Roller-coaster pride

Barry Gray wants to see pride in the jersey and badge after yesterday’s Danske Bank Premiership defeat to Glentoran added to Cliftonville’s recent frustrations.

As has become traditional of late, it wasn’t until the Reds fell behind that they stepped up their performance but were unable to scale the mountain they found themselves at the foot of – a pattern that Gray has long since grown tired of.

“Responsibility has to be taken,” he said.

“I’ll take it, the players must take it, I’ll work hard to fix it and everybody needs to do the same.

“The feeling we had after losing to Glentoran was the same as last week and the same as the week before that. It can’t go on, it can’t keep happening.

“This isn’t what I signed up to do at the Club with the quality of players we have. Two wins in the last 10 games is just not acceptable. I was brought up in an era that anything you had, you had to work for – that’s the culture you need in a dressing room. Top quality players should not need motivated to play for Cliftonville.

“It’s clear we have work to do and everyone has to come together to do it, because what’s been happening over the last few weeks isn’t on.”