IT’S VITAL WE ALL STICK TOGETHER

Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony insists this is the time for everyone to stick together rather than turn on each other.

Posh are in a dismal run of Championship form as four straight defeats has left them next-to-bottom of the table. They would be bottom if Nottingham Forest managed to beat Middlesbrough last night (Wednesday).

MacAnthony was speaking on his popular ‘Hard Truth’ podcast after last Saturday’s 6-2 defeat at Sheffield and before Tuesday’s 3-1 reverse at Reading.

He’s frustrated, but he sees no value in publicly attacking players or a management team who are trying hard to cope with a steep increase in opposition playing standards compared to last season in League One.

“This isn’t League One any more,” MacAnthony said. “This is the Championship, one division below the best league in the world so it’s bound to be tough.

“I’ve said all along our players and management have to work harder than they have ever done before and harder than everyone else in order to succeed and I have no doubt that’s what they are doing.

“The players’ diets need to be perfect. You can’t be even slightly overweight to play in the Championship. Everything has to be spot on.

“It takes time to adjust and so our expectations have to adjust. We will get beaten by some very good sides like Sheffield United this season.

“Every defeat does not need to be treated like a catastrophe. We will need to take more of our scoring chances and stop conceding goals in quick succession, but we’ve been in the Championship before and we know patience is vital.

“This is not the time to turn on each other. This is the time for everyone to pull together including our fans, who by the way were outstanding at Sheffield United.”

Posh host Birmingham City at London Road on Saturday.

Nathan Thompson consoles Jonson Clarke-Harris after a bad miss as Posh slipped to defeat at Reading.