Johnny Hunt believes there is ‘no way’ Chester FC will be relegated from the National League this season.

The Blues travel to Sutton United on Saturday (3pm) knowing that a win will secure their safety for another season despite what has been a wretched 2017.

Fourteen defeats from 19 games and just one point at home since the turn of the year have seen the Blues tumble down the division having been as high as seventh in December.

That run of form has lead to criticism of both management and players from some supporters, but Hunt, who says he understands the frustration of fans, is adamant the players are right behind their manager.

Johnny Hunt in action for Chester FC against York City

Said Hunt, who signed for Chester in the summer of 2015 from Cambridge United: “Fans are coming for the players and coming for the staff. It’s hard for them and they’re frustrated, I get that. They want us to be winning and so do we. There’s no shortage of working hard.

“The gaffer backs the all the players and the players might have let him down but he’ll back the players and he will never turn on his players and we’ll never turn on him.

“As a whole club we have to better in these poor situations. We’ve been a bit naive and let a bit too much slip in our own hands, especially at home.

“We’ll learn from all this and in my opinion there is no way we’ll go down. We’ve got way too much about us to go down.”

The Chronicle will be bringing you all the action from Gander Green Lane on Saturday via our live match blog from 2pm.