REPUBLIC of Ireland international Niall Quinn admitted last night that Sunderland fans had the right to be angry about the team's recent performances.

"The fans aren't paying to support us - they are paying to be entertained and we haven't entertained them," said the 35-year-old Dubliner.

"They're fully entitled to be angry and to vent their frustrations."

Quinn added: "Nobody can change that except us - we have to go out and produce for them a run where we string two or three games together where we give them something to cheer about."

The veteran striker is particularly sorry that manager Peter Reid has been the main target for the supporters' discontent.

He said: "The manager seems to have borne the brunt of supporters' frustration and every one of the players is totally devastated by that because every one of us are in the position we are in because of him.

"He took a chance on Kevin Phillips, who was relatively unknown, and he took a chance on me when no-one else would and the same goes for a lot of the others he has brought through. We are all gutted for him.

"If ever we wanted a reason to turn things round then he's it - we all owe him one and the players know that."

Quinn is hoping that the team can bounce back from their 2-1 FA Cup defeat last week by completing a second double of the season today at Everton, who lost 1-0 at the Stadium of Light just before Christmas.

He said: "You could say it's a make or break game for us at Everton because of the way things have gone recently.

"But we know we are desperate to put in a performance that will stop the rot and get people saying we can turn things round.

"Then we have to stick in a few performances after that to string two or three good games together."

He added: "Only a couple of matches ago we were talking about Europe, but then we had a couple of defeats and there's talk about our season being over if we don't win at Everton.

"This is a massive game for us because it can just stem the tide and it can open us back up because we have two home games to follow so there's nine points to play for which, this season, can take you from relegation candidates to European candidates it's so close."

Quinn knows that the players of both sides go into the game at Goodison Park knowing that their respective managers are under pressure.

He said: "The reaction here to what's happened is the way football is going - suddenly at Everton Walter Smith has two games left to save his job.

"There was a list recently which showed some 50 managers have been sacked in the last 12 months. You simply have to stick your chest out, take that on board and live with it as opposed to moaning about it - that doesn't get you anywhere.

"We're all paid well enough to be in a position to deal with it and we have to stand up and be counted."

Things will be on a knife-edge at Goodison Park and Quinn admits: "Whichever side loses their manager is going to be seen to be under even more pressure and if ever we wanted a reason to go out and give it our all then this is it."

Quinn is sure that his team-mates will react positively to the FA Cup defeat.

He said: "All the lads are down and it was hard work for the first couple of days after West Bromich Albion, with all the criticism aimed at us.

"It wasn't the idea working environment to pick things up, but as the week has gone on the idea that we have to come together has become stronger and stronger.

"We've had all the good times over the last four years and this is the time when you have to stand up and be counted."

Quinn stressed: "There are going to be times like this and in my experience the teams that come out of it are the ones who stick 100 per cent together and they do it for the man who assembled them in the first place.

"That's reason enough for everything to fall into place. Above all it's a test of character.

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