REECE JAMES is hoping Sunderland’s impressive squad depth will enable them to see off their rivals and claim automatic promotion from League One this season.

Having slipped to fifth position when they did not play because of international commitments last weekend, the Black Cats will be looking to resume their promotion push when they travel to Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

James is set to start against Shrews, despite having kicked off the season as Sunderland’s third-choice left-back.

With Bryan Oviedo suspended and Denver Hume unavailable because of injury, the 24-year-old finds himself in Jack Ross’ first-choice XI, and he proved he was up to the task as he impressed in the 2-1 win at Bradford City.

There are not many League One clubs that could regard a former Manchester United trainee with more than 80 senior appearances under his belt as a third-choice player in any position, and with the likes of Alim Ozturk, Dylan McGeouch and George Honeyman currently battling to hold down a place in Sunderland’s first team, James feels the club’s strength in depth could be a major factor in their favour as they attempt to force their way back into the top two.

“There’s a lot of games to play with the league and then three cup competitions, so you need to make sure you’ve got a big squad,” said the full-back, who joined Sunderland from Wigan Athletic in the summer. “We’ve got that.

“Even with all the injuries, we’ve still got a very good side that can play league games and win those, and then go into the Checkatrade Trophy and still win those games too.

“Momentum keeps things going, so it’s about striking the right balance of keeping that, with also keeping people fresh.

“I think the manager has done that well. He’s brought in some young lads, and given them the opportunity to be around the first-team squad and first-team games.”

James joined Sunderland on a free transfer this summer after Wigan failed to extend his contract at the DW Stadium, and the defender rejected a number of alternative offers to move to the Stadium of Light.

Ross shelved a proposed move for Manchester United youngster Cameron Borthwick-Jackson in order to sign him, but while he started August’s matches against Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon, he found himself shuffled down the pecking order when Oviedo’s anticipated departure from Wearside failed to materialise.

Hume’s emergence has been an added complication in terms of his own ambitions, but having started at Valley Parade, the full-back now finds himself with an opportunity to carve out a long-term spot in the side.

Ross has made a point of stressing that he tends to keep faith with players who are performing well in the first team, and for all that Oviedo might be an established international who played at the World Cup this summer, the left-back jersey is currently James’ to lose.

That suits the Lancastrian, who insists he never questioned his move to the North-East, even when he was struggling to make the match-day squad.

“I’m absolutely loving it here so far,” said James. “The club itself is unbelievable. You only have to look at the stadium and training facilities to appreciate how big it actually is. It should never be in the division it’s in, but it’s up to us now to get us out of it.”