DAVID Hopkin today said sorry for snapping back at City fans after the Accrington loss but conceded: “I’m a passionate man.”

Hopkin knows he should not have reacted after taking some personal stick from a group of away supporters following another defeat which keeps the Bantams stuck in the relegation places.

But the head coach admitted that his temper boiled over because he is feeling as frustrated as the fans.

READ: Angry Hopkin's ultimatum to underperforming senior players

He said today: “I’d like to apologise to the fans for my outburst on Saturday. That wasn’t me and I shouldn’t have reacted.

“But I hope they can see it means something to me. I’m passionate and I don’t hide anything – I can’t.

“Whether fans like me or not for it, that’s how I am.

“I’ve only been here six weeks but I’m hurt, I’m really hurt.

“I want to do well, I want the players to do well.

“I want to win games of football and that’s the mentality I need to get over very quickly.”

Hopkin gave his team a half-hour rollicking following their fifth defeat in his seven league games in charge. It was the first time he had really laid into the players.

He added: “I’ve always been the same as a coach and I’ve always got the best out of players because I am honest.

“Fans aren’t stupid. If I keep coming out saying things and they read the same comments every week, they’ll soon see through it.

“Most of them are clued up about what I want to do, what they are seeing. I’m watching the same game as them which frustrates me even more.

“A lot of people are saying ‘they’re not your players’. But they are now and I’m responsible.

“I’ve been in six weeks and now I’m putting it back on the players and staff. I want help.

“If the fans start turning on me, then there’s no way back for anybody.

“We must stick together. But the fans will only help me if they see players giving everything over the next three, four, five weeks.”

The players are back in for training this morning when Hopkin will once again work on eradicating the individual errors that continue to haunt his attempts to haul the team out of the bottom four.

Hopkin still believes the penalty awarded against Ryan McGowan was harsh, claiming he was pushed on to the ball. But he felt the defender should have dealt with it by clearing the danger.

He remains unimpressed with the way City couldn’t cope with a long ball over the top and a counter-attack for the second and third goals.

“These are the frustrating things,” he said. “I thought I was getting there with the mistakes and then we get the same things happening at Accrington.

“Teams aren’t battering us or getting chance after chance. They’re not but we’re switching off and before you look, we’re chasing the game again.

“The penalty on Saturday was harsh. But if you’re not sure in the final third of the pitch, then clear your lines.

“When you get close to the goalkeeper like that, there’s always that chance of something happening. Deal with it for a throw-in or a corner rather than giving them a free shot at goal with a penalty.

“The second goal was just a ball over the top and we’re not ready for it.

“Then the third, we’ve got three centre backs switching off. Nobody is making the tackle and maybe taking a yellow card.

“If you don’t do the basics right, you can’t score goals or defend. Then it’s a recipe for disaster.

“We’re trying every week to do the same things.”