Mark Kennedy said that he is not concerned by the negative reaction of some fans towards his team following Swindon Town’s 2-1 defeat at Port Vale.

After ten games this season, Town have tasted victory just once across all competitions and are still awaiting a first away day win under Kennedy after George Byers and Brandon Cover’s second-half goals meant Will Wright’s free kick counted for nought.

Following the game, some fans reacted angrily as the Swindon players came over to applaud their near-600 travelling supporters.

 

 

After the game, Kennedy was asked about that reaction and he said that he expected not to have the warmest of receptions as emotions are high having lost the game.

He said: “No [I was] not at all surprised, football is an emotional sport, and I say that respectfully, I am not saying that anybody was emotionally misbehaving or anything like that.

“A couple of years ago we [Lincoln City] got knocked out of the FA Cup by Chippenham [Town] and took an absolute barrel-load of stick, that was on the Saturday and then on the Tuesday we knocked Bristol City out of the League Cup in the third round and the same people that were battering us before the game cheered us off the pitch.

“I get it, I have played over 500 games and been coaching for a long time, I totally understand it and I have been a fan.

“We actually spoke before the game to the group, the last thing I talk about before we come out tends to be about life and people and today we spoke about that and the importance of the game with everything that has happened in the past.

“Win, lose, or draw we are all going to clap the fans and it is nicer to do when you have won a game.

“I am not going over expecting a clap and a pat on the back, walking over I thought we could get a grief and I totally get it, no gripes from us whatsoever.”

Kennedy added that he did not believe that the reaction had to do with wider concerns about how the season had started.

He said: “No. If I look at our league performances and in the cup against two League One sides, I thought they were excellent.

“If I take away Walsall, I think we have played really well – someone asked me about the difference between Carlisle and Newport, I think we played better against Carlisle and we were outstanding against Newport.

“I thought that we were below par today but today was always going to be very difficult, if you think we are going to come to Port Vale 3-0 then we are all deluded.

“Did I think we played well today? No, we didn’t. As an intelligent man and I think I am a good coach and I see the game and understand the game, I think our performances have been very good this year.

“Do I think our results have been very good? No, I don’t.”