Premiership: Gray calls for fan backing

Aston Villa caretaker boss Stuart Gray is urging fans to give their full support to the players during tomorrow night’s home Premiership clash with Everton.

Villa shareholders and supporters’ groups are joining forces before the game to stage a march outside the ground calling for chairman Doug Ellis and the board of directors to resign.

But Gray wants the protests to stop at kick-off as Villa look to start the post-John Gregory era and reignite their hopes of securing a European spot.

First-team coach Gray, in temporary joint command with assistant manager John Deehan, said: ‘‘We need the fans more than ever now.

‘‘The fans were probably all as stunned as we were by the news (of Gregory’s resignation).

‘‘But all I ask is, that whatever they feel about the situation, they turn up in their numbers and get fully behind the team for 90 minutes.

‘‘Whether they are for the club or against them, it will do us no good at all if the players don’t get their full backing.’’