DWIGHT Yorke has told his Sunderland team-mates to count their Premier League blessings - because they might be waving goodbye to the top-flight unless their performances improve in the final 15 games of the season.

The Black Cats do not have a game this weekend after losing to Wigan in the FA Cup third round, but they will resume their league duties on Tuesday when Birmingham travel to Wearside for a crunch relegation clash.

Having started five of Sunderland's last six league games, Yorke is likely to be involved against Alex McLeish's side as the Black Cats look to move out of the bottom three for the first time since mid-December.

The Trinidad & Tobago international was a key factor in the club's promotion to the top-flight last May, but while he looks back on last season's heroics with a mixture of satisfaction and pride, he is also determined to avoid a return to the Championship.

Having experienced the delights of Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium in the last four months, a trip to Layer Road understandably holds minimal appeal.

"I hope the lads realise it doesn't get much better than this,"

said Yorke. "We all experienced last year and it was great. But you don't really want to be playing there - you don't really want to be going to Colchester.

"No disrespect to those teams, but you want to be going to Tottenham, Manchester United.

"The lads have an opportunity to put it right. We have 15 games to make sure we get it right, or else.

"They know what the consequences are and, even though I'm at the end of my career, I don't want to go back there.

"These guys have their futures ahead of them, and I'm sure the manager doesn't want to go back there either.

"That's the reality - we have 15 games to try to put it right, and we all have to make sure we do that."

The Black Cats have made four signings this month in an attempt to kick-start a recovery, and more new faces could yet arrive before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

Discussions with Reading remain ongoing as Sunderland attempt to prise Stephen Hunt from the Madejski Stadium, but the club's interest in Royals striker Leroy Lita is understood to be at an end after Steve Coppell valued the England Under-21 international at the £7m mark.

Yorke is hoping the arrival of Jonny Evans, Jean-Yves M'voto, Phil Bardsley and Rade Prica helps to generate some muchneeded momentum.

But the 36-year-old is aware of what could be around the corner if the club's new signings fail to inspire an uplift in the final four months of the campaign.

"When I came here (to play in the Championship) it was a total culture shock," Yorke added.

"The reality when you play in the Championship after you have played at the top end, is that it's a different ball game.

"I had never experienced it and it's something totally different. It was a good experience in the sense that we won the league, but this is where the real deal is.

"Even having been in the Premier League for lots of years, I still have the desire to play here.

I've never been relegated, and I don't want that on my CV."

■ Carlos Edwards has been ruled out of Tuesday's home game with Birmingham. The former Luton winger is back in training after breaking his leg last month but, after missing this week's reserves game with Bradford, he will not be risked in next week's relegation clash with the Blues.

"It's too soon for Carlos, we don't want to take risks with him (on Tuesday)," said Keane. "We hope he'll join in with the first team and maybe have a practice game.

"Unless he trains remarkably well and we think he might be worth a gamble putting him on the bench, we won't risk it."

■ Sunderland's 1973 FA Cupwinning side is to embark on a range of events to mark the 35th anniversary of the side's historic Wembley win.

The celebrations will kick off with an official luncheon and Q&A event at the Stadium of Light on February 29, attended by members of the 1973 team and chairman Niall Quinn. This will be followed by a gala dinner on the weekend of May 3.

Details of other events, and how to purchase tickets for the official luncheon, will be announced by the committee soon.