DEAN WHITEHEAD is ready to throw away his Championship boots and try on some Premiership footwear for size.

The 23-year-old was an unknown quantity when he joined Sunderland last summer from Oxford United but, after featuring in all but three of the Black Cats' Championship games this season, most people on Wearside have stopped saying Dean who?

The influential midfielder's role in their Premiership charge has been noticed at the Stadium of Light and Whitehead admitted it took a while for him to adjust to the pace of Championship.

After having had a taste of playing against two Premiership sides in the FA Cup recently, he admits he is more than ready to have another bite.

"The first six or seven games were tough and the lads helped me through that, but now I'm warming to the league," he said.

"I've stepped up two leagues as it is and if we go up this year it will be a lot tougher for me. If we get promoted everyone will be looking forward to playing in the Premiership and we know it is going to be harder than the Championship. But with the squad we have and the young players who are improving we've got a great chance.

"There was a big difference between Crystal Palace and Everton, even though they are both in the Premiership.

"At home we beat Palace but Everton are not fourth in the Premiership for no reason. They just seemed bigger, stronger and quicker in every department than us on the day. We know we have to improve, and hopefully if we go up we can stay there."

The Abingdon-born midfielder admitted he still can't quite believe how far he has come in such a short time. Last May Whitehead was suffering the heartache of missing out on promotion to League One. This May he could be on the threshold of the Premiership.

"When I was at Oxford last year and we missed out on the play-offs, the Premiership was probably miles beyond me at that point," he admitted. "But now, sitting third in the Championship, we have a great chance of going into the Premiership.

"Every time we win a game we think we could be in the Premiership next year but I think it will probably go down to the wire."

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