HOWARD WILKINSON was last night sensationally sacked after only 152 days as manager of sinking Sunderland.

And The Northern Echo can reveal that former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy is poised to take over at the Premiership's bottom club.

Wilkinson, plus his assistant Steve Cotterill, were axed after presiding over a wretched run of just two wins from 20 League games. Sunderland are seven points adrift with only nine league matches remaining of the season.

Last night, McCarthy, who quit as the Republic's manager in November after six largely successful years, was being lined up as Wilkinson's successor.

McCarthy had taken the Irish to the quarter finals of the World Cup, but had also been involved in a notorious public spat with the Manchester United player Roy Keane.

Wilkinson signed a three-year contract when he replaced Peter Reid at the Stadium of Light on October 10.

Although Wilkinson was the last English manager to win the league championship in 1992 and had briefly managed England, he was not a popular choice with the fans who wanted a more flamboyant face with a recent track record.

McCarthy was one of the fans' favourites back then, and last night's extraordinary and abrupt moves appear to be a tacit admission by the club that it did not replace Reid quickly enough and should have listened more closely to its supporters when choosing his successor.

The club is keen not to repeat those mistakes while Premiership survival is still a mathematical possibility.

Chairman Bob Murray said last night: "The club and its supporters have faced disappointment over a drawn-out period.

"This has been very difficult for everyone concerned but we are absolutely determined to arrest the decline and revive the club.

"We will be appointing a successor before our crucial game against Bolton at the weekend. The fans have been incredibly tolerant and supportive in the circumstances and I would like to thank them for that."

He added: "We understand how people are feeling and regret this.

"We all want to see the team get back to winning ways and putting in the type of performances that will give the fans something to cheer about."

After the first nine games of the season, Sunderland lay fourth from bottom and Reid was sacked.

In Wilkinson's first game in charge, he lost to bottom club West Ham.

After a brief rally, Sunderland suffered ignominious Cup exits to First Division clubs Sheffield United and Watford. The last straw was a 3-1 home defeat to neighbours Middlesbrough.

Former Sunderland striker Eric Gates said: "I'm absolutely flabbergasted, but the results have been very poor. I still think Sunderland are going down, but as well as being a very hard task, it's a great task. The potential of the club is huge."

Martyn McFadden, of Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme, added: "You could say Wilkinson hasn't had long enough in charge, and he has been unlucky at times.

"But he's worsened the League position and we're heading for relegation."