Mark Robins inflicted more pain on his former club Sheffield Wednesday then issued a heartfelt plea for their issues to be resolved.
The Stoke City manager, who had a spell as a player at the club, was speaking after the Potters’ side won 3-0 at Hillsborough on an afternoon when fans held a funeral march carrying a coffin against hated Thai owner Dejphon Chansiri.
It has been a summer of turmoil with manager Danny Rohl leaving, players quitting or being sold, wages being paid late and the club subjected to another transfer embargo.
Robins, the former Manchester United ace, said: “Everyone feels for them and hopes they come through the other side. They will do so sooner rather than later, hopefully.
“You feel empathy because they are going through a difficult time, I feel for them because they have a difficult set of circumstances – the cost of living and people missing mortgage payments – it must e horrendous for everyone. That is why you feel for everybody.
“It can bring you together, but it can also destroy lives – it is not funny in the remotest sense, and it needs to be sorted out as it is tough, really tough for them.”
Robins added Wednesday’s plight is a stark contrast to his own club who is under the control of the Coates family whose fortune was amassed through the bet365 business empire.
“We feel incredibly lucky we have the ownership we have got,” Robins continued.
“We really appreciate that, and the supporters also know that.”