LUKE Williams has reiterated that he will not fall on his sword and walk away from Swindon Town.

Town’s League One survival chances look at their bleakest point to date this season following Saturday’s 3-2 loss at Port Vale, which left Williams’ side four points from safety and the daunting prospect of taking on five of the current top six within their last nine games.

Head coach Williams is patently aware that his position has to come into question as Swindon continue to dice with danger but insists that he will not take what he considers the ‘cowardly’ option.

“I listen with one ear to some people say: ‘walk away’ – really? Do you want somebody at your football club that’s happy to walk away?,” said Williams.

“Is that what people want? They want somebody who’s got no fight in their stomach and got no heart to try and be in a tough situation and support people, and give everything?

“Do you think it’s better to have somebody that at the first sign of anything going wrong, they just walk away?

“It’s not for me, I’m afraid. I would rather suffer and try, and look in the mirror and go to sleep at night, rather than be a coward and walk away.

“If the fans believe that the way forward is to bring a coward in, then unfortunately, it’s not me.”

Town’s efforts to pull off what continues to appear an unlikely escape act continue on Tuesday night when they roll out the red carpet for title-favourites Sheffield United, who are eight points clear at the top of the table.

The odds are firmly stacked against his troops but Williams is refusing to throw in the towel.

The Swindon boss said: “It does look desperate.

“I’ve listened to an interview with a manager this week saying that there’s nothing he can do – he cannot help the cause at the moment, there’s nothing he can do to fight. That’s not my belief at all.

“I’m prepared for this. We’ve beaten top sides in the division before and I can’t see why we can’t pick up points, even against real tough opposition.”