Calls for my sacking only strengthens my 'resolve' says under-pressure Blackpool boss Simon Grayson

It comes amid Pool’s miserable run of form that has seen them lose five of their last six league outings, slumping to 15th in the League One table and 11 points adrift of the play-offs.

It’s seen pressure mount on the 50-year-old, who has overseen a nine-game winless streak in all competitions.

“Fans are entitled to their opinion and I’m not the only manager that has had one or two criticisms come their way,” Grayson said.

“It just comes with the job. I just accept it and focus on what I need to do and what I can affect.

“I can’t affect what people are thinking about me, if anything it makes my resolve even harder and more determined to be successful and to prove people wrong.

“Why am I going to bring six or seven new players to the club and not be given the opportunity to try and get results?

“A lot of these players have come because of where this football club is going and also to play for me because they recognise what I’ve done as a manager in the past and where I can take the club.

“We all want the same success, of course we do. I’m not the only manager who has been under pressure and has come through it. Kenny Jackett is another one at Portsmouth, they’re now on a good run.

“We all stay in this together. But people have got to remember that while we all want to be ambitious and keep pushing, pushing and pushing with demands of being in the play-offs, our football club has been built on sand.

“Now it’s getting some sort of solid base about it and we all want to be a part of this.”

Blackpool remain active in the market ahead of the closure of the January transfer window, which shuts tonight at 11pm.

The Seasiders have been linked with a loan swoop for Reading right-back Teddy Howe, who featured in both of the recent FA Cup meetings between the two sides.

“I’ve not really had too many recent conversations with Simon,” Grayson added.

“I’ve spoken to (chief executive) Ben Mansford quite a bit about everything really, including recruitment and new players potentially coming in.

“We’re all working extremely hard but I do believe one result and one performance can transform where we’re going.

“I believe the confidence of the players is the one major reason why we’re not doing well. There’s too many players who aren’t playing to their capability they were doing not so long ago when we were beating Fleetwood and going fourth in the division.

“There’s lots of conversations happening to resolve issues that we need to do better as a group.

“I’ve been in football a long time so I know it’s a results orientated business and we need results very quickly.”