SUNDERLAND'S new manager briefly brightened up the lives of Black Cats' fans in a County Durham community last week.

Howard Wilkinson took a break from his bid to retain Premiership status at the Stadium of Light by performing one of his first non-footballing engagements since he succeeded Peter Reid in October.

Esh Parish Council asked the new man in the Sunderland hot seat to perform the ceremonial switch on of the Christmas tree and decorations in Langley Park, near Durham.

It redressed the balance in a village with mixed Sunderland/Newcastle affiliations.

For Bobby Robson, now Sir Bobby, a son of Langley Park, returned to perform the function shortly after his appointment at Newcastle United in 1999.

Wilko, as the new Sunderland boss has been dubbed, was greeted by parish chair Alison Hiles and fellow Esh councillors with tea and stickies in Langley Park Baptist Chapel before emerging to polite applause on to the village Front Street to switch on the lights.

He asked all those with red and white allegiance to cheer and the Magpies among the 300-400-strong gathering to keep their peace.

His exhortation was greeted by mostly cheers, with some good-natured boos from the black and white loyalists in the crowd.

He also urged villagers to 'look after the tree for the people.'

Scores of autograph hunters then added the new manager's name to their collection before he returned to the Stadium of Light to take in England's under-20 international match against their counterparts from Italy.

Mince pies, supplied by local bakers, were distributed to the crowd with those left over being presented to a nearby nursing home.

Local traders sponsored the tree and lights, with the surrounding decorations provided by pupils at the village primary school.

Christmas trees in neighbouring villages of Esh and Quebec, also in the parish, were lit in further ceremonies in coming days.