The John Barton column

SATURDAY'S defeat at Ilkeston Town plumbed new depths and was unacceptable to me.

I don't do it very often but I kept the players back in the dressing room for more than an hour to dish out a few home truths.

It was the right time to do it because the players have been defended for a large part of the season and received justifiable praise for their efforts.

But in this game it cuts both ways and I think after that display it was right for me to say what I thought both collectively and individually.

I don't care if the players were offended by it in way, shape or form - it would be paying them a compliment if I said the performance was abysmal.

There are some players that have clearly switched off since they realised we could no longer catch Tamworth. I wouldn't include Adam Webster in that because he's always gives 100 per cent but anyone looking at recent weeks would find it hard to believe we were in the top two for a large part of the season. It's not the first time I've addressed the players but they've listened and not heard.

The upshot of recent weeks is that I realise I've been wrong in my assessment of this squad and I've now altered my view.

We in fact need to make significant changes in all areas and I don't care if the players are contracted or not. If the players want to be part of what we are trying to achieve at this club then great - but I need to see that on the pitch otherwise they can move on.

We need improving all over the pitch and we simply have not got enough goals in the team even though we have tried to remedy that.

Unfortunately we can't reveal what players we have been chasing because there has to be an element of confidentiality, but I would like to assure the supporters we have been trying to bring people in but I flatly refuse to just boost numbers for the sake of it. I want quality.

Injuries are an ever present reality of life at City at present and Allan Davies was the latest at Ilkeston. He felt a tear in his groin but he's booked in to have an operation next week along with Mark Owen.

The Ilkeston result leaves the ball firmly and flatly in the players' court.

This column is not the right place to identify individuals but there are a fair few in our dressing room that have got a lot to prove to me and that starts now.

I felt sorry for everybody concerned with the club after Saturday's display, even myself, and I was left scratching my head how we have gone from such highs to lows. It's like a knife through the ribcage.

It must be a similar feeling for the core of supporters that have travelled the length and breadth of the country following the team this season.

They are always there no matter what and it was them I felt particularly sorry for on Saturday.

In fairness to the players, I'm sure the supporters would say, in terms of results and performances, that they've had some good trips at various times this season, collecting some good points returns at places like Hastings and Tamworth, and celebrated no doubt with a few pints along the way.

However this time at Ilkeston they were short-changed in a big way but in football there is always the next game and Bath City on Saturday gives us the chance to put right a few wrongs.

It won't be easy because we've got injuries and suspensions and they are a bit of a bogey side for us but we certainly owe them one after a poor showing at their place earlier in the season.