WHEN football managers talk about "being down to the bare bones", they are usually referring to a string of injuries.

Not Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy. When he spoke about "bare bones" in the build-up to this afternoon's Stadium of Light showdown with Leicester, he was being a little more literal.

For McCarthy this week, the "bare bones" have meant just that and, instead of a string of injuries, he has been learning about a string of beads.

"This gets to different people in different ways," said McCarthy, when asked about the pressures of a promotion battle that will finally be won if Sunderland triumph this afternoon and third-placed Ipswich fail to win at Leeds.

"I played golf for our charity this week with a lovely old chap called George.

"We weren't talking about football but, at the end of the round, he said 'Good luck. I will have the bones out and I will be putting them in squares and then in circles and then I will be chanting'.

"I think all the Sunderland fans do something like that. It's amazing now how many people come up to me and say 'You'd better win on Saturday' or say 'When are we going up?'.

"It's amazing because, six months ago, I didn't know there were that many Sunderland fans in Sunderland. Now it seems that everybody knows me or sees me.

"I thought it was really nice. I hope we can win promotion for George so he can stop having to think about his worry beads and his bones."

Sunderland's fans have been on tenterhooks since their side first climbed into an automatic promotion place in December.

They made it to the Championship summit at the start of last month and, since then, have won five of their last seven games to open up a five-point gap to third-placed Ipswich.

That run has all but ensured a return to the top-flight but, as this month's shock home defeat to Reading proved, football has a nasty habit of upsetting the odds.

Leicester have been a massive disappointment this season and, despite starting the season as one of the favourites for the title, the Foxes go into this afternoon's game needing a win to ensure they are mathematically safe from the drop.

That makes them potentially dangerous opponents, and McCarthy is determined to avoid any contentment or complacency this afternoon.

"This will be a test for us," he said.

"Make no mistake about that. In the home games, the anticipation of the crowd is massive.

"It was like that for Wigan and Ipswich when we played against them and it all adds to the pressure.

"If we win, everyone will be asking 'How many points do we need?' and will be looking at the other results.

"It's going to go that way, and life will be difficult. Leicester are coming here in need of points - they won't be coming to enjoy the occasion and play in a great game of football.

"They want to get points, but maybe that will help us. We certainly don't need reminding about how much is at stake."

This afternoon's game could have massive repercussions - both for Sunderland football club, and its coaching and playing staff.

Promotion is worth around £25m to Sunderland and, with the club's parachute payments due to run out this summer, its long-term future will be decided by the next three games.

Similarly, McCarthy and his players will see their professional and financial fortunes transformed should they win promotion to the Premiership later today.

"There will be a sum of money that will be split between the players," revealed the Sunderland boss. "Some will have Premiership appearance money in their contract, some won't - that's just the way it is. But collectively, there's a bonus for the team if - and it's a massive if - they go up. If they don't, they get nothing.

"My deal is well documented. It's a 12-month rolling contract and it works perfectly.

"When I came here, I came here as a Premier League manager. Not by my own doing - I inherited it - but I had a Premier League contract. When I was relegated, I reverted to a Championship contract. If and when we're promoted, I'll revert back to a Premier League deal."

McCarthy should have Thomas Myhre available to ensure that happens, as the goalkeeper has finally shaken off the side strain that kept him out of last weekend's trip to Suffolk.

Stephen Elliott is also expected to return to the starting line-up in place of fellow striker Chris Brown.

l Sunderland fans are reminded that they can pay on the gate for this afternoon's tie.