Connor feels sorry for Blyth Spartans supporters and urges players to repay their faith

Michael Connor has admitted he feels sorry for Blyth Spartans supporters as a season of turmoil rapidly approaching a disappointing end.

Tuesday’s home defeat against Gainsborough Trinity means Spartans have won just three of their 33 league fixtures so far this season and sit 19 points from safety in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. Relegation could be officially confirmed on Saturday afternoon if Spartans fall to a home defeat against Warrington Rylands is coupled with wins for Bamber Bridge and Whitby Town and Leek Town avoid defeat in their visit to FC United of Manchester.

That would see Spartans drop into the Northern Premier League’s second tier for the first time since 1995 and would mean they have suffered consecutive relegations for the first time in their history. Despite the understandable gloom, Connor has urged his squad to repay supporters for their backing throughout the season by showing energy and work-rate throughout the remainder of the campaign.

He told BSAFCTV: “We are where we are, we are bottom of the league and we are there for a reason. We don’t win games and I feel for the fans and I feel for the people within the club, who are putting in the hard work. But you’ve just got to see the season out as best you can and we will blood some youngsters now and give some youngsters a chance from the Under-19s and a one or two others that will come through the door. We are going to give opportunities to them to maybe give us something different.

“Let’s keep doing what we are doing for the rest of the season, let’s see it out with a bit of pride, get some results for these fans that are travelling all over the north of England, who watch this team, and let’s just do it, see the season out with a smile on our faces, be positive, play with energy, play with work-rate and play with courage, which is a major word now and I’ve said that in the changing room.”

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