Gary Megson, the Bolton Wanderers manager, has branded the club’s supporters as “pathetic” and accused them of contributing to the team’s slide down the Barclays Premier League table after being subjected to abuse during the 2-2 draw away to Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday evening.

Megson has struggled for acceptance since taking charge at the Reebok Stadium 15 months ago, but his relationship with the club’s fans hit a new low against Blackburn, who are managed by Sam Allardyce, formerly of Bolton, when the same fans who had sung Megson’s name with the team 2-0 up at half-time turned on him when their opponents drew level late on.

Bolton have lost six of their past eight league matches and lie three points away from the relegation zone, but while Megson has given up hope of winning round the fans, he has urged them to stop vilifying him for the sake of the team, even if his attack is likely only to heighten the tension between him and supporters.

“The reaction to myself is absolutely astounding,” he said. “The supporters at this club have made their feelings known about myself from Day 1. They are regularly made apparent.

“Each time it’s not gone well for us they do it again. The players dislike it and I dislike it. When the fans are slaughtering me and saying what they are saying, it reflects on what the players are doing. They have their thoughts on it, too. It makes the players angry, but we’ve had to cope with it for a long time.

Megson said that many of his critics had prejudged him in a negative light. “I wouldn’t say they are fickle because I’ve had it from Day 1, when most managers get a honeymoon period,” he said.

“You have to wonder about the intelligence of these people. It has to be heard to be believed. Will I ever win them over? No — no chance. If your face doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit.”