Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is adamant that his players must stick together for the remainder of the season if they are to avoid the drop.
Southgate has seen people try and destabilise his club over recent months with criticism coming in for his side's recent poor run of form which has seen them slide down the Premier League table.
The Boro boss has also had to endure Tottenham chasing their prized asset Stuart Downing resulting in the player handing in a transfer request early last week.
More speculation continues to surround the rest of his squad with strikers Tuncay and Mido and midfielder Gary O'Neil all rumoured to be exiting the Riverside this month.
Boro seemed to put all that behind them and recorded a credible draw at home to fellow strugglers Sunderland on Saturday after leading with just six minutes to go.
"The thing that stands out for me more than anything else is that this is a cut-throat industry," Southgate declared.
"Everybody outside your football club will try to destabilise your football club.
"What players and fans have to realise is that's why it's important they stick together and that our club stays strong, because everybody else is trying to bring you down.
"That's what we are having to deal with at the moment. Everything that we possibly could have thrown at us we are getting thrown at us.
"That's why it is crucial that we got something from the afternoon. We all left disappointed not to have three points, but if you can't win, then you make sure you don't lose."
Southgate had pleaded with fans not to boo Downing before the Sunderland clash and it appeared that his plea did not fall on deaf ears.
The winger's name was cheered when it was announced that he was to start over the stadium announcer and the supporters even acknowledged his early touches.
Downing responded and set-up the first goal of the game for striker Alfonso Alves only for Kenwyne Jones to equalise in the 84th minute.
It could have got worse for the home side if Adam Johnson had not cleared Carlos Edwards' header off the line and Boro defender Tony McMahon had not slid in to deny Djibril Cisse a chance to claim all three points at the end.
The draw halted a run of three successive defeats in the league for the Teessiders and Southgate was pleased with the performance.
"It's been difficult to get everybody focused on football to be honest, and considering that, we gave a performance of quite a bit of character," he added.
"It was not enough to win the game, in the end, Sunderland could have stolen it because we cleared one off the line and Tony McMahon made a brilliant tackle at the end."
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