It is for everyone at this fantastic club

"We have all had a big cross to bear and with the run we've been on it really couldn't have been better. I'm delighted for the players, for the chairman and the directors who have stood beside me and for the supporters who have stood by me because it has been tough.

"Early mornings, late nights, waking up in the middle of the night to write things down and trying them the next day. I think this is probably the toughest time I've had to face in my managerial career.

"There are still supporters I need to convince, but those who have stood by me have been absolutely first class and while I get satisfaction out of this win, it is probably for everyone else at this fantastic club."

Speaking about his players he said: "The lads played angry tonight. I think for the first time they got a little bit of stick at the weekend and they read those things. I suppose the key now is to keep angry.

"They have wanted that result for a long time and, had the goals gone in along the way, we could have ended up with that scoreline earlier. Everyone will remember the 18 game run, they won't remember the performances in some of those games.

"The difference is that our chances went in tonight and there were lots of people who could vie for man of the match, but for me Andy Gray was absolutely immaculate and I am just sorry he didn't get his goal. He was at the heart of everything good about us. Everyone else played well but Andy got 11 out of 10."

Speaking to the media he added: "It is probably only recently that the press have had to write what has been going on, because otherwise they would have looked stupid. What happens is the manager is the one who always looks the stupid one because what he has to bear in mind is he has to talk to the supporters, the players and the chairman and directors.

"Sometimes you say things you don't always mean, and people look at you as if you have grown two heads because you can't always tell the whole truth. You sometimes skirt around things.

"It would be easy to say that over the last eighteen games it's been down to the players. It's not, it's down to all of us and I haven't been one to pass the buck on any occasions. I'm quite proud I've managed to do that because this has been tough, make no bones about it.

"Football is my life, and over the past few months there hasn't been too much of it. So I am going to enjoy tonight and tomorrow."