Gary Speed has pleaded with Sheffield United fans to get behind manager Kevin Blackwell.
Blackwell, 50, has come under fire from fans after a six-game winless streak by the stuttering Blades.
Player-coach Speed said: "If you look at Kevin's record here it is phenomenal. He has transformed the club, and this is the first bad patch we're going through in his 20 months in the job.
"The reason for that is an injury crisis which has robbed us of half our first-team squad.
"But, once everybody is fit, Kevin will turn it around. So let's just all calm down and give him time to sort it."