Leadbitter is key to the success of Wearsiders

GRANT Leadbitter has strengthened the culture of success Jack Ross is trying to foster on Wearside.

The January signing from Middlesbrough has been in outstanding form since he rejoined his boyhood favourites and the club where he began his career.

His performances have risen to another level since Ross has paired him with Lee Cattermole in central midfield in the last two games, in which Black Cats claimed back-to-back wins over Gillingham at the Stadium of Light and then at Bristol Rovers yesterday.

Ross cannot speak highly enough of the 33-year-old, saying: “I liked Grant from the very first time I spoke to him.

“I had a few conversations with him and I think he enjoys being back here, he likes the way we work and he is desperate to be successful for the club.

“There are others here like that, too, and it just spreads and it becomes the culture of your club and the fabric of your club,

“It was there already but Grant has helped strengthen it.

“He is capable of doing both sides of the game - the dirty side and then also quality in possession as well.”

Leadbitter was just one of the star performers in Sunderland’s win at the Memorial Stadium with fellow January arrival Jimmy Dunne - who joined on loan from Burnley - turning in a strong display at the heart of defence in the face of an aerial bombardment by Rovers.

Ross added: “There have been different players who have been criticised at different times.

“We have a lot of young players and this is a whole new learning experience for them.

“Bristol put a lot of balls forward, a lot of balls into the box, and we knew that.

“We wanted more of a physical presence in the penalty area and I would guess Jimmy made double figures in terms of headed clearances.”

Substitute Lewis Morgan, who joined on loan from Celtic in January, also made an impact when he replaced Duncan Watmore midway through the second half.

He set up two excellent chances for Charlie Wyke and if the striker’s finishing had been better Sunderland would have won this game by a much more convincing scoreline.

“Lewis is a good player and he wants to play all the time,” said Ross, who worked with Morgan at St Mirren.