Stewart looks forward to a new lease of life

The former Ipswich Town man only made one Premiership start under Wilkinson, despite the bottom club's woeful form in front of goal.

And Stewart, who will replace the injured Tore Andre Flo in attack against Chelsea this afternoon, admitted he started to question his own talent after being continuously overlooked by the former boss.

What made the situation worse for the front-man, once tipped for England honours, was Wilkinson's refusal to adopt a different approach to games in a bid to steer Sunderland clear of the relegation zone - despite the club's woeful record of just 19 goals in 31 Premiership games this season.

"I have still got two more seasons on my contract after this season," said Stewart. "Under Howard I would have had to review my position in the summer.

"I'm 30, 31 this year, and I know I can still do a good job in the League. It has been the most frustrating time I have had in my career.

"Some players may have been happy with it but I'm not happy about being a reserve player. I want to play week in and week out.

"I started to lose faith in my own ability, but I just had to keep my head down in training and work hard.

"I would like to have been involved in the team despite the way we have been playing this year.

"It just would have been nice to play two games on the trot at some point, that has never happend. I would understand struggling to get into the side if we were in the top six. But being in the position we are in I would have expected to get a chance. But under Howard it did not seem to happen."

Stewart indicated he always knew he was going to have a tough task on his hands to work his way into the first team when he arrived last August.

And he insists, despite the £10m tag that took him and Flo to the club, he never at any point took the stance that he was guaranteed a first-team place.

But he is angry at the way he was left on the sidelines under the Wilkinson regime and he thinks he would have been involved more had Peter Reid, who bought the player, remained in charge for a while longer.

Stewart is also becoming increasingly resigned to Sunderland's perilous position and he is already bracing himself for life in the First Division next season.

Should, or indeed when, the Black Cats - who are 13 points adrift of safety with six games to go - lose their battle to beat the drop then it will be the second successive season Stewart has been with a relegated side - after Ipswich last May.

Stewart said: "It's been frustrating and it is also not very nice to be relegated again, which seems likely. And it's been made worse by me not really having that much to do in it.

"With the quality of Kevin and Tore here I came knowing I was one of the three main strikers.

"I knew there were youngsters coming through, like Kevin Kyle and Michael Proctor. I knew it was going to be a challenge to get my place and to become a part of the front two on a regular basis.

"But saying that, I thought I would have been given a bigger chance. I think I would, I know I would anyway, have had a bigger part to play under Peter Reid."

Following the arrival of Mick McCarthy at the Stadium of Light, though, Stewart has now found a new lease of life.

The player and his new boss have both talked about his lack of Premiership action and Stewart is optimistic about his future on Wearside.

"Mick is giving me more games, at least I'm going on as a sub here and there," said Stewart, who has scored five cup goals in five starts.

"But when Howard was here I was coming on rarely and when I did it would be on the right wing.

"It is just nice to know the manager knows what position I play in. We have had a chat and the things he has said have been very positive.

"Howard and I spoke a number of times. He would try to explain to me but I never could understand.

"But that is the way it goes. I've spoken to Mick and he seems like a genuine bloke."

McCarthy has been impressed with Stewart since taking over the reins at the club.

And last night the former Republic of Ireland boss revealed he has no hesitation in handing the striker a place in the starting XI for the first time since January against Chelsea.

McCarthy said: "He is playing, there's no doubt about that. He has been excellent since I arrived. I have always liked him as a player as well.

"If Marcus was blisteringly quick he would be one of the best around, and that's not to say he is slow. His movement and his attitude is first class.

"That's when you have to look at the reserve games. And for me when he has played he has made an impression. He is also a lively person and those types of players are good to have around."

Stewart, meanwhile, also suggested life would be hard in the lower league should the seemingly inevitable threat of relegation become reality at Sunderland.

"There's still a chance of doing something, it's still mathematically possible," he said. "There is one eye on next season but there's still a job to do here.

"I was relegated with Ipswich and having played in Division One I know what the League is going to be like, mentally and physically.

"It's going to be a very difficult season. It's certainly not going to be easy, you just have to look at what teams who have gone down in the past have done.

"Take the three from last year; Derby are really struggling, Ipswich are now pushing for a play-off place and Leicester are flying.

"So there are no certainties about how easy it will be."

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