Friday 8 January 2016 12:37, UK
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce says he will be delighted with an FA Cup run this season but insists Premier League survival is the club's priority.
Allardyce, an advocate for the introduction of a winter break, is unhappy over a fixture list which sees the Black Cats face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the third round on Saturday before trips to Swansea and Tottenham, inside eight days.
The former West Ham manager was given the task of preserving Sunderland's top-flight status by owner Ellis Short in October, and he is adamant that remains his focus, despite his liking for the cup.
"It's always the Premier League. We are in the bottom three and that makes our status in the Premier League the most important thing - and this is the club priority, this is the priority from Ellis Short downwards," he said.
"The emphasis at this football club, at every football club I have been at and every owner I have worked for is to stay up and we have to be in the Premier League next season.
"That's always the first priority, notwithstanding we all love the FA Cup, we'd all love to do exceptionally well in it.
"But look, if you win the FA Cup, like Wigan did and who now find themselves in League One having been relegated after winning that FA Cup... this club cannot afford that."
Sunderland have won the FA Cup twice, most recently in 1973 when as a Second Division side they defeated a Leeds team enjoying their glory years under Don Revie.
Jim Montgomery produced an outstanding performance to thwart Leeds, and Sunderland manager Bob Stokoe memorably ran onto the Wembley pitch to congratulate his goalkeeper at the end of the match.
And Allardyce admits he is well aware of the affection in which the competition is held on Wearside.
"Everybody has enjoyed the FA Cup at some stage or other and everybody would like to get to the final and experience that," Allardyce said.
"This club has been there and is remembered very much for Jim Montgomery's couple of saves all those years ago and Bob Stokoe's run on the pitch. I can remember that vividly myself and it had nothing to do with me, I just watched it on the television.
"We are all in love with the FA Cup, but unfortunately priorities change in football and our priority is the Premier League."
