Angus MacDonald believes the senior players at Aberdeen must lead the way and help their team-mates stop the rot.
Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to St Johnstone at Pittodrie leaves the Dons in ninth place in the Scottish Premiership, four points clear of 11th-placed Ross County.
Hopes of securing a European place next season have been replaced by a fear the Dons could be hauled into the play-offs at the bottom of the table.
MacDonald was captain at his former clubs Torquay United, Barnsley and Swindon Town, while full-back Nicky Devlin was captain at Livingston.
That experience, along with skipper Graeme Shinnie, will be vital in the weeks ahead as the Dons look to end their nine-match winless run in the league.
MacDonald admits confidence has been drained – but is determined to play his part in turning his club’s fortunes around.
He said: “We have some experienced lads. I would call myself one of those lads.
“We need to drag the lads through it.
“We will look bad at this as a bad run of games, but I am sure in a couple of weeks things will look a lot more positive.
“Confidence is low obviously. We need something to change – which can happen quickly in football.
“We have all seen it and been there many times in our career.
“The performance and to be beaten 2-0 at home just isn’t good enough.”
‘The boys are giving everything’
As a defender, MacDonald shares in manager Neil Warnock’s frustration at the soft goals being conceded by the team in recent weeks.
The 31-year-old believes a back-to-basics approach is the key to Aberdeen finding some defensive resilience.
He said: “It definitely isn’t through a lack of trying, because the boys are giving everything and things aren’t coming off for us.
“We need to get back to basics. We need to get back to getting clean sheets and being in the centre of the defence – that is something I need to look at. All us defenders do.
“All focus is on Saturday and trying to get three points.
“It is tough coming off the back of last season and doing so well.
“We are going into the end of the season and we can’t look backward. We need to look forward.
“All our focus is on Saturday, and if we can get three points, we can start building confidence and get back up that table.”
Defender MacDonald urges fed-up fan to stay with the team
The Aberdeen supporters vented their fury at the players following Wednesday’s Pittodrie defeat, chanting “you’re not fit to wear the shirt”.
MacDonald shares in the frustration at results, – but has called on the supporters to stay behind their team.
He said: “It is tough. We want to put on a performance for the fans and ourselves, and we know that wasn’t good enough.
“We should never get beaten 2-0 at home like that. This is our patch and we shouldn’t do it.
“These things happen and these runs happen. All teams go through bad spells, but I wouldn’t say it is easier playing away from home to home.
“The fans need to try and stick with us for as long as possible and we can turn it around.”
Is there anxiety among the players over free-fall?
MacDonald was asked if the run of results has led to anxiety within the dressing room at Pittodrie.
He said: “Not that we can tell, but there probably is deep down.
“It is tough when you go on a run like this. It is tough when you haven’t won and are not getting clean sheets.
“We have some experience in that dressing room. I am sure we will come out of the other side of it.
“We have to dust ourselves down, be men, pick ourselves up and go again Saturday.”
‘We know what is at stake’
MacDonald, however, believes remaining focused on picking up points, starting with Saturday’s trip to St Mirren, is key to ensuring that does not happen.
He said: “We know what is at stake.
“It is not acceptable that we are joint-third-bottom of the table.
“We aren’t looking at that, we will go with a gameplan, hopefully stick to it and come out the other side with three points.
“All focus is on Saturday.
“There is no better time to go and change your luck. To go and get three points would be a big boost for us.”
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