Sunderland are on the brink of becoming the worst Premiership side in history but the passionate Mick McCarthy has urged his players to finish strongly and avoid the unwanted record of finishing on the lowest points total ever.
McCarthy wants his squad to restore some pride among themselves and for the club's long-suffering supporters.
The former Republic of Ireland boss understands the pain the fans are feeling is made worse because of the success being enjoyed by Sunderland's closest rivals Newcastle United.
Relegation looks inevitable for the Black Cats but McCarthy is still demanding that they finish the season on a high.
He said: "I want the lads to get some pride back and give some pride back to the supporters so at least they can see they have given it a go. I don't want to finish bottom on the worst points total the Premiership has seen, and I'm sure the players don't.
"I don't want to be sycophantic to the supporters, but I do recognise how much this club means to them and that, long after I or any of the players have gone, they will still be here.
"I realise they are probably looking across the Tyne and seeing everything in black and white is flying, while we're not having a good time.
"The football club is big part of people's everyday lives up here. I've played in Glasgow and I know all about what local rivalry means.
"We might not stay up now, but I don't want to see us bottom of the league at the end of the season. We need to finish strongly for ourselves personally and to give the club some kind of lift ready for next season."
McCarthy's men are 13 points adrift of fourth bottom Bolton with seven games left and almost certain to be in the First Division next season.
But the manager said he could not criticise his team's effort since he took charge last month.
"The players' commitment is not in question. If it was, I would be going mental at them," he insisted.
"I said to them before my first game that Bolton was a hard-working team but I would never expect a team to work harder than we did.
"They might play better, they might have better players and they might beat us, but I don't want to ever think that any opposition might want it more or has worked harder.
"When you are bottom of the league and suffering, it is difficult and everything seems to be going against you. But I could not question the effort or the desire of the players while I've been here.
"If people say the team is not trying, then I'll tell them the lads were absolutely sick after losing at West Ham. They want to win games, they don't want to come in having been beaten."
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