Birmingham chairman David Gold has reaffirmed his support for manager Alex McLeish but insisted everyone at the club was under pressure in the battle to stay in the Barclays Premier League.

Blues find themselves in the bottom three for the first time since August after being held to a 1-1 draw by bottom club Derby on Saturday. 

They have taken only three points from the last six games and are without a win since Boxing Day. Gold insisted his claim in his programme notes that the clash with the Rams was a “must-win game” was not intended as a warning shot to McLeish, who has only been in charge for two months. 

But he admitted: “Yes, the management team are under pressure but so are the players, the board and the fans. We all have our part to play now. 

“In fact, if you contribute in some way to the club and you’re not under pressure then, in my opinion, you don’t care about Birmingham City. It’s as simple as that. If my programme notes left the door open to be interpreted as putting pressure on the manager then that certainly wasn’t the intention. 

“As far as I’m concerned, I wouldn’t change Alex McLeish at all

“I have been enormously impressed by what he and his coaches have done in the short time they have been here,” Gold added. 

“I know they definitely care about the club and that is the approach we all need to take now.”