Starts tonight, against the skunks reserves.....and Kilgallon (thought he was off)
TITUS Bramble will make his Sunderland comeback in tonightâs reserve team derby â a week after his suspension was lifted by the club.
The defender (pictured) has not featured for the Black Cats since Sunderlandâs 2-1 defeat at Norwich City in September after he was arrested less than 48 hours later following a night on the town.
He was subsequently fined heavily by Sunderland and suspended for six weeks â the maximum allowed under UK employment law â for bringing the club into disrepute by going nightclubbing just hours before he was due for training.
Bramble still faces a Crown Court trial over two charges of sexual assault and one of urinating against a police station wall â matters that the 30-year-old denies.
But the former Newcastle man has resumed training for the past week at the Academy of Light and will line up alongside Matt Kilgallon in central defence for the second stringâs clash with the Magpies at the Stadium of Light tonight (kick-off 7pm).
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce told the Echo: âBig Titus will play against Newcastle tonight, as will Matt Kilgallon, who has been training well recently.
âTitus is back and I canât be judge and jury. Weâve done what we can and took a stance on it.
âHeâs been fined heavily for bringing the club into disrepute and itâs now up to the courts as to what they do.
âHeâs been out for five to six weeks and now heâs got to build up his fitness again.â
Brambleâs outing for the reserves will not necessarily signal any involvement in the first teamâs Premier League clash with Fulham on Saturday.
The ex-England U21 defender is short of fitness after being forced to train on his own during his suspension.
And it remains to be seen whether Bruce will select Bramble after the manager was furious at one of his most experienced players hitting the town the day after Sunderlandâs worst performance of the season at Carrow Road.
The return to fitness of John OâShea means Sunderland are well-off when it comes to defensive cover too, with Michael Turner and Wes Brown forming an effective partnership at the heart of the back four during Brambleâs absence.
Bramble and Kilgallon will be by far the most senior Sunderland players on show tonight against an equally youthful Newcastle side, with both squads depleted by their international absentees
TITUS Bramble will make his Sunderland comeback in tonightâs reserve team derby â a week after his suspension was lifted by the club.
The defender (pictured) has not featured for the Black Cats since Sunderlandâs 2-1 defeat at Norwich City in September after he was arrested less than 48 hours later following a night on the town.
He was subsequently fined heavily by Sunderland and suspended for six weeks â the maximum allowed under UK employment law â for bringing the club into disrepute by going nightclubbing just hours before he was due for training.
Bramble still faces a Crown Court trial over two charges of sexual assault and one of urinating against a police station wall â matters that the 30-year-old denies.
But the former Newcastle man has resumed training for the past week at the Academy of Light and will line up alongside Matt Kilgallon in central defence for the second stringâs clash with the Magpies at the Stadium of Light tonight (kick-off 7pm).
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce told the Echo: âBig Titus will play against Newcastle tonight, as will Matt Kilgallon, who has been training well recently.
âTitus is back and I canât be judge and jury. Weâve done what we can and took a stance on it.
âHeâs been fined heavily for bringing the club into disrepute and itâs now up to the courts as to what they do.
âHeâs been out for five to six weeks and now heâs got to build up his fitness again.â
Brambleâs outing for the reserves will not necessarily signal any involvement in the first teamâs Premier League clash with Fulham on Saturday.
The ex-England U21 defender is short of fitness after being forced to train on his own during his suspension.
And it remains to be seen whether Bruce will select Bramble after the manager was furious at one of his most experienced players hitting the town the day after Sunderlandâs worst performance of the season at Carrow Road.
The return to fitness of John OâShea means Sunderland are well-off when it comes to defensive cover too, with Michael Turner and Wes Brown forming an effective partnership at the heart of the back four during Brambleâs absence.
Bramble and Kilgallon will be by far the most senior Sunderland players on show tonight against an equally youthful Newcastle side, with both squads depleted by their international absentees
