‘I’ll fight on’ insists Walker

Saturday’s 7-3 Carling Premiership home defeat by Cliftonville prompted calls for Walker’s resignation from disgruntled fans on a larger scale than has happened previously.

But the manager remains adamant that he will ride out the storm and has already turned his focus to strengthening his porous defence - which has shipped a staggering 41 goals in 17 league games - in the January transfer window.

“There’s always ‘a time’ (to leave) but I don’t believe that now is that time,” Walker told Times Sport.

“I will work on until someone tells me otherwise.

“Football is a results-driven business but results should be analysed at the end of a term, not one-third of the way through it.

“No-one has to tell me where the deficiencies are in our team - I see the same things the supporters do.

“No matter what combinations of defenders we have tried, it hasn’t made a difference.

“I have been bluffed to an extent by some players and I’m happy to take the flak from the supporters because it was me who brought those players here and me who has played them.

“Some of them are what I would call ‘Tuesday/Thursday players’ - they look great in pre-season and during the week in training but they lack the necessary mental toughness when it comes to match situations.

“We will continue to work with the players because I believe we are capable of improving some of them but with others, I began to think a couple of months back that they aren’t going to be able to do the job we want of them.

“I have already been in contact with managers of other clubs with regard to the availability of particular players in January.

“The only thing this year is that with the wage-capping regulations, you can’t simply go out and sign three or four players like Portadown did last January and add them to your wage bills - for anyone to come in means that someone has to go out first.

“But we are exploring all avenues, not just the Irish League but down south, England, Scotland for the quality and experience we need to steady the ship at the back.”

Walker is certain to make defensive changes for Saturday’s home game against Donegal Celtic with Davy Munster - voted the Seven Towers SC Player of the Month for October - virtually certain to step back into the team after completing a two-match suspension.

The club’s medical staff will also monitor the condition of left-back Richard Vauls, who was forced to retire from Saturday’s game following a clash of heads.