Reading boss Brian McDermott has urged fans to stick with them as they stare down the relegation abyss.

During defeat to Aston Villa, McDermott himself came under fire on Saturday when he was roundly booed midway through the second half after hauling off Noel Hunt and Hope Akpan for Nick Blackman and Garath McCleary.

"It's not about me it's about the club," he said. "I thought the fans were fantastic at the start of the game. The fans want to see their team win.

"We've had a lot of good days in the past three years. The past three weeks have been difficult. The fans just want to see the team win."