THE publication of the Premier League fixture list has handed Sunderland the chance to extend their summer of opportunity into the autumn.

With England’s brightest managerial talent in charge and Ellis Short’s millions providing the financial muscle to back up Steve Bruce, there is justifiable excitement at the North East’s only top-flight club.

And the first couple of months’ fixtures highlights just how big an opportunity Sunderland have to establish themselves among the elite.

With the exception of the visit of Chelsea to the Stadium of Light in Bruce’s first competitive home game, the new Black Cats boss couldn’t have asked for a much gentler start.

Bolton are first up and the Reebok Stadium hasn’t proved a happy hunting ground in recent years – but if Bruce can add the steel and resolve that he talked of on his appointment last month, that trip should hold few fears.

Gary Megson’s transfer budget will be a fraction of Bruce’s and it is a game the Black Cats should be looking to get something out of if they are serious about breaking into the top 10.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues will provide a much sterner test in the second game of the campaign but much will depend on how quickly the Italian, who has no previous experience outside Italy’s more pedestrian Serie A, manages to impose his will on Chelsea.

Luiz Felipe Scolari flopped when faced with the same task and arguably there is no better time to face one of the sides sure to make up the division’s top four.

After that, Sunderland do not meet another of the division’s heavy hitters until October.

Indeed they have a run of five games that all provide opportunities to put points on the board. Bruce will look at a quintet of matches comprising of Blackburn (home), Stoke (away), Hull (home), Burnley (away) and Wolves (home) and see a real chance to have Sunderland in the top eight by the time they travel to Old Trafford on October 3.

Perhaps it is a reflection on the relegation of Newcastle, but it is not a particularly exciting fixture list for Sunderland supporters.

The promotion of Burnley, Birmingham and Wolves – who Sunderland have no traditional rivalries with – adds little to set the pulses racing while Hull and Stoke staying up provides two more clubs with a distinctly ‘Championship’ feel to tussle with.

But it does provide a massive opportunity for the Black Cats to finally consign their ‘yo-yo’ club reputation to the annals of history and to avoid the frayed nerves of last season.

Bruce will be hoping that the Black Cats end the campaign with none of the rancour or animosity that greeted Ricky Sbragia’s last stand. An expectant Sunderland support will expect nothing less.