Steve Bruce has been appointed as the new manager at Sunderland.

The 48-year old has signed a three-year contract with the Black Cats, until 2012 and will unveiled to the media later at a 6pm press conference.

Bruce leaves Wigan, where he he steered the Latics to a highly creditable 11th place finish.

A brief earlier spell at Wigan in 2001 separated stints as boss of Huddersfield and Crystal Palace before a six-year tenure with Birmingham City.

After completing the deal to bring Bruce to Sunderland, chairman Niall Quinn expressed his delight: "Steve will bring a professionalism and strength of character to this club that will really help to bring us forward to where we all want to be.

"He knows more than anyone what football means to people of this region and I’m confident that he will be able to instill into our players exactly what it means to play for this football club.”

Bruce added: “I am genuinely excited by this fantastic opportunity. This is a huge club with great tradition and great supporters and it’s up to me now to produce a team that can match that.”

Bruce will be joined by coaching staff Eric Black, Nigel Spink and ex-Sunderland striker Keith Bertschin.