Cove Rangers will foot the bill for their supporters to travel to the final three away games of the Championship season.
Directors and the club’s management team have indicated they will cover the cost to fans, after what has been an arduous season for those of a Cove persuasion.
The Aberdeen side were beaten 5-0 on Saturday – their sixth defeat in a row – and their place in the Championship is in severe danger.
The first of these away games is at Hamilton Accies this Saturday, the only team below them in the table.
“I know it has been a tough time, that happens in football, and it can be difficult turning things around when you have that negative momentum,” manager Paul Hartley told the club website.
“Results haven’t been good enough, and that’s why we find ourselves in the position we are, but the only way we are going to get out of this situation is if everyone plays their part.
“As manager, I have to take responsibility and so do my coaching staff and the players. We have let the fans down this season, we cannot hide away from that fact, but when you’re up against it, that’s when you need your supporters more than ever.
“The Cove fans have always been brilliant. Over the last few years, they have been able to enjoy the success the players have brought to the club, so I can understand their frustration at how this campaign has gone.
“Many of them have never known such a poor run of results and their loyalty has been amazing, but we need them to continue to back the team over the last few matches. That could be crucial to our survival.”
Cove have won just once since the turn of the year – a 1-0 victory over Partick Thistle at the start of February.
But they will need to increase that tally in the closing five games if they are to avoid an immediate return to League One.
“I know a lot of the supporters, the ones who have followed us home and away over the years and I know how much this has been hurting them,” added skipper Mitch Megginson. “They have been used to seeing us winning, we as players have been used to winning, so it has been hard to take, but we’ve still got a chance to survive, and we have to keep targeting 8th place.
“Knowing the fans are behind us will be massive in the last few matches. As a group, given the run we’ve been on, confidence does take a hit and that’s when you need the support most of all.
“We still have the desire and we’re all ready to fight for this, for the club and for the fans. The goal this season was to stay in the Championship and out on the pitch we’ll be working hard to do that in the five remaining games.”
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