AIDY Boothroyd has called on Colchester United fans to keep the faith following a dreadful run of form.

AIDY Boothroyd has called on Colchester United fans to keep the faith following a dreadful run of form.

The U’s appear to have thrown away a top six finish after claiming just six points from the last available 33.

And following Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Hartlepool – Colchester’s sixth away defeat in succession – Boothroyd had a message for the club’s disappointed supporters.

“I’d just ask them to stick with me,” said the U’s boss, who has brought in seven new players since replacing Paul Lambert in the hot seat almost eight months ago.

“We have to remember this is a new team. Somebody mentioned to me earlier that in this fixture last season just one of today’s team started and that was John White.

“There have been plenty of changes in this team throughout the season from the manager through to the players.

“David Prutton was outstanding today, but you have to remember he’s only been here for two and a half months.

“The problem is that we have been learning as we go along. Would a pre-season with the team have helped me? Definitely, but you can’t come in September and say ‘right league, stop, I need a pre-season’ – you just get on with it.

“Everybody has an opinion about the manager and they all think they know better. That’s not just specific to our fans – that’s all football fans.

“If we’d had a bad start and then hit form at the end of the season we’d be chasing the play-offs and it would have been seen as a good season.

“I know what’s there and what’s not there. That’s my job and I know exactly what needs to be done.”

The U’s are now six points adrift of sixth-place Huddersfield with just three games to play – including a trip to The Galpharm in just under two weeks’ time.

“As long as there is a mathematical chance we’ll go after it, it’s as simple as that,” said Boothroyd. “We have got to try and win our last three games.

“I don’t want the season to end. I think we are getting better in lots of aspects and I want to win games.

“We can feel sorry for ourselves or we can get up and get on with it. Football – and life – is full of hiccups and set backs, but you just have to get on with it.”