Hull City manager Nigel Adkins is looking forward to the return of hostilities after the international break and is asking for his side to stand up and be counted.
Despite the Tigers' current position, performances of late have not reflected in their results, and he feels his team must not let their heads drop because of this.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference for Saturday's clash with the Lilywhites he told the gathered media: "They [the players] are not allowed to feel sorry for themselves. It’s time to not shy away from where we are. It’s time for a realisation from the players.
“I’m looking for the players to keep showing the work ethic they are displaying at the training ground day in day out. We have got to take what we are doing on the training field to the gameday. We need to keep working hard.
"There's a belonging and a togetherness here at Hull City. The players are working hard and there's a demand out of each other, but we need to turn that togetherness into results.
“The first person I look at is myself. Nothing gets me down. Every morning I look at myself in the mirror and try my best. As the leader I want us to be successful and I will lead from the front. You have to enjoy coming into work.
“There will always be pressure not matter who you are managing. It’s about getting every ounce of potential out of every player and member of staff.”
The former Southampton and Scunthorpe United boss spoke separately to the Hull Daily Mail earlier in the international break and says he is looking positively at his team's current situation and says hard work will be the key to turning results in a positive direction.
“We don’t want to think about what happened to Sunderland last year," he told the local paper. "We were in a situation last year, but we managed to turn it around and made sure we stayed in this division.
“Let’s not throw all that hard work away. You’ve got to keep grafting.
“It will be easy for people to be negative. Fortunately I’m a really positive guy. I’ll keep working hard and try to be supportive to everyone around.
“If we work hard for each other, you’ll always have a platform to build. If you stick together and grind through it, you then get the satisfaction of coming through it at the other end.
“We’re in a transitional period. Let’s not hide away from the fact that it’s tough. But hard work is the only way through it.
“I’ve amassed a lot of experience over the years and the thing I’ve learned is that you need a unity about yourselves.
“We want the best for the football club. Little cliques can go off in all different directions, but you’ve got to stick together.
“The common cause is the welfare of Hull City. Whatever your opinion is, that’s the common cause, to stay in this division.”