WITH the start of the Premiership season just 14 days away, Sunderland full-back Stephen Wright is ready to right a few wrongs.

The former Liverpool defender is one of the few survivors from the Black Cats' last ill-fated season in the top-flight - a campaign that saw the club relegated with the lowest points total in Premiership history.

While the bulk of the current side are not saddled with the memory of such under-achievement, Wright has spent the last two seasons resurrecting his reputation following a record-breaking run of defeats.

That process culminated in May's promotion to the Premiership and, with next month's opener against Charlton looming large, the 25-year-old is desperate to finally lay the ghosts of relegation to rest.

"Do I have a point to prove to people?" asked Wright, who missed just seven league games last term. "Of course I do.

"My first time in the Premiership with Sunderland was a hell of an experience. We went down and I don't think anyone did themselves justice.

"I would like to have played a lot more but I guess that's one of those things. This is my chance to make up for that and I want to prove myself now.

"I know I can play in this league but I think anyone who is still here from the last time has a bit of a monkey on their back that they'll want to remove.

"It was a poor year. You don't like to say that, but you have to accept it. The only way to put it right is to go in this time, work hard and do your best."

That hard work will not just be needed to help Sunderland mount a Premiership survival campaign, it will also be needed to keep Wright in the first team.

The right-back faced little in the way of competition last season but the arrival of former Gillingham defender Nyron Nosworthy has changed all of that.

Nosworthy was one of Sunderland's most impressive performers on their recent tour of North America and, while he missed Wednesday night's friendly defeat at Hull with a hamstring strain, he is hoping to force his way into the first-team reckoning ahead of the new campaign.

Wright accepts he cannot take his place for granted but, after seeing off summer leaver Mark Lynch, is happy with the increased competition.

"I had competition last year but I suppose the signing of Nyron puts the pressure on a little bit more," he admitted.

"That's fine though. The only thing I look for is my name on the team sheet - I don't care what anyone else is doing.

"The pressure was always there anyway.

"If you're not playing well, I don't think you should be in the side."

Wright was in the side that lost 1-0 at Hull on Wednesday and, like the rest of his team-mates, the full-back was still feeling the effects of Monday's eight-hour flight from the United States.

Mick McCarthy was willing to give his players the benefit of the doubt at the KC Stadium but the Black Cats' boss will not be as forgiving if they produce an equally under-whelming display at Sheffield United this afternoon.

The trip to Bramall Lane represents Sunderland's last outing on English soil ahead of the new Premiership season and, after a series of explosive recent encounters, there is likely to be little love lost between the two sides.

"People might say that the game against Sheffield United is a friendly," said Wright. "It won't be a friendly.

"I don't think I've ever played in a game at Bramall Lane that's been friendly. They'll want to prove to themselves that they're good enough to be in the Premiership and we want to prove that Wednesday's performance was a one-off.

"We went up and they didn't, but we had an awful lot of rivalry last season and the year before.

"There was a big cup tie at the Stadium of Light that we just shaded and then there was Gary Breen's sending off that left a bit of a bad taste in the mouth. That should ensure this game has a bit of an edge to it."

Read more about Sunderland here.