Under pressure Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino says he appreciates the support he has received from chairman Ralph Krueger, and revealed the chairman has been eating lunch with the players to try and help them too.

Krueger gave Pellegrino his backing before Tuesday night’s home defeat to Crystal Palace, and said his years as a head coach in ice hockey help him understand the difficulties of management.

Krueger has been at Staplewood trying to lend encouragement to the squad as well, along with football supremo Les Reed, as Saints try to get themselves out of trouble.

Pellegrino said: “For me the club and the board from the first day has been really supportive, but not just right now but from the first day everybody has been really good.

“Now the chairman is eating with the players, watching every single moment because they want to help. Les Reed and Ross Wilson too.

“We work as a unit but results are part of life and when we play a game you have to be ready to lose. If not don’t play.”

He added: “For me he (Ralph) is great because we used to talk about preparation, motivation, about the challenge we have got in leadership with a group of men in every organisation in our life we all need the same – belief, values. We talk about the team.

“For me it’s great. Even Les Reed has been working as a manager.

“They have been involved in professional teams and they know this world and what we have to do to try to be stronger and this for me is magnificent.”