Aviva Premiership
Barkley: We owe Bath fans
ESPNscrum Staff
December 24, 2011
Bath's Olly Barkley slots a kick against Sale, Sale Sharks v Bath, Aviva Premiership, Edgeley Park, Stockport, England, February 11, 2011
Olly Barkley says Bath are striving to transform their form © Getty Images
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Bath centre Olly Barkley is desperate to repay the fans' loyalty with an upsurge in form over the Christmas period.

Sir Ian McGeehan's side are third-bottom in the Aviva Premiership with just four victories so far this season. And the sense of gloom surrounding the club deepened with a thumping 52-27 defeat to Leinster in Dublin last weekend.

Barkley insists Bath are trying everything to arrest their dismal run of one win in their last five Premiership matches ahead of their clash with Northampton Saints on Christmas Eve.

"The fans are there every week for us in the cold shouting and it's about time we gave them something to smile about," he said. "We work hard every week and at the moment we don't seem to be that cohesive as a side.

"We are constantly looking for ways in which we can improve and try and find those extra inches that mean wins these days. No one hurts more than this player group. We know how short we are of our capabilities and I'm sure the fans can see that and it's as frustrating for us as it is for them at the moment.

"Northampton are very direct and very hard to beat. A big part of the game there is going at them and trying to silence their crowd who get behind them as well as any crowd in the league.

"We need to be up for it physically but also a bit clever when we have the ball."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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