Mile Jedinak: Aston Villa's players determined to win promotion and make Steve Bruce proud

Villa take a 1-0 lead into Tuesday night’s second leg against Middlesbrough, thanks to Jedinak’s strike in the first half of Saturday’s encounter at the Riverside Stadium.

Bruce has dealt with personal tragedy in recent months with the death of both his parents and Jedinak revealed the manager’s turmoil had been at the forefront of player’s minds.

“The manager has been through a difficult period,” said the midfielder. “We’re 110 per cent behind him every single way, trying to be there for him and produce performances that he’s going to be proud of. We want to produce performances that reflect him.

“There’s also the fans and the football club itself we are doing it for. It’s been a long season and we’re at the end of it now.

“At the start of the season if we were given this option to be where we are now, we would have loved it. We are here now and it is time to get the business done.”

Bruce, whose mother Sheenagh passed away earlier this month, just 88 days after his father Joe, meanwhile paid tribute to the support he has received from players, staff and supporters.

“The support I have received from the club has been exceptional, from supporters, to chief executive and the owner, everyone concerned,” he said. “The one thing you have to do is concentrate on the game and focus.

“That is what my mam and dad would have wanted. I can hear her now: ‘Roll your sleeves up son and get on with it.’ That is what we are going to do.”

Villa are now favourites to progress through to the Wembley final but Jedinak, who captained Crystal Palace to promotion through the play-offs five years ago, has warned the tie is far from over.

“We’ve still got to go out there and do the business,” he said. We can’t rest on our laurels and settle for the 1-0.

“We have to go into the game and put in a performance that is worthy of getting us to a final. We have to be ready.”