Ricky Sbragia headed for Merseyside with his players on Saturday having been appointed Sunderland manager on an 18-month contract.

The 52-year-old Scot was given the nod as Roy Keane's replacement at a meeting of the board following a successful spell as caretaker.

He will take charge in his own right for the first time for Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash with Everton at Goodison Park.

Chairman Niall Quinn admitted the former Manchester United and Bolton coach had made the job of installing him easy after revitalising a squad which had drastically under-achieved during the latter days of Keane's reign.

Quinn said: "Ricky Sbragia is a thoroughly professional football person.

"We have been taken aback by how easily he has slotted into the managerial role and are really heartened by his intelligent approach in dealing with the players and the day-to-day rigours of the job.

"Ricky took up the reins when we were at low ebb and has without doubt revitalised the club.

"He is the unanimous choice of the executive board and will receive every support in his new role. The ownership of the club have also fully endorsed the appointment.

"I'm sure all of our fans, and the players too, will give Ricky their full backing in his first senior management position."

Sbragia was asked to take temporary charge on December 4 when Keane decided he had done as much as he could at the Stadium of Light and called it a day after 27 months in charge following a run of games which brought just one win and six defeats.

He came close to a remarkable debut in the role when he guided his side to within seconds of a 0-0 draw at Manchester United before Nemanja Vidic snatched a last-gasp victory.

However, his first game at the Stadium of Light ended in a 4-0 defeat of West Brom, and an impressed Quinn was already seriously considering Sbragia as a genuine candidate for the job when he oversaw last weekend's 4-1 win at Hull.

Boxing Day's 0-0 draw with Blackburn - now managed by Sam Allardyce, who had made no secret of his availability for the post on Wearside before being recruited by Rovers - perhaps came as something of a disappointment after what had gone before, but the chairman and his fellow directors were happy they had found their man.

Sbragia said: "I'm delighted to have been offered the opportunity to manage a club as big as Sunderland and I'm relishing the challenge ahead.

"My main priority is moving up the Premier League table and ensuring we have unity and stability at the club.

"I've been extremely pleased by the commitment shown by the players to date and the support we have all received from the fans.

"We travel to Merseyside this afternoon and I can hardly wait."

Sbragia had admitted as speculation mounted that he could be in the frame that he did not know whether he would want to sacrifice his privacy, or his time on the training pitch, to make the move into management on a permanent basis.

However, after considering a list of more than 30 serious candidates, the bookmakers took money on the likes of Phil Brown, Alan Curbishley, Martin Jol, Gerard Houllier and Avram Grant - Sunderland decided they already had the right man within the camp.

Sbragia has been given the go-ahead to strengthen an already sizeable squad during next month's transfer window, and has already indicated he will be looking for an experienced Premier League defender.

In addition, he is currently checking on the positions of the 10 players the club currently has out on loan.

Saturday's decision is not without precedent - Sunderland appointed caretaker Malcolm Crosby as permanent boss after he had led the club to the 1992 FA Cup Final in the wake of Denis Smith's departure.

However, he did not last until the end of the following season and both Sbragia and Quinn will hope for better things this time around.