been conspicuous only by their absence, while his ranting at referees has been kept to a carefully-controlled minimum.

Appearances, however, can be deceptive, and Keane continues to exhibit the same ruthless streak that made him such a ferocious opponent as a player.

More than a dozen players have already been released after failing to match up to his standards, and the prospect of a celebratory pat on the back remains anathema to a manager who famously promised to dump his maiden Manager of the Month award in the garage.

Asked if he would celebrate if Sunderland finished in the top two next month, Keane replied: "I might allow myself a smile for about ten seconds, but that would be it.

"I don't think Ill ever be happy. I don't think I will because its not in my nature.

"I get glimpses of it, but that's about all.'' Nevertheless, those glimpses will surely become stronger if Sunderland were to claim a maximum six points from this weekends double-header.

Keane has already promised that the same team will not line up both games and while Trinidad & Tobago duo Dwight Yorke and Carlos Edwards are not expected to feature today, they could be involved at St Mary's on Monday.

Championship leaders Derby's promotion push stuttered at the Walkers Stadium where they let slip the lead and were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Leicester.

Midfielder Craig Fagan netted his first goal for Derby to give the Rams a 1-0 half-time lead over the eighth-bottom Foxes, although Matty Fryatt scored a second-half equaliser to earn the hosts a share of the spoils.

Their one point extended the Rams' lead at the top of the Championship table to three ahead of second-placed Birmingham though the Blues now have two games in hand.

They are four points ahead of Sunderland,who play their game in hand today.

Colchester beat Essex rivals Southend 3-0 at Roots Hall, thanks to a Jamie Cureton hat-trick.