On-loan defender Shane Duffy today rejected claims Scunthorpe United's players are not behind Alan Knill.

The 19-year-old was part of a dressing room inquest that lasted about an hour after the Iron were beaten 2-0 by Hartlepool United on Saturday.

And while there were 'strong words' between players, Duffy says Knill wholeheartedly has their support.

"We're all behind the manager, of course," said the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international.

"He's a great manager. He brought me here and has played me every game I've been available for.

"We work hard in training and as a group we are a team. The manager is backing us and we're backing him.

"It's weird. All I can say really is that we have to put it right.

"There were some strong words said in the dressing room after the game, but there had to be.

"All of us, as a group, we're not at it. We're letting the club down, the manager down and ourselves down.

"The fans don't deserve it either. All I can say is 'stick with us and we'll get it right'."

Despite having had a decent October, Scunthorpe have won just one of their last seven games and are currently only three points above the bottom four.

Saturday's defeat, the Iron's third at Glanford Park this term, came as a result of their poorest display of the season, in which they were booed off by fans at both half-time and full-time.

"It was the worst performance we've had since I've been here on loan," added a visibly downbeat Duffy.

"All the lads were gutted. We just didn't deserve anything from the game.

"Not one of us turned up, from the first minute to the last.

"I'm so disappointed. I hope we can turn it around."

Duffy accepts Saturday's performance makes an already tricky-looking FA Cup replay with AFC Wimbledon tomorrow night even tougher.

And given the stark warning about this year's finances following the publication of the Iron's annual accounts last week, a cup run would clearly be beneficial to club coffers.

"It must have been horrible for the fans to have paid their money to come and watch that. I feel for them," said the defender.

"We're going through a bad phase, but it's one of those things in football that happens.

"Last month went well, it was happy days. Now things have turned around and we're struggling against the teams lower down the table.

"We've got to get it right mentally. If you are right mentally you go out and beat these sorts of teams."

Scunthorpe Utd: Knill has fears about Iron future as players look as if they're 'not bothered'

Full-time: Scunthorpe United 0 Hartlepool United 2

Pictures: Scunthorpe Utd 0 Hartlepool Utd 2