Coventry City manager Mark Robins has advised City supporters not to let frustrations seep over into the football.
Some of that has come in player abuse and Robins tried to deflect the abuse of some of his player's during Friday night's defeat to Burton Albion by saying: “I think a lot of that was Burton fans in all fairness.
“But when you make mistakes you have to deal with it, you have to man up and deal with things like that.
“Everybody makes mistakes but it’s how we come out of it.”
The City boss has urged supporters to stick together and back the players by saying to the Coventry Telegraph: “Like I’ve said we have to stick together, we have to make sure that that’s what happens.
“We’ve got choices to make, as supporters and players, are we together or are we not?
“Because that’s what we’ve spoken about all the way through.
“The motto is ‘Rise Together,’ not let’s rise together when it suits.
“We all want easy lives, it’d be great for an easy life but it doesn’t happen like that.
“I think if we stick together we will get better performances and better results, it’s as simple as that.”
Following his comments on Friday night, there are those questioning how aware Mark Robins is of the impact that not having Coventry City in existence or not playing in Coventry next season will have in future, will have on the City of Coventry and surrounding area with job losses, some which may lead to homelessness, just the tip of the iceberg.
Whilst Robins would be looked after by the LMA or PFA in the event of the worst happening, there are plenty for whom there is no safety net and it is not surprised people are concerned about their future and those of their families.
The off the field problems which supporters have been dragged into through no fault of their own, and problems that have been whipped into one hell of a frenzy by the club's CEO as well as the media including the attention seeking ones, who will also suffer job losses if City were to be liquidated and social media, have detracted from the on the pitch goings on.
The club has never recovered from its time in exile at Northampton and no-one but no-one wants a repeat of the hostility and threats to life and property that saw the City support divided on an unprescedented scale as a result of Coventry City not playing in Coventry.
Currently, the only place supporters can raise their anger at the situation and make an impact is at City matches and it is nigh on impossible for many to just turn up and watch a game at the Ricoh Arena without the off the field problems raising its very ugly and totally avoidable head.
Not only do City matches attract supporters, who don't want Coventry City to be killed off or moved away from the Ricoh Arena, which has proven a massive own goal for the club who went to the Ricoh having sold their 50% share in ACL, forced to pay exorbitant rent and after the need for a new stadium had long since passed, who are willing to make those feelings known by whatever action deemed necessary as well as those who will see the deaths of Joy Seppala, Tim Fisher or David Boddy and a host of others involved in what has been a very sorry saga as cause for celebration for their part in the club's demise.
It also attracts supporters who voice their opinion if they feel the City players are under-performing or not matching the efforts and expense they have shelled out in order to get to the game.
These factors can make the atmosphere feel toxic at times, like during the Burton game but Robins said: “What’s going on off the field shouldn’t have an impact on the field.
“I know it’s frustrating, it’s frustrating for everybody but we have to stick together.
“People who come to the stadium should come to support the team and those that come to the stadium generally do support the team, but I don’t want things shouted to the players from just behind us. They were shouting totally ridiculous things.
“Just support. At the end of the day let everyone deal with what’s going on and don’t let those frustrations seep over into the football.
“We have got young players out there trying to do their best and that negativity can have a negative impact.”
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