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Marvin Sordell showed Bolton fans that he cared in the FA Cup

Mark Thompson

Ask any Bolton Wanderers fan what they think of Marvin Sordell and you'll have a lot of them tell you that it is due to his "attitude", "work ethic," or a "lack of passion." Others will claim it on absolutely baseless rumors like "showing up late to training" even though it's never been brought up by anyone in any position at the club.

Others chalk it up to Marvin Sordell just plain not caring.

For those fans that managed to watch or follow Saturday's FA Cup match that ended in a 2-2 draw with Sunderland, Marvin Sordell managed to show that he cared about this Bolton team and wanted to be part of it. He showed us that he cared.

Just take a look at the first goal, for one. With the ball harmlessly going back to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Sordell ran in and pressured hard, denying Mignolet the chance to clear it. This made the goalkeeper to pass to Carlos Cuellar in the corner and it was again pressure from Sordell that forced the error. With the forward moving from the penalty area to the corner where Cuellar had the ball, the central defender had to get rid and he played it center, to the edge of the 18-yard box. Chung-Yong Lee received it, hit it first time, and gave Bolton the lead. Had it not been for Sordell's determination to keep the pressure up and his drive at both the goalkeeper and the defender, the goal would not have happened.

Secondly, Marvin Sordell's goal right after halftime (Bolton's second) and subsequent celebration seemed to tell the fans just about all they needed to know. It was a finish that Sordell described as "instinctive" after the match. A clever cross from Martin Petrov fell too close to the goalkeeper and Mignolet managed to punch it half-clear. Keith Andrews was paying close attention and nodded the ball back into the box with a rising Sordell heading home to the far post.

The first part of Sordell's celebration? To tell the fans to remember the name. He raised the back of his shirt, making sure that the word "Sordell" was clear to see. The second part saw eight of the 11 men on the field immediately surround the striker and hug him with smiles on all their faces. The only men that didn't run over to him were Tyrone Mears (on defensive duty at that point) and Andy Lonergan (in goal). If they weren't happy to see Sordell score, we're not sure what that was then.

Speaking after the final whistle, Sordell echoed his desire to continue his hard work at training:

"I am glad that I got my goal. It was good chance for me to show the fans what I can do and it was good to have a positive performance. The crowd were excellent - it is always good when people back you and I just want to do well and score more goals for this club.

"I have been working hard at the training ground to make my way back into the team. I just tried to get in the right areas and hoped that something would come my way and luckily it did in the second half.

"For the goal, the corner came in and the keeper came out to punch it away. I ran towards to ball thinking it will come to me and it did and I just managed to help it on its way into the net. It was just an instinctive finish and luckily no one was on the post and it went in.

"I just want to now try and keep my head down and work hard. That is what the manager has spoken to me about. He has told me if I continue to work hard then I will get my opportunity."

All we want is for Sordell to succeed by scoring goals and living up to his potential for Bolton Wanderers. Well, that and to stop replying to idiots on Twitter.

It's time to build on that performance, Marvin.