In 1995 Peter Reid took charge at Sunderland with seven games to save the club from relegation. As Sports Writer Frank Johnson discovers, seven years later he's in exactly the same position

SEVEN YEARS ago yesterday Peter Reid was given seven games to save Sunderland from a second ignominious drop into the third tier of English football. Now he again has seven games to prevent an even bigger disaster - crashing out of the Premiership.

Greyer - and wiser - Reid has seen a huge change in the club's fortunes since he was thrown a life-line back into management on March 29, 1995 - a new stadium, crowds of over 48,000 and nearly three seasons in the top flight.

But the events at the end of the 1994-95 season are still very much in his memory as he faces another desperate fight for survival.

Sunderland had endured a horrendous run of results under manager Mick Buxton. Starting with a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Tranmere after a couple of encouraging 1-0 away victories against Watford and Southend moved them up to 17th place in the table the Wearsiders lost six of their next seven games - and a 2-0 Friday night defeat at Barnsley was the final straw.

And Buxton, born in Corbridge but raised on Wearside, lost his dream job as manager of the club he supported as a boy.

In breezed 38-year-old Reid, who had been in limbo after being sacked by Manchester City.

His brief was simple - save us from relegation and the job's yours.

And Reid, a hard-grafting former England international who had played for Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City, Southampton and Notts County rolled up his sleeves, and set about carving out a new career for himself at a club he knew had the crowd potential to become one of the biggest in the country.

Sunderland's last seven games of the season began with a home match - on April Fool's Day - against Sheffield United. South Shields-born striker Craig Russell came on as substitute with two minutes remaining and snatched the winner.

And the Wearsiders, under the enthusiastic direction of their new manager were to go on and achieve safety by winning three and drawing three of their matches, losing only to Reid's first club, Bolton, 1-0 at Burnden Park, to finish the season in the relative comfort of 20th place.

The crucial result, however, was a 1-0 home win over Swindon Town, courtesy of a goal by Martin Smith, who was to get his name on the score-sheet in each of the last three games.

Reid recalled: "Those first seven games at the end of that season were the catalyst for progress.

"I know we won my first match in charge against Sheffield United, but the Swindon game was all-important.

"That was the biggest game I'll ever have as a manager.

"The Sunderland board of directors had given me seven games - no more - to save the club from the drop to Division Two. I'd been out of management for 18 months after being sacked by Manchester City and this was my chance to claw my way back.

"Swindon was the win that meant we stayed up and I'll never have a bigger game in my life. It was the most important game and it abides in my memory.

He admitted: "If I hadn't been successful in those seven games, God knows where I'd be today - probably not in management."

But Reid, without doubt has transformed a club into one of the most financially stable in the Premiership, and he takes great pride in the fact that a new, state-of-the-art youth academy will be up and running next season.

He said: "I know a few people thought 'what's going on' when I was appointed, but when you look at the players we had then and the players now, the structure of the club and the stadium then you can see we have come a long way.

"It has been a fantastic seven years. I have had my ups and downs, but Sunderland has been a terrific club to manage.

"The only disappointing thing about this anniversary is the season we've had - I would have loved it to have been better.

"But the club is healthy and my wish is to pick up as many points as we can and then start again in the summer."

He added: "This is one of the best clubs to manage. Next January it will be even better with the advent of the Academy and new training ground.

"My only frustration has been that we haven't had those training facilities before now. The new training ground is going to make a massive difference."

But a lot of water has passed under Wearmouth Bridge since Reid walked into the manager's office at Roker Park.

Only one player remains from the team he inherited - Michael Gray, a player he changed from a left-sided midfielder to an England international full-back.

After the relegation escape no-one expected Reid to have such a dramatic impact on the team's fortunes. But Sunderland won the First Division championship the following season, and were shown to be not quite ready for the step up to the Premiership when the tenure lasted only one short season.

Then came the disappointment of Wembley play-off defeat at the hands of Charlton Athletic in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out.

But Reid used the extra season in the First Division to strengthen - and since the second Championship under his guidance, won with 105 points, Sunderland have twice finished seventh in the Premiership, just missing out on European qualification. Reid recalled: "I've got so many memories of my seven years here - relegation from the Premiership was a massive blow, the play-off game was ridiculous but fantastic to be involved in.

"And it was a fantastic achievement to be promoted the second time with 105 points. So many things have happened that were brilliant."

Reid has spent over £50m in the transfer market on 59 players - but his star acquisition was without doubt striker Kevin Phillips, plucked out of obscurity at Watford for only £600,000 and turned into a record-breaking goal-ace who has played 11 times for England.

And the way Niall Quinn has become a great crowd favourite after overcoming serious knee injuries following his £1.3m transfer from Manchester City - questioned at the time - has given him great satisfaction.

He said: "There have been some fantastic moments, some fantastic goals and some fantastic partnerships, particularly the one between Kevin Phillips and Niall Quinn."

Reid admitted: "The squad is stronger than last year but we have under-performed.

"It's always difficult to come up with a reason. Is it expectancy ? is it lack of confidence ?

"Hopefully I will sort it out and make sure it doesn't happen again."

And, once again, Reid has seven games to do it