Steve Bruce faced the press ahead of Aston Villa's Championship trip to Barnsley this weekend.

Bruce was in defiant mood at Bodymoor Heath today and insists Villa will recover from their poor start to the season to challenge for promotion.

Villa sit 18th in the table with seven points from seven matches after one win, two defeats and four draws.

It has prompted question marks over Bruce's position, but he is adamant he is the man to get Villa back to the Premier League.

Here's a transcript from part of his press conference:

On Villa's results

We all know what the game is now, it's based on results and I understand seven points from seven games is not a good enough return.

Then you invite all the doom and gloom that unfortunately engulfs the club very quickly.

So, listen the only way you can put it right and shut a few people up is by getting a few results.

We've had a couple of poor performances out of the nine matches.

Cardiff second half and last week against Brentford.

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I did mention that we didn't get beat in the game but we weren't anywhere near where we were the previous week when we played against Norwich and Wigan and what have you.

In that respect we haven't picked up enough points.

The only way we can quieten the storm is to get a few results.

I think we're a little touch off it, we're nearly there and I'm still convinced that we will end up at the right end of the table.

We've just got to batten down the hatches at the moment.

Anything that can go against us, is going against us and that's the way it goes sometimes.

'Boring' accusations





We've got no divine right because we've got a big club. We've seen lots of clubs in a similar sort of situation.

The only way to calm it and shut everybody up is by winning a couple of games, which we've been very close. We've done everything the other night, couldn't quite win it, then the frustration jumps out at everybody.

Not long enough

I walked into here at Aston Villa that had won five games in 18 months.

It was always going to be a difficult challenge because of where the club found itself.

In two transfer windows it's not enough to get over what you want, what you have to do. We've got the vast majority of the team now have either come last Christmas or this summer so we're judging them really on six months. That's not long enough.

But I'm realistic and I've been in it long enough to know that if you don't get results then of course no matter what you're doing behind it to create a decent squad and create a pattern of play which is sometimes levelled against me, whatever you what to call it is bumbling along under the surface and we will be there or thereabouts.

If we can stay with it.

A 'do or die' weekend

Who's creating that? Social media, phone ins? Social media and phone-ins.

The vast majority of the crowd were terrific the other night.

There was 29,000 and they were terrific towards the team and myself.

I can't really engulf myself in that. If it's last chance saloon then so be it. If that's what they want then so be it.

I can''t really answer that the way I would like to but if that's what they want then how can I deny it.

They've got access to social media or they can ring a radio station but I do believe the vast majority of the supporters are right behind myself and the team and can see that there's been progress made from what has been a very difficult period for the club over the last few years.

What's the fix? Off with my head and then somebody else comes in and changes it? That's not the way forward surely because if that does then the club just engulfs itself in more mass change.

Being labelled a dinosaur

Ive heard that I'm a dinosaur, I'm this that and the other.


Who are they going to get any better? We get ourselves engulfed in all of this because we haven't picked up enough points. We're quite capable of winning two or three in a week and we'll be in the top six.



Opponents Barnsley

They're a really good Championship side. I've watched them on the video this morning.

They've beat Derby, they've beat Sunderland at home.

We've got no divine right to say we're going to go there and walk over Barnsley because they've proved themselves over the last few years.

They're a good side and that's how difficult the Championship is. There's no given, they're all very good teams in the division and a very difficult place to go is Barnsley, always.

Dressing room morale

Of course it infects them and affects their confidence when they don't get results but they did everything they possibly could the other night against Middlesbrough, now I know we played for the best part of 35 or 40 minutes with 10 men.

The attitude of the team and, of course, the supporters the way they were towards them... I think they enjoyed what they saw.

They saw a team that tried their best, had chance after chance after chance and unfortunately didn't take one.

If one of those chances had have fell and gone in it would be a whole different scenario that we're talking about.

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It only seems at the minute to be one or two results and all of a sudden the club's engulfed in crisis again.

Obviously we need a few results back to back to get the bandwagon rolling again because believe me we're on the right tracks.

I know that for a fact. I've got the nucleus of a very decent squad for this division. We're capable and I know the club will be capable of mounting a challenge this season.

Jonathan Kodjia

It's important. We've been without our top goalscorer and when you're getting these chances.

It was his header and he's nearly scored. He's been terrific for the club since he's walked through the door.

A big return in goals and obviously we hope he can give us the goals that will take us forward.

Message to fans

The vast majority of the fans in the stadium have been terrific towards me.

Listen when you don't get results at a club like ours then you're open for criticism.

I'm aware of that but I think the vast majority of supporters can see what we're trying to achieve.

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How many points will Villa get from their September fixtures?


I won't be everybody's cup of tea, I understand that.

But I understand in the way Villa Park was the other night, in terms of the way they were towards me and my staff and the players that they're still right behind them.

I think that's crucial in all of this they can play their part and try to help the situation which obviously is very difficult at the minute.

Unbeaten run

We had a really disappointing result and then all of a sudden we had a good week when we beat Norwich.

Since then we're unbeaten in five.

I know we haven't won but we're unbeaten in our last five games.

At the end of the day seven points from seven games isn't a good enough return and there you leave yourselves open and that's it end of story.

That's what it is so you have to batten down the hatches, ignore the mass hysteria and get on with the job of trying to win a few football matches

Winning Lansbury appeal

I said at the time it was a bad decision, unfortunately though in the actually game with 33 minutes to play we would have gone on to win the game.

I'm convinced of that, if we'd have had the extra man but I'm glad common sense has prevailed.