SOUTHEND United manager Phil Brown questioned whether or not his Shrimpers side were still playing for him following this afternoon’s 3-0 defeat at Bristol Rovers.

Blues were well below par as their poor run of results on the road continued.

And Brown admitted he was unsure if he still has the support of the team.

“The way the players performed today it didn't look like they were playing for me, you can smell these things,” said the Shrimpers boss.

"It's going to be a difficult month until the transfer window, if I do get to the transfer window.

“If you look at my history every one of my teams plays committed football but today there was no commitment.

“I just hope I'm still here talking in seven days.”

The defeat saw Blues slip down to 12th in the League One table and Brown was quick to continue his criticism of the performance.

"It was the worst performance since I've been here, definitely the worst second half,” said Brown who has been in charge of the Shrimpers since March 2013.

“It can't get any worse, the away form is dire and this reminds me of Rochdale last season but there isn't the same kind of spirit in the camp this year.

"The players had nothing to offer at the end and I'll do very well to get one of them to come out and speak to you."

"I feel for our fans who have travelled and I wish I was able to pay them their money back."

And Brown also felt he was wrong not to have included Michael Timlin in his starting line-up.

"I made the worst decision of my managerial career leaving Michael Timlin out," said the Blues boss.

"There was no spirit in the team, no desire or commitment and that it was typifies Michael Timlin.

"Without that determination you have no chance of getting anything here.

"We didn’t show up in the second half and as far as I’m concerned that’s a sackable offence.

"If it wasn’t for my goalkeeper it would have been six or seven.

"It was totally unacceptable."