Time to pack a punch, says Bardsley

May 9 2009 by Paul Cunningham, The Journal

“It’s about making sure you win your individual battle and then being there to help out your team-mates. That’s the kind of attitude we need.”

Jeffries made it two wins out of two in his professional career since collecting a super-middleweight bronze in Beijing. His demolition of Roy Meissner at Crowtree Leisure Centre was watched by chairman Niall Quinn last week but not Bardsley, who had a game the following day. It furthered Jeffries’ reputation as the city’s leading sporting ambassador at a time when the footballers’ stock is falling.

“Jaffa is a hero in Sunderland,” added Bardsley. “His achievements are celebrated and recognised and rightly so – he has presented the city in a really positive light. We want to do the same. The players don’t want to be known as failures, but if we don’t produce between now and the end of the season, we will be. We need that winning mentality, that hunger and drive to win and succeed.”