Chairman Defends Reid

Last updated : 04 January 2005 By Covsupport
City Chairman Mike McGinnity is cutting short his holiday to defend Peter Reid at the club's weekly press conference on Thursday.

He told the CET: "I spoke to Peter straight after the game, as I always do, and he is extremely disappointed, as we all are.

"But he has not offered his resignation and nor do I expect him to. What I expect is the fans to give him more support. "It is easy to criticise from the terraces, and that is their prerogative, but the situation affects us - myself, the board and the manager - just as much. "Everyone knows the predicament we have been in and we have just got to stick it out.

"If I turn against the manager then we have got no chance," he said. "I was going to stay on holiday until the weekend but I have decided to come back early and will be at the press conference on Thursday (to which only the main stream media are invited. ED) to show my support for Peter.

"The players are firmly behind him and I know that for a fact because I have spoken to a senior player who insists the atmosphere in the dressing room is the best it has been for a long time."

"If Peter comes to me with names of players he wants then I will do whatever I can to get them for him.

"But what I want in the meantime is for the fans to really get behind the team and the manager. We all know what influence they can have, particularly on the players when they start singing, and if we all pull together then hopefully we can turn things round."