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 | | Wednesday, 30 January, 2002, 13:14 GMT Reid feels the heat  Disgruntled supporters approached Reid in the dug-out Peter Reid was once said to have a job for life at Sunderland, but now he is under increasing pressure, reports BBC Sport Online's Simon Austin. Sunderland's home defeat to Middlesbrough could have marked a turning point in Peter Reid's career at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats continued a dismal run of form by losing 1-0 to a mediocre Middlesbrough side that played much of the second half with 10 men. And for the first time, Sunderland's fans turned on their manager en masse.
There had been rumblings of discontent before this but there were still many fans who backed the manager. After all, Sunderland hadn't finished in the top half of the table since 1955 prior to Reid's arrival. For the last two seasons they have finished seventh. But the Boro game was the last straw for many who have become increasingly frustrated by Sunderland's form, style of play and Reid's perceived penny-pinching. This week's �1.5m signing of veteran defender Joachim Bjorkland will have done little to alleviate these voices of discontent. Huge gates It is a quality striker to partner Kevin Phillips and a creative midfielder that the supporters crave. Only Derby and Leicester have scored fewer Premiership goals than Sunderland this season. Reid was interested in John Carew when the Norwegian hitman's proposed move to Fulham fell through but it was revealing when his agent said: "Sunderland is not the quality of club we are looking for."
So Sunderland miss out on the big names again. Yet this is a club that boasted the 14th biggest gates in Europe last season - an average of 46,791. Reid has spent only �40m in almost seven years at the club and laid out just �7.85m on five players this summer. He once said: "It is the fans' wages I am spending and I don't want to waste them. "But some of those fans are telling me to spend �10m on a player. If you could go and get a three-piece suite for �500 or �1,000, I know which one I'd choose." Murray promise Reid has admittedly picked up some fabulous bargains. Phillips, who won the golden boot two seasons ago, cost only �325,000 from Watford. England international Gavin McCann and outstanding keeper Thomas Sorensen were signed for a meagre �500,000. But for every great signing there have been a couple of duds. Lilian Laslandes arrived from Bordeaux for �3.6m in the summer but has been shipped out to Cologne on loan after making just 14 appearances. Nicolas Medina cost �3.5m but has made a negligible impact. Sunderland's lack of progress is frustrating players as well as fans. Phillips, a beacon of excellence in an uninspiring side, has voiced his concerns about Sunderland's lack of ambition. Reid, who is a major shareholder at the club, has said that he will never resign. And his chairman, Bob Murray, has promised not to sack a manager who he describes as "the new Brian Clough". But the fans could have the final say. | | Other top Sunderland stories:  Links to more Sunderland stories are at the foot of the page. | |||
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