SUNDERLAND goalkeeper Kelvin Davis has admitted the boos of the home fans are the price you pay for under-performing at a club with such passionate support.

The 29-year-old believes if players are more than happy to take plaudits when they're performing, they should be brave enough to face the boo-boys when they're not.

And the £1.25m summer signing from Ipswich is refusing to be downhearted despite being dropped by Mick McCarthy for last weekend's trip to Highbury - hoping to use the experience to spur him on to regain his place.

Davis has endured a torrid time recently, culminating in his own fans turning on him during the 4-1 defeat against Portsmouth at the Stadium of Light.

Black Cats boss McCarthy has publicly defended his number one, but decided to take him out of the firing line against Arsenal with Ben Alnwick deputising.

"Of course I was disappointed when I was told I would not be playing at Highbury," said 29-year-old Davis.

"But I've stayed positive and I'll work hard to win my place back.

"When I came here I knew was coming to a big club with passionate supporters. They tell you when you are playing well, let you know when you're not and that's fair enough."

Davis admitted he was more than aware of the fans' ire during the defeat to Alain Perrin's Pompey, but did his best to put the vitriol to one side.

While hoping to spend as little time on the sidelines as possible, Davis made it clear he will be showing solidarity with his team-mates as they continue to battle to climb out of the bottom three.

"I came in for criticism and it was difficult for me, but since then people have shown nothing but support," said Davis, speaking on the club's official website, safc.com.

"You can hear it when people are booing and things, but you have to let it go. You still have a job to do.

"It's not easy but I have plenty of experience and I deal with it.

"My attitude is that I just want the club and the team to do well. We're playing for Sunderland AFC and that comes first.

"I'll be positive and I'll hope we pick up points whether I play or not. We're all in this together."

* Sunderland's games at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday January 21, and at home to Tottenham, now on Sunday February 12, will be screened live by Sky.

The Albion game kicks off at 5.15pm and will be pay-per-view, with the Spurs match kicking off at 1.30pm on Sky Sports One.

Sunderland's game at Chelsea on Sunday January 15 will also be screened live with a 4pm kick-off.