Wilkins accepts fans' discord
09 Oct 2006 - 08:49:04
Brighton boss Dean Wilkins had sympathy with the club's supporters after they booed the players off the pitch following Sunday's 3-0 home defeat against Blackpool.
Keith Southern opened the scoring on 17 minutes before Scott Vernon grabbed a brace in the second half, while Seagulls stopper Alex Frutos was sent off for an elbow on Shaun Barker 18 minutes from time.
It was Brighton's fifth successive defeat in front of their lowest league crowd for seven years and the fans in attendance made their feelings known at the end of the game.
Wilkins said: "Apologies are due to the supporters that turned up to watch that. They had every right to boo us off the pitch and shout 'what a load of rubbish'.
"I think if I'd been sitting in the stand with them I'd have done the same.
"A string of defeats brings a lower level of confidence. It's my job to prepare the best way I can and I know for a fact that I prepared 100 per cent and worked as hard as I can.
"Players have to take the same sort of responsibility."