SUNDERLAND'S crop of Championship-bound footballers have to perform for caretaker manager Kevin Ball as if he is the man who will be taking over permanently in the summer.

That is the belief of fit-again striker Chris Brown, aware that three more defeats against Everton, Fulham and Manchester United will mean the threat of relegation becomes a certainty for the Black Cats before the date with Newcastle.

Brown made his first appearance at Bolton on Saturday after recovering from a three-month lay-off with ankle ligament damage and his lack of match fitness showed.

But the 21-year-old knows he must try to prove to Ball just what he is capable of during the final eight games of the season or he could be deemed surplus to requirements in a summer that could herald much change.

The caretaker boss, if his managerial style suggests enough between now and the summer, could be the man handed the reins full-time.

And Brown, who still has a year to run on his existing deal, admits the whole squad have to play the final couple of months of the campaign as if their futures hinge on it.

"I've got to try to show Kevin Ball that I'm worthy of a place," said Brown, who knows what it is like to be farmed out having spent the early part of the campaign at Hull in the Championship.

"He's the manager until the end of the season and possibly beyond that, we'll have to wait and see. I've also got to prove in my own mind that I'm good enough to play in the Premier League.

"I've got another season left after this season so this is going to be a big time for me. It's a vital nine months to show I deserve a new contract.

"I've only trained for a couple of days but his training seems to be pretty good.

"He's got his own ideas. The mood in the squad has always been good. All the lads get on well and we try to do our best."

Brown suffered ankle ligament damage at the worst possible time after returning from Hull with a real prospect of having a chance to show his worth in the Premiership.

He played three league games under Mick McCarthy and, on his third, he had to be replaced after just 33 minutes of the defeat at Tottenham in December.

But, having played numerous games in the Championship for Hull this season, Brown feels his temporary switch to the Tigers has at least given him plenty valuable experience.

"It's been a relief to be back playing. My last game before Bolton was on December 3," he said.

"It's been really hard. I was starting to get a little run in the first team so the timing of it was really frustrating. Once I got injured it seemed to just drag on and on as well.

"When I was away on loan I think I realised how much I appreciated the facilities at Sunderland.

"The club called me back and I saw it as a chance to come in and make the best of it. The season starts now for me."

Meanwhile, Andy Gray has revealed how he sensed a lack of confidence early on in Sunderland's disastrous return to the top-flight.

Gray, who was sold to Burnley last week after failing to make a success of his summer switch to the Black Cats, had been out of favour.

And he said: "I think I had 13 starts at the start of the season (at Sunderland) but we got off to a bad start in terms of results - not really performances.

"We were playing quite well and not getting anything out of the games and I think that affected the lads confidence. Since then it's been hard work."

l Preston manager Billy Davies has signed Bristol City's former Sunderland striker Marcus Stewart.

The 33-year-old, who joined City from Wearside in the summer, has found regular football hard to come by at Ashton Gate and will move to Deepdale for one month.