CHAIRMAN David Keyte has urged supporters to remain United as the Bulls deal with their on-the-field crisis.

Keyte said he fully understood the anger and frustration gripping Hereford United’s supporters, who have seen their side fall into the League 2 drop zone.

He said that a series of long meetings, which have included boss Jamie Pitman, had taken place this week.

“We are questioning everything at the moment and we are disappointed because we believe that we have a better squad of 13 or 14 players than we had at this stage last year,”

said Keyte.

“We’re all Hereford United and we must stick together.

“Some people are saying they will not be coming back because of what’s happened over the past three or four years. We’ve only been here for a season and nine games.”

Keyte missed last Saturday’s humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Gillingham because his wife, Lorraine, was ill in hospital.

“Everyone I have spoken to has said it was not actually a 6-1 against match,” he said.

“We are missing Stefan Stam at the moment - not only for his playing ability but his leadership skills on the pitch. As a result we have been leaking goals and we have not got it right up-front because we are not converting our chances.

“These things can happen - Crawley lost 6-0 at Morecambe and Arsenal lost 8-2 at Manchester United.

“It was one game in a long season but I am not saying that it’s not a tell-tale sign that we have to work at it and we have got to work it out.”

Keyte said he understood the huge frustration felt by supporters, who will want United to show more fight in Saturday’s derby at Cheltenham Town.

“The fans are important and we need to stick together because, one of the factors that we can influence with our limited finances, is the gate money.

“There’s a cap on player budget and the level will not increase unless we increase the turnover. We are slightly under the budget now that Stuart Fleetwood has gone.”

The chairman said United had expressed an interest in League 2 strikers Leon Clarke and Shaun Harrad - but their wages were beyond the club’s resources.

One United fan ran on to the pitch during last Saturday’s drubbing to vent his anger towards the underfire Hereford management team.

But Keyte said: “We all have huge frustrations but running on to the pitch was not the right way to do it.

“I have no doubt there were another 1,600 people who were just as angry and frustrated.

“It’s nowamatter that will be dealt with by the police, the supporter will have an automatic banning order and the club has been reported to the FA.

“We can fully appreciate the upset and disappointment felt by the supporters - we feel it as directors, players and managers.”

Meanwhile, transfer-listed former skipper Janos Kovacs has joined Luton Town on a month’s emergency loan. He played 90 minutes in Luton’s 1-1 draw at Bath City on Tuesday.