SUNDERLAND manager Peter Reid launched the promotion celebrations in a jubilant Roker Park home dressing-room today.

Sunderland could have wrapped up the championship today, had they beaten Stoke However, Reid was delighted with the way the weekend had gone as the players set a new club record of 17 matches unbeaten.

He said: "Stoke were very well organised. We had a couple of chances but in the end we've kept another clean sheet. The lads have done tremendously well. One more point will do us. I could sense the lads were desperate to get a victory, but we didn't get it.

"If you keep clean sheets it means you've kept your discipline and the fact that we've made it 17 games unbeaten speaks for itself."

Sunderland were facing relegation when Reid arrived last, year. Now they are ready to join neighbours Newcastle and. Middlesbrough in the top, flight.

A draw against West Brom on Saturday will secure the championship.

Reid added: "It will be a special occasion if we get a point. I will take this year, compared to last year, any day."

The Roker boss was at Darlington yesterday when the result of Derby's match with Birmingham came through. He ended the day by playing a joke on veteran midfielder Paul Bracewell.

Reid revealed: "I had a smashing night and a few glasses of champagne with Sam Ellis, who was my assistant manager at Manchester City. I gave Bracewell a call at 11.30pm and told him to get to bed."

Stoke manager Lou Macari admitted: "We've really got to make a mess of it now to miss the play-offs.

"It's never easy coming to Roker Park. The last thing we wanted was for Sunderland to get their tails up and get an early goal.

"That would have made it even more of an intimidating atmosphere at Roker but we defended well.

"I saw the way Birmingham played up here and we felt that if we defended well, we could get something out of the game."

Sunderland director Bob Murray has promised that manager Peter Reid will have money to spend next season.

He said: "Peter will be given more money than any other manager in the history of this club."