The 21-year-old academy graduate was handed his first league start for the club at Birmingham last Saturday as injuries and a dismal run of results forced Bruce into yet another reshuffle. Colback did not let his manager down with an assured display, although he could not prevent the Black Cats slipping to a 2-0 defeat, the club's eighth in nine games. Bruce hopes to have senior men Kieran Richardson and Sulley Muntari back for Saturday's vital clash with Wigan, who gave their own hopes of avoiding the drop a significant boost with a 3-1 win at Blackpool last weekend. However, whether they make it or not, Colback is ready to roll up his sleeves once again in the hunt for precious points. Sunderland face the Latics and then Fulham at the Stadium of Light in their next two games, and while their own fans have grown increasingly restless in recent weeks, the midfielder knows that would change instantly with two positive results. Colback, who was born and raised on Tyneside, but has spent his formative years in football on Wearside, said: "You feel the passion of the crowd every time you play, and it's great to be playing for your hometown club, so to speak. "I have been here since I was 10, so it's as good as, so it's just great to play for them. "It's just unfortunate the way it has been going at the minute. "We need to try to turn it around, and with two home games coming up... "The way the league has gone this year, it looks all doom and gloom now, but two wins and we could be back in the top 10 and everyone forgets about the past eight or nine games." Colback's opportunities on Wearside have been limited, but he cut his teeth in first-team football in the Championship on loan at Ipswich last season and returned to Portman Road during the first half of the current campaign. Bruce had no option but to turn to youth at Birmingham with the 21-year-old and Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, both 20, helping to give the starting XI an average age of a little more than 23. Colback said: "Obviously, it's not the type of situation you want to come into as a young player, but everyone has got to stick together. "It's good to see when you look around and there are faces you have come up with. "The manager has proved that he will give you a chance if you impress him, as he has done with Jordan and David Meyler. "But you just need to come up with no fear anyway. It's a bad situation to be in, but it's great experience." Bruce's problems continued this week when keeper Craig Gordon and striker Fraizer Campbell both underwent knee surgery which will sideline them for lengthy periods as the pressure mounted on the manager. In the circumstances, he could do without a genuine six-pointer against the club he left to head for Wearside almost two years ago, but he was in bullish mood as he prepared to attempt to win over his detractors once again. Bruce said: "Make no mistake, that's why this is a difficult job, because we have a huge following of fans who have stayed loyal to this club year in and year out. "They are a fantastic bunch and they love their football club, so we need to produce a performance for them so they can be pleased on Saturday night to say the team has shown what they are all about. "Who knows, if we win on Saturday, I might be flavour of the month again."
