GARY Bowyer has met his City critics head on by declaring: No one wants it more than me.

The pressure has been piled on tomorrow night’s home clash with Cheltenham after the Bantams chief was targeted with angry chants at Mansfield.

Saturday’s dismal 3-0 loss at Field Mill made it five games without a win and City will drop out of the play-off places with another defeat.

But Bowyer has come out fighting amid the growing unrest – and vowed he will not back away from the challenge.

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He said: “People that know me know I want to win at everything.

“That’s how I’ve been brought up. Nobody remembers second best – our generation was all about competing and winning.

“No one wants it more than me.

“You can go and get anybody that’s connected with Bradford City. If you could do a DNA test on who wants it more, nobody would beat me.”

Bowyer brought the squad in for an extra session yesterday and he held meetings with the players to discuss any grievances. He hopes the Mansfield misery will act as a “kick up the backside” to reinvigorate City’s fading results.

He added: “They were frank and open discussions and a lot of things came out.

“Obviously, those will stay private but the main aim is that they all want to get better and put it right. There was nobody sitting in a corner not saying anything.

“We go out to try and win every game, contrary to what some people might think or say.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the reaction of the players. Like myself they are hurting, angry and frustrated in terms of what happened on Saturday.

“Come the end of the season, we may look back on that result and performance as the kick up the backside we needed.

“Over the course of the season there are always surprise results along the way. The main thing for us is to remain level and not get carried away, even if we go on a fantastic run now, which we’re capable of doing.”

Today’s shock news that skipper James Vaughan and fellow striker Eoin Doyle are set to leave means the prospect of a changed frontline against a Cheltenham side two points behind them – and who have conceded only eight away goals.

Bowyer is aware it could potentially become a difficult atmosphere again after Saturday but will not shy away from any flak.

“It’s the nature of it. We’ve grown up with it and don’t know any different.

“It’s part and parcel of the game. But the more support they give the players, the better is.

“I’ll never duck a fight or responsibility. People can see the amount of work going in.

“We are still sat in a play-off position and the group we’ve got, barring Saturday, are honest and have been fighting for us.

“They want to get out there and play.

“Look at our home form this year, the results they’ve produced speak for themselves in front of our big crowd.

“The big thing is that the fans see them running around and having a go. See that and they’ll back them all the way.”