BRUCE: TIME TO PUT UP A FIGHT, BOYS!

STEVE BRUCE has told his Aston Villa players to “come out fighting” and silence the “mass hysteria” swamping them. Villa travel to Barnsley today with Bruce under fire after just one win from seven matches. Back-to-back stalemates at home have prompted a fresh wave of furious criticism from sections of Villa’s support. But Bruce (above) said: “A couple of results will probably stop the mass hysteria. I know seven points from seven games isn’t good enough. No one is more aware of that than me. “I have been promoted from this division twice in the last five years so I know what I’m doing. Given the chance, I will do the same here. “We will be there or thereabouts. I’ve seen enough in the games to know that. When you are up against it, the one thing you have to do as players is come out fighting.” Barnsley are set to be taken over by a consortium that includes Billy Beane – the American behind the stats-based ‘Moneyball’ concept. Chinese billionaire Chien Lee and US businessman Paul Conway are putting together a £20million deal that would install Beane on the board. Barnsley owner Patrick Cryne has terminal cancer and wrote an emotional farewell to fans in Tuesday’s matchday programme.