"It's down to the players he puts out there," declared Culverhouse. "We have let him down."

Wood was instrumental in Culverhouse's recent appointment as reserve team coach and they have been working together closely.

"I am shocked and absolutely gutted for the bloke," Culverhouse added.

"He tried everything with the players and there are still six games to go to the end of the season.

"I know the reaction to Tuesday's defeat by Cambridge was quite bad, but that is almost the first time we put in a committed performance for him."

Brian Horton, who Wood replaced 12 weeks ago when he rejoined Port Vale, said: "I feel sad for him. I had a good relationship with Jeff and I thought it was the right decision to put him in there.

"Unfortunately results dictate, whether you are experienced or inexperienced. In management you live and die by results all the time."

Horton, currently fighting his own battle to keep Vale in the First Division, believes the absence of two key players did major damage to Wood's cause.

Rod Thomas has been sidelined ever since he took charge with a serious ankle problem and Jeff Minton only returned to the side three games ago after suffering a similar injury.

Said Horton: "To lose Jeff Minton and Rod Thomas was hard for Jeff. They would have been two massive players for him."

Chief scout Ken Craggs, who has been helping Wood out with the first team, said: "I'm disappointed and I feel very sorry for him.

"He's worked very hard and he has been unlucky with injuries and suspensions."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.