BOB Murray has revealed that it isn't just Sunderland's fans who have been jumping for joy this week - the rest of the Premier League has also been celebrating the club's promotion to the top-flight.

Last summer, the Black Cats' chief described how other Premiership chairman had bemoaned Sunderland's play-off defeat to Crystal Palace as it deprived them of a lucrative influx of visiting fans and a trip to a sold-out Stadium of Light.

While manager Mick McCarthy might not have liked the inference of superior status, few can deny that Murray has spent the last nine months presiding over a Championship club with all the trappings of the top-flight.

The Stadium of Light remains one of the foremost venues in England, while Sunderland's Academy of Light at Cleadon is the envy of most clubs in the country.

This season's efforts have restored the Black Cats to the English elite and, while Wigan's recent promotion might have raised eyebrows, Sunderland's success has been well received in the corridors of power.

"We have had hundreds of letters," said Murray, who met with McCarthy earlier this week to thrash out a spending plan for the rest of the summer.

"The Premier League can't wait to welcome Sunderland fans back. The Premier League has welcomed us back with open arms because we have been sadly missed.

"This is a very big club - we have seen evidence of that this week. The Stadium of Light is a smashing stage and I know the other Premier League teams are looking forward to playing on it again."

Murray was roundly criticised as Sunderland tumbled out of the top-flight two seasons ago, running up debts of almost £40m.

But, through a mixture of stringent cuts and careful financial management, the Consett-born businessman has gradually turned things around.

A substantial debt still exists - the club owed more than £35m when their last accounts were published - and that will undoubtedly affect McCarthy's spending power this summer.

The Black Cats' boss will be given money as he attempts to cement Sunderland's place in the Premiership but, after watching the club almost go to the wall two seasons ago, Murray will not be offering a bottomless purse.

"What happened on Monday night (as the Sunderland squad paraded the trophy through the city on an open-top bus) showed the responsibility of my job," he said.

"It was very, very difficult in one sense to look at those people and see what it meant to them.

"I think the lads realise what a big club this is now. Given we had almost 48,000 at the game on Sunday, the turn-out on Monday was staggering."

Murray became ill as the Black Cats imploded two years ago but, in conjunction with vice-chairman John Fickling, he has successfully nurtured both the club and himself back to health.

"We have had a very difficult 30 months," he admitted. "We have had to strike a balance between keeping the bank manager happy and producing a competitive team. We have done that.

"We went very close last year - finishing third and reaching the FA Cup semi-final - but this year we made a slow start, perhaps because we had so many new players.

"Still, they have proved themselves to be champions and this is what we have all been working for."

* Steve Caldwell has been named in the Scotland squad for next month's World Cup qualifiers with Moldova and Belarus.

The Sunderland centre-half was overlooked when Walter Smith took charge of his first Scotland game - a 2-0 defeat in Italy in March - but an impressive end to the season has earned him a recall.

"I'm absolutely delighted and this is a great way to end what has been a fantastic season for me," said Caldwell.

Fellow Sunderland centre-half Neill Collins has been named in the Scotland Under-21 squad for the second time.