TRANMERE Rovers' chairman Mark Palios believes he has the 'soldiers' to get the club through its battle against relegation.

During a press conference at Prenton Park ahead of this weekend's home game against AFC Wimbledon, Mr Palios issued a rallying cry to fans, urging them to get behind the squad in the remaining eight games of the season.

Micky adams moved out of the League Two drop zone on Saturday as they ended a five-game losing streak at Cambridge, despite being reduced to ten men.

They are 22nd on the League Two table with 37 points.

Mr Palios - who made 280 appearances in two stints for the club during his playing career - is confident the squad can turn its fortunes round and avoid relegation.

He took a controlling interest in the club with wife Nicola last August, after reaching an agreement with then owner Peter Johnson.

Mr Palios told the Globe this afternoon: "I am confident I have the ‘soldiers’ to win this battle. We've got some very good players in the side and if you look at the last two games I would say that we are ready.

"I came to the game on Saturday and it was a game we could have won.

"If whatever happens happens at the end of the season, we’ll go again.

"I hate to use war analogies, because in some ways it detracts from what we are trying to do.

"But this is the time when you think about who you have in the trenches with you.

"If I'm going to be the trench with people, it’s going to be the people who are here.

"Where we are is not where I want to be; I think the fans deserve a lot better at this point in time, but we’ve got eight games to go and we’ll go again.

"In life it doesn’t matter what happens to you, it’s how you respond.

"So my question in the final games is ‘We’ve got eight games left, how are we going to respond?

"You can't not feel the pressure. One of the advantages I've got is that I’ve played so I understand exactly what’s going on in the players’ minds and the dressing room.

"There’s no doubt that the players are up for a game, but if you let the pressure get on top it hits your skills and you won’t show for the ball. All of that kind of stuff comes in and you can just make it worse.

"The reality is the importance shouldn’t make the job harder.

"Hopefully we can turn that pressure to advantage and get people out to come and support the league club.

"It’s desperately important to concentrate on what happens between now and the end of the season.

"There are eight games left, eight fights. Are they up for the job? Yes they are.

“Do we want to make it as hard as we can for the opposition? Yes we do. We’ve got four home games, so the fans can play their part.

"If one goes bad, we just have to leave it behind it and get on with it. Much as people have to do in life.”

In a statement on Rovers’ website earlier today, Palios praised the ‘incredible efforts' of everyone at the club and thanked fans for their incredible support through what had been a ‘torrid season’.

It read: "There are eight games to go; eight jobs to do; eight fights to win and if we win four of them, we should be safe.

"If we don't, I don’t need to spell out the consequences.

“None of us want that to happen and that is why I am putting out a rallying cry to get everyone behind the Club in this crucial period.

"We are in a fight and continuing to give wholehearted support is key to securing the Club’s future in the League."