SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid has rebuffed all approaches to take his exciting young striker Kevin Kyle on loan in case the Scottish Under-21 international is wanted for an emergency first team call up.

And the 20-year-old former Irish Sea ferries baggage handler admitted last night that he is itching to add to the three Premiership appearances he made last season.

With former England Under-21 international Danny Dichio bound for West Bromwich Albion in a £1m deal once his foot injury heals and Michael Reddy just starting a loan at Hull City, Kyle finds himself fourth in the attacking pecking order on Wearside behind Kevin Phillips, Niall Quinn and Lilian Laslandes.

The 6ft 3ins centre forward is content to continue his development in the reserves, driven on by the prospect of playing at the top level at some point.

Kyle, whose progress was picked up last season by Scotland boss Craig Brown, leading to three appearances as substitute for the Under-21s, thought he might go out on loan again after beneficial spells last season with Huddersfield Town, Rochdale and Darlington.

Hartlepool are believed to be among the clubs interested in making a loan move and he said: "A lot of clubs have asked for me to go out on loan, but the gaffer says it could be a case of one of the strikers getting injured or sometyhing and there could be a chance for me, so it is a matter of waiting.

"If someone has a dip in form and I am doing well in the reserves then a first team chance could arise and hopefully I will be able to take it."

He added: "A year ago if someone had said I would be playing in the Premiership before the end of the season I would just have laughed at them.

"But things went really well for me - I was the top goalscorer for the reserves, the loan spells did me the world of good and I got into the first team. I was just unlucky it was the end of the season and I have had to start all over again."

Kyle made his first team debut as substitute at Southampton in April and again came off the bench against Charlton and Everton, heading the ball on at Goodison Park for Kevin Phillips to equalise.

He said: "At the end of last season I got on for ten minutes here and 15 minutes there in the first team. Now I would love to start a game or maybe get on at half time to show what I can do.

"Hopefully if I get that chance I will prove I can do it in the Premiership and boost my chances of getting a regular game - if that could happen it would be unbelievable."

Sunderland skipper Michael Gray believes Quinn remains the scourge of the Premiership despite approaching his 35th birthday. Quinn, who celebrates his birthday next month, knows his career is approaching the final chapter, but he is determined to extend it as far as it will go.

And that, Gray insists, is bad news for the rest of the division's defenders. "Niall Quinn is the best targetman in the country,'' he said.

''He is such a threat. I bet his name is mentioned more than any when an opposing team gives a team-talk, and that's because he poses so much of a threat. There is no-one else like him in the Premiership and I'm just glad he's playing for Sunderland. His knock-downs are worth 20 goals a season.''

Read more about Sunderland AFC here.