Speed tells Blades boo-boys: 'Lay off Blackwell'

Gary Speed has told the Sheffield United boo-boys to lay-off beleaguered boss Kevin Blackwell.

Blackwell has come under fire from Bramall Lane’s fed-up fans after a dismal run of results which has left the Blades out of the play-off places.

But the former Leeds and Luton manager insists the terrace critics will not drive him out of the job he has held since 2008.

And player-coach Speed, 40, believes the angry punters should back Blackwell because the Blades still have a great chance of clinching a Championship top six finish.

Speed rapped: “Getting stick is part and parcel of being the manager of a big club, but the flak Kevin has been taking is undeserved.

“I believe the majority of our fans recognise the problems which the gaffer is having to deal with, but a section of the support don’t.

“But Kevin is coping with it all tremendously well. He has been there before, at Leeds and Luton, so he knows what to expect and he can handle it.”

The Blades, who have lost their last six away games and were held at home by struggling QPR last weekend, can boost their promotion hopes by beating fellow play-off hopefuls Blackpool at Bramall Lane tonight.

And Speed added: “It is amazing how upbeat the players are considering all the setbacks we have had this season.

“But now it is a time for us to roll up our sleeves, get on with it and push on. And the confidence is still there that we can break back into that top six and stay there.

“We know we have the quality in the squad to do that.”

United are without suspended skipper Chris Morgan and injured pair Tony Kallio and Kyle Bartley.