Former Sunderland boss Peter Reid has said that the club have a chance of a Premier League return if they back Alex Neil following their promotion to the Championship.

Sunderland won promotion back to the second-tier via the League One play-offs this season, defeating Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley in the play-off final.

A key part of their success was hiring Alex Neil following Lee Johnson's Stadium of Light exit, and Peter Reid is full of praise for the Scotsman, whom he insists, if backed, has a chance of getting the club back to the Premier League.

“He’s strong and you have to stay with your convictions and he has done that,” Reid said on Neil, via the Sunderland Echo.

“He’s done a great job wherever he’s been, if you look at Norwich and Preston, he’s been in Scotland where he started off at Hamilton. He’s done a great job and he’s a very, very good manager.

“The club have to back him now in the Championship and the ultimate for Sunderland – I’m telling all Sunderland fans how to suck eggs here – they need to get in the Premier League.

“It’s a tough league the Championship but if you back him you’ve got a chance.

“When you go up in leagues it’s a massive step up but you’ve got to back him and have confidence in him.”

The Verdict

You can certainly see where Peter Reid is coming from here.

He knows Sunderland are a big club and due to that, are capable of challenging right at the top of the Championship table.

Doing that next season might be a big ask, but if Alex Neil is backed properly this summer, and in the coming seasons, you would not be at all surprised to see the Black Cats earn a return to the top-flight.

Given the size of the club, it will certainly be interesting to see the calibre of player they are able to attract this summer.