Fans have issued a rallying cry for all supporters to back the players and new manager after Oxford United boss Brian Talbot was sacked yesterday.

Talbot the eighth manager to leave the club under Kassam's regime was axed after a string of disappointing results left the U's one place above relegation from the Football League.

Youth team coach Darren Patterson has been installed in the hot seat for tonight's key home clash against Bristol Rovers, with ex-U's player Jim Magilton expected to join later as player-coach.

Trevor Lambert, chairman of Oxford Supporters Trust OxVox, said: "There's no point in despair, there's no point in giving up. Fans have got to rally together and get behind the team and try to lift them, because that can make a difference.

"We've got to forget all this mess and try to get a few wins. It's a big ask for an inexperienced manager but everybody wishes him all the luck in the world.

"We need a balance to strike between protests and supporting the team."

Talbot's sacking by new executive directors Bill Smith and Brendan Cross followed Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Stockport, which made it 10 games without a win.

Patterson has been handed a contract putting him in charge until the end of the 2006/07 season. His first task will be to avoid relegation.

Talbot took charge of Oxford United last summer. Under his management, the U's won only eight out of 35 league games and failed to register three points since January 2.

Patterson was caretaker manager for three games 18 months ago.

The shrinking backroom team is worrying supporters' groups. In recent weeks, general manager Steve Hanks, assistant coach David Oldfield, physio Jon Edmund and now manager Talbot have departed.

Martin Brodetsky, of website Rage Online, said: "A change was required. Results have gone against us since Christmas and Talbot seemed to have lost the respect of the players, so it's not much of a surprise.

"I feel a bit sorry for Patterson, it's a rotten time for him to come in.

"It's difficult to see how he can turn things around without any backing and the threadbare backroom its a change for change's sake.

"He won't succeed with Kassam at the helm because he gets rid of people who don't bring immediate results.

"Kassam has shown he's not prepared to financially back the club and the seven years he's been here have been the worst of Oxford's history. It's time someone new came in."

Some United fans are planning a protest against owner Firoz Kassam before tonight's match but it is unclear how many will turn up.

This week the ThisisUnited fans' forum has been flooded with messages from supporters who are frustrated at the club's lowly position, which they blame on Mr Kassam.

The demonstration is due to take place from 6.30pm outside the ground. Fans said they plan to hold banners calling for Mr Kassam to cut all ties with the club. It follows Mr Kassam's decision last week to become non-executive chairman of the club.

United fan Ashley Mason, who first floated the idea for a protest on the forum, said: "I want the protest to be about Kassam, not about the team. The most important thing for all Oxford fans is that we stay up.

"I was always quite pro-Kassam before the beginning of this season. I don't think he is deliberately running the club down, but I do think he does not give a monkey's about whether we stay up or go down."

Some fans are also calling for further demonstrations to be staged outside Mr Kassam's properties Alexander Palace and The Kings Cross Hotel, in London and there is also talk of disrupting this summer's Elton John concert at the Kassam.

OxVox is not behind tonight's protest, but is thinking of protesting at a later date. Mr Lambert said: "Anything that does happen has to take place outside the ground. There can't be any pitch invasions."