Ian Evatt admits he’s going through his toughest time as Wanderers’ boss, writes Pete Oliver.
The Whites’ manager saw his side lost 4-0 at home to Huddersfield Town to extend their wait for a home win and a home goal in League One.
Having dragged Wanderers up from the foot of League Two to within one win of promotion to the Championship, Evatt admitted the performance had been one of the worst in that time.
And he believes the defeat to Oxford United in last season’s play-off final is still hurting his side as they lost for the third time this season to sit in the bottom four with five games gone.
“It was everything we're not as a team,” said Evatt after Town had scored three times in the second half to make it four wins out of five since their relegation.
“Everything was against what we've built, everything against what I stand for and what I am as a person, so it's hard to take. I think it's confidence. I think ever since we lost that final, there’s such negative energy around everything and everywhere.
“At the moment I'm trying to find the answers to shift it and clearly haven't found them. It’s just keep working, keep fighting, keep trying to improve, keep searching for the right answers.
“I've come a long way with this football club in over four years now. We've had a lot of good times, but this is the toughest. That was the toughest to view, even from the start of the League Two campaign. I've never stood here and felt like I do now.”
Evatt has twice led Wanderers into the League One play-offs and to success in the EFL Trophy.
But he admits there is soul-searching to be done in his quest to reverse their current fortunes.
“We've got to be a lot, lot better than that,” Evatt told Wanderers TV. “That is very disappointing and not what we've created here. We'll all take a long hard look at ourselves and see what happens next.
“I'm distraught, I'm devastated, I'm hurt. I'm always determined, always have been, always will be. I've had a tough journey in my life and been through some really difficult things and come through them.
“This is as tough as it gets but I've been prepared for it all my life, so we'll go away think about what we do next.”
Watch the manager’s full post-match interview on Wanderers TV HERE