Corney has been 'honest and open'

DIFFICULT JOB: Simon Corney is fighting to keep Athletic going

ATHLETIC manager Steve Robinson has backed Simon Corney 100-per-cent in the wake of criticism the club chairman has received.

Corney has copped some flak recently from Athletic fans who continue to watch their team battling hard to wrestle free of the Sky Bet League One drop zone.

The chairman responded by releasing a heartfelt 15-minute long video statement, and now the manager - appointed shortly before the start of the current, stuttering campaign - has weighed in by giving Corney his thumbs-up.

"The chairman is always very honest and very open," said an appreciative Robinson (41), who has been handed his first chance in sole management by Corney.

"Simon hasn't tried to dress the club into anything it isn't. We don't have millions of pounds and the cash-flow isn't there, but it's not there for a lot of clubs at ours and League Two level.

"We get 3,000 or 3,500 fans and we're just trying constantly to stay in this division.

HARD

"Over the past eight or nine seasons I think the club's highest position in the table has been 15th so that tells you how hard it is, but Simon has tried to keep the club alive, and credit to him for that.

"He's said there's not a never-ending pot of money and he is desperate to get investment to the club - it's a really tough job for him.

"He gets a lot of criticism, and though I don't know what the ins and outs were at the club before I came, he has backed me with what he's got available.

"I was aware from the start that we haven't got millions of pounds to spend on players, so that's not something I'll use as an excuse. It was the situation when I came and it's the situation now.

"People want honesty and he has been very open and honest. He's invited people to come in and speak about the club, but he won't ever satisfy everybody.

"He'll always have the people that hide behind the internet and say what they say on it."

Robinson has urged all Athletic fans to continue with their terrific backing of the team and would clearly prefer to distance himself from too much criticism.

"I don't see it, I don't read it, and it certainly won't affect anything the players are trying to do," added Robinson.

"We just try to work hard in the background and try to produce a positive attitude.

"I'd say 99-per-cent of the fans have been behind me and the football club.

"We need more supporters, and we need them to come out in their numbers and totally back the club."