ADRIAN Heath today backed Peter Reid to ride out the storm which is threatening to wreck Sunderland's start to the new Premiership season.

As the Wearsiders prepare for tomorrow's curtain-raiser at Ewood, irate fans continue to vent their anger at the under-fire Black Cats boss after becoming increasingly frustrated by the club's failure to attract big names to the North East following last season's undignified scrap against relegation.

The situation came to a head a fortnight ago when Reid was drenched by a beer thrown by an unhappy fan during a pre-season tour of Belgium.

That image - which was plastered all over the national Press - substantially reduced his odds of becoming the Premiership's first managerial casualty of the season.

However, Heath insists the growing army of dissenters will not force his former Everton team-mate to throw in the towel at the Stadium of Light.

"They won't hound Peter out of this club," said assistant boss Heath.

"If he decides to go, he will do it because he believes it's in the best interests of everyone connected with the club, not because it will suit a small pocket of fans.

"But Peter has remained upbeat throughout all of this because, with the players we've got, he thinks we are only a couple of additions short of being a good side."

Reid, himself, has been hurt by the nature of the criticism.

After taking the club out of the First Division at the second attempt, he managed two successive seventh-place finishes in the top-flight in the ensuing seasons.

But it was last term's disappointing 17th-place finish, combined with a failure to land a recognised strike partner for Kevin Phillips, which has cranked up the pressure from the fans, leading to calls for his head.

At the same time, Newcastle's rapid progress under the careful stewardship of Bobby Robson has exacerbated the situation even more.

Reid is refusing to be driven out of the club, however, and insists all the recent criticism has only served to strengthen his resolve to turn things around.

"There is no way I'm going to walk away. It doesn't matter how much lager is thrown over me, I will not walk out on this job," said the Black Cats boss.

"I've had the sack at Manchester City and it's not pleasant. If this is taken out of my hands there is nothing I can do about it, but I have never walked away from anything - and that is not going to change now.

"I lost four years as a player through injury and contract disputes and fought back.

"I can honestly say that opposition to me doesn't have the desired effect and, if anything, it makes me even more stubborn and determined to come out fighting."

The Black Cats will need all those fighting qualities if they plan to kick-off the new campaign with a win tomorrow.

Last season, they did the double over Blackburn courtesy of a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light and a 3-0 triumph at Ewood.

But since then Rovers boss Graeme Souness has added the rapier-like qualities of Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke to his attack.

As a result, the Sunderland camp are bracing themselves for a much trickier ride this time around.

"We know it's not going to be easy," said Heath. "We've had Blackburn watched during pre-season and they appear to be doing well going forward.

"Damien Duff looks full of it after a great World Cup. Of course everyone knows about the dangers Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke pose.

"And we all know what Keith Gillespie can do.

"So they've got threats all over the park and we'll have to make sure we defend very well on the day if we want to take anything from the game."