By Andrew McKenzie BBC Sport Online

The buzz word down at the Stadium of Light was "excitement" as the club announced Howard Wilkinson as their new manager.

Sunderland chairman Bob Murray was asked if the fans would be excited by the appointment.

"Well I'm a Sunderland fan and I'm excited," he enthused.

Howard Wilkinson went a couple of steps further, saying he was "very, very, very excited".

Steve Cotterill, who left his job as manager of Stoke to become Wilkinson's assistant, said he was "full of excitement".

But outside in the car park amongst the hundred or so fans that made the trip to hear the news, the feeling was there is very little to get excited about.

They all had their favourites to replace Peter Reid, whether it was Martin O'Neill, David O'Leary or Mick McCarthy.

Not many were calling for Wilkinson.

"Get Peter Reid back," came one voice from the crowd.

Others described it as a "step backwards", "the wrong decision", "a shocking decision" and a "kick in the teeth".

Martyn McFadden, editor of Sunderland fanzine A Love Supreme, said the appointment had come as a surprise.

"I'd have chosen Martin O'Neill, but I would have had Rivaldo and Raul playing up front for us," he said. "You can't always get what you want.

"There's been a lot of negativity around the club over 18 months. But hopefully they are going to be the best management team in Sunderland's history."

The overriding feeling - despite the lack of excitement - was that the fans need to get behind the new management team.

Wilkinson and Cotterill - labelled the "odd couple" by one fan - will get the backing of the Sunderland fans because in the end the only thing they want is success for the club.

But they will have to act fast if they are to get the fans behind them.