Carl Winchester admits Sunderland let down their supporters again at the weekend - but appealed to fans to keep faith in the players as they try to reignite their promotion challenge.
The Black Cats have endured a disastrous ten days, with a 6-0 defeat at Bolton triggering the sacking of head coach Lee Johnson, then the failure to strengthen key areas on deadline day, followed by a 2-1 reverse at the hands of bottom-of-the-table Doncaster Rovers at the Stadium of Light.
The club has no head coach, has slipped to fourth in the table, and the team's confidence looks shot.
But Winchester says Sunderland cannot wallow in self-pity with another game coming up tomorrow, when the Black Cats head to Cheltenham.
"It's frustrating more than anything," Winchester said of the Doncaster result.
"We can’t go 2-0 down, no disrespect, to a team bottom of the league.
"We just need to get together and then focus on tomorrow, it's a massive game tomorrow.
"On Saturday the crowd was unbelievable, 38,000, fair play to them, they’ve worked hard all week to come here and it's up to us to put a performance on.
"It just wasn’t there, and we're sorry that we let everyone down.
"You have seen all season that we can go and hurt teams, it's just now getting them out there to do it and getting their confidence back and getting some belief again.
"I know it's going to be hard to get that belief after that. I understand it's frustrating for everyone but stick with us because you have seen this season we are capable of it.
"I would just like to thank everyone that came out on Saturday because the support was unbelievable."
"That support can 100 percent make a difference, it's a massive club and with the crowd you need to play under that pressure of delivering and you have to deliver for a club like this.
"There is no ifs buts and maybes, you have to deliver and obviously we fell short but we have players in that changing room which I believe can deliver.
"It's hard but look we have quality and know we have quality in that changing room that can win games for us.
"It's just not working well at the minute but we have to get back to what we were doing well and focus on the next game which is massive tomorrow."
U23 coaches Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor were in charge against Doncaster, and the club's search for a new head coach has now entering its second week.
Winchester was Johnson's first signing when he arrived just over a year ago, but he was unwilling to give a view on Johnson's departure.
He said: "I'm not here to speak about what happened [to Johnson], I'm just here to do my job and whatever the club say that's down to them."
Winchester has been one of Sunderland's stand-out players this season, operating sometimes in his natural midfield role or more often at right-back.
But against Doncaster he played as the right-sided centre-back in a back three.
He said: "I just found out during the week and I'll do a job anywhere for this club, I'll play anywhere for the team to help the lads out, if it's centre-back, right-back, centre midfield.
"I'm just happy to try and do a job, unfortunately that wasn't the case on Saturday but hopefully we can get back into training and focus on Tuesday."
Sunderland recorded the biggest crowd of the season outside the Premier League with more than 38,000 fans turning out in force to welcome deadline day signing Jermain Defoe back to Wearside.
Defoe made his second debut for the club with just under 20 minutes to play, with the 39-year-old still far from fully match-fit having previously played only nine minutes all season for Glasgow Rangers.
"It's a massive lift for everyone," said Winchester of Defoe's arrival, "we know what a quality player he is and his experienced.
"Hopefully he can get us up this season.
"You saw the reception on Saturday. It just gives everyone a lift and a buzz, to have him in the changing room with us it's brilliant.
"He's experienced and will take to the young lads, he's just good to have in the changing room and everyone can learn off him which I think is great."
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