After three successive defeats in League One, Bristol Rovers sit in 21st place in the league with a relegation battle on their hands.
The Pirates’ latest defeat came against Swindon on Tuesday with Jack Payne scoring the only goal of the contest for the visitors, in a bitter blow for Barton’s men.
After the result on Tuesday, Barton shifted his focus to the upcoming fixture against Sunderland on Saturday as he implored his Bristol Rovers’ players to respond to the defeat like champions.
The Pirates manager, aware of the presence of Johnson in the stands for the game against Swindon, urged his players to meet fire with fire when they take on promotion chasers Sunderland as the fixture is crucial for both teams, albeit for different reasons.
“On our current trajectory, we’re going to be pushing it very, very close to the wire. But whilst there’s air in my body and whilst there’s life in my soul, I believe we can get the job done”, Barton was quoted as saying post match by Bristol Live.
“Tonight is a severe kick in the guts, but a champion’s response is about how you get up off the canvas.
“These lads have got Sunderland on Saturday, Lee Johnson was in the stands tonight for a side who’s chasing promotion.
“In our league you’re either getting hunted or you’re hunting and at this moment in time, we’ve got to dust ourselves down and we’ve got to be ready to meet fire with fire.
“It can’t just be me talking about it, it can’t just be me and the staff talking about it all the time, the players have got to show it through action.”
Bristol Rovers’ players will look to respond to their manager’s words as they try to ease the relegation pressure by claiming victory over Sunderland on Saturday.
