'Beyond': Tony Mowbray delivers message on Sunderland's passionate support

Mowbray says he is determined to deliver a team that can reward that by challenging at the very top of the Championship, even if that is likely to take time.

"I've said since I've come to the club that it's amazing to see every away game the allocation is sold out and there's a huge following everywhere we go," he told safc.com.

"It's about the passion of the people of the North East for their football team and Sunderland have shown me over the last few months that they're beyond what I feel it might have been.

"From the growth area of where we've come from in League One, we have to put together a team that can compete in the Championship. It's a big ask to think we can jump through the leagues because the parachute payments of the some of the top teams means they have millions worth of footballers on the pitch and we haven't at this moment.

"But I hope that if we can grow the team and some of the young players can develop and become integral in what we're trying to do, that we get closer as the seasons roll on - but we'll give it our very best this year to compete at the top end of the table.

"If not I'm very confident that this team will grow, get better and we'll become quite a force as the years roll on."