Saturday 16 April 2016 19:08, UK
Joleon Lescott says he wants to stay at Aston Villa and help the club he has supported since he was a boy return to the Premier League.
Villa's relegation after 28 years in the top flight was confirmed with a 1-0 defeat at Manchester United on Saturday.
Their future remains uncertain, with Eric Black still caretaker manager and no permanent successor yet on the horizon, but Lescott has vowed to fight on through the most difficult time in the club's history.
"Of course I want to be part of the battle. I'm here for as long as Aston Villa want me," he told Sky Sports.
"I was a Villa fan growing up, so it hurts as much as some of those fans out there, even though they might not think so.
"As an individual I can only take my part in the blame but I don't think it's ever as bad as what people portray in the press. But we're not going to dwell on that and use it as an excuse.
"We've not been good enough this season and that's why we are where we are."
Villa's 24th defeat of the season compounded one of the worst Premier League records a side has put together, despite a recently-appointed new board of directors gutting the club of its failing staff, fans have continued to protest in earnest.
Lescott said: "The criticism has been a bit of both; warranted and, at times, unfair. Throughout the season we have given reasons for people to jump on us, but there hasn't been so many reasons at times.
"But it's part of football and we have to take it on the chin. When things are going well you love it but when things aren't going well it's horrible to be a part of. It's a tough time at the minute and we owe it to the club and the fans to keep striving forward.
"In the back of our minds is to get promotion next season, but we've got some games left. Eric has come in and done a great job. It's disappointing but we showed a level of pride and desire today that probably hasn't been there enough throughout the season, and it's led to us being relegated.
"Now it's been confirmed that we are going to go down, hopefully it's a weight off our shoulders and we can play with a level of freedom and give these fans what they deserve.
"We've got some home matches left and, as an individual and collectively, we're still determined to put performances in to honour the fans."
