MARTIN O'NEILL and Mark Hughes are the early front-runners to become the next Sunderland manager after Steve Bruce's two-and-a-half year reign came to an end last night.

Ellis Short, the club's owner and chairman, has been informed that former Aston Villa boss O'Neill and ex-Manchester City manager Hughes would be interested in taking over at the Stadium of Light.

Another name to have been touted around last night was Rafael Benitez, who led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005.

O'Neill has been out of work since leaving Aston Villa 18 months ago and has been looking to return to top-flight management, although there has not been any contact so far.

While Welshman Hughes, linked with the Wales job in recent days, is also keen on making a quick return to the game after leaving Fulham at the end of last season.

It will be Short's first appointment since taking over the chairmanship duties from Niall Quinn in the summer, but the fourth manager to work under him since taking control of the club. He has previously worked with Roy Keane, Ricky Sbragia as well as Bruce.

After days of reflection following Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Wigan at the Stadium of Light, Short ultimately took the decision out of the 50-year-old's hands with Sunderland languishing two points above the bottom three.

Bruce - who signed 30 players and had a net spend of between £12-15m from his time in charge - had spoken of a determination to win back the fans that hurled abuse in his direction after Sunderland had lost to the Premier League's bottom club on Saturday.

But after leading first team training for the final time yesterday, the club's American owner informed Bruce that his 98-game reign was over after a run which had seen him fail to defeat Newcastle, Fulham, West Brom and Wigan on home soil.

Talks had been planned this week and the former Wigan boss had been looking to convince Short that he was still the man to lead Sunderland to a top half finish this season.

But with the number of supporters wanting him out growing by the day, it was deemed the time was right to bring his tenure to an end ahead of this Sunday's trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

But Short was keen to reflect on the outgoing manager's character, saying: "Steve has acted with honesty and integrity throughout, which is testament to the character and commitment he has shown during his time at Sunderland.

"I would like to personally place on record my thanks to him for his significant contribution to our football club over the past two and a half years and everyone here at Sunderland naturally wishes him the very best for the future."

Bruce won just 29 of his 98 matches in charge, losing 41. It was the fact that only two of that total of victories arrived this season which cost him after a summer of huge change on the transfer front.

After leading Sunderland to tenth last season, which did include a worrying three month spell without a win after the sale of Darren Bent, he brought in 11 new players during the summer.

But without a recognised left-midfielder and out-and-out goalscorer in his ranks, Sunderland looked capable of creating chances but incapable of finishing them off.

Now Bruce, who is said to have been totally shocked by yesterday's events, will take time out to consider his next move, while Sunderland look for his replacement.

His long term assistant, Eric Black, will be in charge of first team duties until a new manager is brought in. But Black is likely to be one of the first casualties when things do change.

O'Neill is well known for demanding his own backroom team come with him, which was one of the reasons why he turned down Middlesbrough's overtures in 2006.

But after being out of the game for more than a year, the Northern Irishman is said to be more attracted by the prospect of taking over at the club he is said to have supported as a boy.

Short, in discussions with former chairman Niall Quinn, will now work on the next stage of his hopes to turn Sunderland in to a top ten Premier League force.

"It is my job as chairman to act in the best interests of our football club at all times," he said. "I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that I have taken lightly.

"Sadly results this season have simply not been good enough and I feel the time is right to make a change."