PAUL Ince has called on disgruntled Blackburn Rovers fans to cheer - and not jeer - at today’s Premier League clash at Liverpool.

The Rovers manager was stung by a series of anti-Ince chants from travelling supporters during Wednesday’s Carling Cup defeat at Manchester United.

In an audible show of no-confidence towards Ince, many of the 400 fans at Old Trafford sang ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’ and ‘We want our Rovers back’.

The 41-year-old believes the terrace criticism is directed by a small minority of supporters, insisting the club’s fans have been ‘fantastic’ since he joined the club.

But while he is content to accept any flak squarely on his chin, Ince has urged fans not to barrack his players.

“The fans can get on my back as much as they want,” he said. “I don’t think they will because generally they are fantastic fans. I just think they are frustrated like we all are.

“But I am in this job for the players and I don't want them to get on the players' backs. It is easy to get on the players' backs when things aren't going well.

“The supporters need to support the players. They need to be our 12th man and they have been at times. Going the other way is just going to make it worse.”

Ince has revealed, however, that radio phone-ins and television vox-pops, where supporters have called for his head, have only left him irate.

He added: “Guys from the press make the fans what they are. You have got the radio shows with their phone-ins and it is terrible, really terrible.

“They pick the six or seven fans who really have a go at you and show it on TV or put it on the radio.

“My wife had the Granada programme on while I was having my dinner, so I had to watch it.

“It annoys you because they are going around trying to get you sacked. ‘Incey isn’t good enough for the job,’ things like that.

“I have only been here 15 games. But it annoys you that they are going round asking people. It is what it is.

“The majority of fans are behind the team and they have got to be because if they are not, it is going to make it even harder for us.”