Gary McSheffrey maintains there is a feel-good factor amongst the City players despite all that is going on at the club.
New Chairman Ken Dulieu visited the players at Ryton on Friday and speaking to the Sunday Mercury, McSheffrey said: "It's been a strange time, because we're obviously aware of the situation and, as a local lad, family and friends are always asking me what's going on.
"But work takes your mind off everything and although times are difficult off the pitch, the training's been great in the last two weeks. We've had some really good sessions and there's been a feel-good factor.
"We know that as players it's down to us to start performing consistently, prove that we're a decent team and get clear of that relegation dogfight sooner rather than later."