Manager still has full backing of players, insists Jenkins

The Scot was replaced as captain by Jim Ervin in the summer but remains a key player in Ferguson’s team.

“We all hear the whispers in football and we know it’s a fickle, fickle business but we’re all behind the manage and the coaching staff,” Jenkins told Times Sport.

“We know we’ve got their backing so, rightly, they’ve got our backing.

“We’ve got ourselves into it and we’ve now got to show the right attitude to get out of it.

“We went through bad runs last season. As players we hurt and I’m sure supporters and people who live in the town hurt, particularly at the manner of the defeats against Linfield and Glenavon.

“There’s no hiding place from the 7-1 defeat in midweek - it was an embarrassment for everyone connected with the club and we as players take responsibility for that.

“We dug in more against Coleraine but there was perhaps a lack of quality from us in an attacking sense but I don’t think there was a lack of effort.

“The two goals we conceded were again poor goals which is a common theme - we never seem to score a goal like that ourselves.

People might question all aspects of the game but I hope they wouldn’t question the desire and effort of the players on Saturday.

I’ve been in the game long enough to know the heart is there from the players. We’re all in it together and we’re all in there fighting. We’ve got ourselves into this and we’ll sure as anything get ourselves out.

When I look around the dressing room at the characters we’ve got and the experience we’ve got.

We’re not the best team in the world or in this league. I can assure the supporters there’s heart in that dressing room, there’s desire in it. There might be a lack of quality at times but we’re all doing our utmost to stock together as players and right the wrongs of the first three games.

Meanwhile, Jenkins has also backed Ferguson over the switch of captaincy.

“People outside the club won’t know that myself and Spike discussed it when he first came in and every other close season we discussed the situation.

“In my opinion, I thought the captain should be in and around the club and it’s no secret that I train in Scotland.

“I stand by the fact I think I was a good captain but the time was right and the right person was able to step in and I think that was important.

“Captaining the club was a fantastic honour and the fans who backed me and I thoroughly enjoyed my time as captain and if it comes again that I need to pick up the captaincy I will pick it up but it was the right decision.

“There was no animosity, I was the first person to phone Jim and we had a good talk about it,” added Jenkins.