Chairman Geoffrey Richmond today waged war on City's "over-paid under-achievers" and insisted: Blood may have to be spilled but we will get it right.

Richmond let rip after the losses to Sheffield Wednesday and Stockport that have suddenly thrust City back into trouble.

But he cleared Nicky Law of any blame - as the boss dismissed speculation he was being lined up by Hull City.

Law said: "I honestly don't know why I've been linked with it. I've no knowledge of anything to do with Hull and I won't let it affect me."

Richmond berated the team for two results which left him "speechless" and promised that sweeping changes would be on the way.

He said: "I'm not prepared to stand for the type of performance and lack of commitment that I have seen all too often this season."

Writing in the programme for tonight's home game with second-placed Manchester City, Richmond urged fans not to point the finger at the manager.

He said: "Don't judge Nicky Law by these totally unacceptable recent performances. He has to work for the rest of the season with the squad that he inherited.

"I will restate again today that in the summer there will be between seven and ten new signings and Danny Cadamarteri is one of these. The team next season will reflect exactly what Nicky Law wants from a footballer.

"The exit door is open for the vast majority of our overpaid, under-achieving footballers. Many of them will get the shock of their lives when their present contracts end and they see that the world of football will value them at a fraction of their present inflated salaries.

"Blood may have to be spilled on the way. My challenge to every one of our footballers is to show professionalism and give 100 per cent commitment every time they cross the white line - anything short is totally unacceptable.

"I accept that we will lose games during the course of the season. But what is unacceptable are performances where at the end of the game we feel that the players have not given their all for the cause."

Richmond's hard-line comments follow similar outbursts from Darlington and Portsmouth, whose chairman Milan Mandaric refused to pay his team February's wages because they were playing so poorly.

Richmond added: "Unfortunately footballers are on watertight contracts and are totally unsackable. They are the most protected species on earth.

"Very average footballers end their careers in many cases millionaires secure for the rest of their days, without being able to look in the mirror and truly say they gave everything for their cause."