Birmingham boss Steve Bruce admitted he has to lift the 'air of despondency' hanging over the club which he feels could wreck their hopes of gaining promotion to the Premiership.
And Bruce is calling on everybody 'from the top to the bottom of the club'
to pull together for the final third of the campaign.
City are lying second in the Championship, with two games in hands
on leaders Derby, after an uninspiring 1-0 home win over Stoke on Sunday
morning.
But even before the game co-owner David Sullivan started the negative vibes
via his programme notes by 'questioning whether Birmingham fans really deserve
promotion' because of the poor attendances this season.
Then during the game sections of the 15,854 who had turned up - the lowest
league gate of the season - started chanting `you don't know what you are doing'
when Bruce made a double second-half substitution.
Bruce said: 'I can't understand things at this moment in time. We've gone
second in the league, have two games in hand - and it's still not good enough.
'Some people seem to think we've got a divine right for some reason to be
where we are. At the moment, it seems we are trying to shoot ourselves in the
foot and it's very frustrating.
'I had a look at the table and yet there seems to be a crisis for whatever
reason. That can't be right.
'I assure you it doesn't help because everybody else at the top of the
division seems to be raring to go and around our place there seems to be an air
of despondency.
'I have to lift that and take that away. If we don't we are going to make it
very frustrating for ourselves.
'We have to get back on track with everybody - from the top to the bottom of
the club - pulling together and saying `let's make a genuine promotion challenge
if we possibly can.''
Bruce rebuilt his side in the summer with the accent on youth and is concerned
the negative atmosphere at St Andrews during games will affect his inexperienced
players.
He said: 'I plead to everybody who supports the club to try and get behind
the lads. I know there is a frustration and a deep lying frustration with,
whatever - maybe relegation last season, the Matthew Upson situation, Sunday
morning kick-offs, prices.
'This is a very young side. Support the team and get behind them and you will
see a better response than what we witnessed yesterday.'
