BUTT HAPPY FOR FANS TO CRITICISE
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Nicky Butt has set his sights on Birmingham finally kick-starting their season after admitting the fans have been right to be critical of the players - including himself.
Butt headed the late winner against Fulham to give Steve Bruce's side their first home Barclays Premiership win of the campaign after the previous seven games at St Andrews had yielded a solitary point.
The relief was evident all around the ground and Bruce looked as if he was enduring death by a thousand cuts before the final whistle signalled an outpouring of emotion.
The Blues chief had decided to return to basics and become a side "horrible to play against" after attempting to introduce more flair and enterprise into his team.
But, whatever style of football is on display, on-loan Newcastle midfielder Butt acknowledges too many players have not lived up to their potential.
Butt said: "The crowd have been on a few players' backs, including myself, and rightly so. It's been deserved. We have not been playing as well as we can do.
"Some of us have come here, big names, and the fans expect to see us do better. Has the criticism been justified against me? Definitely. The crowd paid good money to come and watch us.
"They work all week long to earn their wages and they are coming here and paying good money. If we are not doing as well as we should be, they have a right to get on our backs."
Butt added: "I think it is a boost for everyone to get that first home win, from the crowd to the manager to the players and the directors and chairman.
"It is not nice playing football in front of fans who are edgy and it transmits right through the players but hopefully we can kick on from here.
"We've not had a good stat but if you keep looking backwards in football, you'll fall flat on your face. Now is the time to look forward and we are looking to start climbing up the table.
"I don't think we have had the best of luck although I do repeat we have not played well, and I'm not trying to hide from that fact. Hopefully the tide will change now."
Butt hailed the impact of David Dunn who complimented the tigerish efforts of Butt, Stephen Clemence and Damien Johnson in the centre of the park.
He said: "As players, no matter who you are, you've got to work hard but the ones right across the midfield were the ones who do tend to put their foot in and their strongest part of the game is winning the ball.
"But you also need players to break defences down and David Dunn is a great player. He just needs games now after his long lay-off.
"Dunny came off with a few minutes to go and is bound to feel his legs after being out for so long but he is talented. It shows on the pitch.
"You've got to have players who can produce that bit of magic as well as those who win the ball and Dunny is definitely that type of player."
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