CALLUM Simpson hopes his friends in the Barnsley FC team will replicate the ‘grit and passion’ he showed in his comeback title win at Oakwell this week when they start their new season later this summer.

The 28-year-old boxer won the European super-middleweight title at his hometown stadium, recovering from two early knockdowns to stop Italian Ivan Zucco in the tenth round.

Simpson is a fan of the Reds while players have been regular attendees at his previous fights but most of the squad missed the latest event as it is their off-season.

He told the Chronicle: “There were a few on holiday, having a well-earned break.

“A lot messaged me saying ‘good luck’ and that they would be watching in sports bars.

“They support me massively.

“Hopefully they take something from that grit and passion and take it into next season.”

There was a 15,000 sell-out attendance at Oakwell on Saturday and Simpson has praised his fans for backing him despite him hitting the deck after eight seconds then again in the third round.

He said he drew on that support, and the memory of his sister Lily-Rae who died last August, to launch a superb comeback.

“Even though I got dropped in the first round, the crowd was still behind me.

“Normally you get dropped and everyone is like ‘oh he’s going to lose.’

“But the crowd never stopped cheering. Sometimes fans can be fickle but they were amazing.

“I felt that my sister was speaking to me, and the crowd were obviously really loud as well.

“They are the two things which got me through.”

Simpson is now hoping for a third fight at Oakwell in three successive summers.

He wants to compete for the world title in 2026 in his hometown, while his promoter Ben Shalom said he would first headline a fight in Sheffield in September or October.

Callum said: “We won a British and Commonwealth title last year, a European title this time but now I want to bring the world title back to Barnsley.”

Full coverage on pages 22 and 23.