Rotherham boss Neil Redfearn has reminded people of the grave situation he has inherited at the club.
Redfearn became the first Millers manager since Tommy Johnston in 1958 not to win any of his first five games in charge after Tuesday's defeat at Middlesbrough and his side are now five points adrift of safety.
There is some context to that, though, given the club's tough run of fixtures, which has seen them play four of the top six in the Sky Bet Championship table, while their game against Reading also came when the Royals were in top form.
Despite assertions from former boss Steve Evans that he left the Millers "three points from a cluster of clubs in or around mid-table", they were in the bottom three by the time Redfearn's first game at Brentford came around.
And Redfearn insists he is trying his best.
"These aren't my
players, they are Steve Evans' players and I am trying my best to get results
with them," he said. "By and large they are responding, apart from the performance at
Derby and 20 minutes in the second half against Sheffield Wednesday they have
performed not bad.
"But we have to turn not bad performances into wins.
"Rotherham finished fourth from bottom last season, before a ball was kicked after I came in Bristol City beat Nottingham Forest and we went second bottom. That’s the truth of the matter, that's where this lies.
"What we have to do is build, I've got to rebuild this and put this back together so we can become a good Championship side.
"The whole club realise what we have to do and we are trying to do the right thing."
Saturday's visit of Ipswich - on paper at least - offers some respite after a gruelling run of fixtures.
Although, they have picked up just one point from the last five games, Redfearn believes his side haven't done too badly.
"It has asked them the question," he said. "It has put these players
under the microscope to see what they have got.
"To be fair they have come out
of it not bad. The results haven't been there but the performances, the
grittiness, the desire has.
"The bits that we are short with are going to take
people coming in, we will have to get the right people in and we are going to
get the right people in and do it quickly to give ourselves a chance."
