Mark Cooper: Notts County risk 'alienating' fans unless they improve

Mark Cooper led Swindon to the League One play-off final last season

Notts County risk driving their fans away unless they show improvement before the end of the season, says manager Mark Cooper.

The 47-year-old is the sixth manager to work in Notts' dugout in the 13 months since Shaun Derry was sacked.

Derry returns to Meadow Lane as Cambridge United boss on Saturday.

"We need to make sure we have a good end to the season because we risk alienating ourselves from the fans totally," Cooper said.

Notts, relegated from League One last season, are 17th in the fourth tier after 43 games.

Since Derry's departure before the drop, Notts have had three full-time managers - including Jamie Fullarton, who lasted just 69 days in the job - and three caretaker bosses, with Mick Halsall and Richard Dryden sharing duties following the exit of Ricardo Moniz.

Cooper, who is yet to reach the points tally set to earn a contract extension at Meadow Lane beyond this season, told his players that they will not cost him his job after slumping to a 3-1 defeat at Barnet on Tuesday.

"People say you really shouldn't have a go a players, but I'm speaking from the heart and as a group we need to draw a line under that," Cooper told BBC Radio Nottingham.

Cooper also added that "you would probably have to agree" with Barnet and ex-Notts County boss Martin Allen after he said Magpies players "turned their back on the club" in Tuesday's defeat.