Yeovil Town captain Josh Staunton had called on his team-mates to unite to pull the club out of the relegation scrap at the bottom of the National League table.
The skipper admitted the recent influx of a number of new players in recent weeks had proved difficult to integrate in to the group which started the season.
Speaking to BBC Somerset’s Sheridan Robins after the 1-0 home defeat to Bromley, he said that he was “taking the pressure” on behalf of his team-mates and urged them to play with a “freedom” which was obviously lacking at Huish Park this afternoon.
He said: “It is important every single player is pulling in the same direction and it is my job to unify the dressing room. People are under pressure and pressure does strange things to people in terms of decision making and characteristics, this would be a much easier integration if we were relaxing in the middle of the table.
“It is clear to see that we look like we have the weight of the world on our shoulders and it is my job to relieve that pressure and keep it on myself and let the boys play with a sense of freedom they should have.
“I would run through a brick wall for this football club and it is important that everyone in that dressing room has the same mentality. You will never find me blaming my body – I hurt, I ache but will go out there and do everything for the football club. The boys do look tired, but when I am looking them in the eye I am asking them to give everything for the club and I wanted every single player to find that extra 10%.
“It’s essential (we have that unity) and if we don’t have it we will be in a very difficult position in a few weeks time. Characters at this stage of the season are worth points, they make a difference, stand up, run through brick walls for each other and get you those few points when you really need them. So it is important we all take the time to realise what we are playing for and it has to be your driving force.”
He gave his backing to manager Mark Cooper who is looking to lift the team which could be in the National League relegation zone before the kick a ball in the televised fixture against Southend United next Saturday afternoon.
Gateshead, who sit one point and one place below them, host Dagenham & Redbridge in midweek and a win for the North East side would see them go above the Glovers.
On his manager, Staunton said: “I support Mark Cooper, he is one of the best managers I have ever worked under. As a person, he is a fantastic person and there’s not a better man to deal with the pressure. I trust the Gaffer and I respect that he takes a lot of the responsibility and I will try and take as much pressure off every single player in the dressing room as I can.”
On the performance against Bromley, he added: “The first five or ten minutes we were in disarray, but we managed to gain some sort of control and finished the first half well. I thought second half they had a lot of territory and really could have hurt us on the break but we had lot of balls in the box and we are clearly trying to do things the right way. But we had no answers to any questions today.“
I’ll say it as it is. Barring a miracle we’re gone. I suggest getting in Jerry Gill next season with a whole new squad, unless we can somehow pay Smith, Staunton and Worthington enough to stay. Jerry has done wonders at Bath with nothing. I’d like yo see what he could do with backing. Mark won’t be here much longer. Fact